Category: Basketball

As hilarious as it would have been to send one final middle finger in the direction of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Derrick Favors will not be the Utah Jazz’s representative for the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery. I know, I know. How poetic would it have been to display the long-tenured Jazzman on the podium as a physical reminder that OKC will not be getting Utah’s lottery pick this year, nor any year for the forseeable ever.

Face!

In Favors’ place, the Jazz have elected to send the smiling face of breakout point guard Keyonte George (along with the rest of his body). George was selected 16th overall in the 2023 draft — the year that Utah officially began to reconstruct from the ruins of the Gobert-Mitchell explosion. He has developed into a borderline All-Star in just three years with the Jazz, and he orchestrates Will Hardy’s offense better than any of Utah’s many, many selections since ‘23 — with the tantalizing talent of Ace Bailey still pending.

Keyonte George will represent the Utah Jazz at the NBA Draft Lottery. 🔑#TakeNote#NBADraftpic.twitter.com/1JRxIYHRtz

— Chandler Holt (@CHoltSports) May 6, 2026

Keyonte is living proof that the rebuild was a success. Breathing evidence that a team can build through the draft, and that these SLC Punks (hey, kinda like the name of the site!), will not conform to Adam Silver’s backwards regime, nor will they relent when the losses flip to wins in under a year’s time. A beautiful decision, and one deserving of my applause.

Utah currently holds the fourth-best odds thanks to boasting the fourth-worst record league-wide, plus a coin flip to nudge ahead of Sacramento. With just an 11.5% chance of claiming the number-one overall pick, the basketball world will watch with bated breath as we send a solemn prayer to the hooping heavens:

“Please, please, please
I have never asked for much
Except for last year. And the year before that
But I pray not for the number-one pick.
I ask for only this:
Don’t give it to Golden State
And especially don’t give it to Dallas
Amen.“

Cancel your Mother’s Day plans. The NBA Draft Lottery will air on Sunday, May 10, at 1:00 PM MT.

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Calvin Barrett is a writer, editor, and prolific Mario Kart racer located in Tokyo, Japan. He has covered the NBA and College Sports since 2024.

Part of me feels like it’s too early to start diving into free agency, then I look at the calendar and realize it’s already May. We’re in the middle of Bright Side’s SunsRank and player recaps for the 2025-26 season, and it’s already time to start looking ahead to 2026-27. The draft lottery is this weekend. We’re already in the second round of the playoffs. The Finals will be here before you know it, then the draft, then free agency. So let’s start breaking down the free agent market by position and eligibility.

First up, point guard.

Ah yes, the point guard position. It’s not what it used to be. There was a time when the point guard was the table setter. Every successful team had someone orchestrating the offense, creating opportunities for everyone else. As the game evolved and spacing took over, the traditional point guard slowly gave way to combo guards. Scoring exploded. Every position is now expected to contribute offensively and fill up the box score.

And with that shift, true floor generals became harder to find. Players don’t always see the whole floor anymore. Most see the rim first. That evolution has completely changed the point guard position over the last decade.

It’s one of those interesting notes that you hear whenever people talk about what needs to be fixed on the Suns. “We need better point guard play. We need a better facilitator, somebody who understands distribution and who focuses on setting up those around them.” Not wrong. But also, becoming extinct. It’s like me asking for a Schlitz at dinner. It’d be nice to have, but no one has it.

You can tell that our fan base was raised on quality point guard play. Because we’ve had Steve Nash, Kevin Johnson, Jason Kidd, Chris Paul, Don Buse, and Paul Westphal. Yeah, he was a starting point guard on the 1976 NBA Finals team. My point? Were conditioned to the old-school way of thinking. But it’s a new NBA, and the current Suns administration is fully embracing that by having both Devin Booker and Jalen Green on the roster. They leaned into still having Collin Gillespie, however, thus creating undersized small-ball three-guard lineups this season.

So when we look at the upcoming unrestricted free agents at the point guard position, the natural question is whether the Suns should explore signing any of the guys listed below, excluding those who played for the team this past season. It’s almost the punchline in Phoenix right now. If you propose a name like Collin Sexton, the instant response is “Oh, another guard?”

So, who’s gonna be available on the free agency market at the point guard position? Here’s the list provided by Spotrac.

Player	Age	Exp.	Previous Team	Previous AAV	Status
Collin Sexton	27.3	7	CHI	$17,737,500	UFA / Bird
Coby White	26.2	6	CHA	$12,000,000	UFA / Bird
Gabe Vincent	29.8	6	ATL	$11,000,000	UFA / Bird
Ayo Dosunmu	26.2	4	MIN	$7,000,000	UFA / Bird
Aaron Holiday	29.6	7	HOU	$4,784,700	UFA / Bird
Kyle Lowry	40.1	19	PHI	$3,634,153	UFA / Early Bird
Russell Westbrook	37.4	17	SAC	$3,386,366	UFA / Non-Bird
Gary Payton II	33.4	9	GSW	$3,303,774	UFA / Bird
Jordan McLaughlin	30	6	SAS	$2,874,436	UFA / Early Bird
Nah’Shon Hyland	25.6	4	MIN	$2,461,463	UFA / Early Bird
Collin Gillespie	26.8	3	PHX	$2,378,870	UFA / Early Bird
Jordan Goodwin	27.5	4	PHX	$1,286,648	UFA / Early Bird
Jevon Carter	30.6	7	ORL	$1,168,625	UFA / Non-Bird
Brandon Williams	26.4	3	DAL	$1,159,362	UFA / Bird
Mike Conley	38.5	18	MIN	$1,148,727	UFA / Non-Bird
Tyus Jones	29.9	10	DEN	$814,552	UFA / Non-Bird

The two obvious names that jump off the list are Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin, and we already know the organization will prioritize bringing them back. Both are eligible for Early Bird, which gives the Phoenix Suns an inside track to retaining them.

I would expect the Suns top priorities this offseason to be
1. Retaining Collin Gillespie
2. Retaining Jordan Goodwin

— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) April 30, 2026

Looking at the rest of the list, I’m curious who you all think the team should target, if any one. If both Gillespie and Goodwin return, and you factor in Jamari Bouyea on a team option next season, that’s a lot of players capable of handling point guard duties. The depth is there. Maybe too much depth. Because with that comes the temptation to keep rolling out three-guard lineups.

If there’s one thing the Suns should prioritize next season, it’s getting bigger and finding more ways to consistently finish at the rim, so I’m not sure how appealing any of these names are. Who do I like?

I like the idea of Collin Sexton in a vacuum because he applies pressure at the rim and has that quick-twitch athleticism. At the same time, he’s essentially Jalen Green, only smaller and older. That kind of defeats the purpose. Although he would be cheaper. If there’s a scenario where the Suns move Green and redistribute that incoming $36.3 million salary into multiple assets, then I wouldn’t mind pursuing someone like Sexton.

There’s also Ayo Dosunmu, who is finally getting some shine with the Minnesota Timberwolves this postseason after years of fading into the background in Chicago Bulls land. The problem is postseason shine usually equals postseason money, and that’s not a road Phoenix should go down in my opinion. He’s a solid all-around guard, still, if you’re bringing back both Goodwin and Gillespie, the skill set becomes redundant.

And that’s really where the conversation lands for Phoenix at point guard. It’s less about finding another ball handler and more about understanding roster balance. The Suns already have enough players capable of initiating offense. What they lack is complementary size, interior pressure, and lineup versatility that doesn’t force them into playing small every night. That’s why this free agent market feels more like a test of restraint than aggression.

There are intriguing names available, sure. Still, adding another guard simply because he can dribble, pass, and score misses the bigger picture. The Suns do not need more redundancy. They need fit.

When Mousa Cisse was signed as a two-way player before the season, no one had any expectations for the rookie big-man.

But Cisse was a pleasant surprise all season, as his energy and rim protection were felt anytime he stepped on the court. But with the Mavs frontcourt being so crowed, should the Mavericks bring him back next year?

Well, they should, and it would be malpractice not to.

Season review

Cisse began the season as an afterthought, but as the Mavericks big-men suffered repeated injuries, it forced Cisse into the spotlight.

He would receive inconsistent minutes for most of the first few month, with some games where he wouldn’t see the floor at all. But his minutes were always impactful, the relentless effort on the glass, and eye-popping athleticism always showing up.

But then he stopped playing, all because of a decision the Mavericks made.

After the trade deadline, the Mavericks had the option to convert one two-way player, and chose Ryan Nembhard over Cisse. This led to Cisse brushing up to the two-way limit for games, meaning he played only 8 games post trade deadline.

Despite the weird end, Cisse thrived when his number was called. While the box-score numbers don’t jump off the page, the underlying metrics suggest that Cisse may have real rotation potential.

One number that highlights this is his RAPM (Regularized adjusted plus-minus).

Cisse posted a +0.8 RAPM, which is in the 70th percentile across the league, all per Databallr.

But my favorite part of Cisse’s game is his offensive rebounding, with a 16.2% OREB rate, which is 96th percentile. With extra possessions becoming so much more important in recent years, Cisse projects as one of the true elite offensive rebounders in the NBA.

Best game

My choice for Cisse’s best game is easily his performance on Jan. 19 against the New York Knicks.

Cisse scored 15 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, and blocked 4 shots, all leading to a Mavericks win. This game specifically showed off his offensive rebounding, as he grabbed 4 offensive rebounds against a Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson front-court.

Contract status

Since the Mavericks did not convert Cisse at the deadline he will be a restricted free agent, meaning the Mavericks can match any offer he receives.

The Mavericks can offer Cisse up to a 4 year deal, most likely at around the league minimum, or just above.

Looking towards the future

Moussa Cisse is not yet a true rotation player, with his rawness offensively holding him back.

He often chases blocks on the defensive end and racks up fouls at a very high rate. But these are things that can be ironed out, with his strengths being very important in the NBA.

Cisse’s is somewhat similar to players like Neeimas Queta and Moussa Diabete, who are both high energy big men who dominate the offensive glass. Cisse slots in perfectly as a third center within a rotation; not relied upon to close, but able to give a team solid minutes throughout the season. And if he takes a large leap offensively, he could even become a true starting quality center.

Grade: B+

Moussa Cisse was able to showcase real potential this season, and with his strengths becoming sought after league wide, the Mavericks should bring him back.

Cisse should be cheap, with him being able to fill in Dwight Powell’s role if he decides to retire.

No matter the future, it was fun to watch a young player like Cisse find a role in the NBA.

Game 1 against the Thunder was the biggest game of the season for the Lakers, and Austin Reaves didn’t show up.

He was historically bad, shooting 3-16 from the field, which was the worst shooting night a Laker has had in a postseason in over three decades.

Austin Reaves' 18.8 FG% in Game 1 was the lowest by any Laker in a playoff game over the last 35 years (min. 15 FGA) 😳 pic.twitter.com/1o97wPL1tq

— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) May 6, 2026

It’s just one game, and there can be plenty of reasonable reasons why Reaves had a bad performance.

For starters, the Thunder have the best defense in the NBA, so they make plenty of players look bad. Also, he is still just coming off his Grade 2 oblique strain. He returned for Game 5 against the Rockets, and while he’s now played in three matchups, it’s unlikely that he is anywhere close to 100%.

However, if fans expect Reaves to make excuses, he isn’t taking that option.

“Nobody cares about that,” Reaves said after the loss. “I got to go out there and play better.”

The good news is, Reaves has plenty of ways to improve. He can focus on protecting the ball and not having four turnovers as he did in Game 1, or he can just get back to his regular-season average offensively, scoring 23.3 points per game.

“Obviously, the easy thing is to make more shots,” Reaves said. “I got to my spots multiple times and just missed a couple of easy shots. But, for the most part, got to limit the turnovers. They pressure the ball really well. Just got to give us an opportunity to get a shot on goal each possession.”

In a seven-game series, players typically perform what their averages are. So, Reaves should have better games ahead of him.

With such a quick turnaround between games, Reaves just needs to take what he can from this experience and quickly move on to Game 2.

“Watch film,” Reaves said. “See what the game gives you and learn from that and move on. It’s not going to do us any good to think about that.”

Reaves will have all eyes on him after this loss.

He is currently LA’s No.1 offensive option and didn’t play like it. He has to be better, and Reaves, to his credit, made it clear in his comments that he’s well aware of this.

If he is the franchise player everyone thinks he is and wants the big payday this summer, then the response from him will be a great Game 2 performance.

And the Lakers will be hoping for just that, or else this series will be a short one.

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

The Taylor Jenkins era officially began this afternoon, as the Bucks formally introduced him to a crowd of fans, media, and a few players, including Myles Turner, Bobby Portis, and AJ Green, at the Milwaukee Art Museum. The 16th head coach in franchise history (not including interim head coaches like Joe Prunty) was flanked by general manager Jon Horst and co-governor Jimmy Haslem, and the trio covered several topics, including Giannis’ situation, the hiring process for Jenkins, and their plans for the NBA draft.

The Latest on Giannis

Anytime anyone from the front office or coaching staff speaks, the topic of Giannis is undoubtedly bound to be raised. The biggest bit of news regarding the two-time MVP came from Haslem, who said he doesn’t know whether Giannis will stay and that they’ll have conversations with him to figure it out.

“We never had any problem communicating directly with Giannis at all. We always knew where he stood, and I think he always knew where we stood. We’ve had those kinds of conversations since the season was over, and as I said, the draft is June 23, so sometime over the next six or seven weeks, we’ll decide whether Giannis will sign a max contract and stay with us or he’s gonna play somewhere else. Jon, Taylor, Wes (Edens), and I will make that call, and we understand the gravity of that call.”

Regarding Jenkins’s hiring, Horst said Giannis was not involved in bringing him to Milwaukee. There might be some doubt about that answer, though, with Giannis in the city during the same week, a reported meeting between Jenkins and the Bucks front office was taking place. Bobby Portis also chimed in, saying he doesn’t believe Giannis wasn’t involved either. Whether that is true or not, Jenkins did confirm that he has talked to Giannis and the rest of the Bucks roster since his hiring became official.

“Great communication with Giannis, he’s expressed tremendous excitement for me and my family. Even only being here for one season, he and I established a really good relationship and maintained that respect even from a distance. It’s been amazing to be able to communicate with all of these guys, over the phone, and now in person. So yes, I’ve had conversations with Giannis, but I’ve been able to touch base with the entire roster.”

Why Jenkins, and what does he bring to the table?

Right from the get-go, the Bucks were laser-focused on bringing in Jenkins, with Horst even saying that this was all about hiring him. They did have a list of candidates, but Horst said that the first step of their process was to reach out to Jenkins and then go from there. As for why Jenkins opted to take up the helm, it was all about people for him.

“Obviously, I know Jon, for many years now, so I have high regard and respect for him, not just professionally, but also personally. As I got to spend time with Jimmy and Wes, intimately at our home it became very clear these are individuals that I want to partner with. I’m obviously very familiar with many other members of the Bucks organization, so when this opportunity became available, I was like, I know the people, I know what they stand for, I know what their standards are going to be on a day-to-day basis.”

Jenkins spent a year out of coaching after being fired by the Grizzlies toward the end of the 2024–25 season. During that time, Jenkins not only spent more time with his family but also studied a ton of different teams across the association. When it came to the Bucks, in his eyes, there were some things they he liked quite a bit.

“A lot of it was to grow as a basketball coach, but when I did tune in on the Bucks, and especially when they said we [the Bucks front office] want to spend time with you and I dove in deeper, I love the depth of this team. Even in small sample sizes, not just seeing the amazing talent, but there’s a competitive nature there and that’s what I want to unlock even more.”

“When we talk about building a culture and identity, those aren’t just loose terms that we’re gonna throw out there, it’s going to be the embodiment of who these guys are and as coaches, who we are as teachers. I can’t wait to unlock even more, the versatility both offensively and defensively.”

The Bucks have struggled to find any identity since they fired Jenkins’ former boss, Mike Budenholzer. The cultures that Jenkins’ two predecessors tried to build didn’t work out well. Especially under Rivers, there was no clear picture of what kind of team Milwaukee would be. There was also a lack of accountability, with Doc at times deflecting blame and responsibility onto the players. Based on what Jenkins said about how he wants to start his culture with the Bucks, it’s a breath of much-needed fresh air.

“In my time in Memphis, my mentality was always ‘we’re building something.‘ We’re trying daily to get better and that’s me. If I’m going to lead the charge here with these guys up here [points to Horst and Haslem] I’ve got to look in the mirror first and figure out how I’m going to get better every single day, because I want them to feel that from me. It’s the day-in, day-out working and living together that I’m going to make top priority number one and that’s what we’re doing right now. I want (the players) to know I’m going to be on them from the get-go and how we’re going to build this together.”

Plans for the NBA Draft

With four days until the NBA Draft lottery, the Bucks currently have the 10th-best odds of winning the lottery (though that pick would go to Atlanta in a swap). It will be the first time Horst, in his tenure as GM, has a lottery selection, with his previous highest picks at no. 17 in 2017 and 2018, selecting forward D.J. Wilson and guard Donte DiVincenzo, respectively. Horst discussed the excitement about this selection and potential plans for its use.

“There’s a lot of exciement for what it can do for the orginzation, this oppurtunity represents Taylor talked about, to add a player to our roster who can make a big impact quickly. It’s also an oppurtunity to have an asset that we can consider using to build the team another way. I think the position we’re in, wether it ends up being two or it ends up being 11, it’s going to be important having that asset no matter what. It’s really exciting to go through that process. Taylor and I we’re just talking about on the way over here, to say we’re going to be very intentional about the person.”

As for the kind of player they will bring in, whether it’s a draftee or a trade, Jenkins said that they are still having meetings on how they’re going to build this team and the style of play that they want. Yet Jenkins echoed Horst’s sentiment about bringing in the right type of person to the organization.

“I watched a fair amount of college basketball and acutally a little of international basketball as well, over the course of last season. We’re having meetings on-going right now in coming weeks as Jimmy said to sit down and talk about what is the vision, what is the playstyle, what are the type of people we want to bring into this orginzation to represent this city. Those are ongoing dialogues, I’m getting emails left and right, getting downloads on players and I’m excited about that. I can’t put a crystal ball out there and say this is going to be the person who we’re targeting, we’re doing our due diligence to study every part of the player and the person because we want this to be an important addition to a great roster. We want to get this right.”

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What did you think of what Jenkins, Horst, and Haslem had to say? Do you think that Jenkins can turn the Bucks’ ship around? Let us know in the comments below.

NEW YORK (AP) — Mitchell Robinson did not play for the New York Knicks on Wednesday night in Game 2 against Philadelphia because of an illness, leaving each team without a center.

The 76ers ruled Joel Embiid out earlier Wednesday with a sprained right ankle and a sore right hip. The Knicks added their backup center to the injury report later in the day and said shortly before tipoff that he wouldn't play.

Robinson is a key for the Knicks because of his offensive rebounding and defense, along with giving them the ability to use a big lineup when he plays alongside All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns.

Robinson has made an incredible 17 of 19 shots (89.5%) in seven games thus far in the postseason, averaging 5.6 points and 5.1 rebounds in just 13.6 minutes per game. He is a poor free-throw shooter, going just 5 for 17 thus far, and the 76ers intentionally fouled him twice in the first quarter of Game 1. Robinson missed all four shots.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Tonight, the New York Knicks (1-0) host the Philadelphia 76ers (0-1) at Madison Square Garden in Game Two of the Eastern Conference semifinals. New York obliterated Philly in Game One and can seize firm control of the series with another win at the Mecca. The Sixers have too much talent and pride to roll over and die, so they’re sure to come out swinging tonight. As of this writing Joel Embiid is listed as probable for Philadelphia (ankle). The Knicks appear to be fully healthy.

Game’s at 7 p.m. EST on ESPN. This is your game thread. This is Liberty Ballers. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Show those Philly fans what good behavior looks like. And go Knicks!

The Cleveland Cavaliers had plenty of chances to steal Game 1 against the Detroit Pistons, but careless turnovers, an inability to secure defensive rebounds, questionable coaching, and overall bad offensive process kept them from doing so. Whether or not they can turn around will determine how this series goes.

Winning Game 2 will be tough. J.B. Bickerstaff-led teams are 5-1 in the playoffs. The lone Game 2 loss came when he was leading James Harden and the Houston Rockets in 2016.

Cleveland hopes to break that trend in Game 2. Heading back to Cleveland down 2-0 would mean they would have to win four of the last five games of the series. That isn’t an impossible task, but far from ideal.

Overall, the Cavs have struggled on the road in the playoffs. Since trading for Donovan Mitchell, they’re just 4-12 away from Cleveland. That trend needs to end if they want to make a deep postseason run.

Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (0-1) at Detroit Pistons (1-0)

Where: Little Caesars Arena – Detroit, MI

When: Thur., May 7 at 7 PM

TV: Prime Video

Point spread: Pistons -3.5

Cavs injury report: Sam Merrill, – QUESTIONABLE (hamstring)

Pistons injury report: Kevin Huerter – DOUBTFUL (abductor strain)

Cavs expectedstarting lineup: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

Pistons expected starting lineup: Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Previous matchup: The Pistons took Game 1 due to suffocating defense on Cleveland’s guards.

Here’s a look at both teams’ regular-season impact stats via Cleaning the Glass.

	Offensive Rating	Defensive Rating	Net Rating
Cavs	118.9 (8th)	115 (15th)	+3.9 (9th)
Pistons	118.3 (10th)	109.5 (2nd)	+8.8 (3rd)

While losing Game 1 against the Thunder was tough for the Lakers, winning Game 2 won’t get much easier.

The team released its injury report ahead of their next contest, listing Jarred Vanderbilt as doubtful and Luke Kennard as questionable.

Jarred Vanderbilt is doubtful to play in Game 2 against the Thunder and Luke Kennard is also on the injury report listed as questionable for this contest. Given how severe that Vando injury looked it's amazing he isn't automatically ruled out. pic.twitter.com/vbWxuGDCSU

— Edwin Garcia (@ECreates88) May 6, 2026

For Vando, not being automatically ruled out is actually good news.

He suffered a gruesome injury in Game 1 when he dislocated his right pinky finger on a failed block attempt. This wasn’t a typical dislocation as his bone poked through the skin, causing the forward to scream in agony while the Thunder bench looked away in shock.

Vando was out for the rest of the contest.

However, during Wednesday’s practice, Lakers head coach JJ Redick said that Vando was considered day-to-day.

JJ Redick said doctors were able to "put" Jarrad Vanderbilt's finger "back together" and that he'll be day-to-day.

— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) May 6, 2026

The Lakers’ medical staff deserves a ton of credit for treating Vando quickly and getting him into a situation where he is not automatically ruled out.

The surprise from this injury report, though, is the inclusion of Kennard.

He is a key rotational player for the Lakers, and this is the first time we are hearing about neck discomfort for the guard. The Lakers need all the help they can get to beat the defending champs. If he can’t play, that is a huge blow.

Kennard is questionable, so we’ll have to wait until closer to game time to see if he’s upgraded to available. If he can’t play, then players like Bronny James and Nick Smith Jr. will have to step up in his absence.

Luka Dončić remains out, but he spoke with the media and provided an update on his health.

Unfortunately, it’s not a positive one. Dončić is still out, hasn’t done any full-contact work and his original projected time to return is at the end of May.

If he doesn’t come back before then, Los Angeles will have to play the entire series against OKC without their best player.

If that happens, then LeBron James will have to be magnificent, and Austin Reaves will have to play a whole lot better so that they can extend the season long enough for Dončić to play again.

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

Here are the NBA playoff games for Wednesday, May 6, 2026:

• Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks — 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)  
• Minnesota Timberwolves at San Antonio Spurs — 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)  

Enjoy the games!

NEW YORK (AP) — Nick Nurse rejoined the Philadelphia 76ers after attending his brother's funeral, saying Wednesday that Steve Nurse was a fan who would want him at Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Nurse was in Ankeny, Iowa, on Tuesday, the day between the first two games of the series against the Knicks in New York.

"I mean, kind of the film and the practice and the game and all that stuff kind of takes care of some time, right?" Nurse said before the game. “But I’m here coaching and my brother would expect me to be. He was a huge fan. He wants us to go play, he wants us to play hard, so that’s what we’re going to try to do tonight.”

Steve Nurse died unexpectedly at age 62 last Wednesday. Nick Nurse had remained with the 76ers as they rallied from a 3-1 deficit to knock off Boston in the first round, then fell to the Knicks 137-98 on Monday.

Nick Nurse said he and his family had received a lot of support, thanking opposing coach Mike Brown for offering his condolences when he began his news conference after the Knicks practiced Tuesday.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

OKLAHOMA CITY — Don’t rush back, Luka Doncic. 

It’s not worth it. The Lakers can’t beat the defending champion Thunder. You can’t risk further injury. 

Doncic spoke to the media Wednesday for the first time since suffering a strained hamstring on April 2. He said doctors initially told him he’d be sidelined eight weeks, which would coincide with the start of the NBA Finals.

He confirmed he went to Spain for platelet-rich plasma injections to expedite his return.  

“I’m working every day,” he said. “I feel better every day.”

The Lakers desperately need Doncic, who was the league’s best player last month, averaging 37.5 points a game while leading the Lakers on a 16-2 run.

But it’s not worth the risk.

The Lakers are facing the reigning champion Thunder in their second-round playoff series, trailing 1-0 after losing 108-90 on Tuesday. They need offense against the team’s historically great defense. 

They need Luka Magic.

But it’s not worth the risk.

Doncic recently started running. He’s not yet doing contact drills. There’s no timeline for his return. Game 2 on Thursday is exactly five weeks after he suffered the injury.

Lakers fans are getting impatient. Rightfully so. 

In Game 1, they watched the 41-year-old LeBron James play brilliantly, finishing with a game-high 27 points on 12-for-17 shooting, including 3-for-6 from deep. They watched Marcus Smart bottle up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished with 18 points and seven turnovers, his fewest points and most turnovers this season. They saw Deandre Ayton play with force, grabbing 11 rebounds. 

They felt like the Lakers had a chance. 

If only Austin Reaves had scored more than eight points. If only Luke Kennard wasn’t 1-for-4 from the field. If only the best player on the team was on the court. 

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Wrestling legend Ric Flair took to X to express his frustration, tweeting, “Please Get In The Game! Take A Shot Of Cortisone And Deal With The Pain! They Are Paying You 50 Million A Year, And You’re Not There! WTF!”

But Lakers fans need to keep their perspective. 

If Doncic returned too early, he’d greatly increase his risk of suffering a worse injury, such as an ACL tear, which can rob a player of an entire season. 

No one is more upset than Doncic. 

Basketball is his refuge. Amid the chaos in his personal life, it’s where he has found peace. Amid the drama in his career, it’s where he has silently fought back with an MVP-caliber campaign. 

“I don’t think people understand how frustrating it is,” Doncic said. “All I wanna do is play basketball, especially [at] this time.”

But Doncic also knows he can’t be shortsighted.

“It’s a tough one for me because I came back from injuries before too soon, and it wasn’t the best result,” he said. “But like I say, this is the first time I have the hamstring injury. It’s not the same like other injuries. You have to be very careful.”

Doncic strained the same hamstring earlier this season, missing four games. But this injury was more severe. 

Returning during the intensity of the playoffs against a team with one of the most suffocating defenses ever sounds like a potential recipe for disaster. 

Doncic needs to err on the side of caution. He needs to prioritize his health over a quick return against a team that won all four regular-season meetings against the Lakers by an average of 29.3 points. He needs to ignore the noise. 

Lakers coach JJ Redick echoed that sentiment. 

“It’s very simple,” Redick said. “When he’s ready to play, he should play. That comes with the athlete having confidence. It’s no different from Austin [Reaves].”

Reaves, who suffered a sprained oblique April 2, returned after a month in Game 5 of the Lakers’ first-round playoff series against the Rockets. 

How’s that going? 

Over three games, he has averaged postseason career-lows in points (15) field goal percentage (30.4) and 3-point percentage (11.8%).

At least with Reaves, he’s not risking a worse injury. He’s likely playing through pain. But he’s not putting himself in danger.

When it comes to Doncic, this is not an injury to be rushed, regardless of how tantalizing it may be to have the Lakers’ superstar on the court.

Everyone knows what the Lakers are up against right now.

“When you play against the world champions and [miss] having a guy that averages 34 [points] and eight [rebounds] and nine [assists] and is that special, that’s [tough],” James said. 

But it’s not worth the risk.

Doncic is doing everything he can to return, including traveling to another continent for a regenerative treatment in which he received injections of his own concentrated blood platelets to accelerate hamstring healing.

But Lakers fans need to accept reality.

Doncic may not return. He probably shouldn’t return.

Not against this team.

Not with what could be at stake.

Observations after Sixers battle without Embiid but lose Game 2 to Knicks  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

NEW YORK — The Sixers’ scrappy effort without Joel Embiid on Wednesday night did not yield a series-shifting win in New York.

The Knicks earned a 108-102 victory at Madison Square to take a 2-0 lead in their second-round playoff series. 

Tyrese Maxey was the Sixers’ leading scorer with 26 points.

Paul George (19 points), Kelly Oubre Jr. (19) and VJ Edgecombe (17) all had sizable roles in the Sixers’ Embiid-less offense.

Four Knicks scored at least 18 points in Jalen Brunson (26), OG Anunoby (24), Karl-Anthony Towns (20) and Mikal Bridges (18).

The Sixers dropped to 1-3 in the playoffs this year without Embiid, who was out because of right ankle and right hip injuries. Knicks center Mitchell Robinson sat with an illness. 

Game 3 will be Friday at 7 p.m. ET in Philadelphia. Here are observations on the Sixers’ Game 2 loss:

George gives Sixers immediate jolt 

George scored 11 of the Sixers’ first 13 points on 4-for-4 shooting, including two pure jumpers in a row from the left corner. 

He’s made at least one three-pointer in all of the Sixers’ nine playoff games and multiple triples in eight straight. For the postseason, George has gone a tremendous 31 for 59 (52.5 percent) beyond the arc. 

Kelly Oubre Jr. also had a hot start. He knocked down a pair of corner threes late in the first quarter to give the Sixers a 25-20 lead. 

Edgecombe opened the night playing tighter, more physical defense against Brunson higher up the floor than in Game 1. The rookie drew an early moving screen call on Towns with his effort to fight over the pick. Brunson didn’t score until he made two free throws with 3:05 left in the first quarter and missed his first three field goal attempts. 

Andre Drummond started in Embiid’s spot. Both he and Towns were whistled for two first-quarter fouls. Adem Bona returned to the Sixers’ rotation as Drummond’s backup. He had a strong offensive rebounding night, notching six offensive boards in his 16 minutes.

Maxey makes adjustments 

Towns picked up his third foul just 46 seconds into the second quarter. He subbed out and the Knicks shifted to small ball for a few minutes with 6-foot-5 Josh Hart at “center” and setting tons of ball screens. 

Maxey drained a three to put the Sixers up 41-35. He was great early in the second quarter, hitting his stride as an aggressive shotmaker after a rough Game 1. 

The Sixers got Maxey an easy basket on the first possession of the second period with a clever designed play that concluded with Maxey cutting backdoor and converting a layup. Maxey did a little bit of everything as a scorer, including successful post-ups against 6-foot Knicks guard Jose Alvarado. 

Besides simply seeking out his shot more, Maxey seemed to make some strategic tweaks when the Knicks blitzed or hard hedged ball screens. Quick passes are frequently the only viable option in those spots, but Maxey also mixed in occasionally 1. rejecting the ball screen (or screens) and 2. splitting defenders.

There’s always risk in trying to squeeze between defenders on the perimeter, but Maxey’s typically a low-turnover player and can certainly zoom downhill to the rim once he slithers through the front line of a defense.  With that said, the Sixers were inferior in the turnover department Wednesday. Maxey committed six of the team’s 18 giveaways. The Knicks ended with 13 turnovers.

Maxey couldn’t sustain his excellent run through the whole second quarter and the Sixers headed to halftime with a 62-61 edge.

Every Sixer played under 30 minutes in their blowout Game 1 defeat. Maxey logged a whopping 47 in Game 2.

Turning to Barlow at the five

Fouls were a predictable problem for the Bona-Drummond duo. 

By the 7:09 mark of the third quarter, both Drummond and Bona had four fouls. Towns became a logical focal point for the Knicks’ offense and scored very efficiently. 

With 4:53 to go in the third, Towns drew Bona’s fifth foul on a drive down the middle of the floor. Sixers head coach Nick Nurse responded sensibly by bringing in Dominick Barlow at center for his first minutes of the game.

Towns soon got his fourth foul and Knicks head coach Mike Brown slid Anunoby up to the five For the most part, offense won out in the Barlow vs. Anunoby center minutes late in the third quarter. Anunoby drilled a three to give New York an 86-84 lead.

The contest stayed close early in the fourth quarter. Considering the situation — thrown into a difficult moment in his first NBA postseason — Barlow did quite well. He was handy as a smart short roller passer and also added six points on 3-for-3 shooting and two rebounds. 

Barlow made a big defensive play when he closed out to Anunoby in the corner and blocked his three-point try. Maxey followed by sinking a go-ahead three.

Again, it’s hard to imagine Barlow entering a game with more on his plate. He often had to defend Brunson when the Sixers switched ball screens. The Knicks’ superstar guard made a mid-range jumper over Barlow to lift New York to a 101-99 advantage.

The Knicks went up six points on a long Bridges two-pointer. Down the stretch, the Sixers’ core players missed many of the jumpers they’d been hitting earlier in the night.

The Sixers eventually mobbed Brunson with blitzes and all-out double teams, but the Knicks didn’t leave the comeback door open and polished off a win that was much more testing than their 39-point Game 1 victory.

Kentucky Basketball head coach Mark Pope addressed fan concerns on Wednesday, answering questions about recruiting, the transfer portal, and the Wildcats’ roster outlook heading into the 2026-27 season.

With some frustration building among the fan base following missed recruiting targets, Pope took to social media a three-minute video to provide clarity on the program’s direction. One of the topics centered around NIL and whether Kentucky is being used as leverage by recruits. Pope didn’t shy away from the question.

“Yes, we are the biggest brand in college basketball,” Pope said during the video.

Recruiting was another major focus, especially after Kentucky missed on several top prospects in the 2026 class. Pope explained that while the staff aimed to get as many elite players on campus as possible, their attention was heavily centered on 5-star forward Tyran Stokes.

“This year, we were chasing a generational talent, and we fell a little short, but we weren’t sitting on our hands. We put together a roster that we are going to love watching, crush it in Rupp Arena,” Pope said.

The center position also remains a key factor, with Malachi Moreno currently testing the NBA Draft waters. Pope emphasized that Kentucky is fully supporting Moreno through the process while continuing to build depth at the position.

“Malachi Moreno was our number 1 priority for us, going into this portal season. We think that he is going to be the best center in all of college basketball next year here at Kentucky. He is also going through the (NBA) Draft process. He had a great workout just last night for an NBA team.

“Next week, he is heading to the (NBA) Combine, and we are supporting him every step of the way. This is the place where basketball dreams come true and Malachi has two dreams, he is dreaming of hanging a banner at Kentucky and he is also dreaming of playing in the NBA, so we are supporting him chasing both of those. At the same time, we are working hard in the portal to shore up this 5 spot.

“We are going to have an unbelievable crew at the center position.”

As the offseason continues, Pope made it clear Kentucky remains active in the portal and confident in the roster being assembled for the upcoming season.

Keep the questions coming BBN! pic.twitter.com/MdEnykTs7i

— Mark Pope (@CoachMarkPope) May 6, 2026