Category: Basketball

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Hollywood loves an underdog story.

Too bad those long shots are reserved to the silver screen and not the purple and gold hardwood of Crypto.com Arena. 

The Los Angeles Lakers are back in La-La Land buried in a 0-2 series hole to the Oklahoma City Thunder. My Thunder vs. Lakers predictions and same-game parlay for Game 3 doesn’t buy into that Tinsel Town magic, taking OKC to cover on the continued dominance of their big man in the middle, Chet Holmgren.

Here are my best NBA picks for May 9.

Our best Thunder vs Lakers SGP for Game 3

SGP leg #1: Thunder -8.5

The Oklahoma City Thunder haven’t got the best from their top star, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and honestly haven’t looked dominant in the first two games of this Round 2 series. However, OKC has won the battle over 48 minutes, wearing down a talent-thin Los Angeles Lakers squad to pull away and cover massive spreads in the first two contests.

The 8.5-point spread for Game 3 is just the second time Oklahoma City has laid single digits in the playoffs and OKC seems to have L.A.’s number, boasting a perfect 6-0 SU and ATS mark against the Lakers so far this season.

SGP leg #2: Marcus Smart Over 3.5 assists

Marcus Smart is shooting too much in the first two games of this series. Los Angeles needs the veteran point guard to be just that, prompting extra playmaking from Smart in Game 3.

He’s already dished out five and seven assists in the opening two games of this series and passing on shots and generating more potential assists will see him top four or more dimes for the seventh time in nine postseason games Saturday.

SGP leg #3: Chet Holmgren Over 16.5 points

The Lakers don’t have the size or versatility in their frontcourt to properly counter Chet Holmgren.

With the Lakers focused on flustering SGA, Holmgren is getting plenty of space to operate down low and is killing the Lakers whenever he steps outside the arc. He’s scored 22 and 24 points so far in this Round 2 set and his Game 3 models all sit above this modest total of 16.5 points for Saturday night.

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See our full Thunder vs Lakers Game 3 preview

Get Jason Logan's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his Thunder vs Lakers predictions for Game 3.

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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.

I enter tonight’s game more calm and serene than any other game this postseason. And I don’t particularly think I’m the only Knicks fan who feels that way. For many, the last 36 hours involved being an involuntary passenger on a roller coaster ride of emotions.

After seeing the Knicks win an ugly and gritty Game 2, the win almost felt meaningless due to the large void left by the uncertainty surrounding OG Anunoby’s injury. His suffering a significant injury would be a gutshot to fans, and a death sentence for a Knicks championship run.

Following hours and hours of refreshing social media feeds, trying not to have PTSD from Anunoby’s hamstring injury in 2024, and role-playing as an orthopedic doctor, fans let out a collective sigh of relief when reports started surfacing that Anunoby’s hamstring strain was mild and that he was just day-to-day.

Because fans, for the most part, were expecting the worst, his diagnosis feels like a bullet dodged, making tonight’s game against the 76ers somehow feel less dire. That being said, it’s still a road playoff game against a desperate and hungry rival looking to claw itself back into the series. A loss tonight means a little less room for error moving forward, while also giving Philadelphia a bit more confidence and momentum. Meanwhile, a win tonight would buy them, and more specifically, Anunoby, more time.

While the weight and emotions going into the game may feel different, the significance of the game doesn’t change. Nick Nurse and the 76ers will continue to change some things up. They’ll likely be better prepared to deal with the aggressive trapping of Tyrese Maxey. They’ll also likely double down on pressuring Jalen Brunson now with OG Anunoby out. And as backup point guard Kyle Lowry mentioned, they’ll make sure to pressure Karl-Anthony Towns more on the perimeter.

Unlike the fans, though, the Knicks likely aren’t going into this game as though they have multiple lives. While human nature may take over and give them at least a slight sense of relief, these Knicks have displayed more sense of urgency and focus since their Game 3 loss to the Hawks in the last round. From Brunson, Towns, and Mikal Bridges, who have been playing incredibly well, to bench players Deuce McBride, Landry Shamet, Jordan Clarkson, and Jose Alvarado, along with the now probable Josh Hart, and Mitchell Robinson, this team should come into the game ready to compete.

Whether they win or not is still up in the air, but they have the depth, offensive firepower, and defense to defeat what is still a fatigued and very thin 76ers team.

Prediction

If Joel Embiid is out again tonight, which I suspect will be the case with the Knicks being sans Anunoby, I expect another close back-and-forth affair between these two teams. I do think the 76ers will come up hot, much like they did in Game 1. They’ll be back home, knowing they are a loss away from going down 3-0, and will also know that the Knicks are wounded, missing one of, if not, their best postseason performers.

But this battle-tested Knicks have been like roaches, and I mean that in the most endearing way someone can use that word. Even when they look tired, or out of sorts, or are just not executing well, they have a remarkable tendency to always give themselves a chance. They’ve got the will and the grit that cannot be quantified by counting stats or analytics. And I think that bodes well for them tonight in a game where things may not go their way. But unlike the last time Anunoby missed a postseason game with a hamstring injury, this team also has depth.

McBride, Shamet, Clarkson, Robinson, and even Mo Diawara have all had huge moments for this team this season and have won multiple games. Replacing Anunoby with one player will be impossible. But they might just be able to recreate him in the aggregate (yes, that was a Moneyballreference).

Knicks win: 105–102

Game Details

Who: New York Knicks (2-0) vs Philadelphia 76ers (0-2)
Date: Friday, May 8, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Place: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
TV: Prime Video
Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky

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Veteran point guard Marcus Smart served as a finger in the dam for the Los Angeles Lakers when Austin Reaves was out of the lineup. 

Now that Reaves is back and rolling, Smart should be taking a step back in terms of his shooting activity. That hasn’t been the case.

Our Thunder vs. Lakers predictions believe that if L.A. is going to climb out of a 0-2 hole versus the Oklahoma City Thunder, it needs less shooting and more playmaking from Smart.

My NBA picks like Smart to top his assist prop in Game 3 on Saturday, May 9.

Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. ET from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, with the game airing on ABC. 

Thunder vs Lakers Game 3 prediction

Who will win Thunder vs Lakers Game 3?

Thunder: At this point, it looks like L.A. is running out of options. Los Angeles has done a great job limiting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but the Thunder are extremely deep and getting great production from the other starters, along with the bench.

When everything is added up over 48 minutes, the Lakers come up short. Oklahoma City has taken L.A.’s best shots and still managed to cover those massive spreads. They’ll stiffen up on defense with the series hitting the road, especially after giving up 52 points in the paint in Game 2.

The Thunder will take a commanding 3-0 series lead tonight. 

Thunder vs Lakers best bet: Marcus Smart Over 3.5 assists (-115)

When Austin Reaves was out, Marcus Smart filled that scoring role. And when Reaves returned at the end of Round 1, naturally, Smart’s shots slimmed. 

Through two games with the Oklahoma City Thunder, however, Smart is a collective 8-for-28 from the field. He’s not who the Los Angeles Lakers need shooting the ball. 

Rather, the Lakers need Smart to set up Reaves, LeBron James, and Rui Hachimura.

Smart has dished out five and seven assists so far and has recorded four or more dimes in six of eight playoff outings. Yet, his assist total for Game 3 sits at 3.5 O/U.

Saturday's projections lean toward four assists from Smart.

COVERS INTEL: Marcus Smart is actually second on the team in touches in Round 2, ahead of LeBron James. He’s generated 12 dimes from 16 potential assists vs. OKC and is averaging 5.6 assists on 9.8 potential assists per game for the playoffs.

Thunder vs Lakers Game 3 same-game parlay

Game 3 will be just the second time the Thunder have been single-digit favorites in the postseason. Despite covering big piles of chalk at home, OKC didn’t look dominant in those wins. Instead, Oklahoma City slowly drifted away from the Lakers.

Los Angeles’ frustrations are starting to boil over, and we’ve seen OKC crush a much stronger version of this L.A. team at times in the regular season. I like them to cover the modest -8.5 in La-La Land on Saturday.

Chet Holmgren is the MVP for this series. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander commanding extra attention from Los Angeles’ defense, Holmgren has stepped up with efforts of 22 and 24 points in the opening two games.

The Lakers don’t have the size or versatility to counter the 7-footer, especially when he steps out and knocks down perimeter shots. Chet is projected for 17+ points in Game 3.

Thunder vs Lakers SGP

• Thunder -8.5
• Marcus Smart Over 3.5 assists
• Chet Holmgren Over 16.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Holmgren, Again and Again

I bet this same SGP in Game 2, and the Thunder’s 7-footer came up a winner, scoring 22 points, grabbing nine rebounds, and blocking two shots in OKC’s one-sided win.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Holmgren is a huge problem for this L.A. interior and is projected for 17+ points, 9.5 rebounds, and two swats in Game 3. Let’s run it back, big fella.

Thunder vs Lakers SGP

• Thunder -8.5
• Chet Holmgren Over 16.5 points
• Chet Holmgren Over 8.5 rebounds
• Chet Holmgren Over 1.5 blocks

Thunder vs Lakers odds for Game 3

• Spread: Thunder -8.5 (-110) | Lakers +8.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Thunder -390 | Lakers +380
• Over/Under: Over 212 (-110) | Under 212 (-110)

Thunder vs Lakers betting trend to know

The Thunder are a perfect 6-0 SU and ATS versus the Lakers this season, including an 8-1 SU/ATS record against L.A. over the past two years. Find more NBA betting trends for Thunder vs. Lakers.

How to watch Thunder vs Lakers Game 3

Thunder vs Lakers latest injuries

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Due diligence. That’s part of the administrative side of the offseason game, and that’s what we’re doing as we walk through the free agent landscape this summer. Maybe this is something you skim past and never think about again. Maybe it becomes useful ammo at a cocktail party when another fan starts talking about how badly they want Devin Booker. You can counter with one of the names from this list of free agent shooting guards.

Quite honestly, the Phoenix Suns don’t need another shooting guard. They’re already investing $93.4 million into that position next season. Unless they become desperate for the 14th or 15th guy on the bench to fill that specific role, a lot of the names below don’t carry much appeal.

We’re still going to look at them because that’s the point of this exercise. Position by position, working through the market and laying out who is available this offseason. Without further ado, here is the list of unrestricted free agents at the shooting guard position, per Spotrac.

Well, that was an underwhelming list, wasn’t it? As underwhelming as a Schlitz, ammiright?

Anybody above the Jordan Clarkson line probably isn’t even worth considering. Most of those players are attached to teams that hold their Bird rights, and if those organizations want to keep investing in them, they will. There is no need for the Phoenix Suns to invest more roster capital at this position, and if they do, it should be for a veteran minimum contracted player.

Side note: I didn’t realize Clarkson was almost 34.

Once you get below that Clarkson line, you start seeing names that make a little more sense. Is that Landry Shamet?! Our old friend Josh Okogie? And hey, the man who bet on himself, Cam Thomas. Should’ve taken the RFA extension offer from the Nets, buddy.

Amir Coffey feels like the obvious target for the Suns to bring back. They traded for him because of the versatility, the ability to hit the three, and the defensive flexibility. Spotrac lists him as a shooting guard; he’s really more of a wing defender. I’d expect Phoenix to bring him back for depth and continuity purposes. Outside of that, there really aren’t many players on this list that feel like realistic targets. The Suns already have plenty of guard depth.

We’ll move on to the small forwards next. Is there anybody here that interests you? Let us know in the comments below.

Two games in four days in Oklahoma City have the Lakers quickly trailing 2-0 in the series, a daunting deficit, considering the opponent they are facing and the fact that history is not on their side. The team that wins the first two of a series advances 92% of the time.

​The purple and gold are still without superstar Luka Dončić, who revealed he likely won’t return this series, while OKC continued to miss All-Star Jalen Williams.

​Building on Game 1, Game 2 followed a similar script. LA kept it close while holding the reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to another modest night. OKC’s shot-making took over in the fourth to take another double-digit win.

An important change between the two games came by way of Austin Reaves’ play. In just his fourth game back from a Grade 2 oblique strain, he found his offensive rhythm for a Lakers team in critical need of it.

After a nightmare Game 1 on Tuesday where Reaves finished 3-16 from the field for eight points, he surpassed that total in the first half on Thursday with 13. He ended the night putting up 31 points on 10-16 from the field and six assists, surpassing his previous playoff career high of 23.

​Reaves’ first two shots had shades of the previous matchups, overpenetrating and getting blocked by stingy rim protectors in Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. He eventually settled into his offense, finding rhythm and patience in the pick-and-roll.

​The Thunder play drop coverage with their bigs, while their guards aggressively chase the offensive playmaker over the screen. One of the shots available against that defense is the pull-up in the mid-range.

Watch below as the Lakers run their Spain action — the big man screening on the ball receives a back screen from an off-ball player. Luke Kennard, setting the Spain screen, ghosts while Jaxson Hayes rolls hard to the rim.

Reaves navigates around the screen and gets the foul on Cason Wallace with the basket.

​To address some of the issues, the Lakers made one key adjustment by running more actions with LeBron James as the main screener. It not only took one of their elite defensive bigs out of the on-ball action, but got LeBron going downhill while involving their two best players in the play.

Watch below as they run the action at the top of the key with shooters spaced and a big man in the dunker spot. Reaves comes around the LeBron screen, whose roll forces Hartenstein to tag and opens Hayes for the floater to put the Lakers up a point at the half.

They ran it again to start the third quarter, getting Reaves downhill for his patented floater.

Reaves and LeBron combined for half of the Lakers’ points and assists but had eight of the 20 turnovers.

Another key shot necessary against this coverage is the pull-up 3-pointer. Watch as Reaves comes off the screen from Deandre Ayton with the big man dropped back. He takes advantage of the open space and knocks down the shot.

Coming into this game, Reaves was just two for his last 17 before hitting 3-6 on Thursday.

“I thought he did a good job touching the paint,” head coach J.J Redick said postgame. “Those touch shots were there tonight. Got some good looks from three. Played a solid game. Obviously, he had five turnovers, but everyone in our team had turnovers.”

While there are no moral victories in the playoffs, nothing short of a win was more important than getting Reaves’ offense going as the series shifts to Los Angeles for Games 3 and 4. The Thunder won the first two battles, but the Lakers are hoping to win the war by finally getting their star guard back on track.

You can follow Raj on X at @RajChipalu

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While the NBA Playoffs might be unpredictable to the masses, BetMGM bettors are wallowing in money following several six-figure wins on Thursday.

According to BetMGM’s John Ewing, more than $700,000 was claimed in select spread bets from yesterday’s playoff matchups.

Key Takeaways

• BetMGM reported a series of nine ascending spread bets, all worth at least $20,000, on Thursday.
  
  
• The largest individual payout was $110,000 for a $100,000 wager on the Pistons at -4.5 (+110).
  
  
• The Thunder have a 62% implied chance to win the championship.

At least one bettor put their money where their mouth was, supporting the Detroit Pistons in Game 2 of their ongoing series with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the defending-champion Oklahoma City Thunder against the Los Angeles Lakers.

The first in the series of bets was headlined by a $100,000 wager on the Pistons to cover a 4.5-point spread at +110 odds. The full breakdown is shown below.

A bettor at @BetMGM wagered $225,000 on the @DetroitPistons in Game 2:

$50,000 on Pistons +1.5 (-190)
$35,000 on Pistons -1.5 (-150)
$20,000 on Pistons -2.5 (-130)
$20,000 on Pistons -3.5 (-102)
$100,000 on Pistons -4.5 (+110)

Pistons won Game 1 by 10 points

Gambling problem?…

— John Ewing (@johnewing) May 7, 2026

The user’s confidence paid off as the Pistons stormed ahead to a 2-0 series lead. Cade Cunnignham dropped 25 points and 10 rebounds in the winning effort, while Donovan Mitchell’s 31 points and six rebounds weren’t enough to overcome a 10-point disaster by James Harden. 

The $225,000 in total spread bets that were submitted resulted in a $419,641.58 payout, or $194,641.58 in profit. 

A little over two hours after the Pistons wagers were reported, Ewing shared that another $190,000 in Thunder tickets had been accepted. Once again, the bold bettor was on the money. 

A bettor at @BetMGM wagered $190,000 on the @okcthunder to cover in Game 2:

$100,000 on Thunder -9.5 (-230)
$50,000 on Thunder -11.5 (-165)
$20,000 on Thunder -12.5 (-145)
$20,000 on Thunder -13.5 (-140)

Thunder won by 18 points in Game 1

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER

— John Ewing (@johnewing) May 8, 2026

The Thunder logged their second straight 18-point victory over the Lakers as three OKC members scored at least 20 points. Austin Reaves had 31 points in a losing effort scarred by controversial refereeing decisions.

PrizePicks, who is a OFFICIAL PARTNER OF THE NBA is calling out the refs for helping the Oklahoma City Thunder

That’s how bad this has become https://t.co/6NYNdTTKYJ

— LakersMuse (@LALMuse) May 8, 2026

The winning bets produced a $291,860.10 payout and $101,860.10 in profit.

Altogether, BetMGM paid $711,501.68 total and $296,501.68 in profit to the holder(s) of the tickets. It is unclear if the bets were placed by the same or different individuals.

Tracking the NBA playoff odds

Both the Pistons and Lakers were favored to win Games 1 and 2 at home. With both now up 2-0, they are unsurprisingly huge favorites to close out their series and advance to the Conference Finals.

The Thunder were the largest second-round favorites in the playoff bracket. They are now -10000 (99% implied chance) in odds to advance, while the Lakers are +1800 (5.3% chance).

The Pistons are a much longer -450, comparatively speaking, although they still have a 81.8% chance to advance. The Cavaliers are +340 (22.7% chance).

Elsewhere around the league, the San Antonio Spurs are -4.5 favorites entering Game 3 against the Minnesota Timberwolves with their series tied, 1-1. They’re also -325 (76.5% chance) to win the series despite dropping Game 1 as a 10.5-point favorite at home. The Timberwolves are +250 (28.6% chance) to win the series.

The Knicks, the second-largest favorite of the second round with -1200 series odds (7.7% chance), are 1.5-point underdogs in a road Game 3 on Friday night. Joel Embiid, who played in Game 1 but missed Game 2, is questionable.

NBA Finals odds picture

BetMGM has the Thunder leading NBA Finals odds at -165 (62.3% chance). The Spurs (+325), Knicks (+800), and Pistons (+1500) are the only teams with odds shorter than +5000.

While the Thunder are the clear-cut favorites, they still face a tall task getting out of the Western Conference. They are 6-0 against the Lakers across the regular and postseason, but they were only 2-2 against the Timberwolves and 1-4 against the Spurs.

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When a team loses in blowout fashion like the Lakers did in Game 2 against the Thunder, there isn’t just one reason.

There are plenty of things that didn’t go LA’s way in this contest. The Lakers had far too many turnovers with 21, multiple bench players didn’t give the team much, and Deandre Ayton struggled, scoring just three points in 27 minutes of play.

However, after the loss, Lakers head coach JJ Redick focused on a stretch in the third quarter when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sat and the Thunder went on a game-defining run.

“I talked about it a little bit yesterday, them being +9 in the non-Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander) minutes and then in the second half, we just got blitzed. 32-14 [run], seven turnovers, they shot 14 free throws during that stretch. We’ll look at lineups, we’ll look at everything. Try to figure out how to be better in those minutes.”

After SGA’s reckless foul on Austin Reaves was deemed a flagrant, he was at foul No. 4 and was forced to sit. Reaves took three free throws and knocked them all down to give LA a five-point lead, their largest advantage of the night.

Instead of the Lakers taking advantage of OKC playing without their best player, it was the Thunder who went on a run.

Lugentz Dort knocked down a three, Chet Holmgren had an emphatic dunk, and when Jared McCain came into the game, he was an injection of offense, scoring eight points in five minutes.

A five-point Lakers lead turned into a 13-point deficit. In the fourth, SGA checked back in and had a double-digit advantage in hand. And when you put MVP in that kind of position in his house, he’s going to win.

As Redick mentioned, they will have to look at these non-SGA minutes and figure out how to win them. The Lakers have done a great job of limiting Shai, but role players like McCain are looking like stars against LA.

Clearly, they haven’t found a balance between slowing down OKC’s superstar while not letting other players take over the game.

Still, there’s time. This series is 2-0, but it’s first to four. With the Lakers coming back home to LA, Redick has to tinker with his lineups so he can concoct a winning formula. so that the next time his team is in an advantageous situation, they can capitalize on it.

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

We are officially at the six-week mark from the NBA Draft, and this weekend will be one of the biggest hinge points of the entire offseason. After the draft lottery, teams will be able to shape their boards and start the wheeling and dealing that is sure to come. Before that is decided on Sunday, we decided to run one final pre-lottery mock draft for your Dallas Mavericks. Here’s how it went.

1. Atlanta Hawks (via NOP) – Darryn Peterson (G, Kansas)

Yes, this is indeed the pick that the Mavericks lost via coinflip. Yes, if this were to happen, I would turn into the Joker. Peterson immediately injects some juice into a guard room that desperately needs some revitalization.

2. Washington Wizards – AJ Dybantsa (F, BYU)

Even dropping to second, the Wizards are able to select a player who is at the top of many draft boards. AJ is the type of volume scorer that will help deliver Washington some juice next to Trae Young and Anthony Davis.

3. Indiana Pacers – Cam Boozer (F, Duke)

Indiana gets to land the player they were after all along at third overall. Boozer is the type of high floor player that Indiana would covet on a team that is looking to win immediately.

4. Golden State Warriors – Caleb Wilson (F, North Carolina)

Let the conspiracy theories begin! If the Dubs were to jump here, drafting Wilson is like drafting a Draymond Green starter pack, just way more wholesome and a much better athlete.

5. Brooklyn Nets – Keaton Wagler (G, Illinois)

After drafting five (!!!) players in the first-round last year, the Nets still have no one worth building around. Enter Wagler, who is the best lead guard in the class. Head coach Jordi Fernandez should have a great time working with him.

6. Utah Jazz – Mikel Brown Jr. (G, Louisville)

This was either going to be Brown Jr. or Flemings, but we’re going to give them Mikel here due to some real upside that is available here. Brown Jr. could easily be one of the three or four best players in the class if he medically clears, with a special combination of size and skill.

7. Sacramento Kings – Darius Acuff (G, Arkansas)

I get the sense that Acuff is at the top of the Kings board regardless, so landing him at seven is just some extra value on the pick.

8. Memphis Grizzlies – Kingston Flemings (G, Houston)

If there’s a team here that could do something funky, it’s Memphis, whose front office is known to be a bit different in their process. However, Flemings is too good to pass up in our opinion.

From here on through pick 18, be on trade alert. Most of these teams have multiple first round picks, and many of them do not necessarily need to take two players. The wheeling and dealing should start here.

9. Dallas Mavericks – Labaron Philon (G, Alabama)

Falling outside the top eight is a real disappointment for the Mavericks, as there is a pretty good tier drop from Flemings to whoever is next. Philon played in a pro-style system at Alabama, so he is very familiar with the pace and space game. However, if this were to happen, I’d be trying to trade back a few spots and pick up an asset, as Philon should still be available later in the lottery.

10. Chicago Bulls – Aday Mara (C, Michigan)

If anyone can crack the top eight here, I think it could be Mara. Mara is a force on the interior, deterring shots and drives in a way that no one else could in college. He also has a nice touch and great playmaking chops offensively, which will help drive his value.

11. Milwaukee Bucks – Brayden Burries (G, Arizona)

Burries is such a solid option for a Bucks team that will look to stabilize itself under Taylor Jenkins. This is a player who shot 56% on two’s, nearly 40% from deep and was an unbelievable rebounder for a guard. Burries will be in play for Dallas as well.

12. OKC Thunder (via LAC) – Yaxel Lendeborg (F, Michigan)

The Thunder don’t necessarily have a huge need as of yet, but if you peek around the corner you can see the potential roster turnover coming. OKC will likely not pay Isaiah Hartenstein and Lu Dort, and drafting Yaxel will immediately provide them a replacement option.

13. Miami Heat – Dailyn Swain (F, Texas)

There are many needs for this Heat team, but finding serviceable forward play should be towards the top of the list. Swain is an excellent slasher who showed some shot making upside at Texas.

14. Charlotte Hornets – Jayden Quaintance (C, Kentucky)

If healthy, JQ is one of the best prospects in this class. Landing in Charlotte with a medical staff that has been able to get LaMelo Ball healthy would be a big win for Quaintance, who played just four games this year.

15. Chicago Bulls (via POR) – Nate Ament (F, Tennessee)

After landing Mara earlier, the Bulls continue to bolster their front court by taking a big swing on Ament. Prior to the season, Ament was a top five talent. That’s still in there somewhere, it’ll just be up to the Bulls to get it out of him.

16. Memphis Grizzlies (via PHX) – Allen Graves (F, Santa Clara)

Graves is an advanced stats demon, making him a likely favorite among a very analytical Grizzlies front office. The sweet shooting big would be a great get for Memphis.

17. OKC Thunder (via PHI) – Cam Carr (G/F, Baylor)

If we drafted Hartenstein’s replacement with Yaxel, this is Lu Dort’s replacement. Carr is a very good offensive player with solid defensive chops. He’ll get groomed nicely in OKC.

18. Charlotte Hornets (via ORL) – Bennett Stirtz (G, Iowa)

Charlotte could use a steady hand both with and behind LaMelo Ball, and Stirtz would be that. He is a floor general with some additional self-creation pop. Stirtz was excellent at the rim, shooting 72% in the restricted area this season.

19. Toronto Raptors – Hannes Steinbach (F/C, Washington)

After pushing Cleveland to seven games, the Raptors can examine where they need to go from here. The fatal flaw in that series, beyond injuries to Ingram and Quickley, was the center spot. Collin Murray-Boyles was awesome, but they had nothing beyond him. Steinbach would immediately provide help on the glass and some offensive pop.

20. San Antonio Spurs (via ATL) – Morez Johnson Jr. (F, Michigan)

This was either going to be Morez or Karim Lopez, but we will give the Spurs a Michigan man. Johnson was excellent for the Wolverines, playing alongside Aday Mara and Yaxel Lendeborg. He’ll use that to play alongside Wembanyama, which would create a truly terrifying front court.

21. Detroit Pistons (via MIN) – Ebuka Okorie (G, Stanford)

Okorie has been a favorite of draft twitter for a while now. He is a bit small at 6’2”, but the man is an absolute microwave. This added pop would help Cade Cunningham in a major way, allowing another creator on the floor that has to be respected. Detroit is also uniquely created to cover for a small guard with their defensive structure.

22. Philadelphia 76ers (via HOU) – Karim Lopez (F, Mexico/New Zealand Breakers)

The Sixers are able to take a guy at 22 who has lottery potential. That’s good value for a team that desperately needs help on the wing.

23. Atlanta Hawks (via Cleveland) – Chris Cenac Jr. (F, Houston)

After selecting Darryn Peterson first overall, Atlanta gets to bolster their front court with a tenacious rebounder in Cenac. A lineup that includes Jalen Johnson, Cenac and Onyeka Okongwu is awfully scary!

24. New York Knicks – Meleek Thomas (G, Arkansas)

The Knicks guard room is truly terrible, so taking Thomas here is a good get. Playing next to Acuff, he’s already shown he can play nicely off of a small guard. He can use that to play off of Brunson.

25. Los Angeles Lakers – Tarris Reed Jr. (C, UConn)

The Lakers desperately need athleticism, which Tarris can certainly provide. This is a very smart player that has already played in a pro system with Hurley.

26. Denver Nuggets – Koa Peat (F, Arizona)

So, you’re scared by Aaron Gordon not being able to play in games that matter? Well, why not draft the closest thing to him in Peat. Koa is an unreal athlete that just needs to hone his skill a bit, and playing next to Jokic while learning from AG is a good start in doing that.

27. Boston Celtics – Luigi Suigo (C, Spain/Mega Superbet)

Boston needs a big and are just arrogant enough to reach on Luigi, who is a 7’4” mountain of a man. If he doesn’t go pro, expect to see him in college next year.

28. Minnesota Timberwolves (via DET) – Tyler Tanner (G, Vanderbilt)

Tanner is one of my favorite players in the class. While sitting at just 6’0” tall, Tanner is a great on-ball initiator who has no issues creating for others or getting his own buckets. Minnesota has a glaring guard need, and this helps fix that.

29. Cleveland Cavaliers (via SAS) – Tounde Yessoufou (F, Baylor)

Cleveland is a confounding situation, as the Harden and Mitchell duo finds itself down 0-2 to Detroit. We’ll give them Tounde, who is a great defender that has untapped potential on the offensive end.

30. Dallas Mavericks (via OKC) – Isaiah Evans (G, Duke)

A sophomore that has experience playing with Cooper Flagg already, Evans would provide instant spacing to a rotation that desperately needs it.

What Celtics fans should watch for in 2026 NBA Draft Lottery originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery is scheduled for Sunday, May 10 at 3 p.m. ET, and the results could have a massive impact on the balance of power across the league for years to come.

There are a lot of teams that already have playoff-caliber rosters that are in the lottery, headlined by the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder, who own the Los Angeles Clippers’ lottery pick.

The 2026 draft class is also considered very strong, with a couple potential franchise players at the top.

The Boston Celtics are not in the lottery, even though some people expected them to be in it before the season. The C’s greatly exceeded regular season expectations before blowing a 3-1 lead and losing their first-round playoff series to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Let’s look at some of the ways the draft lottery could impact the Celtics even though they don’t own one of the 14 picks.

Pacers could add star player to championship core

USA TODAY Sports

The Pacers went through a “gap year” in 2025-26 due to Tyrese Haliburton missing the entire season while recovering from an Achilles tear in Game 7 of last year’s NBA Finals. Indiana has a strong core led by Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, Aaron Nesmith, Ivica Zubac and Andrew Nembhard. This group came within one victory of a championship last year and played the Celtics tough in the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals.

The Pacers finished with the second-worst record this season, giving them an opportunity to add an elite young player to that aforementioned core of veterans.

But they actually don’t even have an amazing chance to keep their own first-round pick. That’s because when they acquired Zubac from the Los Angeles Clippers in February, Indiana sent L.A. its 2026 first-rounder protected for picks No. 1 through No. 4, and No. 10 through No. 30.

There’s a 52 percent chance the Pacers land a top-four pick and a 48 percent chance it slides down to No. 5 or No. 6 and goes to the Clippers.

The Pacers should be a top contender in the East next season if Haliburton is close to the player he was before his Achilles injury. But if they get a top-four pick, the Pacers could be a legit title threat for the foreseeable future, and that obviously would not be a good scenario for the Celtics.

It would benefit Boston and the other top teams in the East if the Pacers fell outside the top four and were forced to give up their lottery pick to the Clippers.

Giannis Antetokounmpo trade implications

If you’re a fan who wants the Celtics to trade for Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, there are a couple teams you don’t want to win the lottery.

The Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat have been speculated as potential Antetokounmpo trade destinations in the past, and both teams are in the lottery this year. The Warriors have a 9.41 percent chance of a top-four pick but only a 2.0 percent chance to win the lottery. The Heat have a 4.78 percent chance of a top-four pick and a 1.0 percent chance of getting the No. 1 pick. Safe to say, both teams need a miracle to jump up in the lottery.

The Bucks don’t control their own first-round pick, but there is a chance they could still get a top-four selection. Milwaukee gets the least favorable of its own pick and the New Orleans Pelicans’ pick, with the better one going to the Atlanta Hawks. If both the Bucks’ and Pelicans’ picks end up in the top-four, then Milwaukee would have a high lottery pick, which it could use to surround Antetokounmpo with a talented young rookie or package in a trade for a veteran player.

Now, the odds of both the Bucks’ and Pelicans’ picks both jumping into the top four are pretty slim, but it is at least possible.

Speaking of the Hawks, they have been thrown into mock trade proposals as a potential third team in an Antetokounmpo deal. Many of these mock trades include the Hawks trading the Pelicans’ pick and getting a star in return. But if the Hawks win the lottery, how much incentive would they have to trade that pick? Why not just take A.J. Dybantsa or Cameron Boozer and keep building on the success the franchise enjoyed this past season? If the Hawks added a Dybantsa or Boozer type of player, they could be a threat to win the East next season, which wouldn’t be good for the C’s.

So, to recap, any Celtics fan that wants Antetokounmpo should be rooting for the Warriors, Heat, Pelicans and Bucks picks to not end up in the top four.

Best-case scenario for Celtics?

The most ideal lottery outcome for the Celtics is likely one of the bottom teams in the Western Conference winning the lottery. They’re obviously not in the same conference as the Celtics and probably wouldn’t be a threat to trade for Antetokounmpo.

The Utah Jazz and Sacramento Kings both have the second-best lottery odds at 14 percent each. The Memphis Grizzlies are next at 9.5 percent.

The OKC factor

Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

If the Celtics are going to be a title contender in the short term, they might have to go through the Oklahoma City Thunder at some point. The defending champs are loaded with high-end talent at every position, including 2024-25 league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

OKC, as currently constructed, could be the best team in the league for three to five more years. The scary part of that is the Thunder could potentially add another top-tier player to their already stacked roster by winning the 2026 lottery.

The Thunder own the Los Angeles Clippers’ unprotected 2026 first-round pick as part of the Paul George trade in 2019. It is the gift that keeps on giving for the Thunder.

There is a 7.11 percent chance of that pick jumping into the top four and a 1.5 percent chance it ends up No. 1 overall. Those odds aren’t great, but remember, the Mavericks won the lottery last year with just a 1.8 percent chance.

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We don’t dip our toes into the NBA waters very often, but we’re less than two months away from the 2026 NBA Draft! Once again, there are multiple former Mountain West players testing their waters, specifically in the G-League combine, which will begin Friday and last through Sunday in Chicago, Ill.

What do these two prospects need to do to improve each of their respective stocks?! Let’s examine!

Jaden Henley, G, Grand Canyon:

Skinny: Henley had the best season of his career in 2025-26 with Grand Canyon. Bouncing around with four different programs in four years, Henley averaged career highs across the board, tallying 17.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game on 46.6 percent shooting and 56.2 percent true shooting.

The All-Mountain West first team honoree was a very explosive rim finisher; his ballhandling was good-not-great, but he did a good job exploding from his lower half through contact. He didn’t care if the low man was 6-foot-5 or 7-foot-5 — he was going to the rack with mean intentions.

Henley also defended well in Grand Canyon’s scheme defensively, which was aggressive at the point of attack with sound help principles. At 6-foot-7, 200 pounds, he has an NBA-ready body and will have some defensive versatility. He can guard multiple positions, and I project that to be his ceiling at the next level.

Where Henley must improve, however, is his shooting and playmaking. He wasn’t a good shooter, shooting just 26.8 percent from 3-point range on 3.8 attempts. For his career, he’s just a 30.7 percent long-range shooter on 2.5 attempts. Teams are smarter at scheming non-shooters now more than ever, so Henley’s going to have to clean up his mechanics and efficiency to excel offensively at the next level. If he can show some growth during the G-League combine, then that should bode better for the future, although it’s easy for anyone to shoot 5-on-0 compared to 5-on-5.

M.J. Collins, G, Utah State:

Skinny: Collins, an All-Mountain West first team honoree, broke out in his lone season with Utah State, averaging a career-high 17.5 points on 62.0 percent true shooting. He was a microwave scorer, capable of getting hot from anywhere at any moment, helping ignite the Mountain West’s best offense this season.

Standing at 6-foot-4, 190 pounds, Collins was effectively able to score from all three levels. One of my favorite traits of his was his off-ball movement. You’d be hard-pressed to find many possessions where Collins wasn’t moving, trying to find every crease and crack to exploit. He has fairly good understanding of screen leverage and how to attack those advantages. When he was able to attack as a secondary creator, Collins had pretty good feel, lift and a high release point on his jumper

Similar to Henley, Collins was an explosive leaper around the rim. He also improved as a 3-point shooter, canning 36.1 percent of his attempts after failing to exceed 29.3 percent over his first three seasons at Virginia Tech and Vanderbilt. He shot 78.4 percent from the free-throw line from 2022-25 and 81.0 percent last year; personally, I’m not super concerned. But Collins must show that wasn’t an aberration.

Hold on, I need to start this out with a pep talk to myself.

Deep breaths. This is a safe space. We are among a few thousand of your closest friends. Even considering this will break your heart and brain and could quite possibly traumatize many others. But you are supposed to be a quasi-objective writer that considers all sides and asks difficult questions. You can do this.

Ok, let’s get this over with.

The Boston Celtics need to improve their roster. That much was made clear by the exasperatingly short playoffs and was hammered home by Executive of the Year Brad Stevens in his comments this week. We’ve already talked about the seismic shift option of dealing Jaylen Brown. On the other end of the spectrum would be making smaller moves around the edges and counting on free agent exceptions or trade exceptions to make impactful improvements. We will likely spend a lot of time this summer talking through those options.

The next logical category to consider is trades involving rotation players not named Tatum or Brown (no, I will not consider trading Tatum and I’m not sorry). Stevens did such a good job of shedding bloated salaries that there simply aren’t a lot of salary matching options left on the roster. So I’m very, very reluctantly broaching the subject of using Derrick White and his $30M salary slot to see if there are any trade fits that make this roster better. Specifically better at attacking the rim.

Much has been said about White’s concerning shooting struggles this season. That’s a real thing and a legitimate concern going forward. I tend to think (or hope) that he will find his stroke again next year. I would also submit that all the other positives he brings to the basketball court far exceed any shortcomings he has shooting the ball. However, the Celtics’ superpower of bombing 3’s from all over the court becomes a fatal flaw if a key rotation player is streaky at best shooting from deep. At his best, White can provide some rim pressure, but he typically prefers floaters over layups and dunks.

So are there options for trading Derrick White to provide this roster with more rim attacking? There are bigs that could be available on the trade market. Perhaps Jarrett Allen or Isaiah Hartenstein could be available. I don’t really want to get into the Domantas Sabonis business. There are cheaper options, but those wouldn’t require White’s salary. So here’s a bit of a zag. Why not a guard that attacks the rim?

Fox is an elite slasher that uses his speed to blow by point of attack defenders and bend the court to himself. The more that Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle emerge, the less they’d need Fox at point guard. White provides them with elite role player energy and would fit in seamlessly. It would also be a chance for him to “go home” to where his career started. Hauser’s value as a cost effective shooter is obvious.

The Celtics would still need to address the center position, but they can use one of their exceptions to accomplish that. It should also be noted that Fox isn’t exactly known for his outside shooting, which is a concern here as well. But there are only so many players in the world that are good at shooting and slashing and they typically make max paychecks. So you have to pick your poison at some level.

This isn’t the only trade option the Celtics would have. I’m just using it as a conversation starter or food for thought. Feel free to suggest your own ideas in the comments. Oh, and please go easy on me, this was not easy for me to consider.

Nobody would be happier if Brad Stevens could figure out a way to improve the team in other ways and keep Derrick White on the Boston Celtics. I’ll be a fan of his for the rest of his career, wherever that leads him. I’m just trying to consider all the options.