Category: Basketball

Kevin Garnett is back!

On Sunday night in downtown Minneapolis, the Big Ticket made his long-awaited return to Minneapolis. He was led in through the player tunnel by the Minnesota Timberwolves owners, Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez, following an introductory hype video.

It was a moment Timberwolves fans had waited a long time to see, and it did not disappoint as the Target Center crowd rained down love from all corners of the building.

KG is back! pic.twitter.com/bmpwqmB4aQ

— Ryan Eichten (@REichten) April 13, 2026

“It was great energy in the building,” Chris Finch said about Garnett’s presence at the game. “It was a special night. He came in pregame, talked to the guys, went around the locker room individually, and talked to the coaching staff a bit, and was fun. He was excited to be back, no doubt about it, and it was a pretty neat moment when he walked out. It was good for our guys because they got a sense of just how important somebody with a legacy is, and what that really means.”

The impact of Garnett’s legacy collided with another growing Minnesota legend when KG and Anthony Edwards embraced before the game.

🎟️ x 🐜 pic.twitter.com/sEXEDoufzn

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 13, 2026

With KG sitting courtside, the Timberwolves closed out the regular season with a 132-126 win over the New Orleans Pelicans Sunday night at Target Center.

With the Wolves locked into the sixth seed, they decided to sit almost their entire starting rotation, with Donte DiVicenzo, who did not miss a game all season, as the lone exception. DiVinenzo played the first 7:32 of the game, putting up three points and three assists.

Terrence Shannon Jr. led the Wolves in scoring with 26 points and five assists as he continued his stellar stretch of play to close out the season.

OH MY GOODNESS TJ pic.twitter.com/MrIpJ3qmb9

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 13, 2026

Joan Beringer dominated on both ends of the floor as he put up 24 points on 9-12 shooting to go along with 13 rebounds and seven blocks. Beringer became the youngest player in NBA history to have 20+ points, 10+ rebounds, and 5+ rebounds in a single game.

Joe Ingles, Zyon Pullin, Julian Phillips, and Enrique Freeman all scored in double figures, as the Wolves got the victory and finished the season with 49 wins for the second straight year.

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Wolves-Nuggets Round 3

With the Denver Nuggets beating the San Antonio Spurs tonight, the Wolves’ playoff matchup was set. For the third time in four seasons, the Timberwolves and the Nuggets will battle in the playoffs. While the Wolves likely would have preferred the shorthanded Los Angeles Lakers in the first round, Minnesota seems confident they can beat any team put in front of them.

While the Wolves and Nuggets do have playoff history, those matchups from the 2023 and 2024 playoffs may not carry over to 2026.

“I don’t think it’s overly relevant,” Finch said about the Denver matchup. “The heart of their team is Jokic, Murray, Gordon, Braun, those guys have been together for a long, long time. The rest of the guys have kind of settled into their roles, and they’ve gotten healthy, so they’ve gotten a little bit deeper. I think that’s the depth that they didn’t have a few years ago, which makes them a lot more dangerous.”

Multiple Timberwolves players pointed to the need to come together as one group as a necessity in the playoffs.

“Just being together,” Donte DiVincezo said about what the team’s mindset needs to be. “All accolades and individual things are out the window. Now it’s all about just trying to get four wins, and we have a great opportunity. It’s a great team that we’re going to be playing, but this is what we thrive on: going on the road. Those first two games, I think we’ll be really connected and try to get in there and sneak one game home.”

Rudy Gobert also pointed to playing connected together as a key for the Wolves heading into the postseason.

Rudy Gobert pregame on the playoffs:

“It’s about being close together and being brothers. We’re gonna have great games and people are going to praise us. And we are gonna have bad moments and people are going to shit on us and in both cases we have to stick to who we are.” pic.twitter.com/t3SBNafJws

— Ryan Eichten (@REichten) April 13, 2026

To beat the Nuggets in this upcoming series, the Wolves are going to need to play with a level of connectivity that frankly they haven’t shown all season. While the 49 wins signal that Minnesota is a solid enough team, Denver’s 54 wins in an injury-rittled season signal that they have been at another level this regular season

The Wolves have shown they can win a playoff series as an underdog before. Of their four playoff series victory over the past two seasons, three have come as an underdog.

Only time will tell if they can do it again.

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Up Next

Game 1 between the Timberwolves and Nuggets will take place on Saturday, beginning at 2:30 PM CT. Fans can watch the game on Amazon Prime Video. The schedule for the rest of the series will be released sometime this week at the conclusion of the Play-In Tournament.

Highlights

Mike Brown wanted to finish the regular season with the best record in the NBA. He wanted to have the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. 

Brown said falling short of those goals was “disappointing.”

But Brown and the Knicks put up some other impressive numbers this season. 

They had the franchise’s third-highest SRS, which is a measurement that accounts for point differential and strength of schedule. 

The 2025-26 Knicks finished the season with an SRS of 6.23. They trail only the 1969-70 and 1993-94 teams and are right ahead of the 1972-73 team. Two of those teams won the NBA Finals and the third reached the NBA Finals -- not bad company to be in. 

Brown’s Knicks finished the season with the fourth-best offensive rating in the league. They ranked 7th overall in defense and had the fifth-best net rating. 

“I wish I could have figured some things out a little sooner than what I did, but we’ve had more ups than downs,” Brown said Sunday. 

“....Going into the playoffs, we feel pretty good where we are offensively and defensively as a group,” he added. “We feel connected. I feel like everybody on the team has sacrificed in one way, shape or form. You need that from your group in order to have some success. Our guys compete, and at this point in the season, I feel like the guys really believe, not just in what we’re trying to do but in each other.”

That belief is the result of a strong finish to the regular season. The Knicks snapped an 0-5 stretch against teams above .500 with wins over Atlanta and Boston last week. 

The pairing of Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns on offense looked as good as it has all season in those two games. 

Of course, Brown and the rest of the organization will ultimately be judged on what happens in the playoffs. 

But Brown’s Knicks seem to be in a good place entering their first-round matchup against the Hawks. They’ve shown over the course of 82 games that they’re one of the top teams in the league. They’ve battled through rough stretches of the season, questions about the fit of Towns, the play of Bridges and a myriad of other issues. 

“Like most teams, you go through a lot of ups and you go through and it can get tough. And there can be plenty of opportunities for individuals which can turn into a collective group of guys to quit, throw in the towel any time,” Brown said. 

“Anytime we face a little bit of adversity our guys try to handle it the right way. I really like their resiliency and I like their openness to trying different things or new things. Because we’ve done some things differently here than what they’re probably used to when they had a successful run doing the things that they were doing in the past.” 

The past success ended with a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals. Getting back there this season is considered the baseline for Brown & Co. We’ll find out in a few weeks if they can get back to that place and beyond. 

But right now, at the end of a trying regular season, Brown and the Knicks seem to be in a good spot. 

DUECE GETS LOOSE

Miles McBride and Jordan Clarkson were the only rotation players on the floor for the Knicks on Sunday. 

For McBride, the game was an opportunity to get some shots up and gain more rhythm ahead of the playoffs.  

McBride took advantage, finishing with 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting, 4-for-7 from beyond the arc. 

“He looked good. It was good to see him just go play free, take any shot he wanted and be aggressive,” Brown said. “Because he can score the basketball at a high level, he can shoot at a high level so it’s good to see the ball go in a few times.” 

McBride played in six games following a multi-week absence for sports hernia surgery and an ankle ailment. He will obviously play a significant role in how things unfold for the Knicks in the postseason.

In a good sign for New York, McBride said that he feels like his rhythm is in a good place entering the playoffs. 

He does feel pain as a result of his surgery while playing, which is something to keep an eye on in the Hawks series, but McBride has managed the pain and played through it since returning from surgery. 

The Utah Jazz had their final game of the season, but also the rebuild. It will not be remembered long as the outcome was expected, an easy win for the Lakers 131-107.

There were some things to take away for the Jazz. They played hard in this one, much like they’ve done all season, regardless of who was on the floor. That’s a great sign for the culture, the players, and the coach. Utah has successfully gotten through a season where they weren’t trying to win and has come out intact with a really bright future. And that’s before Utah enters lottery night.

That hustle is shown by multiple players on the team night after night. Tonight, that player was Oscar Tshiebwe, who had his way with DeAndre Ayton all game. Tshiebwe was 12/17 from the floor in this one and scored 29 points along with 17 rebounds. There are multiple players, like Tshiebwe, who may or may not be on the roster next season but have proven they have to be considered. Bez Mbeng is one of those players as well. Tonight, Mbeng was 5/10 from the field for 14 points with 9 assists and 5 rebounds. Not bad, the game after a triple-double. We’ll see if Mbeng and Tshiebwe will be on the roster next season as the Jazz move forward, looking to win as many games as possible. If they don’t make it, they’ve been nice additions that have filled roles well alongside the Jazz’s young, developing talent.

Speaking of the developing talent, Ace Bailey and Cody Williams struggled to shoot in this one. They both showed flashes, but the shooting hasn’t been there as consistently as you’d like. That said, they show the makings of really nice players, and this tanking season has given them the opportunity to grow that they wouldn’t have had were they on teams playing to win every game. Bailey was 7/21 in this one, mostly because the three wasn’t falling, but he’s shown enough this season that he has a bright future with his offensive game alongside the potential to be a high-level defender. Cody Williams has also looked night and day better than last season. Williams was only 5/15 from the field in this one, but he had 6 assists and 2 steals. Considering Williams struggled to put up any stats at all last season and early in the year, that’s a massive improvement. He’s also showing he has some go-to moves to score and help the offense with his pullup mid range game and his straight line drives to the basket. For both Ace Bailey and Cody Williams, we’ll see how they acclimate to having to share possessions with a winning roster next year, but the signs are looking good for them to, at worst, be great rotation pieces. Ace Bailey is showing signs of being an elite two-way player if everything comes together for him.

And with that, it appears the 4-year rebuild is now over. There’s still a lottery on May 10th that could make this rebuild even more epic. But even if the Jazz lose that lottery, they’ll be set up to win in a big way next season. It’ll be fun to see the fruits of four years of tanking labor. All the losing, the development of youth, the trade for Jaren Jackson Jr, the endless Lauri Markkanen trade rumors, only to keep him. It all leads to an upcoming season that will have the Jazz doing something they haven’t done for four years, go to the playoffs.

Game 82 is in the books for the Dallas Mavericks, as they took on the Chicago Bulls Sunday night in what resulted in a 149-128 win. The Mavericks finish the season with a 26-56 record, good for either the seventh or eighth worst record in the league, as the Mavs and Pelicans end the season with identical records and will need to go to a coin flip.

That concludes the 2025-2026 season for the Mavs and with it our game-specific Grades coverage. Thank you to all our readers who joined the conversation as we doled out grades game after game!

Let’s get to the grades!

Ryan Nembhard: A+

15 PTS / 9 REB / 23 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK – 38 MIN

Nembhard broke Jason Kidd’s long-standing record for assists in a single game by a Mavs’ rookie. Kidd had 17 to take the top spot, and Nembhard overtook him midway through the third quarter. The fact he was within shouting distance of Scott Skiles’ NBA record 30 assists is nothing short of astonishing. The fact he did it with only four turnovers is almost mind-boggling. He now holds the second highest assist total in a game in Mavs’ history (Kidd; 25).

Max Christie: A-

12 PTS / 1 REB / 1 AST / 0 STL / 2 BLK – 13 MIN

Fan Appreciation night had the Mavs rolling almost across the board. Christie was red-hot, scoring nearly a point-per-minute on 5-for-7 shooting including 2-for-4 from deep. The quick release he learned from Klay Thompson appears to be paying dividends. He showed some solid defense with an unlikely two blocks as well.

Cooper Flagg: N/A

10 PTS / 4 REB / 1 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 10 MIN

As much as I would love to give Flagg a grade, his rolled ankle after only 10 minutes of play lands him with the “N/A.” It’s a shame in the last game of his rookie campaign, but especially so since he was on his way to a great night. He shot 4-for-8 from the floor and knocked down both of his free throw attempts in a point-per-minute effort. He will end the season as the first rookie to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists and steals since Michael Jordan in 1984-1985.

Khris Middleton: N/A

8 PTS / 1 REB / 1 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 6 MIN

Another weird one, as the veteran Middleton was looking good before checking out after six minutes of play. While there isn’t nearly enough to grade on, Middleton did go 2-for-3 from the floor (all beyond the arc) for a highly affective half-quarter of play.

Dwight Powell: B+

7 PTS / 12 REB / 2 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 24 MIN

Powell had a heck of a night on the boards to really drive his grade up. He went 3-for-4 from the floor and fell down at least once (though I don’t believe he got hit in the face, which is an oddity for him). Four fouls were the only real knock on his game.

Klay Thompson: N/A

12 PTS / 0 REB / 1 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 10 MIN

Thompson falls into the “N/A” category along with a few others, due to the very limited minutes, but this was a nice end to the season for him. He needed two three-pointers to make 200 on the season, and he knocked in four of them to leave no doubt. He also made his way into the top 100 scorers in NBA history Sunday night.

John Poulakidas: A+

28 PTS / 2 REB / 4 AST / 1 STL / 1 BLK – 36 MIN

Poulakidas went nuts from beyond the arc, shooting a blistering 8-for-16 (9-for-18 overall). Despite all of that shooting, he also managed to dish a few assists. It was a lot of fun to see him shooting with confidence and knocking down shot after shot, often with a hand in his face. He’s certainly a shooter, so it will be interesting to see what he can do for the Mavs in the future, especially as they are in such need of deep threats.

AJ Johnson: A-

20 PTS / 1 REB / 1 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 25 MIN

Johnson tied for the second most points on the team on a solidly efficient 6-for-12 from the floor. He couldn’t connect from deep (0-for-3) but got himself to the free throw line with frequency, hitting 8-for-9. His team-high five turnovers dinged his grade a bit, but this was basically the best we’ve seen him play since coming to Dallas.

Tyler Smith: A+

20 PTS / 7 REB / 0 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK – 37 MIN

Smith was basically an A+ in his first 12 minutes of play, much less the game overall. Part of that was due to the lack of precedence and playing time heretofore, but he had himself a very nice well-rounded game.

Moussa Cisse: A+

17 PTS / 20 REB / 1 AST / 2 STL / 2 BLK – 41 MIN

Cisse was an absolute beast with a 20-rebound double-double. He played solid defense in a game that was never really in question, getting two steals and two blocks. He did foul a bit too much (four) and turned it over three times, but going 5-for-6 from the free throw line and splitting his total boards evenly between the offensive and defensive glass (that’s right – 10 offensive rebounds) catapulted him to the top marks.

Final thoughts

Make no mistake, this game was hot garbage in terms of the Bulls putting up absolutely zero resistance. While that may make one think the grades should be scaled accordingly, I couldn’t help but give out high marks purely on the basis so many Mavs not only did well as would be expected, but vastly outplayed even the most ambitious expectations. These guys wanted to show out, and just about every single player did just that, all while playing within the game and helping each other to be their best for 48-minutes.

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

The Los Angeles Lakers managed to secure a spot in the NBA Playoffs after producing a hot streak later in the season as the team gathered momentum, winning 13 of 15 games.

Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves all appeared settled into their roles and the team was moving in the right direction, but that momentum has since been lost. The Lakers will have to move forward with James as the focal point after Doncic and Reaves each suffered injuries in the closing stretch of the regular season.

The duo is also expected to miss part of the postseason. That leaves players like Rui Hachimura, Luke Kennard and Marcus Smart to help navigate the Lakers’ potential postseason run long enough to try and get Reaves and Doncic healthy.

Doncic, who traveled to Europe for special treatment on his left hamstring strain, averaged a league-leading 33.5 points per game. He also ranked third in assists with 8.3 per game.

The Lakers finished the regular season with a 53-29 record following a 131-107 home victory over the Utah Jazz on April 12.

Who will the Lakers play in first round of NBA Playoffs?

The Lakers will serve as the Western Conference's fourth seed in the playoff and take on the fifth-seeded Houston Rockets.

Kevin Durant led the Rockets with 26 points per game in his first year with the franchise. Alperen Sengun leads Houston with 8.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game this season.

The Rockets finished out the regular season with a 52-30 record during the regular season.

When do Lakers and Rockets start first round?

The Lakers will host the Houston Rockets on Saturday, April 18. The game will air on ABC and start at 5:30 p.m. PT (8:30 p.m. ET)

• When: Saturday, April 18
• Where: Crypto.com Arena (Los Angeles)
• Time: 5:30 p.m. PT (8:30 p.m. ET)
• TV: ABC

Who won Lakers-Rockets regular-season series

The Lakers got the best of the Rockets during the regular season, winning the last two games of the three-game regular-season series.

• Dec. 25: Rockets def. Lakers 119-96
• March 16: Lakers def. Rockets, 100-92
• March 18: Lakers def. Rockets, 124-116

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who will Los Angeles Lakers face in NBA Playoffs? Houston Rockets

The Cleveland Cavaliers will be taking on the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the playoffs. Game 1 between the Cavs and Raptors will be on Saturday, April 18. The game will be broadcast exclusively on Prime.

The schedule for the rest of the games can be seen below.

• Game 1 in Cleveland: Sat., April 18 at 1 PM on Prime
• Game 2 in Cleveland: Mon., April 20 at 7 PM on Peacock
• Game 3 in Toronto: Thur. April 23 at 8 PM on Prime
• Game 4 in Toronto: Sun. April 26 at 1 PM on ESPN
• Game 5 in Cleveland: Wed. April 29, time and TV TBD
• Game 6 in Toronto: Fri. May 1, time and TV TBD
• Game 7 in Cleveland: Sun. May 3, time and TV TBD

Games five through seven will only be played if necessary.

The Cavs haven’t fared well against the Raptors this season. They’ve dropped all three of their meetings, and none of them were particularly close. Every loss was by at least double digits.

How much you want to read into those games is up to you. Each game took place before December. The Cavs were without starting point guard — at the time — Darius Garland for each of those games, didn’t have Jarrett Allen for two of them, and were without Donovan Mitchell for one of them. Those absences had a tremendous impact on the game.

In addition to that, the Cavs struggled to keep up with the Raptors’ pace. Toronto was able to beat them in transition with their wings. We’ll see if the Cavs are able to adjust to that pace in the series.

This will be the fourth time the Cavaliers and Raptors have met in the playoffs. The Cavs have won all three previous meetings, which took place in three-consecutive seasons from 2016-18.

The NBA’s regular season came to a close on Sunday, with all 30 teams in the league playing. While most of the standings jockeying had concluded before the final day of the season, there was still a lot to work out. And that included the play-in tournament, and the future for the Golden State Warriors.

Golden State entered Sunday’s game knowing that they would be the 10th seed in the West, giving them an uphill battle to make the playoffs: they’ll need to win consecutive road games in order to clinch the final spot in the playoffs. And they tipped off against the LA Clippers — a game they lost 115-110 — knowing it was likely that they would face LA in a rematch in the play-in tournament.

Now they know that for certain, and we have the schedule as well.

The Portland Trail Blazers beat the Sacramento Kings 122-110, which finalized the West’s play-in seeding. The win gave the Blazers the eighth spot, and put the Clippers at No. 9. As a result, the Clippers will host the Warriors in the 9-10 matchup, which takes place on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. PT. The game will be televised on Prime Video.

The Blazers, meanwhile, visit the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night, also at 7:00 p.m. PT on Prime Video. The winner of that game will be the seventh seed in the West, and will book a first-round series against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. The loser will host the winner of the game between the Warriors and the Clippers, and the winner of that game will be the eighth seed, and earn the daunting task of taking on the defending MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

So the Warriors play Wednesday night, with their season on the line. If they lose to the Clippers, the season is over. If they beat LA, then they’ll get a day off on Thursday to travel, and will visit either Portland or Phoenix on Friday night. Like the other Western Conference play-in games, that game will be at 7:00 p.m. PT on Prime Video.

The Dallas Mavericks end their season strong, cruising to a 149-128 win over the Bulls behind one of their most complete offensive performances of the season. Dallas shot a blistering 52.0% from the field and 22-of-49 from three (44.9%), while piling up 35 assists and completely controlling the flow of the game. Ryan Nembhard led the way with a historic 23 assists to go along with 15 points, while John Poulakidas added 28 points on 8-of-16 from three and Moussa Cisse dominated the glass with 20 rebounds. Multiple Mavericks contributed across the board, as Dallas’ ball movement, shooting, and rebounding advantage proved too much for a Bulls team that never found consistent answers.

Dallas took control of this game almost immediately and never really let Chicago breathe in the first half. The Mavericks got early shot-making from Max Christie and Khris Middleton, then quickly opened things up behind Cooper Flagg’s downhill scoring, Klay Thompson’s threes, and Ryan Nembhard completely steering the offense, as Dallas built a double-digit lead before the Bulls ever found rhythm. Chicago had a few scattered answers through Rob Dillingham and Collin Sexton, but every small push got erased by another Dallas run. What stood out most was how easy the offense looked for Dallas. The Mavericks shot 54.9% from the field and 12-of-25 from three, piled up 22 assists, and got 12 first-half assists from Nembhard alone, which tells you exactly how in control they were offensively. Smith was a huge part of that burst with 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting, while Christie added 12 and Thompson chipped in 12 of his own to keep stretching the floor. Chicago never fully collapsed, but they also never made Dallas uncomfortable for long, and by halftime the Mavericks had turned a fast start into a commanding 80-56 lead.

The second half never really had a pulse, with Dallas immediately killing any chance of a comeback and just trading buckets the rest of the way. Chicago had a few moments from Dillingham and Sexton, but every mini run got answered right away by Dallas ball movement and easy looks, especially with Nembhard continuing to rack up assists. The lead hovered comfortably in the 20–30 range for most of the half, and by the fourth quarter it fully turned into extended garbage time with both teams just going through the motions. By the end, it felt like everyone was just waiting for the clock to hit zero in a game that had been decided long before halftime ended.

80: First half Maverick points

The game was essentially decided in the first 24 minutes, and it was because of how overwhelming Dallas was offensively. Dropping 80 points in a half is not normal, and the way they got there is what made it stand out. This wasn’t just hot shooting. It was a combination of ball movement, spacing, pace, and decision-making all coming together at once. The Mavericks consistently generated high-quality looks, whether it was open threes, cuts to the rim, or second-chance opportunities, and Chicago never had an answer.

What really defined the half was how connected everything felt. The assist numbers were off the charts, the pace never slowed down, and players were making quick, confident decisions. That’s something this team has struggled with all season, which is why it stood out so much here. For one half, a half that needed to be awful, the offense actually looked like it had structure and purpose. It did come against a weak opponent, the players the Bulls had out there coud not stop a fly.

23: Nembhard assists

Ryan Nembhard had the game of his season, finishing with 23 assists, he set the Mavericks rookie record for assists in a single game, and it felt like he was behind every single good possession Dallas had. What made it so impressive was the variety. He wasn’t just making simple reads. He was manipulating the defense, hitting shooters in rhythm, finding cutters at the perfect time, and pushing the pace whenever Chicago hesitated. This wasn’t a passive playmaking performance. It was aggressive, intentional, and completely in command.

His impact on the game was massive. The 80-point first half doesn’t happen without him orchestrating everything. Every run Dallas had, every stretch where the offense looked unstoppable, it traced back to Nembhard making the right decision. For a rookie to show that level of control in an NBA game is rare. It also raises real questions about his role moving forward. When a team desperately needs guard play, creation, and stability, a performance like this can’t be ignored. He may not be the long-term answer yet, but he’s absolutely earned a deeper look. Games like this are how players carve out real roles in this league.

8: Poulakidas 3s

John Poulakidas continues to prove that his shooting is not a fluke. Finishing with 28 points and 8-of-16 from three, including a massive 22-point third quarter, he completely changed the feel of the game every time he touched the ball. What stands out is not just the volume, but the confidence and versatility in how he gets his shots. He’s not just spotting up. He’s moving without the ball, relocating, stepping into shots quickly, and making them under pressure. That’s a skill that translates at any level.

Now sitting at 78 made threes, this is no longer a small sample. This is a legitimate trend. For a team like Dallas that has struggled with consistent perimeter shooting all season, this kind of production jumps off the page. More importantly, it fits perfectly next to a player like Cooper Flagg, who needs spacing and reliable shooters around him to maximize his playmaking. Poulakidas doesn’t need the ball to be effective, which makes him even more valuable. At the very least, he has earned a real opportunity moving forward. Whether that’s Summer League, training camp, or a deeper look in rotation minutes, this is the type of player teams take chances on. Shooting like this forces attention.

20: Cisse rebounds

Moussa Cisse also had has defnining game of the season, even if it didn’t come with flashy scoring. Pulling down 20 rebounds, he completely controlled the glass. It wasn’t just the total number. Offensive rebounds that extended possessions, defensive rebounds that ended Chicago’s chances, and constant physicality that wore the Bulls down over time. This is the type of effort that directly impacts winning, especially in a game where Dallas was already clicking offensively.

The Mavericks have been stuck with a group of bigs that are mostly interchangeable and often inconsistent. Cisse is continuing to keep his name in the mix with pure effort, rebounding, and defensive presence. He doesn’t need plays called for him to impact the game, which is exactly what this team needs around a high-usage player like Flagg. Performances like this force the front office to take a harder look. If you’re deciding who stays and who goes, production like this matters.

It’s going to be tough to write 300+ words about Sunday night’s season finale between the playoff bound Houston Rockets and the obviously tanking Memphis Grizzlies. I may have to rely on a few random famous Ron Burgundy warm up quotes such as, “How now brown cow.” With the Rockets being locked in as the fifth seed in the Western Conference playoffs, it was decided after the loss to the Timberwolves that in that scenario the teams key players would be resting. Once it became a certainty that the fifth seed is where they will reside, Sundays game officially became meaningless.

Perhaps meaningless for the standings and for casual Rockets fans, but for those like us TDS faithful there were some things to watch for and some things we wanted to see. Starting with the fact that Tari Eason was not on that list of “key players” that would need to be rested in this game and found himself where he usually wants to be, the starting lineup. Reed Sheppard, Josh Okogie, Jae’Sean Tate and Clint Capela joined him there.

For those who wanted to see Tari play well heading into the playoffs after a rough outing for him against the T-Wolves, Tari didn’t disappoint. He scored 20 points in 23 minutes on 8-of-17 shooting and even got to finish the game on the bench in street clothes. “The Human Torch was denied a bank loan.” Reed Sheppard scored 19 points on 18 shots. Not his most efficient night, but he got some valuable minutes at point guard headed into the postseason and can boast 3 assists and zero turnovers in the game. Jae’Sean Tate continued to be what he always has been, a pro. 13 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal on 6-of-9 shooting and the hustle you’d expect in a playoff game although to most it was views as meaningless.

The man of the hour was throwback Clint Capela. In just 22 minutes played, Capela scored 23 points, 13 rebounds and shot 81.8 percent from the floor and 50 percent from the three-point arc, as he knocked down the first three-pointer of his career. Clint Capela was considered a bit of overkill at the center position when he was signed in the offseason, but with the season ending injury to Steven Adams, Capela figures to be a key role player heading into the playoffs.

The Rockets finish the season with 52 wins and 30 losses for the second consecutive year. Some will say it’s a disappointment after an offseason that saw the Rockets add arguably, the greatest scorer of all-time. In someways that sentiment is understandable, however one would have a hard time arguing that the regular season record was always going to come secondary to the amount of success this team has in the playoffs. If the Rockets are able to find themselves in the Western semi-finals or Western Conference finals, then the fact that the regular season record was stagnant won’t matter.

It’s been a fun season regardless and even though the injury bug hit them hard, they are very fortunate to be headed into the post season with their top players healthy. The team has more playoff experience than the squad from last year had, and they will need it as they head to Los Angeles on Saturday for Game 1 of the first round series. As always, you know TDS is going to be here covering the playoffs from all angles. Can’t wait to cover the games and enjoy the discussions with all you TDS faithful. Until then… Stay classy Houston!

With his 12th year as the Golden State Warriors’ head coach coming to an end, Steve Kerr is at a crossroads.

Having won four championships and reached six NBA Finals is nothing to scoff at. With help from Steph Curry, Kerr transformed the team from a perennial playoff presence into a bona fide championship team.

That said, this 2025-26 season is the last of Kerr’s current contract. As of this writing, there seems to be no agreement in place to extend his tenure.

SB Nation polled Warriors fans on whether they wanted Kerr to remain as head coach. This is what they had to say:

A significant number of fans polled still want Kerr to return next season. Kerr is a proven commodity with a resume that not a whole lot of NBA coaches possess. However, there remains the possibility that either the team or Kerr himself might want to move on to other ventures.

Do you think Kerr will remain the coach of the Warriors next season? Will he sign a new contract for the only team he has been the head coach of? Will he be the coach of another team? Or will he step down from coaching duties altogether? Head on over to https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/nba to make yourself heard.

The Golden State Warriors wrapped up their regular season on Sunday night, and it the result was emblematic of the season as a whole: a lot of notable players didn’t suit up, there was a little excitement, and ultimately it ended in defeat. This time it was a 115-110 loss to the LA Clippers, which put a rather unsightly bow on a 37-45 season.

It wasn’t the best effort for the Warriors, and that was by design. Not only did the team have nothing to play for other than rhythm — they’ve been locked into the No. 10 seed for a while now — but they knew going into the contest that their likely opponent in the first round of the play-in tournament would be this same Clippers squad. Which means that that didn’t want to ruin any secrets (not that there are many between Steve Kerr and Ty Lue, who have been battling for about a decade now).

So it wasn’t a surprise that Kerr opted to rest Draymond Green, while Lue sat Kawhi Leonard. Interestingly, Kerr used Steph Curry more than any other player, as the team’s superstar had a dress rehearsal for playing heavy minutes in Wednesday’s win-or-go-home affair. Curry played nearly 29 minutes, while Brandin Podziemski had the next heaviest usage, with 21:03 spent on the court.

Both teams played a high-effort contest that was lacking in strategy or game-planning, as neither squad wanted to give the other any extra information. The Warriors came out hot with an energy-fueled 10-4 start, but the Clippers went on a 6-0 run to tie the game as Golden State’s offense got sloppy. But the Dubs would respond with a 7-0 run of their own.

It had a bit of a pickup basketball feel, and Dub Nation held their collective breath as Podziemski left the game in visible pain and holding his leg. Thankfully, he returned in the second quarter.

The first quarter was far from the prettiest basketball that we’ve witnessed this season, but the pace was nice and it was an enjoyable watch. It got a little testy late in the frame, with Pat Spencer and Kobe Sanders getting into it a little bit. With the Warriors offense scuffling in a big way, Seth Curry bailed them out with a four-point play with just a few tenths of a second remaining, sending Golden State to the second quarter with a 26-25 advantage.

But the second quarter belonged to LA, as they started to execute well out of the gates, while the Warriors very much did not. That led to some hot shooting from the Clippers’ perimeter players, and suddenly it was a 43-33 lead for the home team. But Steph Curry returned to the court and fueled a gritty 7-0 run as the Warriors got right back in it.

Yet sometimes there are signs that it isn’t your game, and that occurred shortly after that run, when Steph was fouled shooting a three, and only made one free throw. It was ominous, and it helped spark an LA run that pushed the lead back to double-digits. But the Warriors ended the quarter on a high note, with Kristaps Porziņģis getting a stop on one end, and Podziemski draining a buzzer-beating three on the other. The Dubs trailed just 52-48 at the break.

The third quarter went back and forth and back and forth and back and forth some more. The Warriors hung right with the Clippers, never really losing touch, but certainly not taking control of the game, either. Curry went to the bench with about four minutes remaining and the game tied, and it seemed likely that his night was over. While the Clippers continued to dominate on the perimeter, Charles Bassey — who remains a revelation — was dominating in the paint, and going toe to toe with LA, almost single-handedly keeping the Warriors in the game. As a result, they trailed just 83-81 entering the fourth.

Bassey picked up where he left off in the final quarter, as he kept going strong. Unfortunately, none of his teammates could match that level of success, and on the other end, the Clippers suddenly couldn’t miss. LA quickly ran the lead back to double digits, and took total control of the game.

Curry did end up returning for a short stint in the fourth quarter, presumably to simulate the usage pattern he’ll have in Wednesday’s game. He didn’t do too much — and it seemed like he wasn’t trying to do too much — but he looked healthy and athletic and in game shape, and that’s really all anyone was looking for.

The Clippers controlled the game until the final buzzer, though the Warriors subs made it a close score of 115-110, even though the game didn’t feel at all up for grabs. Then again, the Warriors weren’t really trying to grab it, so who cares.

Curry led the Warriors with 24 points, while shooting 7-for-14 from the field and 4-for-9 on threes, with six rebounds and three assists. Bassey had 16 points off the bench on nearly-perfect 5-for-6 shooting, while going 6-for-8 on free throws. Porziņģis (12) and Podziemski (10) were the only other Warriors in double digits, as no one played much.

With the regular season now over, the Dubs will stay in Los Angeles and prepare for Wednesday’s game at the Intuit Dome. That game will be at 7:00 p.m. PT on Prime Video, with the loser being eliminated. The winner will travel to face the loser of Tuesday night’s game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Phoenix Suns.

And just like that, the 2025-26 NBA regular season has come to an end. The Lakers battled injuries and are currently playing without Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, but thanks to some great games from LeBron James, they’ve managed to earn the fourth seed in the West. Now, they are set to play the Rockets in the first round.

Final 2025-2026 NBA Standings

Here are the final standings for each conference, with the play-in ultimately set to decide who will face the top two seeds in each. The No. 2 seed in each conference will play the winner of the 7-8 game, while the No. 1 seed will play the winner of the next game, between the loser of the 7-8 game and winner of the 9-10 game. 

*Eliminated teams in italics.

Eastern Conference

1. Detroit Pistons
2. Boston Celtics
3. New York Knicks
4. Cleveland Cavaliers
5. Toronto Raptors
6. Atlanta Hawks
7. Philadelphia 76ers (play-in)
8. Orlando Magic (play-in)
9. Charlotte Hornets (play-in)
10. Miami Heat (play-in)
11. Milwaukee Bucks
12. Chicago Bulls
13. Indiana Pacers
14. Brooklyn Nets
15. Washington Wizards

Western Conference

1. Oklahoma City Thunder
2. San Antonio Spurs
3. Denver Nuggets
4. Los Angeles Lakers
5. Houston Rockets
6. Minnesota Timberwolves
7. Phoenix Suns (play-in)
8. Portland Trail Blazers (play-in)
9. LA Clippers (play-in)
10. Golden State Warriors (play-in)
11. Memphis Grizzlies
12. New Orleans Pelicans
13. Dallas Mavericks
14. Utah Jazz
15. Sacramento Kings

With Dončić and Reaves likely to miss most or all of the first round, the Lakers won’t be expected to go far this postseason. Even with key pieces missing, the Lakers still have LeBron, home court and a head coach in JJ Redick who will do everything he can to put LA in an advantageous situation.

Under Redick’s leadership, the Lakers have had back-to-back 50-win seasons, making them one of the most consistent teams in the West over the past two years.

Official 2026 NBA Lottery Odds

And with the 2025-26 NBA season behind us, here is the final lottery order (with their odds to get the No. 1 pick) for the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery on May 10.

1. Washington Wizards — top-8 protected (14%)
2. Brooklyn Nets (14%)
3. Indiana Pacers — pick goes to Clippers if it falls 5-9 (14%)
4. Sacramento (12.5%)
5. Utah — top-8 protected (10.5%)
6. Dallas (9%)
7. Hawks — via Pelicans (7.5%)
8. Memphis (6%)
9. Chicago (4.5%)
10. Milwaukee (3%)
11. Golden State (2%)
12. OKC — via Clippers (1.5%)
13. Miami (1%)
14. Memphis — via Orlando (0.5%)

Plenty of teams were tanking this season in what’s expected to be a deep draft class, but the Lakers weren’t one of them. Now the draft odds for the No. 1 pick are known and we’ll see which team gets to pick first when the NBA Draft Lottery is held on May. 10.

While the Lakers aren’t in the lottery, they will have a first round pick. They tied with the Knicks, so a coin flip will decide whether they select at No. 24 or 25.

However, the draft is something the franchise can focus on later. For now, the priority is to rest up as the play-in teams earn their spots in the playoffs and get ready for a battle with Houston next week.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

Steve Kerr said it himself.

There wasn’t much for either team to glean from Sunday night’s regular-season finale between the Warriors and Clippers. The teams will meet again with far higher stakes in three days, meaning neither coach wanted to show his hand in a 115-110 loss to LA.

“Wednesday will be much different, for sure,” Kerr said before tipoff.

Kawhi Leonard (ankle) and Draymond Green (back) were both ruled out before tipoff, while the teams’ remaining rotation regulars mostly went through the motions for 48 minutes while their fates were determined by a game 1,500 miles up the coast in Portland.

Both players are expected to return to their starting lineups for Wednesday’s win-or-go-home rematch, which became official with the Trail Blazers’ 122-110 win over the Kings.

As expected, Steph Curry played his heaviest load of minutes since returning from a 27-game absence with a knee injury. He finished with 24 in 29 minutes, setting him to play as much as necessary with the Warriors’ season on the line Wednesday.

Without Green, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford both started alongside Curry, Brandin Podziemski and De’Anthony Melton in the Warriors’ 43rd different starting five of the season.

Porzingis missed all four 3s he attempted and finished with 12 points in 24 minutes. Horford was held to two field goals — one for 2 and one for 3 — for a quiet five points in 19 minutes. Both big men were outshined by Charles Bassey, who scored in double digits for the third straight game with 16.

“We know we’re going to have to put together a good four quarters on Wednesday,” Kerr said. “Tonight [was] another chance to make a step in that direction. But again, it’s different. It’s a different feeling when the result doesn’t matter.”

What it means

The Warriors finished the regular season 37-45, their second-worst record in 12 seasons under Kerr. Their only worse finish came in 2019-20, when Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant all missed most of the season.

Before the game, Kerr contrasted the two seasons.

“I think the expectations were higher for us this year than they were [in 2019-20] after losing Andre [Iguodala], Shaun Livingston, Kevin Durant. It’s a different vibe going into that year,” Kerr said. “This year I think the high hopes were there coming off last year’s run, having Jimmy [Butler] on our team. … When you see two guys go down midseason and it impacts not only this season but the next one, that’s about as tough as it gets. It for sure has been a very difficult season.”

Turning point

Trying to build chemistry in a group that hasn’t played together much, if at all, for the entire season, the Warriors survived two more injury scares with their regulars on the floor despite the outcome carrying little meaning.

After Curry rolled his ankle Friday in Sacramento, Podziemski was forced out of action early Sunday when he appeared to take a knee to his thigh on a drive to the hoop.

Podziemski, playing his 82nd game of the season, hobbled to the bench and received treatment. But he was quickly back in the game to finish a team-best plus-16 in 21 minutes.

Curry was also the recipient of a hard forearm from Benedict Mathurin as he attempted to back his way into the paint. The move sent Curry falling to the floor, clearly unpleased, and technical fouls were doled out to Gary Payton II and Mathurin for the brief scrum that followed.

MVP: Steph Curry

The best news for the Warriors from Sunday’s game was that Curry looked like himself after two quiet games and rolling his ankle their last time out. He lacked the theatrics of his 29-point performance in his first game back against the Rockets but turned in probably his best all-around effort.

Stat of the game: 99

The total number of minutes logged by Bassey, Nate Williams, Malevy Leons, Pat Spencer, Seth Curry and Will Richard. Some of the end-of-rotation players will factor into Wednesday’s game, but if their minutes come anything close to Sunday, the Warriors are in trouble.

The six players combined to post a minus-83.

Up next

The Warriors’ postseason push begins Wednesday.

Same opponent. Same venue. Different stakes.

They’ll have to beat the Clippers in Inglewood and win another elimination game on the road against either the No. 7 Suns or No. 8 Blazers to earn a date with the defending champion Thunder in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

The Hawks certainly didn’t try to avoid the Knicks.

They sat most of their starters in their 143-117 loss to the Heat on Sunday night in Miami, despite a win meaning they’d secure the No. 5 seed in the East and first-round matchup with the Cavaliers. With the loss (and a Raptors win, coupled with a Magic loss), the Hawks dropped down to the No. 6 seed, meaning a first-round matchup with the Knicks.

So, knowing a loss was likely without their main players, the Hawks made it clear they at the very least weren’t overly scared of the Knicks.

Hawks coach Quin Snyder claimed to be prioritizing health over matchup.

“Right now, I think we’re excited to be in this situation,” Snyder said ahead of the game. “Whoever we play is gonna be really good. It’s hard to even try to figure that out. It’s possible that certain teams wanna play us. The primary thing is for us to be healthy going into the postseason. That’s been the one thing that has been consistent the last few weeks and months — you don’t know what’s gonna happen. It’s hard to predict all these games, they’re all going on. Wherever it falls is where it falls, and we’ll prepare for the playoffs, regardless of who that is.”

For their own part, the Knicks didn’t seem bothered by it.

“We didn’t pay any attention to that,” Jordan Clarkson said. “It’s just what they wanted to do.”

Added Miles McBride: “Honestly, we just gotta focus on what we gotta do. I think whoever could’ve been the matchup, we’re focused on what we have to do as a team.”

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Sunday’s game meant nothing for the Knicks as a whole. But it was a bit meaningful for McBride.

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It was his last chance to re-find his shooting form ahead of the playoffs. McBride had struggled with his shot after returning from sports hernia surgery, which caused him to miss 28 games. In five games before Sunday’s 110-96 loss to the Hornets at Madison Square Garden, McBride shot just 6-for-21 (28.6 percent) from 3-point range.

But Sunday, McBride went 4-for-7 from deep, scoring 21 points overall in 24 minutes. As one of the only main players in the rotation playing, he had plenty of opportunity to get in a rhythm.

“He looked good,” coach Mike Brown said. “It was good to see him just go play free and take any shot he wanted and be aggressive … It was good to see the ball go in a few times.”

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OG Anunoby’s ankle injury doesn’t seem to be serious.

Brown said that Anunoby is day to day. Having already locked themselves into the No. 3 seed and with nothing to play for, the Knicks rested four of their five starters (Mikal Bridges started the game to preserve his consecutive games streak, then subbed out) Sunday, including Anunoby.

But it doesn’t sound like the injury will force Anunoby to miss any time in the playoffs.

Anunoby suffered the injury during the win over the Raptors at MSG on Friday.