Damon Jones, the former NBA player and assistant coach arrested as part of two federal illegal gambling probes around the NBA, is expected to change his plea to guilty, according tomultiple reports. He would be the first person to plead guilty in these cases.
At the request of Jones' attorneys, a change-of-plea hearing is scheduled for May 6 in Brooklyn federal court, the Associated Press reports.
These changes are part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, although the details of that deal are not public.
Jones was the one NBA figure tied to both parts of the federal probe that led to more than 30 arrests. Jones had been charged with wire fraud and money laundering in relation to both cases: One, that he provided sports bettors (with mafia ties) non-public information about injuries to key players such as LeBron James and Anthony Davis (Jones, a former teammate of LeBron, was not on the Lakers staff but did work out LeBron pregame); second, that he profited and helped draw players into rigged poker games.
In that same sweep, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was arrested as part of the federal probe for allegedly providing sports bettors with information that he would not meet prop bet numbers in certain games. Former Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups was arrested for allegedly being the "face" who helped draw people to the rigged poker games. Both men have pled not guilty.
CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 31: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers smiles during the game against the Detroit Pistons on January 31, 2024 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The city of Cleveland has fallen in love with Donovan Mitchell. It seems the feeling is mutual, as the seven-time All-Star once again opened up about his time in the land.
“I love Cleveland,” Mitchell told The Athletic. “I’ve said it before: I want to play here for as long as I can.”
Mitchell is on contract until the 2027-28 NBA season, with a player option that he’s likely to exercise in 2027. The Cavs have an incentive to extend him as soon as possible, and he’ll be eligible for another max payday when that time comes.
“The goal is to win — as long as we’re continuing to win at the highest level,” said Mitchell. “But I love it, man. It’s a place that I feel like I can call home, you know what I mean? And I feel good. My fiancée feels good about it.”
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It certainly bodes well for the Cavs that Mitchell appears to be happy in Cleveland. He’s proven he can raise their floor significantly in the regular season and potentially gives them a championship-caliber season.
Even with all of the injuries this year, Cleveland finished 4th in the Eastern Conference with 52 wins for just the ninth time in franchise history. Mitchell’s 27.9 points per game made that possible.
The Cavs start their playoff journey on Saturday with a first-round series against the Toronto Raptors. If both Mitchell and the Cavs want to justify another long-term commitment to each other, then success in the upcoming postseason will be a good place to start.
Rewatch the Lakers’ pair of wins over the Rockets in Houston from just a month ago and you’ll witness back-to-back brilliant offensive showings from Luka Doncic, in addition to important supporting moments on both ends of the floor from Austin Reaves.
During the regular season, the Lakers had LeBron James and Luka Doncic in the lineup against the Rockets. That won’t be the case at the beginning of the first-round NBA playoff series. NBAE via Getty Images
This is why the regular-season matchups between the Lakers and Rockets, which the Lakers won 2-1, are difficult — but not impossible — to learn from entering the first-round playoff series.
The Lakers saw different versions of the Rockets each time they played:
A fully healthy Houston squad (minus Fred VanVleet, who’s been sidelined the entire season after tearing his right ACL during an offseason workout) on Dec. 25;
The Rockets without Adams and All-Star big man Alperen Sengun on March 16;
And a Houston team without Adams and Jae’Sean Tate on March 18 – which is as close to the version of the Rockets the Lakers are expected to see in Saturday’s Game 1 at Crypto.com Arena.
But each version of the Lakers that the Rockets played against featured Doncic, Reaves and LeBron James in the starting lineup — which won’t be the case Saturday. Doncic (left hamstring strain) and Reaves (left oblique strain) are out “indefinitely” after suffering their regular-season-ending injuries April 2.
So, the ball-screen-heavy offense led by Doncic and Reaves that the Rockets had to battle against in the three regular-season matchups?
It’s been replaced by an offense that’s more reliant on off-ball screens to create advantages.
The combined 47.4 points and 11.7 assists Doncic and Reaves combined to average in the three games against the Rockets, including 52.5 points and 13.5 assists in the games Reaves finished after leaving midway through the Dec. 25 matchup because of a calf injury, have been distributed throughout the roster.
Rockets big man Alperen Sengun (left) didn’t play against the Lakers on March 16. NBAE via Getty Images
“We’re going to lean on everybody; it’s going to be balanced,” Marcus Smart said. “We’re going to lean on [Deandre Ayton] a lot, we’re going to LeBron, myself, Rui [Hachimura], obviously, Luke [Kennard], those guys, and it’s going to take everybody. It’s a different style of play, and I think that’s something that Houston isn’t prepared for, or are going to try to prepare for because they haven’t seen us without those guys. They’ve always played us with them, so they always have a matchup and game plan for them. It’ll be interesting to see how they play us without them.”
Even though the Lakers aren’t as talented without Doncic and Reaves, they’ll also be unfamiliar entering Game 1.
The Rockets only played against the version of the Lakers that featured James averaging just 13.3 field- goal attempts (leading to an efficient 22 points) and four assists as he picked his spots while Doncic led the way with carrying the offensive load. Not the version of James who averaged 17.5 shot attempts (25.5 points) and 11 assists in his final four regular-season games as the No. 1 option with Doncic and Reaves sidelined.
Kennard averaged 6.4 assists in the final five games, in addition to 12.2 points, after having a combined five points and three assists in the two games he played against the Rockets.
The Lakers went from one of the teams making the fewest passes per game (269.7; 27th) to top 10 in passing (296.2; 10th) without Doncic and Reaves.
Their assist percentage (the percentage of field goals that were assisted) spiked from 60.6% in the first 77 games (22nd) to 76.2% in the final five games (second).
Rockets’ Durant dunks the ball as James defends on March 18. AP
The Lakers are worse off without Doncic and Reaves.
But they’re also less familiar. Which, at least for a game or moments within games, can work to their advantage.
“They got guys that can step up and fill some of those roles they were missing,” Kevin Durant told reporters in Houston. “Obviously, missing two of the best players in the league is tough to make up for. But they got guys that can come in and make a huge impact. We’ve got our work cut out for us.”
The Lakers will still have to work through issues — some familiar and some not.
A familiar one: How will they manage the defensive glass against a Rockets team that led the league in offensive rebounding?
An unfamiliar one: How will they try to create offensive advantages against a Rockets defense that’s less likely to hedge or blitz ball screens without Doncic and Reaves on the floor?
The regular-season matchups provided some clues, while also making it clear the playoff series will be unfamiliar territory for both teams.
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 1: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers goes up to block a shot against the LA Clippers on November 1, 2023 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With the Lakers set to begin their playoff run, now is a perfect time as any to unpack a question that’s nearly as old as basketball itself…
What matters more: offense or defense?
There are clichés such as “offense wins games and defense wins championships” that have been used for ages, but what’s the actual answer?
Modern offenses push the pace of play and shoot more threes each year, making it feel like offense is king. This decade, Nikola Jokić has won three MVP Awards because of his offense. There is no defense, no matter how elite, that has figured out a way to stop Steph Curry.
At the highest levels, it’s starting to feel like the best defenses can’t measure up to the best offenses. However, coaches still view them as equally important.
“I think you need both,” Lakers head coach JJ Redick said. “And there’s been three outliers in the last 25 years. I know the Lakers, I think it was ‘01, were a bottom-third defense, but they were number one in the playoffs. Really, Denver in ‘23 was the only team that had an average defense, and then they were average in the playoffs.”
In the regular season, the 2001 Lakers had the seventh-worst defense in the NBA, but improved to first in the playoffs. With a dramatically improved defense and the most dominant offensive force in Shaquille O’Neal, that LA team won it all, losing just one game in the postseason.
During the 2020s, 18 of the 24 teams that have reached the conference finals ranked in the top ten offensively. And three of the champions finished in the top five. The only two exceptions were the 2020 Lakers, who were 11th in offensive rating, and the 2022 Warriors, who were 16th.
However, in the postseason, both teams morphed into elite scoring machines. With an offensive rating of 115.6, no one was better on that end of the floor than LA in the bubble. Golden State was fourth in 2022 at 114.5.
The defensive numbers for title contenders in this era have been high as well. During the 2020s, 14 of the 24 teams that have reached the conference finals were top-10 in defensive rating. But four of the five NBA champions were in the top five. As Redick mentioned, the only outlier was the 2023 Nuggets, who were 15th.
The Lakers will play the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs, and head coach Ime Udoka discussed the balance between offense and defense before the Christmas Day matchup against the Lakers earlier this season.
“For us, we try to be balanced and we’re somewhere up in the top five area of both,” Udoka said. “I want to do that and that’s where you have the great balance, great scoring, but you need to have the versatile of pieces to do it.
“I think we have a ton of defenders, naturally. We talked about keeping our identity the last few years of being a high-level defensive team and improving on the offense, and I think we’ve done that.”
Udoka did keep his team near the top five in both categories. During the regular season, Houston had a defensive rating of 112.1, which ranked sixth in the league, and an offensive rating of 117.5, which ranked eighth in the NBA.
The Lakers finished with offensive and defensive ratings of 117.0 (10th) and 115.5 (20th), respectively. While that defensive rating for LA is discouraging and perhaps an indicator that they are not at the level needed to win, they did improve as the season went along.
Post All-Star break, their defensive rating was 113.4, good for 14th in the league. That’s still not ideal as a top-10 defense seems to be the standard for a Conference Finals appearance, but it’s progress.
For the Lakers to have postseason success, they’ll need to figure out how to elevate their play in both categories. And there are subcategories they need to improve on that will help them find success. Redick has mentioned wanting to improve their rebounding and turnovers in their series against Houston.
Based on how the 2020s have gone so far, it seems a top-10 offense is more likely to get you deep in the playoffs, but an elite defense is necessary to win it all.
So, the answer to what matters more between defense and offense is still a combination of both.
“I grew up in San Antonio, believing in and knowing that defense wins championships,” Pelicans head coach James Borrego said. “We always hung our hat on that end of the floor and I still believe that.
“But I think it’s a balance of both, and really leaning into the strength of your roster is where you need to lean. Every roster is built differently. Some’s a little bit more offensive. Some’s a little bit more defensive. To me, the best teams maximize the roster, though. They lean into the strength of their players and how they play together.”
If there is one thing Redick has done well, it is maximizing his team’s potential. He’s had back-to-back 50-win seasons with very different rosters and with major shake-ups midseason.
In the playoffs, with Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves out indefinitely, he has to figure out how to balance both and get offensive production without his starting backcourt and come up with a defensive plan to stop Kevin Durant, who is one of the best scorers the league has ever seen.
It won’t be easy, but to have a long postseason run, the Lakers will have to find new solutions offensively and come up with enough defensive stops to make a run.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 06: Nickeil Alexander-Walker #7 of the Atlanta Hawks drives against Josh Hart #3 of the New York Knicks during the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena on April 06, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Just two days remain until the beginning of the Knicks’ playoff journey against the Atlanta Hawks, and there are a lot of compelling storylines with this series.
While the Knicks are favored, national pundits believe this series will be among the closer ones in the first round of the NBA playoffs, so what do the Knicks need to do to silence the critics and get to Round 2 unscathed?
Controlling the Pace
There are inherent, stylistic differences between the Knicks and Hawks that will be apparent throughout the series.
The Knicks, despite their head coach being hired to increase the pace, remain a half-court-based offense that prefers to take its time to find the best shot. The head of the snake, Jalen Brunson, crosses half court with 16 on the shot clock every possession. 10.7 percent of their shot attempts are with four or fewer seconds on the shot clock, which is fifth in basketball. They’ve found a way to be a top-five offense with this strategy, so they haven’t tried to change it.
Compare that to Atlanta, which is fifth in the NBA in pace and will often try to sprint up the court regardless of how the previous possession ended to get into the frontcourt with 20 on the shot clock. The stylistic difference can be described best with this:
Percent of shot attempts with 4 and 7 or fewer seconds on the shot clock: Knicks: 10.7%, 21.6% Hawks: 7.7%, 13.3%
Percent of shots with at least 15 on the shot clock: Knicks: 32.3% Hawks: 41.6%
The Knicks take their time, the Hawks want to run. The Hawks are third in fastbreak points with 18.1, while the Knicks are 14th. Whoever is able to play their game will have a massive advantage in this series.
We saw this with the Pacers the last two seasons. The Knicks let them play to their pace and struggled mightily. The Knicks are vulnerable in transition defensively, but are able to sink their teeth in once they get in the halfcourt. The Knicks are the second-most efficient offense when it comes to shooting “grenades”, while the Hawks are middle-of-the-pack. They thrive when they have to make tough shots.
— Basketball University (@UofBasketball) April 7, 2026
If the Knicks can hold down the Hawks in transition like they did down the stretch of these teams’ most recent meeting earlier this month, they’ll have a lot of success in this series.
Containing Nickeil Alexander-Walker
The easiest way an underdog can pull off an upset is a breakout performance that puts the league on notice. There aren’t many players capable of doing this on the Hawks, and as good as Jalen Johnson is, he isn’t a threat to average 30 for a series.
Alexander-Walker could be. The cousin of reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, he left the shadows of Anthony Edwards in Minnesota and has done his best Jalen Brunson impression in thriving for his new team. He should win Most Improved Player and he showed what he can do when everything is clicking earlier this month against the Knicks:
— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) April 7, 2026
It wasn’t your typical “leave a role player open, and he makes you pay”; he was cooking on some high-difficulty shots. If the Hawks have any chance in this series, he needs to be going shot-for-shot with Brunson and not be sitting in the corner down the stretch, which is part of the reason the Hawks melted down late in the early April matchup.
Dominate the Paint
This one is pretty clear. One team has Mitchell Robinson and Karl-Anthony Towns, the other has Onyeka Okongwu and Tony Bradley. The Hawks just effectively ruled out Jock Landale for the series, so there’s no reinforcements coming for an overmatched Atlanta center rotation.
Towns has had two efficient and dominant games against the Hawks this season and Okongwu has had absolutely no answer for him. While they could switch a wing onto Towns and put Okongwu on Josh Hart, that won’t work out well for them if Towns is assertive with the ball in his hands. As for Robinson, the Hawks will need to put several bodies on him to keep him off the glass, but that might not even be enough.
If there is one thing that Mitchell Robinson will do, it's grab contested rebounds and make your favorite team's bigs feel small…
On that note, the Hawks are bigger than the Knicks pretty much everywhere else but center, so the Knicks will need Robinson and Towns to gobble up boards and not let one of Atlanta’s wings pick up loose balls and run out in transition.
The NBA's 65-game rule, forcing players to play in at least 65 regular season games in order to be eligible for end-of-season awards, has received mixed reviews from fans and players.
Several fans believe it incentivizes stars to play in games, creating a better product for people in attendance. Others believe such a rule being implemented while individual players may have clauses in their contracts that offer bonuses for earning end-of-season awards creates a system that hurts players for situations that often are out of their control, such as injuries or family emergencies.
Well, it appears the NBA has heard these complaints and is making an adjustment.
Although neither the Detroit Pistons' Cade Cunningham nor the Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic played in 65 regular season games, both have been reinstated for end-of-season awards.
Just in: The NBA and NBPA have ruled in favor of Lakers' Luka Doncic and Pistons' Cade Cunningham on their Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge for the 65-game award rule, making both eligible for all 2025-26 season honors such as MVP and All-NBA teams, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/gUYdUn1q4k
The NBA announced that Cunningham (63 games played) would be exempt "due in part to missing 12 games as a result of a collapsed lung that was diagnosed on March 17." Meanwhile Doncic (64 games played) earned exemption "due in part to missing two games to attend the birth of his daughter in Slovenia."
Here's what to know.
Will these exemption keep up moving forward?
The decisions to re-implement both Doncic and Cunningham came as part of the league's Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) under the "extraordinary circumstances provision."
However, the league did not reveal what exactly constitutes an extraordinary circumstance, only that both Cunningham and Doncic applied.
That said, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards didn't receive an exemption. Edwards played in 60 games — or 61 when counting the game where he played only three minutes, which the league did not count — and filed "an extraordinary circumstances challenge under the CBA, seeking award eligibility before an independent arbitrator."
Why was Anthony Edwards denied?
Edwards missed 11 of the Timberwolves' final 14 games this season while dealing with a right knee injury. Furthermore, several of those games missed were in an effort to ensure Edwards would be good to go for the playoffs.
Edwards also missed time due to hamstring issues and illnesses earlier in the season.
Despite this, Edwards still played 2,137 minutes on the season, more than other players who are qualified for end-of-season awards like Kawhi Leonard, Victor Wembanyama and LaMelo Ball.
Will Doncic, Cunningham win any awards?
While neither player is likely to win MVP, both players will likely be named to All-NBA teams, which qualify under the 65-game rule. Edwards will not be eligible.
Edwards' ineligibility actually hurts his future. An All-NBA selection for Edwards would have ensured the 24-year-old supermax contract eligibility when he is eligible for a new contract in the 2027 offseason. While Edwards can still earn his third all-NBA bid next season, it puts added pressure on him to succeed. Furthermore, there is also the possibility that another injury forces him out of significant time next season, which could yet again cost him another All-NBA selection.
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 15: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors wears NBA on prime playmaker chain while talking to the media after the game against the LA Clippers on April 15, 2026 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr didn’t need many words to convey what Stephen Curry did on Wednesday night.
After the Warriors kept their season alive with a 126-121 win over the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the Play-In Tournament, Kerr’s postgame message said everything about Curry’s performance, and why it mattered so much for the superstar point guard to play again this season.
"This is why Steph came back."
Steve Kerr shared a blunt message to the people who wanted Steph Curry to sit out the rest of the season pic.twitter.com/mdTBjC0BeK
For weeks, there was outside noise suggesting Golden State should shut Curry down as he worked his way back from a knee injury that sidelined him for 27 games to close the regular season. Instead, he delivered the exact kind of performance that made that idea look foolish, finishing with a game-high 35 points to lead the Warriors to a comeback win when the team needed him the most.
Draymond Green — who had an excellent night himself on the defensive end — echoed Kerr’s sentiment, pointing to Curry’s presence as the key difference in high-pressure moments like this.
"When Steph's on the floor, you always have a chance."
Kerr gave a postgame speech to the team in the locker room, stating that it was one of his favorite wins of this Warriors run that has lasted longer than a decade.
Kerr’s coaching future is uncertain. The 37 wins were the second-fewest in his 12-season tenure. The core is aging. Injuries caught up this year. But Kerr felt they’d turned back the clock for a night to remind the world what they were in their prime.
“There’s a reason we have four championships,” Kerr said. “With all the wins we’ve ever had here — a lot of them with a lot more at stake – this is right up there. Just because of where we are and our age and the decline of our performance this year and our injuries. It was just a beautiful display of competitive will.”
“I had flashbacks to Game 1 in the ’22 Finals,” Curry said, referencing when Horford, then a member of the Boston Celtics, racked up 26 points and hit six 3-pointers in a win over Curry and the Warriors. “Because it was just like that, where all of a sudden — he was 0-for-3 at one point from 3, and then he hits the first one. It was just a sign of how confident he was shooting it. There was no hesitation, there was no doubt. There was just ‘I’m open. I’ll shoot it.’”
Tyrese Maxey scored 31 points, V.J. Edgecombe added 19 points and 11 rebounds, and the Philadelphia 76ers weathered the absence of Joel Embiid to beat the Orlando Magic 109-97 on Wednesday night and secure the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Desmond Bane and the Magic aren’t done yet. They will host Charlotte on Friday night in the SoFi Play-In Tournament finale, with the winner earning the No. 8 seed in the East and a first-round matchup with Detroit.
The NBA is fining Charlotte's LaMelo Ball $35,000 for his trip of Miami's Bam Adebayo and upgrading the action to a Flagrant, plus fining him $25,000 for cursing postgame, sources tell ESPN.
Porziņģis looked like his All-Star self in this game. He had numerous highlight defensive plays, single-handedly ending multiple Clippers possessions that looked like easy buckets. He was a walking bucket, scoring from all over the court, largely within the system but also taking matters into his own hands when it was needed. And he had some passes that made your eyes pop wide open.
It was a complete — and completely excellent — performance. And it left no doubt as to whether or not the Warriors will make re-signing Porziņģis a priority this coming offseason.
Grade: A+
Follow@unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.
Ja Morant's frustration with the Grizzlies and coach Tuomas Iisalo is no secret — the team suspended its star one game last season for "conduct detrimental to the team" after a locker-room confrontation with Iisalo. The coach's short shift patterns in game and bluntness in calling out stars rubbed Morant the wrong way.
"In the aftermath, Morant told players around the league and some of his former coaches that he isn't playing for Memphis anymore, sources said."
He's expected to get his wish this offseason.
The Grizzlies looked for a Morant trade at the February deadline, but nothing materialized that Memphis general manager Zach Kleiman liked — the offers were "modest." He did trade Jaren Jackson Jr. to Utah in the wake of trading Desmond Bane to Orlando the previous summer. The Grizzlies are in a rebuild and Morant — a fan favorite in Memphis — is almost unquestionably going to be moved.
However, Morant is not going to bring back the haul of draft picks that Jackson and Bane brought to Memphis, ESPN reports.
Several executives from other teams polled by ESPN believe the Grizzlies should have better luck finding a destination for Morant this summer, with the caveat that Memphis shouldn't expect to get much value in return.
A few things hold teams back from going all-in on Morant. One is that he is owed $87.1 million guaranteed over the next two seasons, and in an NBA where teams are trying to avoid the tax aprons, that is a lot of money to take on for anything short of an All-Star player. Second is Morant's injury history — he has not played in 65 games since his rookie season and not more than 50 in any of the last three. Finally, there is Morant's ball-dominant style — he has to have the ball in his hands and be the primary shot creator to be at his best — and that is not a natural fit on a lot of rosters.
That said, this summer there will be teams chasing the bigger names — Giannis Antetokounmpo, maybe Kawhi Leonard — that will strike out, and suddenly see Morant as an option. The ESPN story mentions the retooling Sacramento Kings, who spoke to the Grizzlies at the deadline but didn't come anywhere near a deal.
Wherever it is, expect Morant to be in a new uniform next season. He's ready to move on from the Grizzies and they are ready to move on from him.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 12: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers celebrates a three-pointer with a fan during the second half against the Milwaukee Bucks at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 12, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Sixers’ 109-97 win over the Orlando Magic in the Play-In tournament to secure the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference cemented their turnaround from a disastrous 2024-25 campaign. Thanks to a 21-win increase they were able to clinch a playoff spot for the eighth time in the last nine seasons.
It’s not like the Sixers achieved this with major roster upheaval. They retained 11 players from the prior season heading into this one. Proving that the previous season was just an injury-riddled disaster was something they all took pride in.
Head coach Nick Nurse opened the year saying there was a lot of “pissed off-ness” about how the ’24-25 season went and how motivated the organization was to erase that. He reiterated that again after the victory over Orlando.
“I said we had a really, really big hole to dig out of and we want to get in the tournament somehow” Nurse said postgame. “It wasn’t easy and it wasn’t pretty, but we’re here now and now we get to see what we can do with it.”
To Nurse’s point, it’s not like everything that went wrong a season ago suddenly clicked into place. Joel Embiid and Paul George still missed a combined 87 games this year with no guarantee Embiid will be able to suit up for the playoffs.
“It means a lot,” George said. “Last season, that was as about as tough as a season I’ve been a part of, but for us to turn it around, we dealt with some adversity this year but we got through it.”
No player took this more to heart than Tyrese Maxey. While he hasn’t quite snatched the title of most impactful star on the Sixers roster from Joel Embiid, he is definitely the most available. The fact that he’s able to suit up regularly makes him bear the brunt of the team’s on-court struggles on a day-to-day basis.
The All-NBA caliber season in which he averaged 28 points per game is nice, but proving he can lead a team through the regular season to the playoffs has been a larger goal. He made a vow to get back watching last year’s playoffs, and didn’t care for Knicks’ commentator Walt Frazier’s preseason assessment that he better get used to losing.
Yall deserve to be in the playoffs and we gotta work to get back there for yall!! 💯💯
Driving this type of winning is so important to Maxey that he promised multiple teammates that he would lead them back to the playoffs.
“I promised Kyle [Lowry] before the season,” Maxey said. “He called me around May, I said ‘there’s just no chance that I’m gonna let you not be in the playoffs next year.’”
He also detailed how important that was for many of the younger guys who haven’t made the playoffs yet, guys like Dominick Barlow, Jabari Walker and, of course, VJ Edgecombe.
“Dalen Terry came up to me at shootaround and just said ‘please, man, just please, get me in there. I have been in the Play-In four years straight,’” Maxey explained. “I said, ‘we going to the playoffs, so don’t worry about it, D.T.’”
In his own words, coming through on this promise meant everything to Maxey.
“The way last season went, I just didn’t want to have that feeling again,” he said. “I just challenged myself last summer, and I feel like I rose to that challenge.”
Maxey’s teammates have not been shy about the vocal leader he has developed into over the past couple of seasons. If there’s one way to cement yourself as the locker room leader, it’s coming through on promises like that.
Golden State was able to rewind to 2017 for 12 minutes and live another day, setting up Friday's NBA Play-In Tournament showdown with the Phoenix Suns for the No. 8 seed in the West (and the right to get smacked by OKC).
However, my Warriors vs. Suns predictions aren’t drinking from Golden State’s fountain of youth, as I’m betting on Phoenix to sunset the final remnants of this dynasty.
The Phoenix Suns opened as short home favorites, being discounted for a close loss to a red-hot Portland squad in Tuesday’s Play-In opener. Phoenix has the homecourt and rest edge over a Golden State Warriors team ripe for a letdown and playing its fourth away game in eight days.
The last thing the Suns want is to get into a shootout with the Warriors. Phoenix plays a methodical pace on offense and is among the better defensive teams in the NBA — especially at home, where they own a 15-27 Over/Under record.
Jalen Green’s knee is doing just fine. He exploded for 35 points against a very stingy Blazers team and now faces a Golden State squad that ranks among the softer defenses in the Association.
Green's projections call for 20+ points, which is a bar he’s hit in 15 of his last 21 outings.
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A former player tied to a major NBA betting scandal seemingly wants to switch his stance in one of the federal cases against him.
Key Takeaways
Ex-NBA player Damon Jones is tied to the betting scandal and the rigged poker games.
Jones hasn’t changed his not guilty plea in the other charge.
He allegedly provided bettors with the injury information for LeBron James and Anthony Davis for profit.
Damon Jones originally pleaded not guilty in November 2025 to providing injury information on star NBA players LeBron James and Anthony Davis to bettors. However, he has requested a change-of-plea hearing, according to ABC News, citing court documents.
The hearing has reportedly been scheduled for April 28.
Jones allegedly twice attempted to sell personnel information to a group of bettors that included Marves Fairley and Shane Hennen. Jones, who played 11 seasons in the NBA for 10 teams, was charged by federal prosecutors in the same case involving Terry Rozier in October 2025.
He was also named in the indictment as a part of a rigged poker game with suspended Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups. Jones hasn’t altered his not guilty plea to that charge.
Insider information instance
The first occasion occurred before a February 9, 2023, game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks, when he had a close relationship with James as an unofficial assistant coach.
Jones told the group of co-conspirators that James was going to miss the game. He told them in a text message to “get a big bet on Milwaukee” before the public information on James’ status was released, and Jones asked them to “bet enough” that he would get a piece of the winnings.
James indeed sat out. The Lakers lost the game, and the group of bettors profited from nonpublic information, according to the indictment. James, also a former teammate of Jones, was not implicated in the scheme.
“As alleged, the defendants turned professional basketball into a criminal betting operation, using private locker room and medical information to enrich themselves and cheat legitimate sportsbooks,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said in a statement last year. “This was a sophisticated conspiracy involving athletes, coaches, and intermediaries who exploited confidential information for profit.”
Other alleged improprieties
In January 2024, Fairley paid Jones $2,500 on a peer-to-peer transaction app for injury information reportedly on Davis, who was listed as probable for the game.
The conspirators thought Davis would sit, but he played, and the Lakers won. Fairley asked for his money back, but Jones claimed it was “credible” insider information, the indictment notes.
Fairley has also pleaded not guilty and said he didn’t benefit from Jones’ nonpublic NBA player injury information.
In the other case, Jones is accused, with Billups, of luring poker players into a game rigged by the mob. The defendants, who have also pleaded not guilty, allegedly used sophisticated electronic equipment to cheat players out of millions of dollars, according to the indictment.
Basketball nostalgia is a potent drug. I’ve spent hours watching highlights from the past, reminiscing on the glory days of NBA action.
Hoop heads got a strong dose of just that on Wednesday, when the Golden State Warriors erupted for 43 points in the fourth quarter to stun the L.A. Clippers.
Stephen Curry’s 3-point barrage, Draymond Green’s lockdown defense, and the Dubs digging themselves out of a 13-point hole stirred up memories of Golden State’s past postseason dominance and sets up a Play-In Tournament tilt with the Phoenix Suns.
But despite what my retro-heavy sneaker collection would tell you, I’m not buying this throwback.
Our Warriors vs. Suns predictions are being realistic about Golden State’s tough situational spot on Friday, and my NBA picks are siding with an undervalued home team.
UPDATE: Added a prediction for who will win tonight.
Warriors vs Suns prediction
Who will win Warriors vs Suns?
Suns: Not to tip my hand on the “best bet” but I like the Phoenix Suns to win this Play-In tilt and take the No. 8 seed in the West. The Suns are being discounted after running into a hot Portland squad on Tuesday and the Golden State Warriors will show their age in a tough travel spot Friday.
Warriors vs Suns best bet: Suns -3 (-110)
I’m a big fan of situational betting, and after hearing Golden State head coach Steve Kerr, following his team’s comeback in L.A., my “spot betting sense” is tingling.
"For one night, we're us. We're champions again,” Kerr told reporters. “I know that that may sound crazy to everybody out there, but it's a play-in game. I don't care.”
The Warriors’ motivations were already mixed heading into the Play-In Tournament, but after such a wild win and that statement from Kerr, it really feels like the Dubs are ripe for a massive letdown in Phoenix on Friday.
If you can separate from that nostalgic joy for a second, you’ll remember Golden State backed into the postseason with one win in its final eight games. The Warriors were the ninth-worst defense since the All-Star break and finished 4-10 SU in their final 14 road games.
That potential for a faceplant isn’t the only reason I’m fading Golden State. The Warriors will now hit the road for the fourth time in eight days, which is a lot of wear and tear on the aging legs of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Al Horford, and Kristaps Porzingis.
The Phoenix Suns, on the other hand, get to stay home and enjoy an added day of rest and prep. Phoenix is being discounted after running into a red-hot Portland squad in the Play-In and has shown an ability to bounce back from poor performances, going 22-15 SU and 21-16 ATS when coming off a loss.
Warriors vs Suns same-game parlay
If the Suns are going to get right and put away the Warriors, it will be with defense. Phoenix plays a methodical pace and ranks among the stingier home teams in the league, allowing just 108.5 points against inside Mortgage Matchup Center, and they are 15-27 Over/Under at home this season.
Jalen Green looked great coming back from a knee injury against Portland, exploding for 35 points in the Play-In loss. He’s scored 20+ points in 15 of his last 21 games and is projected for 20 points versus the Warriors on Friday.
Warriors vs Suns SGP
Suns -3
Under 220
Jalen Green Over 18.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Green monsters
These Green guys can pack the box score for both teams. Draymond gets after it on the glass against the Suns’ small-ball lineup while Jalen keeps up his play-in performances with another huge game for Phoenix.
Warriors vs Suns SGP
Jalen Green Over 18.5 points
Jalen Green Over 4.5 rebounds
Draymond Green Over 8.5 points
Draymond Green Over 5.5 rebounds
Warriors vs Suns odds
Spread: Warriors +3 | Suns -3
Moneyline: Warriors +135 | Suns -150
Over/Under: Over 220 | Under 220
Warriors vs Suns betting trend to know
Favorites of -3 or shorter are 9-4 SU and ATS in the current format of the NBA Play-In Tournament (since 2021). Find more NBA betting trends for Warriors vs. Suns.
How to watch Warriors vs Suns
Location
Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, AZ
Date
Friday, April 17, 2026
Tip-off
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
Warriors vs Suns latest injuries
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The latest chapter in the rivalry was back in February when De’Anthony Melton forced Brooks into a tough shot, leading to Golden State sealing a 14-point comeback road win.
Brooks and the Warriors have a history dating back to his days with the Memphis Grizzlies. The Oregon alum was suspended for Game 3 of the 2022 Western Conference Semifinals after a flagrant foul on Gary Payton II.
“That wasn’t physical, that was dirty.” Steve Kerr not mincing his words, he’s said to have yelled “Get the f*** out!” towards the Memphis bench as Dillon Brooks was ejected for taking down Gary Payton II. GPII is out for the game. #dubnationpic.twitter.com/udbMfhCR6x
The intensity will be consistent, but the rosters are completely different. In a June 2025 blockbuster trade, the Phoenix Suns traded Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Brooks, Jalen Green, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and five second-round picks.
Since joining the Suns, Brooks has averaged a career-high 20.2 points per game, along with a 43.5 field goal percentage.
On the Warriors’ side, Phoenix has yet to see Steph Curry and Kristaps Porziņģis play together. Brooks was asked by reporters about playing against Curry.
“One of the best players to ever do it,” Brooks claimed. “Who else do you want to go against in an elimination game? He’s proven it over the years, and they’ve been battle-tested in every way possible. So it’s a good matchup for us.”
Brooks shows respect to his opponent, for now. Come Friday night, as we’ve seen in the past, nothing is off the table.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JANUARY 17: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs drives on Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second half at Frost Bank Center on January 17, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Spurs are headed to the playoffs for the first time since 2019, with Game 1 against the Portland Trail Blazers set for 8 PM CT on Sunday. That’s still several days out, so in the meantime, we’re looking back one of the best regular seasons in franchise history.
In Part 1, we reviewed the first part of the Spurs season that featured a strong start despite missing De’Aaron Fox to start the season and Victor Wembanyama for 12 straight games. In Part 2, we recalled their memorable and arguably season-defining stretch in the second half of December, which featured Wemby’s return and a Cup Semi-finals win plus two more in a 12-day span against the defending champion Thunder, officially putting the Spurs on the map. The year concluded with a record-breaking performance from Julian Champagnie against the Knicks, but then the Spurs hit arguably their only rough patch of the season, which is where we’re picking up today.
Part 3: January 2026 (8-7)
After suffering a strained oblique in the Knicks game to close 2025, Wemby missed the two opening games of 2026: a win over the lowly Pacers and close loss at home to the Trail Blazers. (I’m just now realizing Wemby missed all three regular season matchups against them this season, so there’s a new twist to the playoffs due to them not having a chance to scout that match-up.) He soon returned, but January continued to follow an up-and-down pattern with some good wins combined with frustrating losses.
They got their second win over Lakers despite a typical 38-10-10 triple double from Luka Doncic, followed by a victory in Boston against a Celtics club that was supposed to be in a “gap” year with Jayson Tatum missing most of the season and them having to trade away a lot of their depth but rode an MVP-level performance from Jalen Brown to the second seed in the East. Oh, and the Lakers game was our last great Jeremy Sochan “troll” moment as he set off Jared Vanderbilt after the game.
Those two wins were followed by road losses to two playoff teams in the Timberwolves and Thunder, but then it was up again with another classic match-up between Wemby and Giannis Antetokounmpo. (It wasn’t that exciting of a game, but who knows where this match-up is headed with Giannis uncertain future with the Bucks, so we’ll enjoy it while it lasts.)
That was followed by a heart attack-inducing but thrilling victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Spurs built a 25-point halftime lead thanks to a season-high 48 points in the second quarter, but in pattern from each of their match-ups against this team this season, the Spurs proceeded to blow it while Anthony Edwards scored 26 of his 55 points in the fourth quarter. The Wolves eventually took the lead before bald Wemby went into superstar mode to bring them back with a 39-point performance, but it wasn’t won without plenty of free throw drama first.
The Spurs continued to trade wins and losses from there, with wins against the Jazz and Rockets alternating with losses to the Pelicans and Rockets, and of course who can forget the final game in January, when their Saturday game in Charlotte got moved back to noon so they could play and get out before the impending snow storm, only for the Spurs to blow the game in the final moments, still get trapped by the weather, and face even more troubles before getting back to San Antonio for a game the very next day. If there was one month to forget from this season, January was it.
They say all good teams must go through some adversity to truly come together, and as it turned out, this may have been it. From there, the Spurs would go on a nearly unprecedented run the rest of the way, so check back tomorrow for the greatest moments of the (very long) final stretch of the season, when the Spurs proved to be a true contender.
