Category: Basketball

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We're in for a tight matchup as the New York Knicks look to eliminate the Atlanta Hawks in Game 6.

Our NBA player prop projections have you covered with six players to add to your NBA picks slip on April 30.

Once you're done here, head over to our full Knicks vs. Hawks predictions for a complete breakdown of tonight's affair.

Knicks vs Hawks computer picks for Game 6

Knicks	Hawks
Towns u3.5 assists +120	McCollum o2.5 threes +160
Brunson u27.5 points -105	Okongwu u13.5 points -110
Clarkson o6.5 points -125	Vincent u4.5 points -112

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Knicks Game 6 computer picks

Karl-Anthony Towns Under 3.5 assists (+120)

Projection: 3.22 assists

The Atlanta Hawks will throw everything they have at the New York Knicks on defense, which will assuredly cut down on their baskets. 

Our model believes that it will cut into Karl-Anthony Towns' assist numbers.

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Jalen Brunson Under 27.5 points (-105)

Projection: 25.53 points

Jalen Brunson failed to eclipse this number in both games in Atlanta, and his shooting will take a dip again. Brunson will be the focal point of Atlanta's D, which will lead him to get rid of the ball more rather than jacking up ill-advised shots.

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Jordan Clarkson Over 6.5 points (-125)

Projection: 7.72 points

Jordan Clarkson is a steady hand off the bench and has hit this number in all five games thus far. He'll get 16-20 minutes, which is more than enough time to cash the Over.

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Hawks Game 6 computer picks

CJ McCollum Over 2.5 threes (+160)

Projection: 2.94 threes

This is the first of two five-star plays our projections spit out. CJ McCollum has hit three or more treys in just two of five games this series, but he's due for positive regression after going 0-fer from deep in his last two outings.

The +160 price tag makes this a must bet.

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Onyeka Okongwu Under 13.5 points (-110)

Projection: 11.28 points

Onyeka Okongwu failed to hit this line in either game at home this series, providing more of a spark on the road. Atlanta has plenty of mouths to feed, which will cut into the big man's shot volume.

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Gabe Vincent Under 4.5 points (-112)

Projection: 3.51 points

Gabe Vincent has hit this line in three straight, but he isn't guaranteed as much playing time tonight with the Hawks facing elimination. Lack of floor time will hamper his ability to score.

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How to watch Knicks vs Hawks Game 6

Location	State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
Date	Thursday, April 30, 2026
Tip-off	7:00 p.m. ET
TV	ESPN

Not intended for use in MA.
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John Wall is taking on a college basketball front office job in addition to his gig as a studio analyst on Prime Video's NBA coverage. The former NBA All-Star is the new president of basketball operations for Howard University men's basketball team, according to an ESPN report on Thursday, April 30.

Wall, 35, is returning to Washington, D.C., where he starred with the Wizards over nine seasons after the franchise chose him with the No. 1 overall pick in 2010. The former Kentucky star previously served as a "captain of the day" for a Howard men's basketball game this past season.

Howard athletic department officials did not immediately respond to a USA TODAY Sports request seeking confirmation regarding Wall's role and how the school identified him as a candidate for its newly-created front office position.

Former Washington Wizards star John Wall will become the President of Basketball Operations at Howard University in Washington, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.

Wall, who is currently a studio analyst for Amazon Prime Video’s NBA coverage, has expressed interest in being a front office leader later in his career. He has also worked with Howard recently.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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The Toronto Raptors are not only running out of time in Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs but also running short on bodies.

Toronto heads back home for Game 6 versus the Cleveland Cavaliers, worse for wear and facing elimination. Forward Brandon Ingram is a question mark for Friday after reinjuring his heel, and star Scottie Barnes is hobbled with bum quads.

Those injuries are like blood in the water for Cleveland’s versatile forward Evan Mobley, who’s a tough matchup even with a healthy lineup.

Mobley was strong in the Game 5 win with a focus on getting him the ball, and our Cavaliers vs. Raptors predictions really like his matchups against a crumbling Toronto frontcourt. 

My NBA picks take Mobley to make us money with his points prop on Friday, May 1. 

Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET from Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, with the game airing on Prime Video and TSN. 

Cavaliers vs Raptors prediction

Who will win Cavaliers vs Raptors Game 6?

Cavaliers: Cleveland comes to Canada as a short road favorite, and that spread could look different depending on the health of Ingram and Barnes. 

On top of missing Immanuel Quickley, the Raptors just don’t have the depth to plug those holes, especially when it comes to countering the Cavs’ scoring punch.

Cavaliers vs Raptors best bet: Evan Mobley Over 16.5 points (-110)

Evan Mobley had a tough time in Toronto earlier this series, shooting a combined 8-for-24 from the field for tallies of eight and 15 points in Games 3 and 4. 

That output pales in comparison to his postseason work at home, averaging almost 22 points on 71% shooting. However, he catches a break with this next trip to Canada.

The Toronto Raptors’ two best solutions for Mobley’s size and speed are nursing injuries heading into Game 6. Scottie Barnes is limping around with an injured quadriceps, and Brandon Ingram left Game 5 after re-aggravating a heel injury.

That had Toronto’s frontcourt ripe for the picking in the second half of Game 5. The Cleveland Cavaliers came out of the halftime break with a focused effort to feed their bigs, and Mobley, along with center Jarrett Allen, thrived in the closing frames.

Mobley finished with 23 points on 8-for-13 shooting in Game 5, with 16 of those coming on 6-for-8 success in the second half. He also left points on the table with a 4-for-8 finish from the foul line, but still cleared his points prop of 16.5 O/U with ease.

The Cavs went with a smaller rotation in Game 5 to spread the floor and create space. With Ingram questionable, Cleveland can take that approach again on Friday. That allows Mobley to exploit bad matchups, either backing down shorter defenders or facing up bigger ones.

Game models sit between 17.0 and 18 points for the Cavs’ forward. I believe Mobley’s ceiling is much higher, considering Toronto’s injuries and Cleveland’s offense now going through the big man.

Cavaliers vs Raptors same-game parlay

Cleveland has a perfect opportunity to end this series with Toronto hurting coming out of Game 5. This is a quick turnaround with the Raptors’ best player, Scottie Barnes, really limited by a quadriceps injury. The Cavs' inside-out attack drops the dinos in Game 6.

Donovan Mitchell got to put his feet up at the end of Game 5, thanks to Dennis Schroder going off for the Cavs. Mitchell still made three triples in the win and has knocked down at least three 3-pointers in four of the first five games of this series.

Cavaliers vs Raptors SGP

• Cavaliers moneyline
• Evan Mobley Over 16.5 points
• Donovan Mitchell Over 2.5 threes

Our "from downtown" SGP: Notorious B.I.G.'s

The Cavaliers came out feeding their big men in the second half of Game 5. Toronto doesn’t have the bodies to battle that half-court attack, which will slow the pace of this game.

Meanwhile, the Raptors' offense will also be disjointed with Brandon Ingram potentially out and Scottie Barnes limping around the court, unable to create his own shot.

Cavaliers vs Raptors SGP

• Cavaliers -4
• Under 220
• Evan Mobley Over 16.5 points
• Jarrett Allen Over 10.5 points

Cavaliers vs Raptors odds for Game 6

• Spread: Cleveland -4 (-110) | Toronto +4 (-110)
• Moneyline: Cleveland -170 | Toronto +145
• Over/Under: Over 220 (-110) | Under 220 (-110)

Cavaliers vs Raptors betting trend to know

Totals of 220 points or higher have produced a 4-8 Over/Under record so far in the 2026 NBA Playoffs. Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Raptors.

How to watch Cavaliers vs Raptors Game 6

Cavaliers vs Raptors latest injuries

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The New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks go to war in Game 6 tonight, with New York having a 56% chance of advancing according to prediction markets like Kalshi.

Our Knicks vs. Hawks predictions and free NBA picks have a little more faith in Atlanta getting it done on April 30.

Who will win Knicks vs Hawks Game 6?

Knicks win probability:56% (-127)
Hawks win probability:44% (+127)

Despite being the road team, New York has a 56% chance of ending this series tonight in Atlanta.

Our prediction:Hawks to win

As Knicks fans poured out of MSG after a convincing Game 5 win, the Big Apple crowd chanted, “We want Boston”.

Ah, there’s still at least one more game, folks. New York won’t shoot 57% from the field again, and Atlanta’s outside touch should improve in the friendly confines of State Farm Arena, where it shoots nearly 38% from beyond the arc.

Read more in Jason Logan's full Knicks vs. Hawks predictions.

More Knicks vs Hawks prediction markets

You're certainly not limited to the main game outcome for Knicks vs. Hawks at Kalshi; you also have options to trade on the spread, total, and more, among other NBA odds markets.

You can buy either side of a market — for example, "Yes" on the Knicks -2.5 spread means the Knicks will cover, while "No" means the Hawks will cover — with each side priced based on the implied probability (which can be converted to American, Decimal, or Fraction odds using the Covers odds converter).

Knicks vs Hawks spread and total at prediction markets

Our predictions:Knicks -2.5 — No and Over 213.5 points — No

As mentioned, the New York Knicks aren't shooting as well as they did in Game 5. Elimination games are always played tight, and this series is no stranger to Unders.

Other Knicks vs Hawks prediction markets available

• Jalen Brunson 30+ points (Yes: 40¢)
• Jalen Johnson 6+ assists (Yes: 53¢)
• OG Anunoby 8+ rebounds (Yes: 46¢)

What is Kalshi and how does it work?

Kalshi is a federally regulated U.S. exchange where you trade directly on the outcome of real-world future events. Instead of traditional bets, you trade "Event Contracts" which are simple Yes/No questions like "Will the Hawks win tonight?" These events are priced between $0.01 and $0.99, and the prices reflect the market’s estimated probability of that event occurring. For instance, $0.55 equals a 55% chance. If your prediction is correct, the contract pays out exactly $1.00; if not, it settles at $0. Kalshi is essentially a stock market for reality.

How does Kalshi differ from sportsbooks?

In a sportsbook, you bet against the bookmaker, who sets fixed odds and takes a "vig," which is a kind of commission. On Kalshi, you trade against other users. This peer-to-peer model means prices are driven by supply and demand, often resulting in fairer odds. Additionally, because these are financial derivatives, you can exit your position early. If your team takes a 14-point lead, the contract price will rise, allowing you to sell your "Yes" shares for a profit before the final whistle even blows.

Why should I wager on Knicks vs Hawks at Kalshi?

Kalshi offers four unique advantages over traditional sportsbooks:

1. Flexibility: Unlike a "locked-in" bet, you can sell your contract at any time.
   
   
2. Transparency: You trade against other users, which can allow you to find better value.
   
   
3. Federal regulation: As a CFTC-regulated exchange, your funds are held in a secure, transparent environment.
   
   
4. Availability: Kalshi is available in 49 states (excluding Nevada) and D.C., including many regions where traditional sportsbooks aren't yet legal.

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Imagine not being able to enjoy Joel Embiid’s fantastic Game 5 performance in Boston.

Surely, Sixers fans have been emotionally fatigued after nearly a decade of not getting out of the second round with a slew of different roster iterations centered around Embiid. After last season’s debacle, many of them likely resigned to the team never again being able to seriously contend with Embiid as their best player.

But Tuesday night’s masterpiece from the former MVP should have reminded fans that while Embiid might not be a league MVP ever again, he can still impact winning at a high level. It’s clear to anyone who watches Embiid that he doesn’t have the same burst and athletic ability to be the elite defender he once was. Additionally, it should come as no surprise that the 7.7 rebounds per game that Embiid averaged in the regular season were a career low.

However, for most of the game on Tuesday night, Embiid was doing whatever he wanted to do offensively. In a way, the fact that Embiid had 33 points on 0-of-5 from the three-point line should be even more encouraging for Sixers fans. Embiid did his damage offensively with his midrange jumper, bullying his way through whoever Boston attempted to have guard him and making his free throws. He might not be able to constantly bully his way through opposing bigs in the future, but he could certainly do that once or twice more in this series against Boston and he’s not going to shoot 0-for-5 from the three-point line with regularity either.

What we’re getting at here is that Embiid’s game is still versatile enough offensively to score 30+ points on any given night. If you have someone that talented offensively, then that’s someone that can help you win. The narrative around Embiid this season has shifted a bit too far in a pessimistic direction. All of a sudden, the focal point of Embiid conversations was about how much of a burden his max salary is for the next three seasons that he still has under contract after the current one. His play on the court was basically ignored by the masses just because he wasn’t the MVP candidate he used to be every season.

For both the rest of this series against the Celtics and for next season and beyond, Game 5 in Boston should serve as a reminder of what the Sixers can be with Embiid still playing a pivotal role. It hasn’t happened often for Embiid in his career, but the big man was both the best player on the floor on Tuesday night and he got adequate help from his teammates. Quentin Grimes was excellent off the bench. Paul George defended well and knocked down some shots. Tyrese Maxey helped compensate for Embiid’s rebounding struggles with 10 boards of his own. VJ Edgecombe hit a few open threes. Embiid’s eight assists were no fluke.

It was a team win by a team that has for years needed to win on Embiid’s individual talent more than it should have. Can the Sixers pull out two more of those wins against the Celtics? Well, they should certainly have a lot more confidence. They’ve now won twice in Boston, the first time coming without Embiid even playing. Philadelphia is far from the deepest roster in the NBA, but it does appear as if the non-Embiid players are doing enough to not require Embiid to be Superman every night.

Most of Philly’s role players can go to free agency this summer. It’s possible that the bench is a much different collection of talent on next year’s roster. We should also point out that Kelly Oubre played in 50 games in the regular season and started 41 of them and he too can go to free agency in July. But whether the Sixers bring a lot of this roster back or not next season, fans should feel optimistic that they can give Embiid enough help to at least be competitive and worth watching with Embiid still on the roster. In other words, don’t go into the offseason thinking, “What are we going to do about all the money we still owe to Embiid?!”

As for the rest of the series, just enjoy the fact that there couldn’t be a team still left in the NBA Playoffs with less to lose than the Sixers. No one expected Philly to win this series or even get to a Game 6 for that matter. In previous postseasons, fans have rightfully questioned the team’s effort. They bowed out in embarrassing fashion in Boston in 2023. They laid down in 2022 on their home floor against Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat. We all know how embarrassing the ending of the Atlanta series in 2021 was. Regardless of what happens here, we’ll be able to say that they went down fighting, and finally gave Joel Embiid some much-needed help.   

The Knicks heat into Game Six in Atlanta with a chance to close out their first round series, but might have to do so without an essential piece.

Josh Hart exited Tuesday’s 126–97 Game Five humiliation of the Hawks in the fourth quarter and never returned to the bench. Afterward, Mike Brown didn’t have much to offer on the subject. On Wednesday night, New York added Hart to the injury report, listing him as questionable with a lower back contusion.

Hart seemed to tweak something in the first half but gutted it out before being pulled for good with 6:27 left. With the Knicks hammering the Hawks, he probably could have ducked out sooner. Despite the injury, he finished with nine points, five boards, and four assists in just over 30 minutes.

So far this postseason, Hart has averaged 10 rebounds, 9.4 points and 4.8 assists. His defense has been murder on Atlanta, and he has given them a taste of their own medicine with eight steals.

It’s not the first back issue for Hart over the past year. Mr. Mike & Ike suffered a lower back injury when he slipped on the court during the preseason opener in early October. That caused him to miss the beginning of the regular season, including the opener against the Cavs.

Although the Knicks’ injury report is otherwise clean, we suspect that most of the starters are dinged up. Forever turning ankles, Jalen Brunson limped his way to a 39-point performance in Tuesday’s annihilation of Atlanta; Karl-Anthony Towns was seen favoring his knee(s) in the game; and OG Anunoby, the MVP of the series, sprained his left ankle late in the season and was most recently listed as probable before Game Two. Iron Man Mikal Bridges seems fine.

If Josh can’t play, New York still has the wing depth to cover with Anunoby and Bridges. Hart’s versatility, however, especially in their switch-heavy defense, is tough to replicate and has been a key to their success all year. Given the stakes—our heroes could close out the series tonight and start prepping for round two—we know that Hart will want to play. But the Knicks may think bigger picture and try to convince him to rest.

Think Josh should play? Rest? Air it out in the comments below.

For the first time this season, the Celtics allowed their opponents an efficiency above 70% on both layups and floaters. This wasn’t caused by a high transition volume, but rather by a half-court defensive collapse. The Sixers posted a 1.19 points-per-possession efficiency in non-transition situations, their third-highest mark of the season. Only Washington and Chicago provided weaker opposition to Phily this year.

Where did that collapse come from, and why has the pick-and-roll defense been such an issue in these latest games? Let’s go back to the film and figure it out.

On this first play, you will recognize a set that the Celtics run often, and they should be ready to defend it, as they have been practicing it for years now under Joe Mazzulla.

You can see here why Jordan Walsh has sometimes struggled in on-ball defense. His anticipation and screen navigation aren’t good enough to consistently stay connected to the ball handler. However, in drop coverage like the Celtics are playing, the on-ball defender needs to stay attached to his man to avoid a defensive breakdown.

Then comes Quentin Grimes’ back screen on Nikola Vucevic, which creates another problem. The big man can’t execute the drop because he is also caught in the screen. It then becomes Payton Pritchard’s job to slow down the drive, but he commits his steps too early, allowing Tyrese Maxey to go around him.

On this possession, Baylor Scheierman comes high enough to protect against a right-hand drive while still staying close enough to Paul George to contest a potential shot. However, the weakside help from Jaylen Brown is nowhere to be found.

But Jordan Walsh isn’t the only one who struggled with screen navigation. Derrick White also had a hard time keeping up with Tyrese Maxey, and navigating (moving?) screens from Joel Embiid is always tough.

Then comes the big-man issue: the Celtics don’t have a center who can backpedal and execute solid drop coverage, especially on high ball screens. Watch Neemias Queta’s feet and hips—it’s a mess, and Maxey can beat him in a second, while Jayson Tatum takes too long to commit as the strong-side helper.

There are several possessions where it’s hard to understand the defensive decision-making. Here, Tatum doesn’t impact either the drive or the passing lane, Brown’s body orientation opens a freeway for Paul George, and Vucevic doesn’t disrupt the two-man action at all.

The screen navigation issues are where it all starts because they give the ball handler far too much freedom. Look at the lack of intensity on this possession from JB. He jogs and doesn’t fight over the screen, which gives PG space and momentum to attack Vucevic, who is known for poor rim protection. Again, there is no commitment or help from the weakside by either White or Tatum.

Here again, the defensive shell breaks after another ball-screen action. Jayson Tatum can’t keep up with VJ Edgecombe, which triggers help from Sam Hauser, who forgets about Kelly Oubre behind him. When the Sixers wing cuts, he has enough space to finish and draws another shooting foul from Queta.

To avoid Joel Embiid’s screening action, the Celtics switch Jaylen Brown onto the big man, but the size mismatch is too significant and quickly forces Queta to help, leading to yet another shooting foul.

Nonetheless, because drop coverage against Embiid screening actions has been so problematic, the Celtics will likely need to adjust their coverage—or execute it far better than what we saw in Game 5.

The transfer portal has changed college basketball, look no further than Michigan's remade roster that led the Wolverines to the national championship this April.

But high school recruiting still remains important. Don't believe us? Look at the 2026 NBA Draft. Nine of the top 10 projected picks in this year's draft were in the 2025 recruiting class.

Tyran Stokes, the consensus No. 1 player in the 2026 class, committed to Kansas on April 28, giving Bill Self yet another blue-chip prospect in a recruiting class that includes five players inside the top 150.

Rock Chalk: With Tyran Stokes commitment, Kansas just pulled off offseason’s biggest win

Who has best haul so far? College basketball transfer portal team rankings

But that's not enough to put the Jayhawks atop USA TODAY Sports' 2026 recruiting team rankings. See who picked up the top spot and check out the full top 25 below.

Sixers appreciate George doing ‘everything' through roller coaster of Celtics series  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

In a Sixers-Celtics series of brilliant highs and terrible lows, Paul George has been steady.

For his teammates, George’s two-way play has certainly not flown under the radar.

“He does everything,” Joel Embiid said Tuesday night in Boston after the Sixers beat the Celtics and forced a Game 6. “It starts on defense. He’s been guarding (Jaylen Brown), (Jayson Tatum), just going back and forth. He’s an amazing defender, making it tough on those guys. … He just does a little bit of everything and we need all of it.”

Through five games of the Sixers’ first-round playoff series, George has averaged 17.2 points. He’s scored between 16 and 19 in every game and done so quite efficiently, shooting 49.2 percent from the field and 53.8 percent from three-point range. George has also chipped in 4.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.6 steals per game. 

“He’s smart (defensively), he’s quick, he’s long, he’s athletic, he’s determined,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said Tuesday. “And I think his offense still is growing and his confidence is still growing a bit.”

George’s second season as a Sixer was derailed when the NBA suspended him 25 games in late January for violating the league’s anti-drug policy.

The nine-time All-Star wing saw a major silver lining in the suspension, noting that he felt in a “much better place physically” after the time off. Including the Sixers’ play-in tournament victory over the Magic, George has played in 16 consecutive games. During that stretch, he’s largely been the player the Sixers envisioned when they signed him to a four-year, $212 million contract in the summer of 2024.

Veteran leadership has been part of the package with George. Though he’s comfortable going with the flow, George hasn’t been silent at all. Tyrese Maxey mentioned that the 35-year-old was one of the Sixers who told him that his three field goal attempts in the first half of the team’s blowout Game 4 loss was an “unacceptable” number.

Maxey played a strong Game 5, posting 25 points on 10-for-18 shooting, 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals. 

“I thought he was aggressive,” George said in the visiting locker room at TD Garden. “I thought he was looking for his shot, looking to go downhill and be aggressive. And that’s what we need. When we’re locked in as a group, he’s playing at his best and he’s aggressive offensively. I thought he was everything and all of that from start to finish tonight.”

Asked about the internal conversations that helped the Sixers bounce back from their brutal Game 4, George kept it simple. 

“Rebounding and defending,” he said. “Those were really the two things that we needed to do to give ourselves a chance.”

To continue their comeback and take Thursday night’s Game 6 at Xfinity Mobile Arena, the Sixers know they need George to play just as he has the whole series. 

“He’s been excellent on defense,” Nurse said Wednesday. “He’s in a physical battle a lot of times with Brown on both ends. They’re really battling each other.

“There’s a lot of screens to get through, there’s a lot of push-offs, there’s a lot of isolations, there’s a lot of actions. … If (Brown) doesn’t have the ball, they’re setting flare screens for him. If he’s down the floor, they’re setting pin-downs, cross screens. They’re posting him, they’re running him in screen-and-rolls, they’re getting him at the nail for isos. … (Brown) right now is up there with the best of the league, but I think Paul has taken that challenge and done a good job. 

“He’s good off the ball, too. He’s a really good defender and he’s been good in this series.”

They didn’t have it last night in game five. The vet duo of LeBron James and Marcus Smart from the Los Angeles Lakers failed to regain the lead and outsmart the Houston Rockets Wednesday. Rockets’ Reed Sheppard took a page out of their book and turned the table on the Lakers in clutch time. But in order to win the series, the Lakers need to get back to what worked in the first three games, the one area where they kept coming out on top: basketball IQ. 

There’s a reason why people always talk about how important veterans are in basketball. In the playoffs, it’s even more the case, and we’re seeing proof of that right before our eyes in the Los Angeles Lakers-Houston Rockets first round playoff series.

As the Lakers went up 3-0 last week without Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic (oblique and hamstring strain), it was in no small part due to the basketball IQ and experience of the two vets on the team: Marcus Smart and LeBron James. 

In the playoffs, the smallest details, margins and decisions can make or break a possession, a quarter or a game – ultimately a series. One possession can result in a change in momentum that ends up winning you the game. Being one game up can switch the momentum of a series completely. And here, playoff experience making quick decisions in that type of high-pressure environment can be a deciding factor. 

A great example is a much-talked about possession in game three. The Lakers were down three with 25.4 left of the game. LeBron James goes up to press and manages to poke the ball away. Marcus Smart secures the loose ball and passes it quickly back to James, who ends up making a three to tie the game and send it to overtime, which the Lakers comfortably win. 

But what came before this was even more impressive. With 33 seconds left, the Rockets had a chance to close the game up six 95-101. Just listen to the commentators. The Lakers needed a stop at this point to even have a shot at turning the tide, and Smart knows. He starts to pressure and steals the ball, then shoots a quick three and gets fouled. Three free throws and the Lakers go from being down six with 33 seconds left to being down three with 25 seconds left. 

James’ three next possession tied the game and they eventually secured the win. And remarkably the vet duo was almost entirely behind the whole thing. An incredible example of how good decision-making, high basketball IQ and understanding of the game can affect winning directly. 

LeBron James, 41, famously won four championships with three different teams through his 23 NBA seasons. Marcus Smart, 32, may not be considered a superstar like James, but he has substantial experience and playoff acumen from his time on the Boston Celtics with multiple Eastern Conference finals and an NBA Final on his resume. All of that experience clearly has  translated well on this team of hard workers, as well as with an aging superstar. 

His connection with James has been nothing short of impressive, exemplified throughout this series. James made sure to point this out too after the viral meme of him communicating with only facial expressions during one of the first games. That was to Smart. 

“You guys seen the meme after Game 1. I can look at him and he can know what the hell I’m talking about.”

When someone knows what the hell you’re talking about without having to spell it out, it’s a sure sign of chemistry and basketball IQ. And the two of them have linked up in a way that other teams could only dream of. 

Just look at the connection that goes before this perfect lob from Smart to James in a crucial clutch possession in game three again:

Leading the defensive effort and getting stops, Smart has obviously been both very important to James and his performance during this round, as well as to the team. Knowing when to act and adjust, and having the trust of his teammates makes him invaluable to this team. 

When athleticism is dwarfed by IQ 

Only the best stay around long enough to become vets in the NBA, and as time passes they have to adjust their game and play style. Everyone will eventually lose the raw athleticism they may have had earlier in their career – or at least see it be diminished by age and injuries – and have to rely more on their basketball IQ. 

That’s one of the reasons most vets are considered intelligent basketball players, because just being able to stay in the league and then understanding how to adjust after your peak makes for high basketball IQ, as well as experience, which plays a large part, too. 

And players understanding the push and pulls of a game, the importance of when to pounce, when to slow down and how to change the momentum is that special sauce that makes a basketball game – and especially a playoff series – so exciting to watch. 

Here’s another clutch possession by the duo, but from game two. Marcus Smart with the steal, followed by an offensive possession where they slow down the pace, just to pick it up with a quick back door cut and a perfect pass by Smart to James. Again. 

Marcus Smart’s performance in the first games of the 2026 playoffs is a great example of how small intangibles that don’t always make the stat sheet can affect a game and winning directly. So if you’re looking at the box score to give you an impression of a game, let Smart be a reminder that it’s in between the numbers that the magic actually happens. 

Find more Beyond Basketball pieces here.

Crypto.com Arena fell silent during a sequence in the fourth quarter Wednesday night.

Trailing by ten points to the Rockets, the Lakers raced down the floor and Austin Reaves shot a three-pointer. He missed it. Deandre Ayton grabbed the rebound and threw it back out to Reaves. He shot another three. He missed that one too. Ayton grabbed yet another offensive rebound. After every player on the floor fumbled the ball, LeBron James drove to the basket and threw a shot off the top of the backboard.

That sequence epitomized Game 5 of the first-round playoff series between the Rockets and Lakers in a nutshell.

The last time Reaves stepped onto a basketball court, it was April 2 in Oklahoma City. Reaves tore his left oblique muscle early in the first quarter of that game and has missed the last four weeks.

“It’s been a grind,” admitted Reaves of the recovery process. “I’ve been running around Los Angeles doing everything I could possibly do to get to this moment.”

In his absence, the Lakers kept moving forward. They kept winning. Without Reaves and the NBA’s scoring leader Luka Doncic, they built a 3-0 cushion against the Rockets while their two stars watched in street clothes from the bench.

Reaves wasn’t in the Lakers starting lineup for Game 5, but when he checked into the game midway through the first quarter he quickly realized that practice in an empty gym can’t prepare you for the pace and urgency of a playoff game. There was no runway. No warmup games. No easing back into game shape. No soft landing. He was being thrown into the fire.

And it showed.

Reaves logged nearly 34 minutes in his return, but none of them were clean. They weren’t smooth. In fact, they were downright heavy.

After making his first basket of the game — a three-pointer from the logo that sent the crowd into a frenzy — he couldn’t hit the ocean if he was on a boat for the remainder of the game. He went 4-for-16 from the field, and 2-for-8 from deep.

“I haven’t played in a while unfortunately,” conceded Reaves. “I wish I could have gotten in more of a rhythm before jumping into the fire like that…I wish I could have played better and made more shots.”

Fatigue. Timing. Legs that don’t quite trust themselves yet. That’s all normal for a player who was thrust back into the middle of the postseason after missing the last four weeks with an injury.

The problem? The Lakers don’t have time for Reaves to find his way back.

They lost 99-93. Two straight losses after a commanding 3-0 lead. Suddenly, what felt inevitable feels fragile. Suddenly, this series has teeth again.

And suddenly, Reaves isn’t just returning—he’s carrying the responsibility of helping this team close out the series.

Head coach J.J. Redick didn’t dress it up.

“Go find the rhythm,” he said when asked about Reaves’ performance.

That’s not a suggestion. That’s a mandate. And the Lakers need him to find it fast.

“As I ran out tonight for the first time in a long time, I got chills,” said Reaves. “And then you get thrown into the fire like this.”

Reaves, a 36% shooter from beyond the arc, was supposed to lift the Lakers in that category in Game 5. Instead he mirrored the team’s biggest issue in the last two games. Through the first three games of the series, the Lakers averaged 47% from deep. In the last two games? That number has collapsed to 23%. And Reaves’ rustiness only contributed to the slide.

“I missed a lot of easy looks,” Reaves confessed. “We didn’t shoot great as a team.”

But this isn’t about missing shots. This is about missing an opportunity.

Reaves’ return was supposed to steady the Lakers. Right now, it hasn’t.

The good news for the Lakers, Reaves has been here before.

In late December, Reaves went down with a calf strain. He missed the next five weeks before returning in Brooklyn off the bench. He was rusty. His rhythm was off. He shot 3-for-9 and 1-for-5 from three.

But two days later, back in Los Angeles against the 76ers, he exploded in just his second game back. A team-high 35 points on 12-for-17 shooting and 5-for-8 from three.

We know that version of Reaves exists, and the Lakers are betting everything that it shows up on Friday in Houston.

Because if it doesn’t, this story stops being about rust and starts becoming about history. The wrong kind.

No team in NBA history has ever blown a 3-0 series lead. Only four teams in history have ever allowed a team to come back from a 3-0 series deficit to force a Game 7. That’s the cliff the Lakers are walking toward now.

One more bad night on Friday, and you’re staring right over the edge.

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