Category: Basketball

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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• CHECK OUT THE LATEST NBA STANDINGS AND KNICKS STATS

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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.

The Warriors’ play-in matchup is set.

Golden State is staying in the Golden State.

After the Trail Blazers took care of business against the Kings on the final day of the NBA season, the No. 10 seed Warriors will play the No. 9 Clippers in their first play-in game.

The matchup was all but certain entering Sunday: A Portland team with real stakes on the line would have had to lose to a Sacramento squad trying to improve its lottery odds.

The bottom play-in game — set for 7 p.m. Wednesday — will be a rematch of the teams’ regular-season finale. Knowing the strong possibility of facing off again three days later, both teams rested players and generally played their cards close to the vest in a 115-110 Clippers victory.

In the words of Warriors coach Steve Kerr, “Wednesday will be much different, for sure.”

The loser’s season will come to an end. The winner will face a second play-in game Friday night on the road against whoever prevails between the No. 8 Blazers and No. 7 Suns on Tuesday.

No. 9 vs. No. 10 Western Conference play-in game

Date: Wednesday, April 15

Time: 7 p.m.

Location: Intuit Dome; Inglewood

TV: Amazon Prime

Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Clippers breakdown

Warriors projected starting five

G Steph Curry: 27.0 ppg, 46.8 fg%, 39.2 3pt%

G Brandin Podziemski: 13.7 ppg, 5.2 reb, 3.8 ast

C Kristaps Porzingis: 16.8 ppg, 5.0 reb, 1.2 blk

F Draymond Green: 8.4 ppg, 5.5 ast, 5.5 reb

F Gui Santos: 9.3 ppg, 3.9 reb, 50.5 fg%

Sixth man: F Al Horford: 8.3 ppg, 5.0 reb, 1.2 blk

Clippers projected starting five

G Kris Dunn: 7.3 ppg, 3.6 ast, 1.6 stl

G Darius Garland: 20.2 ppg, 6.2 ast, 44.6 3pt%

F Derrick Jones Jr.: 10.3 ppg, 3.4 reb, 50.1 fg% 

F Kawhi Leonard: 27.9 ppg, 50.5 fg%, 38.7 3pt%

C Brook Lopez: 8.5 ppg, 3.6 reb, 1.2 blk

Sixth man: F John Collins: 13.7 ppg, 5.3 reb, 41.2 3pt%

Who has the edge?

Last 10 games: Clippers 6-4, Warriors 3-7

Offensive rating: Clippers 117.2 (11th), Warriors 115.0 (19th)

Defensive rating: Clippers 116.1 (18th), Warriors 115.5 (15th)

Season series: Clippers, 3-1

Oct. 28: Warriors 98, Clippers 79

Jan. 5: Clippers 103, Warriors 102

March 2: Clippers 114, Warriors 101

April 12: Clippers 115, Warriors 110

Fast facts

• After Sunday’s season finale, the Clippers have now beaten the Warriors the past nine times the teams have met in Southern California, including all four inside the Intuit Dome.
• The streak is Golden State’s longest on the road against any opponent in Kerr’s 12 seasons.
• Overall, the Clippers have won 10 of the past 11 meetings between the teams in any setting.

Postseason history

The last time the Warriors and Clippers were on the same court in the postseason, Kevin Durant scored 50 points, Draymond Green had a triple-double and Golden State wrapped up the 2019 first-round series in six games on its way to a third championship in four years.

The Clippers prevailed in seven games in the teams’ only other postseason series, eliminating Curry, Kerr and Co. in the first round in 2014 — the last time the Warriors’ season would end before the NBA Finals for another six years.

The regular season is over. The Cleveland Cavaliers have finished with a 52-30, which is good enough for the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. They will take on the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the playoffs.

Final 2025-26 NBA Standings

Here are the final standings for each conference, with the Play-In Tournament set to decide who will face the top two seeds in each. The second seed in each conference will play the winner of the 7-8 game, while the one seed will play the winner of the next game, between the loser of the 7-8 game and the winner of the 9-10 game. Eliminated teams are noted 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. Brooklyn Nets
14. Indiana Pacers
15. Washington Wizards

East Playoff Matchups

• Pistons vs. Play-In team 2
• Celtics vs. Play-In team 1
• Knicks vs. Hawks
• Cavs vs. Raptors

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. Los Angeles Clippers (Play-In)
10. Golden State Warriors (Play-In)
11. New Orleans Pelicans
12. Dallas Mavericks
13. Memphis Grizzlies
14. Sacramento Kings
15. Utah Jazz

West Playoff Matchups

• Thunder vs. Play-In team 2
• Spurs vs. Play-In team 1
• Nuggets vs. Timberwolves
• Lakers vs. Rockets

Even though the Cavs have finished fourth in the standings, FanDuel Sportsbook currently gives them the fifth-best chance to win the NBA Finals (+1300) and the second-best odds to come out of the Eastern Conference (+290). The only team in their conference that they believe has a better chance of winning the title is the Boston Celtics (+550). The Cavs’ title odds are ahead of both the New York Knicks (+1900) and Detroit Pistons (+1900).

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 number 1 pick) for the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery on May 10.

*Teams in italics are placeholders as they and others will enter the Play-In Tournament to decide whether they are a playoff or lottery team.

1. Washington — top-8 protected (14%)
2. Indiana — pick goes to Clippers if it falls 5-9 (14%)
3. Brooklyn — (14%)
4. Sacramento — (11.5%)
5. Utah — top-8 protected (11.5)
6. Dallas — (8.3%)
7. Memphis — (8.3%)
8. Atlanta — via Pelicans (6%)
9. Chicago — (4.5%)
10. Milwaukee — (3%)
11. Golden State — (2%)
12. Oklahoma City — via Clippers (1.5%)
13. Miami — (1%)
14. Charlotte — (0.5%)

It’s always the Sixers that have got to make things weird.

Now that the 2025-26 regular season has concluded and the seeding is finalized, the league has announced dates, times and TV schedules for the Play-In tournament and the first weekend of the first round of the playoffs.

Normally, both 7-vs.-8 are the first games of the Play-In, taking place on the Tuesday the tournament starts. Since that’s the day of the Flyers’ final game of the regular season and the Sixers have snatched the seventh seed from the Magic, they’ll be hosting Orlando on Wednesday the 15th at 7:30 p.m. ET.

If they lose to the Magic, they’ll host the winner of Hornets/Magic on the 17th, also at 7:30. All Play-In games this year will be on Amazon Prime.

The @SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament is now set!

The action begins Tuesday, April 14 on @NBAonPrime.

Schedule ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/PxKEU7d6WN

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 13, 2026

If the Sixers get out of the Play-In, they’ll begin round one on Sunday the 19th. If they beat Orlando, they’ll secure the seventh seed and have the rest of the week off before taking on the Boston Celtics at 1 p.m. ET.

Should they fall back to the eight seed they’ll head to Detroit to play the Pistons at 6:30. If it’s Boston, that series will start on ABC as opposed to NBC and Peacock if they get matched up with Detroit.

It doesn’t seem like anyone is optimistic about the Sixers’ chances against either team with Joel Embiid on the shelf for most of if not the entirety of round one. The best possible advantage for this team might be four extra days of rest — and after seeing that Magic performance in Boston, it certainly is possible.

Every path to the NBA isn’t built the same. Some players lean on raw talent. Others have to grind for every opportunity.

Brooklyn Nets two-way forward Chaney Johnson fits firmly in the latter group. Call it grit if you must. It would be a good description.

Growing up in Alabaster, Alabama, a tough town south of Birmingham, nothing was handed to Johnson. After graduating from Thompson High School there in 2021, he had no offers from major programs. Instead, he committed to Division II Alabama/Huntsville.

For some players, missing out on the Division I level can be discouraging. For Johnson, it only provided more fuel for his fire. Despite not landing at one of the nation’s top programs, he remained locked in on the next opportunity.

“I was on to the next thing the whole time,” Johnson told NetsDaily in an exclusive conversation last week. “I need to try to get somewhere out of high school. Okay? Nah, I’m gonna go D2. Okay? I need to keep on working so I can get somewhere after D2. I’m at Auburn, I need to keep on working so I can get somewhere out of Auburn.”

Just a few years after receiving zero D1 offers out of high school, Johnson is in the NBA with the Nets on a two-way contract, tappi ng off his first season with a double double Sunday night: 16 points, 13 rebounds.

Looking back on his journey to the league, Johnson credits his “Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” above all else.

“One, all glory to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and Jesus, without him, I would be nothing,” said Johnson. “I always fall back on him, just giving me the strength to continue to go.”

One of the biggest turning points in Johnson’s career came at Auburn. After earning Gulf South Player of the Year honors in 2023 and being named a two-time first-team All-Gulf South selection (2022, 2023) at UAH, Johnson transferred to Auburn.

While he remained focused on the next opportunity, he wasn’t particularly looking to leave UAH.

“He didn’t want to leave,” his longtime trainer, confidant, and primary representative, Kelley Hall, told ND. “I kind of felt like I was twisting his arm, like, ‘Yo man, I’ve got these schools reaching out—you need to go in the portal.’”

After visiting Auburn, though, Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl didn’t let him leave the building, and the 23-year-old had decided that it was the place where he wanted to play the final years of his NCAA career.

He ultimately played an integral role in the Tigers’ Final Four run during the 2025 NCAA tournament, averaging 8.3 points and 6.5 rebounds across four tournament games while providing much-needed production off the bench.

From the moment he arrived, Johnson brought with him his most valuable asset: a relentless work ethic.

He was a guy who, as soon as he got to Auburn, was immediately our hardest worker, “Auburn basketball head coach Steve Pearl, who was an assistant on the staff during Johnson’s time with the program, told ND. ”He was immediately a guy that you just had to almost kick out of the gym and just worked his tail off nonstop.“

Although he went undrafted in last June’s NBA draft, Johnson remained determined to reach the league. Subsequently, he signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Summer League. Though he didn’t make the team’s 15-man roster, Johnson began the season with the team’s G League affiliate, the Cleveland Charge.

“He absolutely galvanized the locker room,” Charge head coach Eli Kell-Abrams told us. “He’s just on at all times, a joy to be around. He’ll run through a wall for you. Nobody played harder than Chaney. There was no better teammate.”

After 16 games with the Charge, including an impressive performance at the G League’s Winter Showcase in front of NBA executives, the Nets signed Johnson to their third two-way deal on Dec. 26.

At first, all of Johnson’s opportunities came in the G League with the Long Island Nets. Long Island has established itself as one of the league’s top development programs, with four players earning NBA call-ups this season, tied for the fourth-most in the G League. Johnson believes multiple aspects of his game grew under head coach Mfon Udofia and his staff on LI.

“I feel like all aspects of my game kind of grew,” he said. “I feel like Coach Mfon really let me play free… so I got to really get better at attacking more closeouts.”

Mfon Udofia, the development-oriented head coach of Long Island, said that he saw the biggest growth in Johson’s confidence.

“The biggest thing is building confidence in him,” said Udofia. “Sometimes players don’t know how good they are. So our job is to instill that confidence. He’s an extremely hard worker and does everything both our Long Island staff and Brooklyn staff ask of him.”

Fast forward to the present, and Johnson has appeared in 17 NBA games with the Brooklyn Nets, including one start. A potential 3-and-D player, he’s improved in a number of areas, his shooting and playmaking on offense and attacking closeouts on defense.

He finished his Brooklyn experience averaging 8.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 54.3% from the field in 17 games. Small sample for sure, but among the Nets eight rookies — the Flatbush 5, Malachi Smith, Grant Nelson and Johnson — his scoring numbers were higher than all of them except Egor Demin, Danny Wolf and Nolan Traore. The 23-year-old has also showcased his versatility, logging minutes across multiple positions, including at center, despite being undersized at 6’8”. (He does have a 6’11” wingspan.)

He takes pride in his ability to hold his own. Call it Brooklyn Grit or high character, what the Nets say they value.

“I take pride in that matchup,” said Johnson. “Even though I’m smaller, I don’t ever want to get punked by nobody. I don’t ever want to feel like I can’t hold my own against anybody. It’s testing my strength, my mentality… and showing me I can get stronger and really give those guys problems.”

He also credited Day’Ron Sharpe and Nic Claxton for helping him adjust to that role, “They help me all the time,” he said.

Johnson believes he has the tools to carve out a highly productive NBA career, and so remains determined to improve every aspect of his game.

“I feel like I’m a pretty solid defender, and my frame is pretty NBA-ready. I have the tools. But honestly, every aspect of my game needs to get better,” he said. “I need to be a better shooter, more confident with my ball handling, and smarter at reading sets. I feel like I could be good at a lot of things.”

Still, he aspires to be not just an NBA player, but a very good one. That confidence Udofia talked about seems to have taken root.

“I want to be one of the better players in the NBA,” Johnson said of his career aspirations. “All-Defensive First Team or Second Team and possibly have an NBA championship, I want to be one of the greatest players to ever touch the ball.”

His future remains uncertain. He will become a free agent in June. His two-way deal will be over. The Nets have a lot of young players, particularly wings plus three draft picks in June, one a high lottery pick. There’s been no indication whether the Nets will sign him to a new deal, invite him to Summer League or training camp, but that’s fine with Johnson. He’s accomplished a lot already.