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For years, Draymond Green seemed like the perfect fit alongside the Inside the NBA crew. Four years ago, he signed a long-term deal with TNT and began making guest appearances after the Golden State Warriors were no longer in the playoffs, which often happens much earlier than Green would like. Green was a natural, comfortably fitting into the banter between Ernie, Kenny, Chuck, and sometimes Shaq,

Something has changed in the last few seasons. Now what used to be pointed but light-hearted banter is coming off as simply mean-spirited, like when Green slammed Charles Barkley’s late-career stint with the Houston Rockets.

Responding to Barkley’s assertion that, “Sports are for young people,” Green said that his goal was to, “I think the goal is simply not to look like you in a Houston Rockets uniform.” When Kenny “The Jet” Smith asked Green what that looked like, Green asked, “Did you see it? I saw it.”

The diss didn’t land, in part because Barkley was pretty good as a Rocket, making the All-Star team and the Western Conference Finals in his first season as part of a “Big Three But Old” alongside Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler. Even when Scottie Pippen joined up for a single season in 1998-99, Barkley averaged 16.1 points and 12.3 rebounds as a willing third option on a team that won at a 51-win pace.

This is not to ignore that insulting other members of the panel is a foundational element to what Inside the NBA has been, along with racing Kenny to the video board, shoving Shaq into Christmas trees, body-shaming the beautiful women of San Antonio, failing to find sponsorship for the Neat-O Stat of the Night, and wildly underestimating the distance from Earth to the moon.

But the problem is that Green didn’t actually deliver a zinger, or a punchline at all. Smith even set him up for a chance to burn Barkley, or describe why he was so bad on the Rockets, and Green just gave him a weird look and didn’t expand. Essentially, Green responded like he would to a critic on social media, giving back the “Thinking Face” emoji.

It’s a sign that Green is spending too much time both podcasting by himself and reading internet comments. Green no longer has Baron Davis as a co-host, so the majority of his podcast content is a solo monologue. That doesn’t keep him ready for the pushback, bantering, or playfulness that comes from being on a panel show. Being on Inside the NBA isn’t about owning people, or clapping back, or Epically Destroying your co-hosts. More than anything, the show is about jokes.

That element of humor has really disappeared with Green, whether it’s from insecurity about his own decline, the extra cussedness that comes with aging, or public sentiment turning dramatically against him after punching Jordan Poole (or choking Rudy Gobert, or hitting Jusuf Nurkic, or stomping on Domantas Sabonis, etc.).

When Green told a heckling Paul Pierce, “You thought you was Kobe?” and told him, “There ain’t gonna be no farewell tour,” it was mean but funny. Pierce really did try to end his career on a high note in his hometown of Los Angeles, a place that did not particularly care about him or the Los Angeles Clippers. (Note: Pierce briefly ran a truly terrible hookah bar called “The Truth Hollywood” and it did not succeed.)

So when Green tried to mock Barkley’s Rockets career, the issue wasn’t that Green was being inaccurate or disrespectful. It was that he wasn’t funny. Make fun of him being out of shape! Say Barkley’s defense was worse than his golf swing! Remind Barkley that in his last playoff appearance, he lost to Shaq!

A key element of what makes Barkley great is his ability to laugh at himself, but there has to be a punchline. Green’s own persona is increasingly based on responding angrily to every critical remark abut him, the opposite of taking a joke. And as recently as two years ago, Green and Barkley delightfully went at each other late in the All-Star Game broadcast.

Is the problem that angry responses are more likely to go viral? Has Green become less comfortable on camera as his own NBA future gets murkier? Regardless, Green should shift his tone, simply because it makes for much better television.

And bring some churros to the set the next time ESPN has a Spurs game. With the Chuckster, time and fried dough heal all wounds.

The Brooklyn Nets plan last season was not some mystery. From Media Day back in September, it’s been about “playing the probabilities” and “flexibility.” Could you call it tanking? In response, Nets officialdom did everything but paraphrase the fictional prime minister in the British House of Cards TV series: “You might very well think that; I couldn’t possibly comment.”

That’s in the past now. With the Draft Lottery Sunday, we are about to get real. Speculation will soon be replaced by a much clearer path to the team’s summer moves which just about everyone believes will be aggressive. Count Michael Porter Jr. among those who thinks he can see the future.

In a wide-ranging conversation with Kendrick Perkins on the Road Trippin’ podcast, he talked about how he sees the summer working out, which he believes will include him.

“I’ve talked to the front office,” he told Perkins. “I think we’re going to get a good draft pick and then we got the most money in the NBA to get a really good playmaking 2-guard or point guard.”

A “good draft pick” will be subjective of course. The Nets can’t fall below the seventh pick and have twice as good a chance at No. 1 — 14 percent — as they do at No. 7 — seven percent. But as we keep saying, it’s all about the aerodynamics of small plastic balls.

His other comment about having “the most money” — presumably cap space — is not quite so. Brooklyn will be top two or three with as much as $50 million but at the very least Chicago will have more. It should also be noted that at one point early in the season, Porter suggested the Nets then-rookie guards weren’t cutting it … which got in a bit of hot water.

He didn’t offer any names the Nets might have in mind. He did say that he sees the Nets following the OKC Thunder path, building organically, developing both lottery picks and others into championship pieces. He admits the losing last season was tough on him.

“I never lost consistently my whole career until I got to Brooklyn. We were losing a lot. We were young. We were building something, but we’re not there yet. So it was definitely hard, bro. It definitely was hard,” he told Perk. “But I see the future with the team. I see what we’ve got in the young dudes. I see we have the most money to spend. I think we’ve got the most. We’re the youngest team. Kind of like Oklahoma City — it took them a while to get good. I think that’ll be how it is here. But I’m with it. I want to stay in Brooklyn.”

He even admitted that between the time he was snubbed for the All-Star Game in early February and the time he was finally shut down with a hamstring issue on April 3, he was not the same player. He said he regrets taking his “foot off the gas.“

“I regret that once I didn’t make that All-Star game, I let my foot off the gas because there really wasn’t anything we were playing for anymore. We couldn’t make the playoffs, I couldn’t be an All-Star… I wasn’t in the weight room as much, I wasn’t preparing as much, and my 3-point percentage dropped.”

As Erik Slater noted Thursday, MPJ averaged 20.5 points on 40.9% shooting from the field and 25.6% from three over his final 14 games after the All-Star reserves were announced. For the season, he put up 24.2 points, 7.1 rebounds while shooting 46/36/86.

Porter of course is eligible for an extension up to $234 million over four years. He can starting talking to Sean Marks & co. starting on June 30 and although the top of the range seems quite pricey, both sides have offered positive takes about a future together. The 6’10” 27-year-old will make $40.8 million this season, the last on the five-year, $172 million deal he signed with the Nuggets. The Nets certainly had offers to move him at the trade decline, but reportedly told suitors, thanks but no thanks.

Asked if he thinks he could be the No. 1 option on a championship team, he admitted he’d need a co-star and that he’s talked to the front office about possibilities. Peyton Watson anyone?

Although he didn’t talk much about his current teammates, he offered a take on Cam Thomas’ exit from the Nets and later the Bucks, suggesting Thomas’ personality played a big part of his failure to harness all his powers. While conceding Thomas was one of the best shotmakers in the league, he said that’s not enough.

“There’s a lot more to sticking around in the NBA than just [scoring]. For Cam, I think it was a mixture of him being frustrated with a lot of things and also his personality… He doesn’t really socialize… He’ll say like two words all day, all practice. He doesn’t really talk to anybody. I don’t think he does it in a way where he’s trying to be a bad teammate. I just think that’s him.

“But when it comes to a team being willing to pay you and make you a No. 1 option, it comes with so much more [responsibility]. I don’t know if he was willing to break out of his personality and be talkative and try to be a leader and try to bring guys together. I think that’s kind of what happened here in Brooklyn.”

Porter, as he has in the past, did not step back from his controversial takes on culture beyond sports, saying he thinks it’s even helped his career …. financially.

“I think the reason that I make a lot of money in the NBA, but I still want to do other things, is because most NBA players, and most athletes — or people who have a lot to lose — are like robots. They want to maintain a certain image. They want to not disturb the peace. They want to shut up and dribble. They just want to play their sport, stay out of the way, and whatever. I always wanted to actually have a platform. I wanted to use my platform to actually have an impact and be able to talk about what I want to talk about.”

• Michael Porter Jr. hits Cam Thomas with harsh reality after messy Nets, Bucks exits – Erik Slater – Clutch Points

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The New York Knicks get ready to run the “Rocky Steps,” with their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Philadelphia 76ers shifting to the City of Brotherly Love.

My Knicks vs. 76ers predictions give a hat tip to the home team, with Philadelphia winning on the strength of its defense. That means shutting down New York superstar Jalen Brunson and continuing to get production from Paul George.

Here are my latest NBA picks for May 8.

Our best Knicks vs 76ers SGP for Game 3

SGP leg #1: 76ers moneyline

The Philadelphia 76ers are against the wall in Game 3, down 0-2 to the New York Knicks. After rallying in Round 1, the 76ers aren’t panicking and will turn to their defense to get the job done.

Potentially having Joel Embiid back is big, and the Knicks possibly missing OG Anunoby is even bigger. 

SGP leg #2: Jalen Brunson Under 26.5 points

Although Jalen Brunson finished with 26 points in Game 2, he wasn’t at his best, shooting just 9-for-21 from the field and needing several trips to the foul line to boost his total. Philadelphia threw longer defenders at Brunson, using Kelly Oubre Jr. and VJ Edgecombe to close the gaps quicker.

With Embiid back inside and clogging up the key, Brunson won’t get easy looks or space on the perimeter. He also doesn’t draw the same whistles on the road as he does in MSG, limiting his scoring from the stripe. 

Brunson's projections sit as low as 24 points for Game 3.

SGP leg #3: Paul George Over 16.5 points

Paul George has been the 76ers’ most consistent offensive player in the playoffs. He’s topped his scoring prop in four of his last five outings and scored 19 points in Game 2, thanks to a red-hot start from beyond the arc.

With Anunoby either out or limited, New York has some serious rotation issues, which could leave smaller players on PG. He’s projected for 17+ points on Friday.

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See our full Knicks vs 76ers 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 Knicks vs 76ers predictions for Game 3.

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Stay up-to-date with the latest NBA Championship odds for each remaining team, as well as NBA title splits, betting trends, and the previous list of teams that have won the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

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See what the current line movement and updates are in the NBA Finals MVP odds race, along with Finals MVP betting trends, favorite analysis, and recent superstars to receive this award.

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Why Jaylen Brown isn't backing down from ‘favorite season' statement originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown recently raised eyebrows by labeling the 2025-26 season as his “favorite.” However, his statement should come as no surprise to those who paid attention throughout the campaign.

Brown called it his “favorite season” during a Twitch stream one day after the Celtics blew a 3-1 first-round series lead to the Philadelphia 76ers. He doubled down on his remarks during another stream on Wednesday night.

“You got to see all of these guys, all of my teammates, grow,” Brown said. “I got to see them overcome adversity as a group, up close and personal. … Obviously, we’re not satisfied with the result. If it sounds like an excuse, it’s not. But to fight and maneuver through adversity and grow, and galvanize with a bunch of guys and to have that mindset and approach, this was my favorite year.

“I wouldn’t say by far. By far would be a stretch because obviously winning the championship is great. But I’m telling y’all, this was my favorite season.”

Understandably, Brown calling it his favorite season immediately after Boston’s collapse didn’t sit well with many fans. Plus, one would think that hanging Banner 18 at TD Garden would trump a first-round exit, especially when star teammate Jayson Tatum missed most of the season and Game 7 due to injuries.

But Brown made similar statements on several occasions before his postseason Twitch streams. Throughout the campaign, the 10-year veteran spoke glowingly about the Celtics’ supporting cast blossoming and the team exceeding its preseason “gap year” expectations. He called it his “favorite season” as early as December.

Brown’s messaging has been consistent all season long. Here’s a look back at some of his most noteworthy quotes that show why he considers the 2025-26 season the “favorite” of his illustrious career:

Dec. 22, 2025 – ‘Favorite season so far’

Brown called it his “favorite season so far” after leading the Celtics to a 20-point comeback win over the Indiana Pacers. Boston improved to 18-11 with 13 wins in its last 17 games.

“I think this has been my favorite season so far,” he said. “Being able to get the opportunity to lead a group of guys who – some of us, we have some championship experience, but we have five or six new guys who haven’t really played NBA basketball. And now, we look like one of the better teams in the league.

“That’s just credit to our coaching staff and credit to our leadership that we’ve been able to get those guys comfortable, and we’re playing some good basketball right now. So it means everything.”

Jan. 21, 2026 – Brown praises Celtics’ ‘resiliency’

One month after his first “favorite season” declaration, Brown raved about the Celtics’ resiliency as the second-place team in the East without Jayson Tatum.

“Very resilient, very tough,” he said. “Start of the season, the expectations weren’t high. But these guys, they came in and worked day in and day out. Last year, we were second in the East. We’re halfway through the season and we’re second in the East.

“That’s just a testament to the work ethic, the resiliency of our head coach, of our leadership. It’s a testament to where we are right now.”

Feb. 12, 2026 – First-half comparison

During the All-Star break, Brown took to social media to compare the team’s 2025-26 first-half numbers with those from 2024-25. Boston’s record, seeding, offensive rating, and defensive rating were eerily similar to the previous year.

“I’m proud of this group and staff/office,” he wrote on X. “Looking forward to 2nd half go C’s.”

Feb. 16, 2026 – Brown ‘extremely proud’ of Celtics’ season

Brown couldn’t help but smile while speaking about his team’s surprising success at the All-Star break. Boston entered the break with a 35-19 record.

“To see them finding their ground, their footing, and playing well – as a leader, I can’t tell you how much that means to me, to see those guys kind of starting to flourish on their own,” he said of the Celtics’ supporting cast. “Before, when the season started, there was uncertainty.

“I’m proud. I don’t know what to tell ya’ll, I’m extremely proud of our group, where we’re at right now. Second in the East versus how many players (we lost) and everything that was being said, the gap year, and for us to be sitting here at the All-Star break and having our guys feeling like we could even be better, I’m proud, bro. It’s been great, it’s been fun.”

March 30, 2026 – So much for a “gap year”

With Tatum back in the fold, the Celtics beat the Charlotte Hornets on March 29 for their 50th win of the season. Few expected Boston to accomplish that feat during what was expected to be a “gap year” with Tatum sidelined due to an Achilles injury.

“50 wins in a gap year,” Brown wrote on X after win No. 50.

April 12, 2026 – More love for the bench guys

With the No. 2 seed in the East locked up, the Celtics’ second unit got a chance to shine in the regular-season finale against the fully healthy Orlando Magic. Boston earned a 113-108 victory in arguably the most entertaining game of the season, with Baylor Scheierman (30 points), Ron Harper Jr. (27 points), and Luka Garza (27 points) each having memorable performances.

Brown, who often credited the role players for making it his “favorite season,” took to social media with a simple message after the thrilling win.

“I love this team.”

May 2, 2026 – A ‘great season’ despite Game 7 loss

Brown didn’t hang his head after the Celtics blew a 3-1 series lead to the 76ers. Instead, he called the 2025-26 campaign “probably one of my most fun years playing basketball,” while once again mentioning the growth of his teammates.

“It was a great season. I’m proud of my teammates and just their growth,” Brown said. “I’m so grateful to be with this group. This group is awesome. I had a fun year. This is probably one of my most fun years playing basketball.”

The Lakers’ offense has been struggling all postseason long, and Game 1 against the Thunder was no exception.

Los Angeles failed to crack 100 points, losing on the road to OKC. In fact, in their last five playoff games, LA has only scored above the century mark once.

Despite the inability to put the ball through the hoop, the Lakers are certain that change is going to come.

“We’re going to make shots,” Marcus Smart said postgame. “It’s just a matter of time and we just got to continue to make sure we’re shooting them.”

LA and OKC took the same number of attempts at 85, but the Thunder just made more shots. OKC went49% from the field and 43% from deep, while LA shot 41% overall and 31% from beyond the arc.

Besides just making more of their shots, LeBron James offered insights into how those looks can be improved.

“We have to be better at finding ways to get into the blender, finding ways to get into the paint,” LeBron said. “We know they’re a paint-swarming team so we have to be better with getting into the paint, not turning the ball over and shooting with confidence. I thought we got some really good looks.”

Similar to putting points on the board, turnovers have also been an issue for LA. They had 18 in Game 1 and lead the playoffs in this category, averaging 17.7 per game. That can’t continue if the Lakers want to pull off a series upset. No one has beaten OKC even once in the playoffs, and self-inflicted errors will not lead to anything good for LA.

On the plus side, this was just one game, and the path towards improvement is clear. The Lakers need to protect the ball, get in the paint and take advantage of the looks they get from deep.

“We watched the film and know we can shoot a lot on threes on this team,” Rui Hachimura said. “I think they gave up a lot of threes in the regular season. They’re like one of the worst teams or something [at allowing threes]. We talked about that. I think we need to shoot more threes for sure, especially against them. I think in the second half we did a better job, but we could have done it in the first.”

Even with how badly things went for LA, they hung around with OKC for most of the game. This was just one performance, and not every contest will go this way. Austin Reaves will play better, LA’s defense has proven to be respectable and if a couple more shots can go down, they can still leave OKC with a 1-1 split.

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