It’s the biggest day of the year for the Brooklyn Nets and it all comes down to luck — a 52.1% chance at a top-4 pick and a 14% chance at the No. 1 overall pick. If you’ve followed the organization long enough, luck is not something Nets fans are accustomed to. They really need that to change on Sunday.

Vince Carter is on the dais, Mr. Whammy will be hexing other teams from the crowd, and Joe Tsai will be in the drawing room. Wednesday will mark 50 years exact since the Nets won the ABA championship and later sold off its franchise player.

Proceed with expectations as you shall!

🏓 KEY INFO

TIME: 3:00 PM ET

WATCH: ABC/ESPN

• Washington Wizards: 14% No. 1 (52.1% top 4)
• Indiana Pacers: 14% No. 1 (52.1% top 4)
• Brooklyn Nets: 14% No. 1 (52.1% top 4)
• Utah Jazz: 11.5% No. 1 (45.2% top 4)
• Sacramento Kings: 11.5% No. 1 (45.2% top 4)
• Memphis Grizzlies: 9.0% No. 1 (37.2% top 4)

📺 From the Vault

💬 DISCUSSION

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The Knicks are just one win away from sweeping the Philadelphia 76ers to secure a second consecutive appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals.

New York moved one win closer to the ECF with a commanding 108–94 Game 3 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Despite the return of Sixers center Joel Embiid, who finished with 18 points and 6 rebounds after missing Game 2, the Knicks took control in the second quarter and never looked back.

Jalen Brunson led the way with 33 points and 9 assists, making history for the most 30-point playoff games in franchise history (passing Carmelo Anthony’s record), while Mikal Bridges chipped in 23 points to help New York secure a 3–0 series lead.

The Knicks were without starter OG Anunoby in Game 3 due to a hamstring injury; he’s currently listed as questionable and will likely be a game-time-decision today.

If the Knicks win tonight’s matchup with the 76ers, they’ll advance to the ECF, where they’ll face either Detroit or Cleveland. A 76ers win would lead to Game 5 on Tuesday.

Knicks vs. 76ers start time:

The Knicks vs. 76ers game today, May 10, is scheduled to tip off at 3:30 p.m. ET.

What channel is the Knicks game on today (May 10)?

The Knicks-76ers game will air on ABC.

How to watch Knicks vs. 76ers for free:

If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the Knicks game for free.

DIRECTV is our top pick for watching basketball live for free — its five-day free trial includes ABC (plus most channels you’ll need for the WNBA season). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $44.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.

You can also tune in to today’s game with fubo’s Pro or Sports and News plans. Live TV plans from fubo start at $44.99 and also include a five-day free trial.

Knicks-76ers second round playoff schedule

• Game 1: Knicks 137, 76ers 98
• Game 2: Knicks 108, 76ers 102
• Game 3: Knicks 108, 76ers 94
• Game 4: Sunday, May 10 (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
• Game 5: Tuesday, May 12*
• Game 6: Thursday, May 14*
• Game 7: Sunday, May 17*

* if necessary

Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post

This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.

One player has shined the brightest on the NBA playoff stage, and his name is not LeBron James, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Dončić or Austin Reaves. 

It’s Rui Hachimura. 

Playing on a court with superstars, future Hall of Famers and generational icons, Hachimura has been the best player in the Western Conference semifinal series between the Lakers and Thunder. 

“He’s a talented guy. He plays like a Japanese [Michael] Jordan,” said Thunder center Chet Holmgren of Hachimura. “He can really make shots and make shots in bunches. You can’t let him get hot.”

Holmgren was complimentary of Hachimura because both played at Gonzaga, but his analysis still rings true. You can’t let him get hot, and right now in this series Hachimura is scorching.

He’s shooting a blistering 58% from 3-point range in the postseason. He’s averaging 18.3 points in this series. To drag Hachimura’s 3-point percentage below 40, he’d have to miss 46 straight 3s. All this as a quiet, corner-dwelling forward whose job description is that of a role player and not a headliner. 

Rui Hachimura has been unconscious from three this postseason… my goodness. pic.twitter.com/6PfGl29aPy

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) May 10, 2026

And yet, through three lopsided losses, he’s been the most consistent Laker on the court and one of the few players who has kept them in games before everything eventually unravels. 

What makes Hachimura’s performance this postseason even more remarkable is that he’s doing it all without the ball in his hands. LeBron and Reaves are the Lakers’ primary ball handlers. Heck, even Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard handle the ball at times. 

But there are no play calls for Hachimura. No high pick-and-rolls. No offense built around him. No 3-pointers off a perimeter screen or dribble penetration. Just patience and timing. Hachimura waits for the pass that may or may not come, but he delivers when it does.

“Rui has been shooting lights out and has been playing really well for us,” Kennard said after Game 3, in which not much else went right for the Lakers. 

Game 3, when the Lakers’ backs were against a wall, should have been a night when LA pushed back against the defending champs and won its first game of this series. Instead, it became yet another reminder of the large gap between these teams. Especially without Dončić.

Even as Hachimura led the Lakers with a team-high 21 points and knocked down five 3s, the Lakers still got steamrolled by the Thunder, 131-108. One stat in particular was even more shocking. In their eight playoff games entering Saturday, every time the Lakers outshot their opponent from the perimeter, they won the game. Game 3 was the first time they outshot OKC in the series, and they still got run out of the building. 

That tells you everything you need to know about this matchup. 

As we’ve been telling you all along, the Thunder are just better. They’re operating on a different plane of existence than the Lakers now. OKC has won all three games by an average of nearly 20 points; that’s the worst playoff point differential in Lakers’ franchise history. 

The fact that Hachimura has been able to stay this hot, this consistent, against this elite defensive team is even more impressive. But he’s also quietly making himself more expensive.

Hachimura will be a free agent at the end of the season, and he’s about to hit the open market.

Hachimura signed a three-year, $51 million deal before the 2023 season. It felt reasonable then. It feels like a bargain now. In a league starving for playoff performers, especially ones who don’t need the ball, can stretch the floor and punish mistakes, Hachimura is about to create a bidding war for his services. 

There’s no doubt that teams will line up to sign him. They always do for role players like this. We expect him to get offered a deal somewhere in the four-year, $80 million to $100 million range. 

Can the Lakers afford that? Maybe, but they’re staring at a financial puzzle that borders on impossible. 

James, Reaves, Maxi Kleber, Kennard, Deandre Ayton, Smart and Jaxson Hayes all can be free agents June 30. All of them will command money. The Lakers will be forced to make some tough decisions. You can’t afford to pay everyone. That’s just the reality of the NBA. 

But here’s one reality that fans should talk about: If the Lakers let Hachimura walk for nothing, then they’re not just losing a role player. 

They’re losing their most consistent playoff performer. The one guy who showed up for every game this series against the reigning champions.

Not LeBron. Not Reaves. Not Dončić. 

And sometimes, in a league obsessed with superstars, the quiet role players end up being the most costly to replace.

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The Knicks head to Philadelphia tonight looking to complete a second-round sweep of the 76ers after dominating the first three games of the series by nearly 20 points per contest.

With New York one win away from another trip to the Eastern Conference Finals, I’m breaking down the best Knicks vs. 76ers props for Game 4, along with today’s top NBA picks and full Knicks vs 76ers predictions.

Best Knicks vs 76ers props for Game 4

Player	Pick
Jalen Brunson	Over 27.5 points	-110
Karl-Anthony Towns	Over 5.5 assists	+102
Kelly Oubre Jr.	Over 1.5 made threes	+120

Game 4 Prop #1: Jalen Brunson Over 27.5 points

-110 at bet365

He’s known as Captain Clutch for a reason. In his four seasons with the Knicks, Jalen Brunson has improved his scoring average by an average of 3.2 points per game in the playoffs. He’s scoring 28 points this postseason, up from 26 in the regular season. Against the Sixers, he’s found another gear, averaging 31.3 points per game in the series.

Brunson is taking more than 20 shots per game this series, and that volume should continue. OG Anunoby missed the last game and is a game-time decision Sunday with a hamstring injury, meaning the offense may lean even more heavily on Brunson. Coach Mike Brown joked that Brunson is his “security blanket,” and that has certainly been the case throughout this matchup.

Despite the increased volume, Brunson is shooting over 50% from the field this series and has also elevated his free-throw efficiency from the regular season.

Game 4 Prop #2: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 5.5 assists

+102 at bet365

The Knicks center is turning into a facilitator this postseason. After averaging 3.0 assists per game during the regular season, Karl-Anthony Towns has boosted that number to 6.2 in the playoffs and 6.7 in the current series.

New York appears to have unlocked something with Towns’ passing midway through the first-round series against Atlanta. He has recorded six or more assists in six straight games, and the Knicks have won all six.

Towns’ scoring numbers have dipped while battling Joel Embiid inside, but that has created more opportunities for him to facilitate. With Brunson and Mikal Bridges both thriving offensively, Towns should continue finding open shooters rather than forcing difficult looks against Embiid.

Game 4 Prop #3: Kelly Oubre Jr. Over 1.5 made threes

+120 at bet365

The Sixers’ top scorers have struggled badly in this series. Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey are both averaging roughly 10 fewer points than their regular-season numbers, while Paul George and VJ Edgecombe have also seen offensive drop-offs.

That has forced Kelly Oubre Jr. to take on a bigger scoring role. After averaging 14.1 points during the regular season, Oubre has elevated that to 17.7 points per game in the series against New York.

He’s shooting 50% from the field and 46.2% from deep in the matchup, averaging two made threes per game. With Embiid limited physically and the Knicks' defense collapsing on Philadelphia’s primary scorers, Oubre should continue getting quality perimeter looks.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Jeff Green is the ultimate bench guy. The 39-year-old Uncle Jeff shows the young players how to operate as a professional, how to be ready night-in and night-out, how navigate the pitfalls of a life partially on the road, and basic emotional support to an overall young team. It’s been valuable.

But on the court, Green’s goose is pretty much cooked. Green played in just 30 contests this season, averaging just 5.8 minutes per game. His per night averages of 2.2 points on 0.8 rebounds were the lowest of his career.

Green’s contract is also up, making him an unrestricted free agent. In addition, as we saw in the playoffs, if nothing else changes this season, Houston absolutely needs an influx of bench talent — skilled bench talent that can shoot and/or make plays. You can see where I’m going with this.

Green helps with none of those.

Sadly, it looks to me like it just may be time to part ways with Uncle Jeff. The locker room stuff is great and all, but this is a team that is looking to take the next step from above average/good up to the next tier of good/great. To do that, each roster spot needs to be maximized. I no longer think the Rockets can afford to roster a locker room guy that doesn’t help on the court.

Green’s three seasons with the Rockets are a nice swan song for the veteran, but as we saw recently with another Rockets locker room guy — Boban Marjanovich — there comes a time to ride off into the sunset, and with the Rockets likely to do at least a little shuffling this offseason, particularly on the margins, this just might be it for old Unc.

If it is, we loved having him in Houston, and when the Rockets were still babies, his presence was invaluable. But as the team grows up and the Rockets look to continue to improve, re-signing a guy who’ll be over 40 by the time the season starts who’s not named LeBron James isn’t exactly a path to a title. We appreciate you, Uncle Jeff. But if he remains on the roster next season, I’ll believe that Rockets GM Rafael Stone hasn’t fully done his job to improve.

Tracy McGrady is clarifying his comments about Jaylen Brown.

After previously saying he believed Brown’s frustration “lies deeply within the organization,” McGrady said Saturday on NBC’s “NBA Showtime” that Brown had not personally told him he was frustrated with the Celtics. Instead, McGrady said he was speaking as an analyst based on what he had observed publicly.

“I haven’t talked to Jaylen at all about this,” McGrady said. “I just know my friend, and when I see certain things, I see frustration.”

Quite the change-up from what T-Mac said earlier this week.

McGrady’s initial comments, made on “Cousins with Vince Carter & Tracy McGrady,” quickly made the rounds after the Celtics’ season ended with a first-round loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. In the clip, McGrady said Brown’s frustration “lies deeply within the organization” and referenced “a lot of stuff” he had been hearing around the Celtics organization and Brown.

McGrady has a long-standing relationship with Brown, so it was easy to understand why those comments were interpreted as more than an outside read. McGrady’s wording sure made it seem like he was passing along something Brown had told him directly.

On Saturday, McGrady pushed back on that idea.

“I’m part of the media, so if I see something, I’m gonna speak about it,” McGrady said. “I think they haven’t really separated my friendship versus me being an analyst and talking about this. It was nothing that we had a conversation about.”

McGrady pointed to Brown’s public comments after Game 7, including Brown saying he found out shortly before tip that Jayson Tatum would not play, as well as Brown’s post-elimination Twitch comments about officiating, which resulted in a $50,000 fine from the NBA.

“Because I have a relationship with Jaylen, I know him and I know how he acts,” McGrady said. “So, watching this series, how it unfolds, watching the behavior change and uncharacteristics of who I know Jaylen is, so it looked like he was frustrated to me.”

That is a very different thing than reporting that Brown privately expressed frustration with the Celtics organization, something both Jaylen and Brad Stevens had to deny in streaming and media appearances, respectively.

McGrady is certainly allowed to interpret what he sees. After all, that’s part of the job. But this is also where modern sports discourse can get messy. A comment from someone with a personal relationship to a player that sounds rooted in truth can quickly turn into a bigger story, especially when it involves a star player, a disappointing playoff exit and an offseason already filled with trade speculation.

Brown has repeatedly pushed back against questions about his future. After Boston’s season ended, he called this past year his favorite and said he would stay in Boston for another decade if the decision were up to him.

McGrady and Brown have known each other for years, which is exactly why McGrady’s original comments carried weight. It is also why the clarification was necessary.

T-Mac may still believe Brown looked frustrated. Given the way Boston’s season ended, that would not exactly be shocking. But according to McGrady, Brown never told him that directly.

If this is any indication of how conversations around Brown will be handled this summer, it’s going to be a very long offseason in Boston.

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On Mother’s Day, let’s remember desperation is the mother of innovation. The Minnesota Timberwolves are desperate. They need to pull out all the stops against the San Antonio Spurs tonight.

My Spurs vs. Wolves props and NBA picks expect Minnesota’s rotation to shift in Game 4 on Sunday, May 10.

For more analysis, here are my full Spurs vs. Timberwolves predictions.

Best Spurs vs Timberwolves props for Game 4

Player	Pick
Naz Reid	3+ threes	+230
Victor Wembanyama	Over 12.5 rebounds	-115
Jaden McDaniels	Over 15.5 points	-112

Game 4 Prop #1: Naz Reid 3+ threes

+230 at bet365

Ignoring a game in which he played five minutes due to injury, Naz Reid has now played five games against the San Antonio Spurs this season. In those five games, he is 15-for-29 (51.7%) from beyond the arc, hitting at least three 3-pointers four times.

The Minnesota Timberwolves’ sixth man should see starter’s minutes tonight. He played 16 in Friday’s second half, nearly three more than Julius Randle did.

Of the Timberwolves’ three big men, Reid is the best fit to counter the Spurs. So, whether it is Rudy Gobert’s or Randle’s minutes that take a hit, expect Reid’s minutes to increase.

Not that he needs many minutes to hit a few triples.

Game 4 Prop #2: Victor Wembanyama Over 12.5 rebounds

-115 at bet365

There is a want to point out that Victor Wembanyama was clearly winded late in Game 3. And Minnesota should absolutely prioritize driving into the Defensive Player of the Year’s body to both further that fatigue and to try to draw some fouls. Wembanyama had five on Friday; challenging him a bit more often could have been decisive.

But the reality is that Wembanyama has grabbed 15 rebounds in all three games of the series, in part because he played 40 minutes in Game 1 and 37 minutes in Game 3.

With an extra day between Games 4 and 5, there is no reason for San Antonio not to ride Wembanyama tonight. The Spurs know how much of a difference he makes on the court. If tonight is competitive, expect Wembanyama to play 40+ minutes.

Game 4 Prop #3: Jaden McDaniels Over 15.5 points

-112 at bet365

Make no mistake: Jaden McDaniels’s shot is hurting these days. It has been for months. But going 3-for-8 from deep in Game 3 may be an encouraging sign.

McDaniels is struggling in his usual favorite spot; Victor Wembanyama is the only player in the NBA with the length to bother McDaniels’ midrange fadeaway jumper. Despite that frustration, he has cleared this prop in two of the three games against the Spurs.

Minnesota desperately needs his offense. Only Wemby can bother it, which is obviously a huge caveat, but the majority of the time, McDaniels has an edge.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

It’s an important day for the Bucks: the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery takes place at 2 p.m. Central this afternoon. Shortly thereafter, we’ll know where Milwaukee will select for their first lottery pick since 2016: will they get really (and I mean really) lucky and receive a top-four selection in what’s long been called a loaded draft class? Or will they be in the most likely places of 10th and 11th? Wherever they end up, will they use that pick to draft someone, or trade it for someone who helps them become a winning team again? Or will they trade down and try to net another first, this year or in the future?

As we wait for that answer, here’s a rundown of what you should expect when you’re watching today.

The Bucks’ draft odds

We started discussing Milwaukee’s likely landing spot as the second half wore on, and it became clear they wouldn’t be making the postseason. When the tanking battles finished, the Bucks slotted in with the league’s 10th-worst record. Based on the current system (which appears to be changing later this month), the Bucks have a 3% chance of winning the lottery and landing the first overall pick, a 3.3% chance for second, 3.6% for third, and 4% for fourth. Far more likely is their 65.9% chance of receiving 10th, followed by their 19% chance at 11th. They have about a 1.4% chance of ending up 12th through 14th.

However, those are not actually the Bucks’ odds. New Orleans owned the right to swap selections with Milwaukee, part of their return for sending Jrue Holiday to the 414 in late 2020. They could have chosen to take the most favorable of their pick and the Bucks’, while the Bucks got the least favorable. But they traded that right to Atlanta in a widely panned draft night trade in 2025. So the Hawks actually receive the most favorable of the Bucks’ and Pelicans’ picks (note that Atlanta’s record doesn’t enter into the equation at all here).

This means there is no chance the Bucks actually draft first overall, because if they won the lottery, that would mean they possess the most favorable pick between them and the Pelicans, and they’d have to swap back. Their pick would go to Atlanta. Likewise, the only ways they’d draft second is if the Pelicans won the lottery (6.8% chance) and the lottery balls gave the Bucks two, or if the Bucks won the lottery and the Pelicans were blessed with two. Another way of looking at it: if Milwaukee draws a top-four pick, they’d have to swap out of the top four completely 73.1% of the time.

It’s complicated. But Morgan and I did the math for you, so you know what their shot of eventually landing at any spot actually is, factoring in the swap. Here are the Bucks’ “true” lottery odds:

You can look at this in many ways, but here’s one I think is interesting. Yes, had the Bucks finished with a stinkier record than 10th-worst, their odds of falling out of the top 10 would have been significantly lower. But with the swap, since the Pelicans were worse than them this year, the Bucks have a slightly higher chance of moving up from 10. Compare the two situations:

The Pelicans’ crappiness—and crucially, the Bucks not being as crappy—gives the Bucks a small chance at drafting eighth or ninth. So while they saw a 10.2% drop in their top-four odds due to the swap, they do have a slightly better chance of moving up from 10, even if it’s only by one spot. Without the swap, they’d have a 13.9% chance of rising but with it, they have a 14.7% chance. The difference is that without the swap, the only place they would move up to would be the top four, while now they could also wind up with eight or nine—picks they couldn’t get otherwise.

How the lottery actually works

I discussed last month how end-of-season tiebreakers between teams with identical records benefitted the Bucks slightly. To quickly sum it up: because New Orleans and Dallas finished tied in the standings for the NBA’s seventh-worst record, a coin flip determined who received the seventh-best odds and who was eighth. New Orleans won that toss and with it, a marginal uptick in their chances to receive a top-four pick. It also gives them a shot at seventh and higher instead of eighth and higher. Here are their odds for each selection:

You might be thinking, “why do your odds say the Bucks can’t get seventh, but the Pelicans can? Say the Bucks got three and the Pels got seven—wouldn’t they swap?” Well, the Bucks cannot actually receive the seventh pick because the lotto drawing occurs for the top four selections only (read more on the whole process here). Once that happens, five through 14 use reverse standings order. So if Milwaukee leaped into the top four, surpassing several of the nine teams with worse records than them, those teams would see their selections fall one spot, potentially more if another team also rose significantly. Here are some examples:

• The Bucks’ pick lands at third in the lottery drawing, and the other three teams in the top four all had worse records than the Pelicans. Milwaukee displaces one of the six teams that finished worse than New Orleans, moving New Orleans’ pick to eighth. Milwaukee must swap back to eight, and three goes to Atlanta.
• The Bucks’ pick is third in the lottery drawing, and another team with a better record than the Pelicans (the Mavs, Bulls, Warriors, Clippers, Heat, or Hornets) is also drawn in the top four. Milwaukee and that other team displace one of the six teams worse than New Orleans, moving New Orleans’ pick to ninth. Milwaukee must swap back to nine, and three goes to Atlanta.
• The Bucks’ pick is third in the lottery drawing, and two other teams whose record is better than the Pelicans are also drawn in the top four. Milwaukee and the other two teams displace the six teams worse than New Orleans, moving New Orleans’ pick to 10th. Milwaukee must swap back to 10 (where they’re likeliest to be anyway), and three goes to Atlanta.

Make sense? This would be the same situation if the Bucks drew first, second, or fourth. None of these scenarios is particularly likely, though. In 83.2% of all possible outcomes, the Bucks end up with the 10th or 11th selection, either outright (due to reverse standings order) or because the Pelicans drew one of those picks and the Bucks had to swap back.

The lottery drawing itself takes place behind closed doors right before the results are aired. Bucks vice president of basketball operations Dave Dean will be present for that drawing, as will Journal Sentinel beat writer Jim Owczarski and other media. Then, deputy commissioner Mark Tatum stands at a dais before cameras and a 14-person panel of representatives from all involved teams to reveal the order, taking teams’ cards out of envelopes one by one. Just like in 2014, when Milwaukee won the second pick in the lottery, they’re trotting out Mallory Edens, the daughter of co-owner Wes Edens, on stage.

The bottom line

Here’s a good rule of thumb for when you watch the lottery selections get unveiled: if the Pelicans’ card comes out of an envelope before the Bucks’ does, the spot Tatum is currently announcing is where the Bucks will be drafting. If the Bucks’ card comes out before the Pelicans’ does, it’s the same thing: the spot he’s announcing is where the Bucks will be drafting. Remember, the Hawks don’t become a part of this until we know where the Pelicans and Bucks are, then they take the most favorable of their two picks.

Once the order is set, we’ll post the outcome and set up the ensuing discussions. Who should the Bucks draft, wherever they actually fall? Should they keep the pick or trade it (note: they technically would have to wait until after the draft is finished to complete such a deal, due to the Stepien Rule)? If they do, should it be for a win-now vet, another first this year, or a first in future seasons? What would any of those paths mean for Giannis? Would a rival suitor for Giannis dangle their lotto pick in trade talks? The draft is on Tuesday, June 23, so we’ll have over six weeks to debate these and other points.

Why Warriors can feel optimistic despite lack of 2026 NBA draft lottery luck originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The expression on Larry Harris’ face Sunday afternoon divulged a truth the Warriors assistant general manager could not have known.

There was no Mother’s Day luck for Golden State in the 2026 NBA Draft lottery.

The Warriors entered the lottery holding the No. 11 overall pick – with only a 2 percent chance of rising into the top four – and that’s where they stood after the envelopes were opened and the order was revealed.

 “We’d love to be greedy and get No. 1,” Harris said Friday 49 hours before the order was announced. “But if we stay at 11, or even in that range, 11 or 12 – we’d hate to go back – but there are numbers that tend us to go that way as well. We feel really good in the early stages of our draft prep from (No. 1) through 15, 16 or 17.

“I do believe that if it ends up 11 . . . the prep work we’ve done and leading into the Combine that’s starting next week, we feel very, very, very good about this draft.”

The look on Harris’ face as representatives from each team were introduced conveyed not the slightest trace of contentment, much less confidence. He looked rather dejected in the minutes before the envelopes were opened.

Yet there are reasons for the Warriors to be optimistic in advance of the June 23 draft. For one, the last time Golden State held the 11th pick, in 2011, it came away with a Washington State guard named Klay Thompson. He became a five-time NBA All-Star and an essential member of four championship teams.

Thompson was by far the best No. 11 pick in franchise history, with a career that laps previous selections Andris Biedrins (2004), Mickael Pietrus (2003), Todd Fuller (1996) and Tyrone Hill (1990).

Another reason for optimism is the depth of the ’26 draft, which is widely considered the best of the millennium. The lite tier exists of four freshmen – Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Caleb Wilson – but most of those among the six to eight players in the second tiers have star potential.

“I’ve heard the noise,” Harris said on Friday. “Certainly, there’s four players that everybody seems to talk about when I look at all the mock drafts and everything. But the way we look at it is we really believe it’s beyond 11. But up to 11, we feel really, really, really good about whatever player lands in our lap.”

Among those listed between 10 and 12 on most mock drafts are Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr., Arizona guard Brayden Burries, Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg, Mexican forward Karim Lopez and Michigan center Aday Mara. Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy made the long trip a couple months ago to get a first-hand look at Lopez, who was playing for the New Zealand Breakers of the Australian National Basketball League.

The Warriors still could offer the No. 11 pick in a trade, but it wouldn’t carry the weight that would have come with landing in the top four.

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It might not seem like it by looking at the score. 

But the Lakers have shown heart. They’ve shown fight. They’ve shown grit. 

Those may seem like crazy statements considering the Lakers have lost all three of their games against the Thunder in their second-round playoff series by an average of 19.7 points, including falling in Game 3, 131-108.

But let’s face reality: The Thunder are just vastly superior.

Lakers coach JJ Redick recently called them “one of the greatest teams ever in NBA history.” LA never had a chance in this series. 

It’s fair to wonder if any team can challenge them this postseason. 

The Lakers are running uphill against a team that’s jogging on flat ground. They’re playing six guys against a roster so deep that they constantly have fresh legs on the court and never dip in productivity. 

That’s the reason LA trails the series, 3-0. That’s the reason they’re one game away from their season ending. 

It’s not because the Lakers haven’t poured out their hearts trying to stay in these games. It’s not because they rolled over without superstar Luka Doncic, who has been sidelined since April 2 because of a strained hamstring. It’s not because they haven’t given this their all. 

The Lakers have done so much right this series.

In Game 2, the score was close for 3 ½ quarters. In Game 3, it was neck-and-neck for 2 ½ quarters. 

But the problem is the Lakers were gassed in both games. Their legs gave out. Meanwhile, the Thunder were barely out of breath. 

The Thunder have outscored the Lakers by an average of 18 points per game in the second half of this series. 

In the first half of Game 3, the Lakers outshot the Thunder from beyond the 3-point line, 55% to 33.3%, but they only entered halftime up by two points, 59-57. And two of their role players were nearly perfect over that period, with Rui Hachimura shooting 5-for-7 from the field and Luke Kennard shooting 5-for-6.

But none of that mattered.

The Thunder outscored the Lakers in the third quarter, 33-20. In the fourth quarter, they had a 41-29 advantage — and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander only played three minutes.

The Lakers have to be perfect to be competitive.

The problem is they can only sustain that level of play for so long with 41-year-old LeBron James as the head of the snake and a roster that’s not very deep.

As soon as they slow down, the Thunder come roaring into the game, ripping it open.

They’re so good. So deep. So overwhelming.

Redick couldn’t help but throw his hands in the air after Game 3, pointing out that they’ve done an excellent job containing Gilgeous-Alexander, who has been a shell of himself this series after closing the first round leading all postseason scorers with 33.7 points per game.

But that hasn’t made a dent. 

“The MVP [scores] 18 [points in Game 1], 22 [points in Game 2], 7-of-20 tonight [23 points], and they’ve kicked our ass three straight games,” Redick said. “They’re an incredible basketball team. It has been that way all series.”

Guarding the Thunder is like playing Whac-A-Mole.

Stop one guy? There are four other guys on the court who can score and another five guys on their bench who are just as good.

What’s scary is their defense is even better than their offense. 

The Thunder make James look his age. They make Austin Reaves look frenzied. They make the team’s role players look inconsistent. They pick apart everyone with their top-rated defense. 

James had just 19 points on 7-for-19 shooting. Reaves had only 17 points on 5-for-13 shooting. The Thunder’s bench outscored the Lakers’ reserves, 44-31.

Those numbers might not reflect it, but the Lakers are giving this their all.

This isn’t an issue with any particular player. This is an issue with their roster. It’s just not able to contend with one of the youngest and deepest teams in the league.

They’re too top heavy. Too slow. Too outmanned. 

Now they’re staring at a 3-0 precipice, a series deficit so large that no team has ever recovered from it. 

If they can avoid a sweep, that would be a huge accomplishment. 

“Obviously, we gotta [give] everything, s–t,” James said. “Everything and more to beat a team like this. So we gotta be our best. Be at our best on Monday [in Game 4].”

But let’s be real, their best won’t cut it.

It can’t. 

Regardless of how much the Lakers fight, the truth is they’re in the wrong weight class against the heavyweight champions.  

The Lakers have shown a lot of heart. 

But against this team, that’s just not enough. 

The New York Knicks will try to close out their Eastern Conference semifinals series against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 4. The Knicks own a 3-0 lead in the series and can sweep the 76ers with a win. The Knicks are 1.5-point favorites in Game 4. The over/under for the game is set at 213.5.

How to watch New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers

• Date: Sunday, May 10

• Time: 3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT

• Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• TV Channels: ABC

• Live Stream:NBA League Pass | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Odds

• Spread: Philadelphia 76ers +1.5

• Moneyline: Philadelphia 76ers +100 (47.8%) / New York Knicks -120 (52.2%)

• Over/Under: 213.5

Game 1:Knicks 137, 76ers 98
Game 2:Knicks 108, 76ers 102
Game 3:Knicks 108, 76ers 94
Game 4: New York at Philadelphia (Sunday May 10, 3:30 ET, ABC)
Game 5: Philadelphia at New York (Tuesday May 12)*
Game 6: New York at Philadelphia (Thursday May 14)*
Game 7: Philadelphia at New York (Sunday May 17)*

*if necessary

Here…

Come…

The Brooms!

Mike Brown

On OG Anunoby’s status heading into Game 4:

“He’s still day-to-day. I had not followed up to ask any specifics. I just wanna let them know, ‘OK, when’s he gonna be ready to play?’ It’s all medical-related and it starts with [the training and medical staff]. All I want them to do is tell me when he can play.”

On the 76ers’ ability to rally:

“They’re a really good team, man, and they’ve already done it once before. We addressed it, but the biggest thing is just trying to stay present, not getting ahead of yourself and however you can do that, try to do it. And the simplest way for me is just keep reminding myself, reminding people around me it’s one game at a time — but it’s also one quarter, one possession at a time and trying to lock in on each possession like it’s your last.”

On balancing playoff adjustments:

“What we’re doing now, I think, can have great carryover next year and down the line because we’d be able to expand on it the right way through a training camp and all that other stuff. Right now it’s a little limited, but there’s still enough options within what we kind of stumbled upon to make it effective, but hopefully as time goes on, we’ll be able to expand on it, and if we can get to it during this playoff run, great. If not, we feel pretty good about where we’re at, going forward even afterwards.”

On Mikal Bridges’ athleticism:

“He runs like a deer. His gait is beautiful, which makes him fast and it doesn’t even look like it.”

On the current Knicks culture:

“When guys are engaged like that 24/7 throughout the course of the year, it bodes well for the environment, for the culture and guys are actively trying to keep their mind present because when they get an opportunity, they want to perform well.”

On his trust on the full Knicks rotation and his players’ professionalism:

“As a coach, you love to see it. That’s why you give different guys opportunities at different times. Sometimes, you start Landry. Sometimes, you start Mo. Sometimes, you start this guy. And what hopefully it shows at the end of the day coming from me is that I have confidence in them, and not only that, your number can be called any time, so be ready. And our guys have taken that to heart. We’ve got a lot of good guys that are resilient. They’re fighters. And they’ve done a good job of keeping their mind on staying present in whatever we’re doing, and it’s showing when they go out there and get the opportunity.”

On deploying an “equal opportunity” offense:

“Anybody can be in any position. Anybody can set screens. Anybody can initiate it, but it’s going to take some time to expand on it.”

On offensive growth potential:

“What we’re doing now, I think, can have great carryover next year and down the line because we’d be able to expand on it the right way through a training camp.”

Karl-Anthony Towns

On the need to stay focused for Game 4:

“I just look at us as a team that’s trying every single day to stay in the present and find a way to win. Every single time we step on the court. We just got to stay in the present. The next game is the most important game. There’s a lot of things we need to clean up and we want to clean up and we have another game to do that. It’s about just staying about us.”

On offering condolences to Nick Nurse:

“I got to say one thing, I missed saying this. I told Derek the other day, I was so tired after Game 2. I feel like we’ve played five games already. Game 2, Game 3, but I didn’t get to say, my family, at least, wanted to give love and condolences to Nick Nurse’s brother and his family. I never got to say that after Game 2. I was exhausted, as you can see on the court. So it kind of skipped my mind in Game 3 yesterday. It skipped my mind, the mad house, media coming in and everyone trying to get out. I don’t care if you don’t write it or anything, but I wanted y’all to know that. I could’ve told y’all in the locker room but y’all was trying to get to every player, so just wanted to make sure that was known. Wanted to say that on TV, on the podium after Game 2, but I was just so tired. I was so tired I couldn’t even get to the Gatorade. I couldn’t even make another Gatorade joke. Really wanted to give my condolences to him. I haven’t been able to talk to him personally, but I know it’s real tough. I don’t know what he’s going through, but in a similar fashion I know how it is to have to show up to work and to have a lot of pressure on you to do something special when you’re kind of not fully there.”

On whether or not he had anything to do with the Knicks’ offensive adjustments this playoffs:

“I feel like we all had an opinion, and we were able to figure out what was best for our team, especially in a spot like that — down 2-1. I had my opinion, I feel like we’ve done a great job adjusting to have all of us be our best.”

On Mikal Bridges’ growth:

“I think that he’s always been athletic, he’s always been talented. I think what’s better is just to see the experience kicking in for him. He’s using that experience to help us and help himself. It’s great to see that his career has helped make him the best version of himself right now, today.”

On the timing of the Knicks’ offensive shift:

“I feel like the real change for us came before Game 4 in Atlanta. I think that’s when we really changed our offense. It’s been great. It’s been something I’ve talked about for a lot of the season, to feel like we can help our guys more. We made the right moves. [Brown] set the table for us to have this kind of run.”

On the alignment between the Knicks players and Coach Brown:

“It was the perfect time for all of us to really get on the same accord. There’s no better time to be playing your best basketball than right now. So shout out to Mike and really the whole coaching staff for putting us in the best position to succeed.”

On playing on Mother’s Day:

“It’s work. Just work to me. I’m glad we got a game on Mother’s Day. It gets me doing what I love and what gets me off of everything off the court.”

On trusting his passing chops:

“I feel like I’ve always had this my whole career. It’s just I never had the opportunity to utilize that skill set. It’s being utilized. My teammates have been in great positions for me to find them when they’re open.”

On making collaborative adjustments:

“I feel like we all had an opinion and we were able to figure out what was best for our team, especially in a spot like that – down 2-1. I had my opinion. I feel like we’ve done a great job adjusting to have all of us be our best.”

Jalen Brunson

On internal growth and outside perceptions:

“These guys understand that you guys only see the finished product. You guys see what’s on the court. You guys see what’s what when the cameras are on, when there’s media access. You guys don’t see the ups and downs of us talking things out. You guys don’t see us in practice trying to figure things out. And we all want to win. Obviously, there’s ups and downs to it. And we have times where we look disconnected and we look connected. That’s just team sports. That’s basketball. That’s sports. That’s life. There’s going to be ups and downs. It’s all about how you move on, how you get positive, how you move in a positive direction regardless of whether things are negative or positive. You got to block out the noise. You got to focus on inside those lines. You got to focus on just us as a team. There’s going to be times where things aren’t going your way. It’s how you respond. How you respond as a team is going to define who we are. And I think it took time. I think we still have a lot of room where we can grow. But it’s really key for us. I think our mental approach is a positive for us.”

On Mikal Bridges’ durability:

“Obviously, he’s played an unlimited amount of games in a row. And that’s just a testament to who he is.”

Mitchell Robinson

On his dunk over Joel Embiid:

“It’s just a basketball play. You’re trying to bait me. That’s a good one. But no, just playing ball, just happy. It’s part of this league.”

On not planning on using his poster on Embiid as a screensaver:

“Not mine, no. It don’t got no truck in it.”

Landry Shamet

On Mikal Bridges’ impact:

“I would take it a step further. There’s a ton of stuff that I would argue people don’t see that he does throughout the course of the game that’s far more important than just a couple of the big plays and coming up with a loose ball down the stretch. He does that for 48 minutes. So does his level go up and does he show up in big moments? Absolutely, but I would argue that he’s the type of guy that does that for all 48 and finds a way to do it every night.”

Josh Hart

On playing through thumb injury:

“It’s something I’ll revisit in the offseason. There’s people that played through this. They got (Kyle Lowry) on their team, who played through it and won a championship. So it’s something that’s doable.”

On Mikal Bridges’ defense:

“He’s going to take each matchup personal. When he gets into that mindset and that mode he’s a heck of a player. He’s doing an amazing job. [Tyrese Maxey] is a tough task, a tall order. The way [Mikal] is able to maneuver and navigate screens, do all those things, and on top of that, give us good shots, good minutes and a good quality of executing on the offensive end is great.”

Jordan Clarkson

On staying ready despite a swinging role:

“Never. I was just going with the flow, staying locked in. I don’t really think too far ahead. Whatever is in the moment is what’s going on. I got out the mud, bro. I was a second-round pick, damn near undrafted. I just stick with the grind and stick with the process, try to find ways to impact the game. I only care about winning. I came here for the opportunity to play winning basketball.”

Nick Nurse

On missed open shots steadily against the Knicks:

“There’s certainly an element of that for sure that has got us in the last two games. I don’t expect to make them all. But you make one of those, it’s a one-point game. Make two of them, you’re up two. I don’t know what else you can do other than create wide-open shots. Certainly, in Game 2, down the stretch there, all we did was have really good offensive creation. We just didn’t make enough. I can’t fault the guys’ effort and trying to do the right thing. We just need them to go in.”

VJ Edgecombe

On missed shots dooming Philly:

“We’re not making shots, we’re getting a lot of looks. We just watched the film. We’re generating a lot of good looks. Nothing is going in for us.”

On fatigue impacting the Sixers play:

“Obviously, fatigue is a factor. But fatigue’s a factor for every team this late in the season. If you want to win, that shouldn’t matter. We’ve just been missing wide-open shots.”

Coming out of a December that started off well but ended poorly, the Mavs were looking to build on the momentum of an ever-growing Cooper Flagg, all the while hoping Anthony Davis would finally string together a run that could help propel Dallas to a PlayIn berth or better. For the most part, Flagg was playing his more natural position and while still shaky, the team was beginning to show they were going to hang in almost any game.

January Record: 7-8 (19-30 overall)

January began with the Mavs splitting their first six games. Another loss was followed by what proved to be a season-long winning streak of four games. Two of the victories came against the Utah Jazz, with the other two against the New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors. All of that momentum was immediately lost however, as they closed out the month with an equally long losing streak.

Anthony Davis goes down with season-ending injury

Although we didn’t know it at the time, January 8, 2026 was the last time Anthony Davis would play as a Dallas Maverick. Any remaining holdouts hoping that Davis was finally going to put a run together most likely knew that was now not to be the case. Those hoping he would stay healthy long enough to be traded were also holding their breath. The injury looked so mundane yet elicited such a visceral reaction from Davis, that you almost knew it was going to shelve him for a while, despite a variety of conflicting reports in the following days. When it was all said and done, Davis only played in 29 regular season games and two PlayIn games for the Mavericks.

Naji Marshall finally sits one out

In yet another injury-plagued season, though not nearly as bad as the prior year, Marshall proved to be the Mavericks’ ironman in the early going. On January 28, Marshall had played in all 47 games of the season to that point, before sitting out the following night. He came on strong to start the new year, scoring in double figures in all but a single game in January leading up to his first absence. His best outing of the month was a 30 point, 7 rebound, 9 assist game in a win over the Warriors on January 22. By season’s end, Marshall logged 74 games played, second on the team to only Max Christie.

Klay Thompson drains his 2,800th three-pointer

Thompson will go down as one of the very best shooters in the history of the NBA. Despite missing more than two full seasons straight, he joined elite company as only the fifth player to ever to hit 2,800 three-pointers. In the January 12 matchup against the Brooklyn Nets, Thompson connected on 3-for-7 from downtown. By the end of the season, he drained 99 more three-pointers for a solid hold on fourth all-time in three-point makes.

After the calendar turned on January, things got very rocky for the Mavericks, but more changes with an eye on the future were soon to come as well.

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