Category: Basketball

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Kings make the expected official, name Doug Christie as head coach

This move was expected — and not just when it was reported the sides were close to a deal just days after the Kings' season came to an end. With Doug Christie being a favorite son of Sacramento's ownership and front office, this was expected even before Scott Perry was hired as the new general manager. It was expected from the day he got the job on an interim basis.

Christie is officially the new head coach of the Sacramento Kings, the franchise announced Thursday.

"I am deeply humbled to be named head coach of the Sacramento Kings," Christie said in a statement. "This organization and city have been home for over 20 years. I want to thank the Kings organization and Scott for their support during this process. For me, this opportunity is all about service to the team, the organization, and the city of Sacramento. My family and I couldn't be more excited for this new chapter."

"I've known Doug a long time and have been impressed with his leadership, presence, and ability to connect deeply with his players," Perry said in a statement. "He embodies the core values we believe in — toughness, discipline, professionalism, a defensive mindset, and a selfless, team-oriented approach on offense. Our goal is to support him fully and help set the stage for his long-term success. We're excited to move forward with Doug as our leader."

The Christie hire is a great narrative that will play well with the fan base. Christie was a popular starting two guard in Sacramento in the early 2000s who has been part of the coaching staff through multiple regimes.

Christie was hired as the interim coach mid-season after Mike Brown was fired after a 13-18 start.

Sacramento went 27-24 overall under Christie, 12-15 with a bottom-10 defense after the All-Star break (and after the trade of De'Aaron Fox that brought back Zach LaVine). For the second consecutive year, the Kings advanced to the Play-In Tournament but were eliminated there.

Who is on the roster that Christie will coach next season is the bigger question — Perry needs to provide a clear direction for this franchise. Sacramento has a core of Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan and LaVine, but can they win with that group? The Kings had a -3.5 net rating when those three were on the court together last season.

Whatever direction Perry points the team, he is counting on Christie as coach to be a stabilizing influence who can get the most out of this roster and get the Kings back to the playoffs.

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What Dray told Kerr before coach pulled Warriors starters in Game 5

What Dray told Kerr before coach pulled Warriors starters in Game 5 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

As the Warriors, trailing the Houston Rockets 76-49, walked off the floor at halftime during Game 5 on Wednesday at Toyota Center, coach Steve Kerr posed a question to veteran forward Draymond Green.

“You can feel that it’s a game that is highly unlikely to go our way,” Kerr told 95.7 The Game’s “Willard and Dibs” the day after Golden State’s eventual 131-116 loss. “And Draymond and I know each other so well, I didn’t even have to express the question explicitly. All I said to him was, ‘What do you think?’ And he knew exactly what I meant.

“And he said, ‘5 minutes.’ And I said, ‘I think that makes sense, too.’ “

That’s exactly how long Kerr waited in the third quarter before pulling his starting five of Green, Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, Brandin Podziemski and Buddy Hield off the court, replacing them with reserves Pat Spencer, Gui Santos, Quinten Post, Moses Moody and Kevin Knox II.

By then, the bench still faced a 29-point deficit.

“[Warriors assistant coach] Terry Stotts and I had talked about [pulling the starters] even before halftime started,” Kerr continued. “We debated, do we send them out at all [for the second half], and we agreed it didn’t make sense to pull them out at that point altogether. Let’s give them a chance to make a little push, but we’re not messing around because Game 6 is 48 hours later, and at that point it becomes risk [versus] reward.

“The obvious choice was to get them off the floor.”

Kerr wrestled with the decision to give his starting five a chance to make things interesting against the Rockets, and Green clearly knew that if something special didn’t happen within the first five minutes of the second half, all bets were off. But it actually was the Warriors’ bench that pulled within 11 points of the Rockets at one point in the fourth quarter.

Golden State’s reserve surge forced Houston coach Ime Udoka to put his own starters back in the game with 7:59 remaining, cutting their rest for Game 6 short while the Warriors’ mainstays remained on the bench.

“I thought that was important,” Kerr said of the Warriors’ bench bringing the Rockets’ starting five back into the game. “And to play with that kind of aggression and to force some turnovers and to make them uncomfortable, because the first 30 minutes of that game were entirely too comfortable for Houston. So I loved what our guys did in the fourth quarter.”

Kerr said it was “highly unlikely” that the Warriors’ starters would re-enter the game, because their minds already had turned the page to Game 6 and what they must do to close the first-round NBA playoff series out on Friday at Chase Center.

“My experience has always been, you let the bench ride it out and see if they can get it done.”

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LeBron James on retirement: 'I don’t know the answer to that right now'

LOS ANGELES — When a player is coming off an All-NBA level season where he averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds a game, plus he has a player option to make $52.6 million next season, retirement usually is not a question on the table.

It's different for 40-year-old LeBron James after his 22nd NBA season. After the Lakers were eliminated in five games in the first round by a younger, more physical and deeper Minnesota team, he was asked his thoughts about coming back for a 23rd season.

"I don't know. I don't have an answer to that," James said. "Something I'll sit down with my family, my wife and my support group and just kind of talk through it and see what happens. Just have a conversation with myself on how long I want to continue to play.

"I don't know the answer to that right now, to be honest. So, we'll see."

The expectation in league circles is LeBron will return. He was energized this season, both playing with his son, Bronny, and after the Luka Doncic trade. He is still playing at a high level, and most importantly, this is a Lakers team that is just a few moves away from competing for a title (getting a rim-protecting center is at the top of the list). LeBron has been clear for years that his top priority is another championship for his resume, and this Lakers team should enter next season with legitimate title aspirations.

There is also an expectation that LeBron will opt out of his $52.6 million for next season — the second year of a two-year, $101.4 million contract signed last summer — to sign another two-year extension with the Lakers. He also has a no-trade clause (although it is unlikely to come into play).

"This is a business, too," LeBron added. "So you don't know what the roster will look like next year besides the guys that are locked into contracts. I mean, s***, I got a lot to think about myself. I don't know what the roster will look like. I don't know where I stand right now."

It's a lot for a player of LeBron's age to get his body ready to compete at this level and the point will come where he doesn't want to put in that much work anymore. Right now, LeBron appears willing to put in the work.

There will be roster changes, the Lakers are going to go hunting for a center who can protect the paint on defense and be a vertical floor spacer on offense (think of how Dereck Lively II fit next to Doncic in Dallas). LeBron wasn't going to publicly push for the Lakers to go get a big after being dismantled by Rudy Gobert in Game 5, and in doing so had the line of the night.

"No comment. I'll never say that," LeBron said of Los Angeles needing a center. "Because my guy AD said what he needed and then he was gone the following week, so I got no comment."

LeBron is going to take his time to think about this, but don't be surprised when he is back next season. Although, also don't be surprised if next season, his 23rd, is his farewell tour.

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Knicks vs. Pistons Odds, predictions, recent stats, trends and Best bets for May 1

It’s Thursday, May 1, and the New York Knicks (51-31) and Detroit Pistons (44-38) are all set to square off from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.

Detroit stole Game 5 in New York, 106-103, now the Pistons will have to defend home court in order to extend the series to a Game 7 at MSG.

The Knicks are currently 24-17 on the road with a point differential of 4, while the Pistons have a 5-5 record in their last ten games at home.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.

Game details & how to watch Knicks vs. Pistons live today

  • Date: Thursday, May 1, 2025
  • Time: 7:30 PM EST
  • Site: Little Caesars Arena
  • City: Detroit, MI
  • Network/Streaming: TNT / TruTV / Max

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Knicks vs. Pistons

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Odds: Knicks (+113), Pistons (-134)
  • Spread:  Pistons -2
  • Over/Under: 213 points

That gives the Knicks an implied team point total of 106.03, and the Pistons 107.07.

Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Expert picks & predictions for Thursday’s Knicks vs. Pistons game

Rotoworld Best Bet Vaughn Dalzell @Vmoneysports likes the game Under and Brunson’s points prop:

"While I lean New York to win this game, this will be a dogfight. I think the Under will be the best between these two teams with Jalen Brunson showing out. Brunson is coming off his worst game of the playoffs with 16 points on 4-of-16 shooting. That was his only game under 30 points in the playoffs, so I will go Over 28.5 points for Brunson in a closeout game."

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Knicks & Pistons game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the New York Knicks at +2.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 213.

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Knicks vs. Pistons on Thursday

  • The Knicks have won 5 of their last 7 road games, while the Pistons have lost 5 in 6 at home
  • The Total went over in 52% of the Knicks' regular season games (43-39-0)
  • The Pistons are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as a home favorite
  • The Knicks have won 4 of their last 5 at Eastern Conference teams

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

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What will the Lakers roster look like following another first-round playoff exit?

Los Angeles, CA, Wednesday, April 30, 2025 - Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) leaves the court after a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in game 5 of the first round of the NBA playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Lakers guard Luka Doncic leaves the court after a season-ending loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

JJ Redick was about to coach his first game in the NBA, a step into a new life that he was sure he wanted for himself. He was no longer the hotshot Duke star, the aimless former lottery pick, the reliable NBA starter, the trusted vet or famous podcaster.

This was something different.

“You know, I think whatever I envisioned in my previous life, that's gone,” Redick said. “This is who I am now. I'm a coach.”

Read more:Plaschke: Lakers' season ends in humiliation … and hope

And as the Lakers coach, he wanted to make one thing more than any other clear. Results would be secondary. Development would be first. A shooter can’t control whether or not an open jumper goes in; they only can control the amount of work they’ve put into giving that shot the best possible chance to go in.

And after his first NBA win, Redick reinforced that idea.

“They’re bought into the fact that this is a process and we’re not going to compete for a championship right now,” Redick said opening night. “We have buy-in from our players, we have buy-in from our coaching staff. That’s all we want right now.”

The Lakers did buy in, even when the season came to a pause due to a historic natural disaster, even when the main characters changed due to a historic superstar swap. They witnessed history when their leader fulfilled a dream to play with his son, they reshaped their culture with one trade and pulled the emergency brake to get out of another. A homegrown star rose; the NBA’s all-time leading scorer moved one step closer to his last basket.

All through it, the big wins, the crushing losses, the high-end drama and the 48 minutes of mundane, the Lakers followed Redick's lead.

But they didn’t compete for a championship — not at this step in their process. Their season ended, losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs, 15 wins away from the championship they hoped to claim.

And, as soon as the mourning ends, the work erecting the bridge from one win to 16 of them can begin.

For the first time since the Lakers last ended their season as champions, the building process won’t be centered on LeBron James. They’ll have a summer to put the right pieces around a new focal point in Luka Doncic, the 26-year-old future of the franchise.

That search is expected to start in the middle, where the Lakers will look to add a center to pair with one of the NBA’s top passers. The Lakers already tipped their hand on this midseason when they followed up the Doncic deal by agreeing to trade a first-round pick and Dalton Knecht to Charlotte for Mark Williams.

But the Lakers didn’t pass Williams’ physical with the team, people with knowledge of the decision but not authorized to speak publicly pointing to knee and lower leg concerns as the reasons. Some people around the NBA simply wondered if the Lakers got cold feet. Others questioned the fit in the first place.

Regardless, the Lakers are expected to go on the hunt to upgrade the position, and again, will have their 2031 first-round pick and Knecht as the carrots to try and land one. A name like Brooklyn center Nicolas Claxton will certainly be linked to the Lakers.

Read more:LeBron James' future: What's next for the Lakers star?

Dorian Finney-Smith, about to be 32, has become a favorite in the locker room. He has a player option for $15.3 million and could be looking for his last significant long-term deal.

Doncic and the Lakers will likely have extension conversations with him being eligible for one in August. Austin Reaves is also eligible for an extension that could be worth up to $90 million over four years, but Reaves is expected to garner significant interest for much more money when he can become an unrestricted free agent in 2026.

And there’s James, who can opt out of the last year of his contract to restructure his deal. And, obviously, at this stage of his career, retirement gets closer with every day, with only James knowing for sure where that road ends.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Nuggets vs. Clippers Odds, predictions, recent stats, trends and Best bets for May 1

Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Clippers Preview

It’s Thursday, May 1, and the Denver Nuggets (50-32) and Los Angeles Clippers (50-32) are all set to square off from Intuit Dome in Inglewood.

Denver can eliminate the Clippers from playoff contention with a win tonight in LA.

The Nuggets won the last game in Denver by a massive 131-115. Jamal Murrary led all scorers with 43 points.

The Nuggets are currently 24-17 on the road with a point differential of 4, while the Clippers have a 9-1 record in their last ten games at home.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.

Game details & how to watch Nuggets vs. Clippers live today

  • Date: Thursday, May 1, 2025
  • Time: 10:00PM EST
  • Site: Intuit Dome
  • City: Inglewood, CA
  • Network/Streaming: TNT, truTV

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Nuggets vs. Clippers

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Odds: Nuggets (+229), Clippers (-284)
  • Spread:  Clippers -6.5
  • Over/Under: 212 points

That gives the Nuggets an implied team point total of 105.01, and the Clippers 108.4.

Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Expert picks & predictions for Thursday’s Nuggets vs. Clippers game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas) is betting on Kawhi Leonard over 24.5 points...

Thomas: "Player props in the playoffs have been rather unpredictable. Yet, there is some value in betting on the Claw in an elimination game at home. While only hitting this over once this postseason, we should expect a bigger effort to avoid being sent home early."

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Nuggets & Clippers game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Denver Nuggets on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Denver Nuggets at +6.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 212.

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Nuggets vs. Clippers on Thursday

  • The Clippers' average winning margin in 2 home wins against the Nuggets this season is +19
  • The Total went over in 56% of the Nuggets' regular season road games (23-18-0)
  • The Clippers have covered in 29 of their 43 home games this season

Betting the Nuggets on the Money Line in all their road games this season is showing a 117% return on investment

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Bet the Edge is your source for all things sports betting. Get all of Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick’s insight weekdays at 6AM ET right here or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)

- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)

- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)

- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

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Holiday's latest win: Celtics guard wins NBA Sportsmanship Award

Holiday's latest win: Celtics guard wins NBA Sportsmanship Award originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Jrue Holiday’s trophy case keeps growing.

The Boston Celtics guard has won the 2024-25 NBA Sportsmanship Award, the league announced Thursday. The award, first introduced during the 1995-96 season, honors the NBA player who “best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court.”

This is the second NBA Sportsmanship Award for Holiday, who earned the honor with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021. Holiday is the first Celtics player to receive the award and is just the fifth player to win the award multiple times, joining Mike Conley, Grant Hill, Jason Kidd and former Celtic Kemba Walker.

Holiday also has won the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award three times in his career (2020, 2022 and 2024) and is finalist for the 2024-25 NBA Social Justice Champion Award. The 16-year veteran has won two NBA championships (2021 with the Bucks and 2024 with the Celtics) in addition to a pair of gold medals with Team USA in 2020 and 2024.

The last time Holiday won the league’s Sportsmanship Award, his team won an NBA championship, so he and the Celtics will be looking to continue that trend as they await their second-round opponent in the NBA playoffs.

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The Lakers’ Luka-LeBron era begins with a stumble, not a statement

Luka Dončić and LeBron James have plenty to consider in the offseason.Photograph: Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images

Dorian Finney-Smith slams his hand in frustration against an empty chair on his way to the shower. The locker room is so silent you could hear a pin drop. In spite of every expert prediction, it was not “Lakers in five,” or, at least, not on the right end of five. The LeBron James, Luka Dončić, and JJ Redick-led Lakers were sent packing by the Minnesota Timberwolves on their home court in Los Angeles on Wednesday, in a five-game series whose final tally doesn’t tell the whole story.

Minnesota were decidedly the better team in the series, but with the exception of a decisive Timberwolves win in the opener, it was a sequence of games won on the margins. The final game between the two teams felt, for the most part, like a competition where neither opponent particularly felt like giving their all, which played into Minnesota’s hands as the roster with far more depth and, thus, margin for error. But, in all likelihood, the series was won and lost in Game 4, a classic, hard-fought battle that came down to the final buzzer. While it wasn’t technically the end of the series, it’s the kind of loss that’s almost impossible to come back from, both emotionally, and historically: teams who go up three games to one in a seven-game series go on to win 95% of the time.

Related: NBA playoffs: Haliburton’s ‘disrespectful’ father sparks fracas as Pacers seal Bucks’ fate

Those margins were, in large part, decided by the glaring holes in the Lakers’ roster construction that were illuminated in fluorescent light by the Timberwolves’ massive frontcourt. In short (as it were): the Lakers are not big enough, they were demolished on the boards by a Minnesota team who have size in spades. The small-ball-by-necessity style that secured the Lakers the three seed in a stacked West proved to be not quite resilient enough for a postseason that’s determined by depth and matchups more than ever. Los Angeles learned the hard way that a roster without a center making more than the league minimum can only take you so far, even on a team with the high-end talent of Dončić and James.

There was also, of course, the head coach factor. JJ Redick was damned impressive through 82 games and showed plenty of promise in his first season coaching basketball above the youth level, especially considering all the roster upheaval and, it’s worth noting, the fact that he lost his home in the Pacific Palisades fire in January. But the playoffs are a different animal, and Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch looked every bit the veteran opposite Redick, a contrast that was notable on multiple occasions throughout the series.

Perhaps the clearest example of Redick’s learning curve, and undoubtedly the one that will keep him awake at night this summer, was his decision to ride with his most successful five-man lineup of James, Dončić, Finney-Smith, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura for all 24 minutes of the second half of Game 4 – the first time any NBA head coach has done so in the playoffs in the tracking era. While not having much faith in his bench, which proved to be even thinner than many thought heading into the playoffs, resulted in an understandable gamble, it did not pay off: the quintet clearly had run out of gas by crunchtime, scoring only 19 points combined in the fourth quarter. That fatigue very well may have contributed to the Game 4 loss that effectively cost the Lakers the series.

Clear coaching growing pains and glaring roster deficiencies aside, it’s ultimately extremely rare for a dramatic roster move like swapping Anthony Davis (who, ironically, would have come in extremely handy for the Lakers in this series) for Dončić midseason, to pay dividends in its first year. James said as much in his exit interview on Wednesday night: “Anytime you make a big acquisition in the middle of the season, it’s always going to be challenging,” he said. “Not only for me, but for [Austin Reaves] and the rest of the group.”

James added that all things considered, the group came together well, and that there’s reason for optimism moving forward: “For the time we had, I thought we ended the regular season very well, to be top three in the West, and obviously, how tough the West is. I thought that was a good test for us. We had some challenges, but I think ultimately having a guy like [Dončić] is very dynamic for any franchise.”

The “Nico Harrison is somewhere smiling” memes were aplenty after a less-than-stellar (by his standards, at least) showing for Dončić, in his first postseason as a Laker, but it’s far too early to call the Dončić/James experiment a bust. There is, clearly, plenty of work to be done on both the supporting cast and Dončić’s conditioning (and defensive intensity, which was lackluster to say the least) in the offseason. And there is, of course, the question of 40-year-old James’s future: if he’ll even return to play another NBA season, let alone with the Lakers, is still up in the air.

But assuming James does come back for at least one more campaign in LA, there is plenty of cause for optimism as to what a full offseason and training camp, a head coach with a full season of experience under his belt, and a retooled roster could do for the pairing of two of the brightest basketball minds the world has ever seen. While the Lakers’ first round-exit is undoubtedly disappointing given all the hype and expectations around them heading into April, there is still plenty of meat left on the bone.


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San Antonio Spurs 2024-25 fantasy basketball season recap: Future is bright in Alamo City

While the NBA Playoffs are in full swing, now is a good time to recap the fantasy basketball season for all 30 teams.

In the following weeks, we will provide a recap for each team, starting with the team with the worst record and concluding with the NBA champion in June.

Next up in the series are the San Antonio Spurs. Key injuries have been a theme among the bottom teams, but the Spurs boast one of the most encouraging outlooks in the Association heading into next season.

San Antonio Spurs 2024-2025 Season Recap

Record: 34-48 (13th, West)

Offensive Rating: 113.5 (19th)

Defensive Rating: 116.3 (25th)

Net Rating: -2.8 (22nd)

Pace: 100.08 (13th)

2025 NBA Draft Picks: 6.6 percent chance of winning the lottery via their own pick and an unprotected pick owed to them from the Hawks via the Dejounte Murray trade; Pick No. 38

Don’t let the 13th seed in the West trick you into thinking the Spurs weren’t a wildly improved team in 2024-25. San Antonio’s win total improved from 22 wins in each of the last two seasons to 34. The win total is tied for the best mark over the last six seasons, and the Spurs are on the rise.

San Antonio went 21-25 with Victor Wembanyama available and just 13-23 without him. Losing Wemby after the break and losing De’Aaron Fox for the end of the campaign certainly hurt the team’s record, and the Spurs could have easily been a .500 team with Wemby and Fox available.

Number four pick Steph Castle won Rookie of the Year, joining Wemby as back-to-back winners on the same team. Castle came on strong to end the campaign, and the Spurs now sport a strong young core featuring Castle, Wemby and Fox, with an excellent fourth option in Devin Vassell.

With plenty of cap space to address some needs (most glaringly in the front court), the Spurs are locked and loaded to take the next step in 2025-26 and compete as a legitimate playoff threat in the loaded Western Conference.

Let’s recap last season’s fantasy performances and look ahead to 2025-26.

Fantasy Standout: Victor Wembanyama

Surprise, surprise. If anyone could dethrone Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as fantasy’s top player, it had to be Wemby. The second-year man has apparently never heard of a sophomore slump as he averaged 24.3 points, 11 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals, 3.1 triples and 3.8 swats.

For the second straight season, he comfortably led the NBA in blocked shots, deriving significant fantasy value from his dominance in that category. He set new career-best marks in points, boards, triples and blocked shots and improved his shooting across the board.

Wembanyama knocked down 47.6% of his attempts from the field, 83.6% from the charity stripe and 35.2% from beyond the arc. Most notably, his free throw attempts dropped from 5.2 to 4.1 while his three-point attempts ballooned from 5.5 to 8.8.

Wemby finished with a number of new career highs, including a 50-point game against the Wizards on November 13 in which he nailed eight triples. He set a new career-best mark in assists when he handed out 11 in a 34/14/11 game against the Kings to record his second career triple-double. He also grabbed a career-high 23 rebounds against the Nuggets on January 4.

Unfortunately for Wemby, he didn’t return after the All-Star break due to deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder. He appeared in 46 of the team’s first 52 games before missing the remainder of the season. After undergoing surgery on March 27, he’s expected to be ready for training camp, and fantasy managers can target him with the first overall pick in 2025-26 drafts.

As crazy as it sounds, the best is still yet to come for the phenomenal Frenchman.

Fantasy Revelation: Stephon Castle

Castle finished the season ranked just inside the top 300 in per-game fantasy value, but he was absolutely a revelation in his inaugural campaign.

Castle averaged 14.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists across 26.7 minutes as a rookie, but his numbers were better as a starter, and he closed out the 2024-25 campaign with some monster counting stats.

Across 47 starts, he averaged 16.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.9 assists, including averages of 19.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 6.2 assists over the final 18 games of the season.

Castle took things to a new level over the final eight games of the season, and his 18.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 7.5 assists vaulted him into the top 120 in per-game fantasy value during that span.

The UConn product posted two 30-point games, including a career-high 33 points at Charlotte on February 7. He corralled 15 rebounds against Denver on April 2, and he dished 14 assists against the 76ers on March 21.

Castle’s versatility as a scorer, rebounder and facilitator were on full display over the final month of the season, and his outlook is bright. His poor shooting percentages from the field and the charity stripe dragged his overall fantasy value down, but rookies and efficiency don’t always go hand-in-hand.

The reigning Rookie of the Year can boost his fantasy stock considerably with improvements as a shooter and a small bump in defensive contributions. He’s got a monster ceiling heading into 2025-26.

Fantasy Recaps/Look-Aheads

De’Aaron Fox:

Fox came over to San Antonio in early February by way of a three-team deal that sent Zach LaVine to Sacramento and multiple players to Chicago.

In 17 games with the Spurs, Fox averaged 19.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.8 dimes, 1.5 steals and 1.5 triples. His scoring dropped, but his assists increased after averaging 25 points and 6.1 dimes with Sacramento before the trade.

Fox had a strong Spurs debut, going for 24/5/13 in a 126-125 win over the Hawks, and he nearly triple-doubled in his final game of the season, as he posted 32/9/11 against the Mavericks in a 126-116 victory.

Fox should be healthy to start the 2025-26 campaign after undergoing season-ending surgery to repair tendon damage in his left pinky on March 13. Numbers similar to those he produced in his first 17 games with the Spurs wouldn’t be surprising, and fantasy managers can confidently draft him as a mid-round PG.

Devin Vassell:

Vassell missed the first nine games of the season and 14 of the first 18 due to a foot injury, but he enjoyed a productive season once he returned.

Vassell averaged 16.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.7 dimes, 1.5 steals, 0.6 blocks and 2.7 triples. He shot 45.2% from the floor, 85.1% from the charity stripe and 38.5% from beyond the arc and committed just 1.2 turnovers.

He finished as a top 80 per-game fantasy player for the third straight season, and he’s been a top-100 guy in each of the last four. Vassell posted career highs in points and boards with a 37/11/5/4/1 performance against the Nets on March 4.

As a key contributor for the up-and-coming Spurs, expect strong production moving forward and another top-100 finish in 2025-26.

Chris Paul:

The veteran shocked NBA fans and fantasy managers alike when he appeared in all 82 games for the first time since 2014-15 and just the second time in his career.

Paul finished 83rd in per-game fantasy value behind averages of 8.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.7 triples while committing just 1.6 turnovers. He shot just 42.7% from the floor but canned 37.7% of his tries from long distance and sank 92.4% of his attempts from the charity stripe.

CP3 was a worthwhile fantasy option and strong veteran presence for an emerging Spurs squad. He’s played for three teams in as many seasons, and he turned 40 in May. It’s unclear if he’ll return for another season, but if he does, he makes sense as a late-rounder in 2025-26 fantasy drafts.

Harrison Barnes:

A model of durability, Barnes appeared in all 82 games for the third straight season, averaging 12.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.9 triples across 27.2 minutes.

Barnes’ minutes were his fewest since his rookie campaign in 2012-13, though he was highly efficient with his reduced playing time. The veteran shot 50.8% from the field, 80.9% from the charity stripe and a career-high 43.3% from beyond the arc.

As usual, Barnes had some random big games, as he scored at least 20 points in five of the Spurs’ final eight and sunk a game-winning three against his former team, the Golden State Warriors on April 9.

Barnes will be available, so managers looking for stability can draft him late. On a per-game basis, he’s not going to offer strong production.

Jeremy Sochan:

Injuries limited Sochan to just 54 games (23 starts), and he logged a career-low 25.3 minutes per game. He averaged 11.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.3 “stocks” while shooting 53.5% from the floor. He knocked down only 69.6% of his free throws and 30.8% of his three-pointers.

The 22-year-old provided numbers similar to Years 1 and 2, and his outlook for Year 4 looks to be about the same. The Spurs’ top producers will be Wemby, Fox and Castle, with Vassell offering solid numbers as the No. 4. For everyone else, they’ll fill the rotational minutes without a ton of upside. That’s true of Sochan, who is a strong on-court defender but doesn’t offer a ton to fantasy managers in the box score.

Julian Champagnie:

Champagnie enjoyed the most productive run of his young career, averaging 23.6 minute across 82 appearances and averaging 9.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.7 steals and 2.2 triples. He shot 41.5% from the floor but knocked down 90.4% of his free throw attempts and 37.1% of his tries from long range.

Champagnie started 29 games and saw modest improvements in his counting stats while running with the first unit. He’s missed just eight games over the last two seasons and proven his reliability as a floor-spacer and offensive sparkplug. He’ll likely earn rotational minutes next season, but there are a lot of mouths to feed in San Antonio, so Champagnie is not someone to draft in leagues of most sizes.

Keldon Johnson:

Johnson’s role diminished significantly in Year 6, as he logged just 23.9 minutes per game, his fewest since his rookie campaign in 2019-20. He averaged 12.7 points, 4.8 boards, 1.6 dimes, 0.6 steals and 1.1 triples while shooting 48.2/77.3/31.8 splits.

For the first season of his career, Johnson didn’t start a single game, and he finished outside the top 200 in per-game fantasy value. With Steph Castle still ascending and De’Aaron Fox ready to play his first full season with San Antonio, don’t expect more playing time or touches for Johnson in Year 7. He’s not a draftable option in 2025-26 fantasy basketball.

Restricted Free Agents: Harrison Ingram, David Duke Jr., Riley Minix

Unrestricted Free Agents: Chris Paul, Jordan McLaughlin, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Charles Bassey, Bismack Biyombo

Club Option: None

Player Option: None

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Stephen A defends Brooks, Rockets for attacking Steph's injured thumb

Stephen A defends Brooks, Rockets for attacking Steph's injured thumb originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Stephen A. Smith saw no issue with the Houston Rockets going after Steph Curry’s injured thumb during their first-round Western Conference playoff series with the Warriors.

The outspoken ESPN analyst had a harsh response to Warriors coach Steve Kerr’s comments about Rockets forward Dillon Brooks swiping at Curry’s hand under the NBA’s “idiotic” rules.

“In case you don’t know, I think Steve Kerr is one of the top-six greatest coaches in the history of basketball,” Smith said Thursday on ESPN’s “First Take.” “I think he’s phenomenal. And I think he’s a good man, very contentious. But sometimes this Goody Two-shoes sanctimonious approach, it really rakes my nerves. Like he’s so above the fray. This man is a champion. Champion in Chicago. Champion in San Antonio. Champion as a coach in Golden State. He knows what comes with it.

“If you have a hurt thumb, hurt ankle, whatever debilitating issue you have, it’s going to be attacked. The man’s thumb is compromised on his shooting hand. The greatest shooter that ever lived might be compromised. And somebody’s not going to try to exploit that? Stop.”

Curry has been dealing with a thumb injury since January, re-aggravating it at the end of the regular season. Since the start of the series, it has been clear that Houston knows this and is going after Curry’s thumb whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Fellow ESPN analyst Jay Williams seconded Smith’s opinion, as the former NBA player explained how attacking a player’s injury is just part of the game. 

“I love it, it’s basketball,” Williams said. “First off, look. Stephen A. and I are supposed to play a one-on-one game. I heard him talk about how his elbow is hurting. I’m attacking the elbows then. Last year it was the shoulder. I’m attacking the shoulder. Whenever you hear about weaknesses that people have, you go at them.”

The Rockets have played a tough and physical series with the Warriors so far, utilizing their length and youthfulness to stymie Golden State’s shooters on every possession. After Wednesday night’s 131-116 blowout loss to the Rockets, the Warriors can ill-afford another off game when the series returns to Chase Center on Friday for Game 6.

All eyes will be on Curry’s wrapped thumb as he and Golden State look to close out the series against Houston and move on to the Western Conference semifinals.

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Clippers search for answers against Nuggets in critical Game 6

Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun, left, fouls Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden in the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball playoff series Tuesday, April 29, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Clippers guard James Harden, drawing a foul during Game 5, has been slowed by Christian Baun and the Nuggets' team defense. Coach Tyronn Lue says finding a way to utilize the All-Star guard in Game 6 is critical. (David Zalubowski / Associated Press)

In 2021, the Clippers lost Game 5 in the first round of the playoffs to the Dallas Mavericks to go down 3-2 in the best-of-seven series but won the next two games and eventually advanced to the franchise’s first conference finals.

Here the Clippers stand again, having lost Game 5 of the playoffs to the Denver Nuggets to fall behind 3-2 in the best-of-seven series and face a must-win Game 6 on Thursday night at Intuit Dome to stave off elimination.

Clippers center Ivica Zubac was a part of that group in 2021 and he’s a major part of this squad now. He recalled the mental fortitude it took for the Clippers to fight back.

After the Clippers were blown out in Game 5 in Denver on Tuesday night, Zubac said it will probably take even more from them this time because the Nuggets are far more formidable with transcendent superstar Nikola Jokic, with All-Star guard Jamal Murray and home-court advantage.

“We got to win,” Zubac said late Tuesday night in Denver. “We got to win both. Take it one game at a time. It’s an elimination game for us. So, we can’t start out like this. We got to leave everything out there, play hard, whatever it takes, whatever we have to do. We got to be better. We got to be ready to do whatever it takes. Treat it one game at a time. Win a Game 6, give yourself a chance to come back here [to Denver] and try to force a Game 7.”

The Clippers have lost the last two games to the Nuggets and in both defeats James Harden hasn’t been a factor.

Read more:Clippers falter against Nuggets and are one loss away from end of season

He has averaged 13 points per game in the two losses, shot 40% from the field and 25% from three-point range.

It’s become clear that the Nuggets have focused their defense on Harden, making sure that Christian Braun is with Harden every step he takes on the court. Harden hasn’t talked to the media after the last two games so it was left up to Clippers coach Tyronn Lue to explain what’s happening with his All-Star guard.

“I think Denver made their mind up, they are going to try to take him out of the series after the first two or three games,” Lue said late Tuesday night in Denver. “They are doing a good job. I got to do a better job of just finding ways to get him open, to get him space and provide more [isolations], just because they are blitzing him so much and trying to beat him to his spots.”

With their season on the line, Lue also talked about the three-point shooting and the effects that has had on the series.

When the Clippers blew out the Nuggets in Game 3 by 34 points, they shot 18 for 39 (46.2%) from three-point range. When the Nuggets blew out the Clippers in Game 5 by 16 points, they made 17 of 33 (51.5%) from three-point range, and that effort was led by Murray, who shot eight for 14 from three.

“I mean, we got to respond,” Lue said. “We blew them out in Game 3 and they came back and responded in Game 4. So, we got to do the same thing. I mean, I don’t know what changes you can make. They made shots. Like I said, making 17 threes and they blew us out. We made 18 threes and we blew them out. So, the three-point line is going to be the most important thing. We got to make sure we are taking care of that, which we didn’t do a good job of tonight. But going back home, Intuit will be rocking. We’ll be fine.”

Starting slowly is another problem the Clippers have dealt with.

In Game 4, they got down by 20 points in the fourth, took a one-point lead and then lost on a buzzer-beating dunk by Aaron Gordon. In Game 5, the Clippers got down by 22 in the fourth, cut the deficit to eight points and then faded.

“Just try to get out to a better start early,” Kawhi Leonard said Tuesday night. “I think pretty much the whole series they probably got out to a great start on us. Just trying to stay in the game early instead of trying to make the heroic comebacks. That’s all we can do. We got to fight, man.”

In the end, the Clippers win or go home for the summer.

“We got to figure it out,” Zubac said. “We got to be better in Game 6.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.