OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - DECEMBER 19: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder sits on the bench between the third and fourth quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at Paycom Center on December 19, 2022 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 27: Labaron Philon #0 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates a three point basket against the Michigan Wolverines during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at the United Center on March 27, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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)
(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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.
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)
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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.
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)
(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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.
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.
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)
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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.
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)
(Photo by Jack Dempsey/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) | NCAA Photos via Getty Images
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)
(Photo by Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
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.
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)
(Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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.
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.
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.
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
Tyrese Haliburton didn’t play this season as he rehabbed an Achilles injury.
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
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder could add another impact player via the lottery.
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.
Madison Square Garden Sports fell short of Wall Street’s expectations when it reported third-quarter earnings on Friday, sending the stock, which trades under the ticker MSGS, down about 0.8% to just below $330 per share by midday.
The parent company of the New York Knicks and Rangers posted revenue of $432.2 million for the three-month period ending on March 31, a 2% improvement year-over-year. Meanwhile, MSG Sports generated a $2 million operating profit, down $32.3 million from Q3 2025. The company also reports an adjusted income measure that excludes depreciation, amortization, stock-based compensations and other factors, which landed at $10.3 million this quarter, falling $26.6 million.
On the revenue side, MSG Sports narrowly beat the $429.7 million forecasted by analysts, according to equity research firm StreetInsider. But the company landed well below the expected earnings per share with a profit of 66 cents, instead posting a loss of 83 cents.
While the Knicks and Rangers played a combined five fewer regular-season games at the Garden compared to the third quarter of last fiscal year, MSG Sports said per-game revenues for tickets, suites, sponsorship, food and beverage, and merchandise sales all increased year-over-year. The company also benefited from a rise in national media rights fees from the NBA, which signed an 11-year, $76 billion package of deals that kicked in this season.
In addition to the Knicks and the Rangers, MSG Sports owns the development affiliates of each franchise—the Westchester Knicks of the G-League and the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack—and operates its training center in Greenburgh, N.Y.
According to Sportico, the Knicks are the third-most valuable franchise in the NBA at $9.85 billion, and the Rangers rank No. 2 in the NHL at $3.65 billion. That puts the collective value of the assets at an enterprise value of $13.5 billion, far surpassing the sub-$8 billion market capitalization of the NYSE-traded stock.
In fact, MSG Sports announced in February that its board of directors unanimously approved a plan to explore splitting the Knicks and Rangers into separate business entities. The goal, the company said, would be to give investors an easier path to evaluating each team’s balance sheet and upside, as well as more flexibility with finances.
No decision has been announced thus far, but because of a new tax rule for publicly traded companies coming in 2027, an uncoupled version of MSG Sports could owe the government an additional $75 million each year.
In the meantime, even with the Rangers failing to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs, MSG Sports can boost its fourth quarter and fiscal year as the Knicks push through the postseason. The team is currently up 2-0 in a second-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers, with Game 3 set for Friday.
After the final buzzer of the Lakers' Game 2 loss in Oklahoma City, Austin Reaves could be seen in an animated discussion with the officials, expressing frustration about how the game was called despite his 31 points.
Reaves wasn't alone. After the game, a number of Lakers players, as well as coach JJ Redick, expressed frustration with the officiating.
"I sarcastically said the other day, they're the most disruptive team without fouling," Redick said of the Thunder. "I mean, they have a few guys that foul on every possession... They're hard enough to play. They're hard enough to play, you've got to be able to just call them if they foul, and they do foul."
Redick, who picked up a technical in the first quarter for yelling at official Ben Taylor about a perceived missed call, then went on to say this crew, as well as others, do a poor job officiating LeBron James, who had 23 points and six assists in the loss.
"LeBron has the worst whistle of any star player I've ever seen," Redick said. "I mean, I've been with him two years now. The smaller guys, because they can be theatric, they typically draw more fouls, and the bigger players that are built like LeBron, it's hard for them. He gets clobbered. He got clobbered again tonight a bunch."
Reaves had confronted crew chief John Goble after the game, and it stemmed from Goble yelling at Reaves during a center-court jump ball (off an overturned call) with 5:34 left and the Lakers trying to mount a comeback. Reaves quote via Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
"I felt like I was respectful to all of them all night. I mean, there's a million times in the past I've said way worse stuff..." Reaves said. "At the end of the day, we're grown men. And I just didn't feel like he needed to yell in my face like that. I told him that. I wasn't disrespectful. I told him if I did that to him first, I would have got a tech. I feel like the only reason I didn't get a tech is because he knew he was in the wrong. So, yeah, I just felt disrespected."
As for the Thunder, video circulated online of them watching Reaves talk to the officials postgame, looking amused. They have heard it all before and know it's often complaints borne out of frustration at not being able to beat them. The Thunder are up 2-0, and Game 2 felt like a game where the Lakers had a chance to steal one on the road, only to have OKC finally start to hit its 3-pointers and pull away in the end.
Game 3 is Saturday night in Los Angeles and you can be sure Lakers fans are going to let the referees know how they feel.
PHOENIX, AZ - DECEMBER 06: Grand Canyon Antelope guard Jaden Henley (10) looks on before the Jerry Colangelo Classic college basketball game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Grand Canyon Antelopes on December 6, 2025 at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
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.
Apr 1, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA;Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) looks on against the Miami Heat during the first quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
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.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are howling with homecourt advantage after splitting the first two games of their Round 2 series with the San Antonio Spurs.
Game 3 tips off in the Target Center tonight, and I'll sink my teeth into the player prop odds, feasting on any value in the game-to-game adjustments.
Here are my best Spurs vs. Timberwolves props and NBA picks for Friday, May 8.
Best Spurs vs Timberwolves props for Game 3
Player
Pick
Mike Conley Jr.
Over 3.5 assists
+120
Rudy Gobert
Over 1.5 blocks
+105
Victor Wembanyama
Over 12.5 rebounds
-110
Game 3 Prop #1: Mike Conley Jr. Over 3.5 assists
+120 at bet365
The Minnesota Timberwolves can’t afford to keep coughing up the ball and setting up the San Antonio Spurs with extra possessions. The Spurs flipped 22 T-Wolves’ turnovers into 19 points during their Game 2 squash.
Veteran point guard Mike Conley Jr. was responsible for only one of those turnovers in his 16 minutes of action, in which he also recorded three assists.
I expect Conley's floor time to pick up tonight, given his steady hand and multiple injuries to Ayo Dosunmu (questionable for Game 3) and the lack of depth in the backcourt.
Minnesota’s style will be slower, trying to keep this game in a half-court set, rather than running with San Antonio. That suits the aging legs of Conley just fine, allowing him to create shots for his teammates.
Conley dished out six dimes over 24 minutes in Game 1 of this series and also had six helpers in the Game 6 win over Denver in Round 1.
I believe Conley will serve a big playmaking role, and I love the plus-money return on Over 3.5 dimes.
Game 3 Prop #2: Rudy Gobert Over 1.5 blocks
+105 at bet365
Minnesota center Rudy Gobert failed to register a block in Game 2, which speaks more to the style of the Spurs’ offense than anything. San Antonio scored in transition and on fast breaks, not allowing the T-Wolves’ shot swatter to set up in the paint.
If Minnesota is to avoid another blowout, it can’t let the Spurs set the tempo and must force them into a half-court battle. That means protecting the perimeter and funneling drives into Gobert's length at the rim.
The multi-time Defensive Player of the Year recorded two or more blocks in three of the final four games against Denver and finished with one swat in the series opener against San Antonio.
With the Timberwolves slowing things down and making an effort to get back on defense, I like Gobert to turn away at least two field goal attempts tonight.
Game 3 Prop #3: Victor Wembanyama Over 12.5 rebounds
-110 at bet365
At this point, we almost have to blindly bet Victor Wembanyama to top his rebound total. The Spurs’ 7-footer is cleaning the glass like Windex, grabbing 15 boards in each of the first two games of the series.
Wembanyama wrangled 15 rebounds in just 26 minutes thanks to the T-Wolves’ shit shooting in Game 2, which skews his stats a bit. Focusing on his 15 rebounds over 40 minutes in Game 1, those came from 23 rebounding chances at a pace that will likely mirror the tempo of Game 3.
Minnesota must be careful about its aggressiveness on the offensive glass, or it could allow the Spurs to push the pace with numbers in transition. As a result, don’t expect San Antonio to face much resistance on the defensive boards.
Wemby has snatched 13 or more rebounds in three straight games and in 10 of his last 14 outings. His game models range from 11.2 to 15.3 boards in Game 3, and I’m leaning toward the higher end of those projections tonight.
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When the Dallas Mavericks concluded their 2025-2026 campaign — one of the worst seasons in franchise history with a 26-56 record — all eyes turned to the NBA draft. Fans are hoping the team can notch a top pick like they did last season when their 1.9% chance to get the No. 1 pick turned into reality in May.
At 3 p.m. E.T. on Sunday, they’ll have a chance, and a better one than they had last year, to repeat history.
Dallas has the 8th-best odds of claiming the No. 1 overall pick, coming in at 6.7%. The Mavericks have a 29.0% chance t0 move into the top four picks. Mavericks legend Rolando Blackman and co-general manager Matt Ricardi will be representing the team in Chicago for the lottery. The duo also represented the Mavericks at last year’s draft lottery.
It is most likely the team will remain at No. 8 (32.9%) or drop one slot to No. 9 (31.1%), and there is a slim chance the team drops to No. 10 (6.6%). If the team gets incredibly unlucky, there is a 0.4% chance they could fall to 11, and a less than 0.1% chance they fall to 12.
Cut all the math out of it and it comes to this — if you flip a coin twice and it comes up heads both teams, that’s about the likelihood of Dallas jumping to the top 4.
All 14 non-playoff teams are entered into the lottery every year to decide which teams get the top four picks. After the lottery, the rest of the first round goes in reverse order of record. The worst three teams each get a 14% chance of securing the No. 1 overall pick and the odds go down from there.
This system has been ever evolving since its inception in 1985 and will likely change next season, as ESPN’s Shams Charania recently reported on changes to the draft lottery odds to disincentivize tanking in the league.
This may be the last year the lottery looks like this. So take a second, dip away from your family, mothers, spouses, and children on Mother’s Day, and gather round the television to watch the NBA’s deputy commissioner, Mark Tatum, announce the results of the 2026 Draft Lottery at 3 p.m. E.T., since apparently there was no other time they could’ve scheduled this.
Top NBA draft prospect Darryn Peterson believes he knows the reason for the severe cramping issues that caused him problems as a freshman at Kansas this past season.
Peterson said ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft lottery and the start of the NBA Draft Scouting Combine in Chicago next week that a new round of a bloodwork and other tests following the college basketball season led doctors to determine high doses of creatine he was using caused the condition.
Peterson told ESPN in an interview published Friday, May 8 that he'd never taken the supplement used to increase muscle mass and enhance athletic performance before getting to college. "But after the season I took two weeks off and they did tests which showed my baseline level was already high," he explained. "So, they said when I dosed, it must've made the levels unsafe."
Peterson then revealed to reporters at the Big 12 Tournament he endured a scary incident in September in which he went into a full-body cramp after Kansas coach Bill Self's preseason boot camp. Peterson wound up being taken to the hospital in an ambulance and said he worried it could happen again throughout the season.
"I made it to the training room and just started begging them to call 911," he told ESPN. "They were trying to get a vein to get me the IV, get me back hydrated. But I was cramping so hard they couldn't get a vein. I thought I was going to die on the training table that day."
"Whenever I felt anything like that come on, my initial thought was that it might get to that again," Peterson added. "And I can't let that happen and be embarrassed and have that on TV and all that. ... My biggest thing was I'm going to keep trying because we don't know what's wrong and we can't say something's wrong. So, I'm going to go out there and when it happens, I'm going to ask to come out. I don't know if that was a right or wrong move."
Peterson noted he hasn't had any cramping problems since identifying creatine as the root cause of the issues. He has been training for the draft in Los Angeles and was among the more than 70 players invited to attend the NBA Draft Scouting Combine beginning Monday.
Darryn Peterson stats
Peterson averaged 20.2 points and 4.2 rebounds over 24 games with Kansas during the 2025-26 season.
The 2026 NBA playoffs action continues this Sunday night on NBC and Peacock when the San Antonio Spurs go head-to-head with the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals. Live coverage begins at 7:00 PM ET with NBA Showtime. See below for additional information on how to watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs on NBC and Peacock.
NBC Sports will present up to 23 games in the First Round and 11 games in the Conference Semifinals across either NBC and Peacock, or Peacock and NBCSN. Playoff programming concludes with exclusive coverage of the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock
Which playoff rounds will be available on Peacock?
Peacock’s NBA Playoffs coverage spans multiple rounds, including Round 1, the Conference Semifinals, and the Western Conference Finals, with coverage evolving as the postseason progresses.
Will Peacock show both Eastern and Western Conference playoff games?
Yes. During earlier rounds, such as Round 1 and the Conference Semifinals, Peacock will carry a mix of Eastern and Western Conference playoff games.
How to sign up for Peacock:
Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.
Coverage of the 2026 NBA playoffs continues this Saturday afternoon on NBC and Peacock when Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons take on Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Live coverage begins at 2:00 PM ET with NBA Showtime. See below for additional information on how to watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs on NBC and Peacock.
Don't miss Sunday night's San Antonio Spurs vs Minnesota Timberwolves Game 4 action at 7:30 PM ET on NBC and Peacock.
Detroit Pistons vs Cleveland Cavaliers Game Preview:
The Pistons lead the series 2-0 after defeating the Cavaliers 111-101 on Tuesday and 107-97 on Thursday night. Cunningham had 25 points and 10 assists, while Tobias Harris finished with 21 points and 7 rebounds.
"We never lost composure, we just stayed poised, stuck to our principles, stuck to our system, and just turned up the energy a little bit," said Cunningham after the win.
Cleveland guard James Harden finished with just 10 points, shooting 3-for-13 from the field.
"We won the possession game, we just didn't make shots. We had plenty of chances," said Harden after the loss.
"They came out super aggressive, of course, but it’s the playoffs. Obviously, we haven’t figured that one out. Still back to the drawing board," said Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson.
NBC Sports will present up to 23 games in the First Round and 11 games in the Conference Semifinals across either NBC and Peacock, or Peacock and NBCSN. Playoff programming concludes with exclusive coverage of the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock
Which playoff rounds will be available on Peacock?
Peacock’s NBA Playoffs coverage spans multiple rounds, including Round 1, the Conference Semifinals, and the Western Conference Finals, with coverage evolving as the postseason progresses.
Will Peacock show both Eastern and Western Conference playoff games?
Yes. During earlier rounds such as Round 1 and the Conference Semifinals, Peacock will carry a mix of Eastern and Western Conference playoff games.
How to sign up for Peacock:
Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.
Boston, MA - May 2: Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid reacts after making a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter. The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers played in the first round of the NBA Playoffs at TD Garden on May 2, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
After two losses at Madison Square Garden, the Sixers return home for the first time in over a week facing another two-game deficit in a best-of-seven series against one of their rivals. This time it’s a 2-0 hole against the New York Knicks, a series deficit Philly has never been able to dig out of in a best-of-seven in its history. But don’t let that feel like the Sixers are climbing Mount Everest as they attempt to pick themselves up off the mat.
In case you needed a reminder, Philadelphia’s comeback against Boston in the first round was the first series victory from a 3-1 deficit in franchise history. It was the first time since 1982 that the Sixers eliminated the Celtics in the postseason, having lost seven consecutive series to Boston previously. The Celtics had been 32-0 in best-of-seven series when holding a 3-1 cushion. Whether you needed to read those facts or not, they were worth repeating. The Sixers just had their greatest playoff moment in a quarter century and that ought to earn some positive equity in the minds of its fans.
There are no moral victories in the playoffs, but Wednesday night’s effort in Game 2 should have Sixers fans feeling optimistic that they can fight back against the Knicks. Down Joel Embiid on the road, Philly went toe-to-toe with New York, a team that appears to be firing on all cylinders, for 40-45 minutes of regulation. The Sixers simply ran out of gas down the stretch and the Knicks escaped with a 108-102 victory.
There wasn’t much to nitpick in Game 1 as the Sixers just got steamrolled in a quick turnaround after last Saturday’s Game 7 in Boston in the first round. But by now, we’ve all heard the most common complaints about the Game 2 loss. Some say it was a Daryl Morey loss as the President of Basketball Operations opted to subtract instead of add three months ago at the trade deadline and Philly had a thinner bench as a result in a game it was already without Embiid. Others have pointed the finger at Tyrese Maxey. There’s reason to be upset with Maxey after he had a relatively pedestrian stat line by his standards and if he’s going to be the face of the franchise after Embiid, he’ll have to be better than he was in Game 2. On a lesser note, Nick Nurse not playing Dominick Barlow enough when Barlow clearly looked like the best option at center on a night sans Embiid has also been brought up.
There have even been questions about Embiid’s toughness and some have quickly resorted back to the common critiques of Embiid that we hear this time of year. Sixers fans, it’s time to move forward with confidence. Friday night will be the first time the team plays a game at home since completing the 3-1 comeback against Boston. Regardless of how many Knicks fans are in the building, Friday offers a chance for the Sixers fanbase to throw its full support behind a team that has undoubtedly earned it. Don’t let such a great moment from less than a week ago be erased from your memory so quickly. Don’t allow yourself to think that the Sixers only won the series against the Celtics because Boston’s three-point field goals weren’t dropping and Jayson Tatum didn’t play in Game 7.
I get it. It’s easy to think more about the extensive history of postseason disappointments that this franchise has provided us with than a good week-long stretch of basketball against the Celtics. But everyone owes it to the Sixers to get behind them and attempt to will them back into this series with New York. They certainly showed ample grit and fight in Game 2 and we should expect them to bring that same energy for the rest of the series.
Of course, the availability of Embiid looms large. We’ll see if New York wing OG Anunoby suits up on Friday night after suffering a hamstring injury in Game 2. Both Embiid and Anunoby were on their respective rosters two years ago when these two teams met one round earlier in the playoffs. Philadelphia lost the first two games in New York in that series as well. Embiid dropped 50 points in Game 3. The Sixers would go on to extend that series to a Game 6 at home, one that they ended up losing by three points, and the game was tied until Josh Hart buried a triple with 25 seconds remaining for the Knicks.
A strong argument can be made that both the Sixers and Knicks are better teams now than they were two years ago. But the point we’re getting at is, the Sixers were very close to forcing a decisive seventh game back at Madison Square Garden in 2024 after trailing 2-0 and 3-1 in that series. They haven’t bowed out of the playoffs in embarrassing fashion since the Mother’s Day 2023 blowout loss in Boston.
So save me your “same old Sixers” takes and go support your team on Friday night on their home floor. Maybe have a little bit of faith that they can win a basketball game after seeing what they did in the first round. Should they get it done on Friday, a series can’t be any closer than 2-1 after three games. They’d be one home win in Game 4 away from making it a best-of-three at that point. The series isn’t over so don’t act like it is. If you didn’t learn that after watching the Celtics series, you never will.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia 76ers will donate 500 tickets for each remaining home second-round playoff game to area community groups in their latest attempt to keep more of their own fans in the building and avoid a New York takeover.
The Sixers’ previous strategy to ward off Knicks fans in this playoff series was to try through Ticketmaster to geographically restrict sales to fans in the greater Philadelphia area.
The Sixers said 250 frontline medical personnel from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine and 250 local educators selected by Learn Fresh, Breakthrough of Greater Philadelphia, the Philadelphia school district and Camden, New Jersey, school district would attend Game 3 on Friday night.
The 76ers will host 500 moms and children selected by Uplift Center for Grieving Children, Boys and Girls Club of Philadelphia, La Liga del Barrio and Apologues for Sunday's Game 4.
The Knicks lead the best-of-seven series 2-0.
When the teams met two years ago in the first round, Knicks fans swarmed Philadelphia, and Sixers All-Star center Joel Embiid pleaded with fans ahead of this series not to let it happen again.
“Last time we played the Knicks it felt like this was Madison Square Garden East. So we’re going to need the support,” Embiid said. “Don’t sell your tickets. This is bigger than you. We need you guys. The atmosphere we’ve had the last couple games in Philly, especially the last one pushing it to Game 7, I mean, we need all of it.”
The NBA playoffs really bring out the competitive side in people.
In 2020, LeBron James famously led the Lakers to the NBA title in a season massively disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
While Anthony Davis was great during that run, Alex Caruso was the breakout star. His two-way ability as a glue guy was proof that those types of players can flip an entire series — just as Caruso did.
Six years later and that competitive fire still burns deep inside James and Caruso. However, instead of teaming up to win another title, they’re battling on opposite sides.
And it got heated Thursday night.
After winning the 2020 NBA title together when with the Lakers, LeBron James and Alex Caruso got into an NSFW argument during Thursday’s Game 2.Getty Images James was sensational for the Lakers with 23 points in the losing effort, while Caruso was a +17 in 22 minutes in the win.Getty Images
With 22.2 seconds remaining in the third quarter and the Lakers trailing 92-80, cameras overhead an NSFW argument between James and Caruso while OKC’s Ajai Mitchell was shooting free throws.
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Victor Wembanyama
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