Champions League semi-final delicately poised at 1-1
‘We are so hungry to get the game we want tomorrow’
Mikel Arteta promised that Arsenal’s players will turn into “beasts” as they attempt to reach the Champions League final for the first time since 2006.
Arsenal drew 1-1 in the first leg of their semi-final against Atlético Madrid last week and will be confident of overcoming Diego Simeone’s side after winning five of their six matches in this competition at the Emirates Stadium so far this season, conceding only three goals. Viktor Gyökeres scored twice in a 4-0 win over Atlético during the group stage, although Arsenal will be wary of underestimating the team that knocked out Barcelona in the quarter-finals.
In preparation for tonight’s Game 1 against the San Antonio Spurs, we sat down with JR Wilco at our sister site Pounding the Rock to discuss what we’re looking out for from our respective opponents. If you want to engage in some light-hearted and kind (stressing this, don’t be obnoxious like Denver Nuggets fans were/are), you can do so at their site here.
J.R. Wilco
I think you’d agree that to say that you were down on Minnesota’s chances entering Game 6 would be a pretty serious understatement. Your piece on Denver’s win over the Wolves in Game 5 was about as serious an indictment of your team’s performance as the government’s charges against Harish Chidambaran.
And yet you guys made Nikola Jokić look ordinary and Jamal Murray look putrid. Minny too the “next man up” mantra to another level. See, that cliche is supposed to mean that when a guy goes down, his replacement is ready to play in his place. It’s not supposed to mean that the replacement suddenly auditions to be a starter on the all star team! I went from being ecstatic that the Spurs wouldn’t play Denver to being afraid that they’ve be hard pressed to take down a team that’s currently under attack from the injury bug.
So tell me, a) how did you guys take down Denver while so shorthanded, b) what should I be most concerned about in Game 1, and what are you most afraid of, besides Wemby?
Thilo
Beating Denver in Game 6 came down to a few factors: paint touches, paint deterrence, and sheer, unadulterated hatred.
MINNEAPOLIS , MN – APRIL 25: Jaden McDaniels (3) of the Minnesota Timberwolves locks up Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets during the third quarter of the Timberwolves' 112-96 win in game four of their NBA Playoffs series at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Saturday, April 25, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) | Denver Post via Getty Images
Before Ayo Dosumnu went down with a calf injury, his shot diet in his 43 point masterclass in Game 4 was functionally all layups outside of his 5/5 three point shooting. The rest of the Wolves team existed in a similarly slash-friendly environment.
There was, and this is no exaggeration, no rim protection whatsoever on the Nuggets roster to the point that Spencer Jones was the primary paint presence for Games 3-6. This enabled a TJ Shannon sighting (his only above-average skill at the NBA level is finding his way to the rim) and allowed the Timberwolves, one of the league’s most inconsistent offensive teams, to score over 110 in all but one game.
On the other side of things, Denver could not find a way to score at their normal level when run off the three point line. As much as we can point at Jamal Murray (and laugh), Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr turning back into pumpkins hurt just as much.
Funnily enough, Jaden McDaniels’ best defensive role is not as a perimeter stopper. While he’s more than capable there, he is arguably better suited as a help side defender (we’ll get to that later). To that point, I doubt we see a remotely similar strategy for San Antonio as we saw against Denver.
I’d say that role change for McDaniels is the biggest thing to be worried about. Outside of the obvious “we get to match your top-five player with our returning top-seven guy”, that’s the thing I hope would change.
A defensive matchup of Ayo on Fox, TJ on Vassell, and Gobert on Wemby, with Jaden roaming off of whoever of Castle or Champagnie is less intimidating could be incredibly fun, incredibly destructive, and disastrously low scoring.
As far as what’s the scariest in facing the Spurs, you guys just simply have more things you can count on than we do. While we have flexibility and house money, you have a winning formula that has been shaped by your whole season and has little to no restructuring needed.
For more concrete answers, the Wolves are already down a ton of initiators, and the defensive pressure the Spurs can put on guys who are already more used to and more prepared for facing third and fourth defensive options could instantly collapse the whole cobbled together formula the Wolves built so quickly.
That formula included a Game 6 lineup that was supersized, with Jaden McDaniels at the two, Naz Reid at the three, and both Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert filling out the space alongside TJ Shannon’s “go straight through them” play at point. The Spurs size comes primarily in the form of Wemby, how do the rest of the Spurs deal with that lineup and the size it brings?
J.R.
You say unadulterated hatred. I hear properly channeled distaste, because in my experience playing angry might work in spurts, but will wear you out over a full 48 minutes. Shoot, even half a basketball game would probably be too much. That said, the way your crew was able to stick around with a dwindling roster until the clock struck midnight on Denver was one of the more impressive things I’ve seen in the NBA this year. Watching those Nuggets turning into pumpkins and mice was as enjoyable as it was unexpected.
You say that McDaniels’ defense isn’t best suited for being a perimeter stopper, but I’m going to expect Fox and Castle and Harper to put enough pressure on the Wolves that he’s going to need to spend time out there on the regular, regardless of how much he would prefer to play weak side help.
SACRAMENTO, CA – NOVEMBER 24: Naz Reid #11 and Julius Randle #30 of the Minnesota Timberwolves look on during the game against the Sacramento Kings on November 24, 2025 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. 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 Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
As for the lineup you asked about, my primary concern with this series is Randle and Reid wrecking San Antonio from deep when they have the ball, and causing Wemby all kinds of problems as they defend. Honestly, besides Aaron Gordon, Julius probably played the best defense I saw on Victor all season. As for how San Antonio will deal with all that size, that’s the $64,000 question, and I’m so glad it’s being asked.
For so much of the season, Mitch Johnson has allowed the Spurs to play pretty ordinary sets without much imagination or complexity. Or to be more blunt, San Antonio’s offense has often been very straightforward and bordering on elementary. In defense of this strategy, it’s been effective. Why push the team to do more when a basic offense is enough to win? Well, the answer is: the playoffs. They’re here now and Minnesota’s defense and size might be exactly what forces the Spurs to pull out all the stops.
Now I’m not expecting them to start whizzing the ball around the court like the 2014 Spurs, but I wouldn’t complain if they did. Lacking that, I think San Antonio’s offense is at its best when Wemby is off the ball and the team takes advantage of the gravity his vertical threat creates. When teams are terrified of him getting downhill without the ball, or receiving passes anywhere close to the paint without a man bodying him, it opens up space for guys to shoot open threes and gash defenses with aggressive drives and timely cuts. That’s when defenses react to the pressure from the rest of the team such that Wemby gets single-teamed or even forgotten – which is obviously a death sentence.
Which brings me back to Wemby, and this time I won’t ask you to not use him as an answer to your question. With so much of your success against Denver being to attack the rim, and with Wemby being elite at protecting the paint and guarding multiple guys simultaneously, what do you see as the best chance that Minny has to produce points and make San Antonio’s defense uncomfortable?
Thilo
I could take this answer in so many different directions. The answer I want to give, or rather the thing that I think people can’t read about elsewhere, is Rudy Gobert’s impact as a passer on the short roll.
We often think of scoring in the paint as the only way to maximize drives. Either you lay it up or you don’t. Either you dunk it or you’re blocked, and so on.
Gobert has never been one to lay it up confidently, or even dunk it safely. Describing his offensive game as invisible was doing him a kindness for many, many years. When a player’s primary offensive impact is screen assists, you need to be a real basketball degenerate to give him some credit for that side of the ball.
However, a compliment that was once hard to give has now found itself to a more obvious, highlight-worthy place.
Taking a page from his mortal enemy, Draymond Green, Rudy Gobert has evolved not as a play finisher but as a play extender. There was a single play in Game 6 that led to a TJ Shannon three pointer in the right corner that comes to mind.
I think kind of lost in last night's game was the fact that Rudy Gobert had 8 assists.
Gobert was great on the short roll the whole series, which was critical for him to be in this series, given how Denver likes to play Nikola Jokic up the floor, at the level of the screen.… pic.twitter.com/i6eCAxoblY
Pointing out just one play implies that this was a special occurrence, but this happened throughout the series. The worry with Wemby is always as much about rim deterrence as it is actual block numbers. A past version of Gobert would’ve been more willing to flail wildly at the rim in an attempt to draw a foul or do anything once the original plan of “finish the pick and roll” was flushed.
Today’s version of Gobert can rethink and create a new plan.
What does this mean on a larger scale? Improvisation is alive and well in Minnesota. Each player that should be getting rotation minutes for the Wolves has some way to deal with the court ending eight or so feet further from the rim than they are used to.
Jaden McDaniels’ mid range was fantastic in Game 6. TJ Shannon is a blur in transition. Julius Randle has his elbow touches. The list goes on. The playoffs are often about good players losing their favorite options and having to make due with their third or fourth choice.
This is no different.
The “motion offense” has been a bit of a running joke in Wolves circles ever since Chris Finch arrived in Minnesota. As much as higher management has approached roster building, Finch individually has valued one skill above all else: consistency.
Whoever is guarded by Wemby will be responsible for pulling him from the rim. Even moreso, I assume that whoever the Wolves will want to attack on switches will be the target for four of five players on the court. For the Suns in 2024, that player was Devin Booker. Last series, it was Jamal Murray. Against the Spurs? My guess would be DeAaron Fox.
There are so many more questions I’d have, but I’m sure Mitch Johnson reads this, and I don’t want to give away too many answers! We will see how this game turns out!
Viva Las Vegas, baby. The Ducks have made it to the second round, winning their first playoff series in nine years in their first playoff berth in eight years against the defending Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers.
They find themselves against the Vegas Golden Knights, the first time that these two teams are facing each other in the playoffs. It’s the first time since the Golden Knights’ inaugural season that both teams are in the playoffs.
“They're a good hockey team,” Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville said. “They’ve got balance, they skate, they're big, they go to the net, they defend pretty well, they play as a group of five in all zones, they seem to be connected. Not a lot of holes. I think that we’ve got to be at our best. We're gonna have to make sure that we start the series (hard). Every game's going to be important that we play consistently, we can't give up leads. When I say leads, we can't give up basically chasing a game—like we saw most of the year and in that last round as well—to have success. So, let's make sure our starts are going to be better.”
Feb 1, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal (1) defends the goal as Vegas Golden Knights right wing Keegan Kolesar (55) screens him during the third period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
“Everybody’s really excited,” Mason McTavish said. “We’ve got a great Vegas team we’re gonna be playing, so I'm just excited for that challenge. They’ve got a lot of great players and so do we, so it should be a great series and we're looking forward to it.”
Troy Terry has regularly missed morning skates over the past month or so, but will play in Game 1, per Quenneville. Radko Gudas (lower-body) participated in Monday’s morning skate and could be an option going forward. He has not played since Game 1 of the Oilers series.
Former Duck William Karlsson will return to the lineup for the Golden Knights in Game 1. He had been out since November with a lower-body injury. His re-insertion into the lineup gives the Golden Knights four steady cogs down the middle in Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner, Karlsson and Nic Dowd.
Ducks defenseman Jacob Trouba speaks to the media after their morning skate at T-Mobile Arena.
Tennessee basketball keeps adding to its star-studded transfer portal haul, adding Wake Forest guard Juke Harris on Monday, May 4.
Harris, the No. 2-ranked overall player in the transfer portal in USA TODAY's rankings, averaged 21.4 points with 6.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game last season on 44.4% shooting. He chose the Vols over Michigan, which he visited, and North Carolina, among others.
Harris is Tennessee's third transfer portal addition inside USA TODAY's top-50 rankings, along with former VCU guard Terrence Hill Jr. (No. 17) and former Notre Dame forward Jalen Haralson (No. 33). The Vols will likely be one of the best offensive teams in the country next season, as they also added Cal transfer Dai Dai Ames (16.9 points per game in 2025-26) and sharpshooter Tyler Lundblade from Belmont (15.6 points per game).
The All-ACC second-team selection was the conference's Most Improved Player last season, and has the longest streak of games (over 35) with 10 or more points in Wake Forest history. His 730 points in 2025-26 were also the second-most in program history.
The Salisbury, North Carolina, native was a four-star recruit in the 2024 recruiting class, tabbed as the No. 88-ranked player and No. 15 shooting guard in the class, per 247Sports' Composite rankings. He visited Tennessee as a high school recruit before choosing Wake Forest.
Harris scored 30 or more points in three games last season, two of which resulted in losses against NC State and Boston College. He scored 38 points in Wake Forest's 68-67 loss to Boston College in February, scoring more than half of the Demon Deacons' points.
Coach Rick Barnes should have his best roster on paper at Tennessee next season, with Harris assuredly being the Vols' go-to scorer.
"Flopping has ruined our game. Joel Embiid is a great player, one of the best bigs in f****** basketball history... [he] flops. He know it. This ain't breaking news."
Playing in four games in the series, Embiid had 37 free throw attempts, a little more than nine a game. He had more total attempts from the stripe than any other 76ers player and everyone on Boston except Brown, who played in all seven games. That alone is not evidence of flopping, it's evidence of Embiid playing a physical style in the paint and attacking the rim with the ball, which leads to drawing fouls.
Brown called out the referees, too, particularly about the offensive foul calls against him, usually for using his off arm to create space (which he did pretty blatantly at times). Brown said on the Twitch stream that he was doing what every other player in the league does.
"That is such the common basketball play, every player does it. So why are you targeting me? They clearly had an agenda, maybe because I spoke, you know I was critical other refs in the regular season... And I've actually spoke to some refs, and they said it was, it was an agenda going into each game, that anytime Jaylen brings his arm up, just from reputation, just call it like But Paul George does the same thing. Jalen Brunson does the same thing. S***, I can go down the list. It's a basketball play."
Brown can expect a fine from the league for that. I would also argue that while a lot of drivers do use their off arm at times, Brown uses his off arm more forcefully — and often — than others to create space.
Yet another push-off that Jaylen Brown got away with & this one directly impacts Joel Embiid…
He was able to luckily stay in the game & seems to be fine, but my hell… Tatum & Brown truly get away with more push-offs than any other players in the entire NBA. Clear as day. pic.twitter.com/YNdfWsmNxL
Ultimately, none of this changes the fact that Brown had an All-NBA season, his best as a pro, nor does it change the fact that his Celtics got bounced from the playoffs much earlier than expected.
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Timberwolves Game 1 computer picks
Rudy Gobert Over 8.5 points (+100)
Projection: 10.81 points
This number is plus money because of Victor Wembanyama, and he's also the reason this is a five-star play with a 26.57% EV edge. Rudy Gobert will see plenty of minutes in this series to try to contain Wemby, and that time on the floor will naturally result in more shots.
Nine points is not asking a lot, as Gobert cleared this line three times vs. Denver.
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Naz Reid Over 12.5 points (-110)
Projection: 12.58 points
Naz Reid is one of the best bench players in the NBA, and he'll be able to go to work against the San Antonio Spurs' bench unit. Reid is fresh off a 15-point performance in Game 7, and he'll carry that shooting stroke into Game 1.
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Julius Randle Over 18.5 points (-120)
Projection: 19.50 points
Julius Randle's Game 1 points total is right around what he averaged against the Nuggets in Round 1. Anthony Edwards' status remains questionable, meaning several shots are still up for grabs.
Randle will get more than enough shots to reach 19 points.
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Spurs Game 1 computer picks
Dylan Harper Over 9.5 points (-120)
Projection: 11.70 points
Dylan Harper balled out against Portland, averaging 12.6 points per game on 56% shooting. It's no surprise this prop is showing a 23.76% EV edge. Harper is trusted to lead the Spurs' bench unit, and our model suggests he'll do that to perfection again tonight.
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De'Aaron Fox Over 17.5 points (-112)
Projection: 20.26 points
De'Aaron Fox has awakened. The point guard cleared this line in three of the five outings against the Blazers, finishing with 17 in the other two.
Fox should put up plenty more points tonight, which is why this is the third five-star play according to our model.
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Julian Champagnie Over 8.5 points (-112)
Projection: 10.34 points
Julian Champagnie's job gets a whole lot easier when Wemby is on the floor. The wing just needs to knock down his catch-and-shoot threes, and he'll clear this line with little resistance.
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How to watch Timberwolves vs Spurs Game 1
Location
Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX
Date
Monday, May 4, 2026
Tip-off
9:30 p.m. ET
TV
NBC/Peacock
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
UPDATE: Added a prediction for who will win tonight.
The Detroit Pistons and the Cleveland Cavaliers struggled in their own ways to advance, but here we are, with Game 1 set for May 5.
My Cavaliers vs. Pistons predictions and NBA picks expect Jarrett Allen to struggle to grab rebounds in the series opener.
Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 1 prediction
Who will win Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 1?
Pistons: You cannot cite the wear-and-tear of a seven-game series for any edge when both teams played a Game 7 on Sunday. But one does wonder if Detroit’s three straight wins to prevail in the first round were a reflection of something greater, of a better understanding of the postseason.
Trust the momentum when combined with home court on short notice.
Cavaliers vs Pistons best bet: Jarrett Allen Under 7.5 rebounds (+100)
Jarrett Allen’s Round 1 numbers were inflated by two astounding performances. In the other five games, he failed to clear this very modest rebounding prop.
The Cleveland Cavaliers ranked only No. 11 in the NBA following the All-Star Break in defensive rebounding percentage, very notable against the Detroit Pistons, the No. 3 offensive rebounding team in that time. Detroit is led by Jalen Duren’s relentlessness on the offensive glass.
A few extra Duren offensive boards should cut directly into Allen’s total, particularly since Allen managed only five total offensive rebounds in the five games last round, he fell short of this conservative number.
COVERS INTEL: Allen fell short of this prop in two of his three games against the Pistons this season, grabbing as few as three rebounds in their most recent matchup.
Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 1 same-game parlay
Allen’s and Cleveland’s overall struggle on the defensive glass should come specifically to Duren’s benefit. He lived on the offensive glass against the Magic, grabbing at least four offensive boards in five of those seven games and at least five in the last three games, all Pistons wins.
When finding five offensive rebounds, double-digit boards becomes exceedingly likely.
And combining a rebounding edge with homecourt advantage should assure Detroit of a Game 1 win.
Cavaliers vs Pistons SGP
Jarrett Allen Under 7.5 rebounds
Jalen Duren Over 9.5 rebounds
Pistons moneyline
Our "from downtown" SGP: Duren's dichotomy
Perhaps it should be considered impressive. Despite grabbing at least four offensive rebounds in five of the seven games in the first round, Duren scored more than 12 points just once, when he topped out at 15 points in Game 7. He is not turning those boards into points, thus creating value in a rather counterintuitive same-game parlay.
Cavaliers vs Pistons SGP
Jarrett Allen Under 7.5 rebounds
Jalen Duren Over 9.5 rebounds
Jalen Duren Under 15.5 points
Pistons -3
Cavaliers vs Pistons odds for Game 1
Spread: Cavaliers +3 | Pistons -3
Moneyline: Cavaliers +130 | Pistons -155
Over/Under: Over 215.5 | Under 215.5
Cavaliers vs Pistons betting trend to know
Five of Cleveland’s seven first-round games went Over their totals, including the last three. Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Pistons.
How to watch Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 1
Location
Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
Date
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Tip-off
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
NBCSN/Peacock
Cavaliers vs Pistons latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
May 1, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers players on the bench react after a basket by Los Angeles Lakers forward Lebron James (23, not shown) against the Houston Rockets during the second quarter of game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images
As normal, it’s been a while since we’ve had a mailbag. And I won’t make any promises of it returning with any regularity, particularly with the chaotic schedule coming up for the Lakers this series, but let’s have some fun and ask some questions!
We’re going to have a quick turnaround on this one with the answers coming on Tuesday afternoon prior to Game 1. So, if you have any questions about the upcoming Lakers-Thunder series, fire away.
Similarly, if you have any thoughts or questions about the rest of the NBA playoffs so far — of which the Nuggets and Celtics are no longer part of, notably — then send those, too. And lastly, the WNBA season is set to kick off this weekend, so fire those in as well if you have them.
Is the tanking man a sucker? We’ll know in about a week. The NBA lottery is just a few days away, and we’re nervous as ever in Brooklyn. At the same time, a few ex-Nets are making noise in the NBA playoffs while the Liberty are gearing up for a title run of their own. Lucas Kaplan rejoins the show to talk us through it all!
In this episode of The Brooklyn with Pooch & Collin, we touch on:
How a handful of ex-Nets are looking in the playoffs
The importance of landing a top pick (duh, right?)
What to expect from the New York Liberty this year
The Minnesota Timberwolves are about to embark on their climb over Mount Wembanyama. Before things tip off, let’s take a look at the 56 voters and their predictions on the series in…
(Note: Canis Pulsus Vol. 49 data was collected through 5/4)
LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 15: Victor Wembanyama #1 of World Team and Anthony Edwards #5 of the USA Stars Team go up for the opening tip off during the 75th NBA All-Star Game as part of NBA All-Star Weekend on Sunday, February 15, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Atiba Jefferson/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
What will be the result of round two vs San Antonio Spurs matchup?
Wolves in 6 (28.6%)
About 20% of voters went with Wolves in seven so I think it’s safe to say that you all know ball. No one picked Wolves in a sweep against the Spurs, but over 63% of you were Raised by Wolves. Anthony Edwards’ return will have a huge impact on how this series goes, but it’ll be intriguing either way.
Full voting results:
The key for the Timberwolves to defeat the Spurs is…
Physical defense and Julius Randle
The main two themes from the various answers to this question were playing hardnosed, physical defense, as the play of Julius Randle. If there’s one word to describe Randle as a basketball player, it’s physical. Now is Julius going to be the head of the snake on the defensive end? Certainly not. But many Wolves talking heads have zeroed in on his opportunity on both ends of the court.
Other answers here include perimeter shooting, Ant’s return to form, and “stopping guard penetration.” (SMUT)
My hot take from the Wolves-Spurs series is…
Julius is going to steal Wemby’s underpants
You might have missed it, but “someone” allegedly jacked the ol’ undergarments of Nikola Jokić after their dramatic game four loss. It must’ve worked because the Wolves won the series. Can they pull off the same miracle for a very different size and shaped underwear?
There were certainly some fun ones in the answer pool here too:
Sorry, I don’t really know ball
Beringer will get meaningful minutes in 1 game
Alien crashes
Conley, TJ, Julius and Jaden will each win the Wolves a game
This is the last time we see Julius in a Wolves uniform
Wolves will avoid meltdowns
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – APRIL 30: Terrence Shannon Jr. #1 and Jaden McDaniels #3 of the Minnesota Timberwolves are interviewed after defeating the Denver Nuggets 110-98 in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Target Center on April 30, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Timberwolves season will be a success if…
It’s already a success (40%)
Almost half of our voters felt that this season was already a success, and it’s hard to disagree with that considering the barrel they were staring down in the first round. Underdogs, homecourt disadvantage, injuries out the ying yang, the list goes on. The best part of this mindset is that no matter what the Wolves do now, they can only go up! Right?
Full voting results:
With the regular season over, my feelings on the direction of the Timberwolves are…
I was surprised to see optimism wan just a little bit after Minnesota eliminated Denver. That said, overly 80% of voters were optimistic which is much higher than the nice 69% of voters heading into the post season. To the moon!
Full voting results:
We’ll see if Wolves fans overestimated their playoff opponent against this round. Regardless, the receipts are in and the check will come due soon enough. I think I’m doing that analogy wrong, but whatever. Wolves in 4.
The first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs is complete, and although the Florida Panthers did not participate, several former Panthers players have moved on.
The first round featured several thrilling series, as well as sweeps.
Today, we’ll look at how each former Panthers player fared in the first round and what comes next for them in the second round.
Owen Tippett and Noah Juulsen, Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers pulled off a slight upset over the Pittsburgh Penguins, winning the series in six games. The Flyers made a late run into the playoffs and carried that momentum into the playoffs.
Former first-round pick of the Panthers, Owen Tippett, was a force for the Flyers. The 27-year-old only scored one goal and two points, but his speed was a handful for the Penguins to deal with. Unfortunately, he picked up an injury against the Penguins and was held out of the lineup for Game 1 against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Noah Juulsen played just four games with the Panthers, but he’s become a serviceable third-pairing defender. Juulsen played in four games against the Penguins, failing to record a point and averaging 10:51 of ice time.
Brandon Bussi and Mike Reilly, Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are rolling. They swept the Ottawa Senators in the first round and started their series against the Flyers with a dominant 3-0 win.
While Brandon Bussi hasn’t played, Frederik Andersen has been the starting netminder for the Hurricanes. He was great for the Hurricanes during the regular season. Bussi was signed to a two-way deal by the Panthers in the off-season, but was claimed off waivers by the Hurricanes in pre-season.
As for Mike Reilly, he played just two games with the Panthers, but he has been an effective defenseman throughout his career. Reilly did not play in the first round, but the 32-year-old notched two assists in Game 1 against the Flyers.
Samuel Montembeault and Mike Matheson, Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round in Game 7 just last night. Montembeault didn’t dress for any game, as he has been demoted to the third-string netminder.
The 29-year-old was a third-round pick of the Panthers in 2015, but played just 25 games with the organization.
Mike Matheson played 299 games with the Panthers, the most of any team in his career, although it will be the Canadiens with whom he’s played the most soon. The 32-year-old has posted some strong offensive seasons in his career, but now he’s used more as a solid second-pairing two-way defender.
The Canadiens are set for a challenging second-round matchup against the Buffalo Sabres.
Alex Lyon has posted a .955 save percentage and 1.14 goals-against average in the playoffs so far. (Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images)
Alex Lyon, Buffalo Sabres
Alex Lyon is a Panthers hero, and now he’s becoming a Sabres icon. Lyon helped the Panthers make a late push to the playoffs in 2023, and now he’s stepped into the crease in place of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and has dominated.
The 33-year-old guided the Sabres to three wins, allowing just one goal in each win. He allowed just two goals in his only loss in the playoffs so far.
Frank Vatrano and Radko Gudas, Anaheim Ducks
Radko Gudas and Frank Vatrano haven’t been a factor in the Anaheim Ducks’ success. If anything, Gudas did the opposite.
In Game 1 against the Edmonton Oilers, Gudas fell over his feet while Mattias Ekholm skated towards him, allowing a clean shot on goal before the Oilers scored on the rebound. Gudas then exited the lineup with an injury and has not returned. The Ducks went on to win four of the next five games.
As for Vatrano, he’s been a healthy scratch for the Ducks. He played five seasons in Florida, but the same issues that plagued him before continue: inconsistency.
The Minnesota Wild may have been handed the toughest hand in the first round, but they didn’t complain. Rather, they defeated the Dallas Stars in six games and looked more in control than the Stars did.
Vladimir Tarasenko was a bit quiet, but he remains a solid offensive player now in his mid-thirties. Tarasenko wasn’t an incredible producer for the Panthers when they won the Stanley Cup in 2024, but he pitched in when needed.
As for Petry, he was an off-season signing whom the Panthers traded away at the deadline. The veteran has skated in just one playoff game for the Wild so far.
The Wild will be in tough against the Colorado Avalanche in the second round, as Game 1 finished 9-6 in a loss for the Wild.
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OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - APRIL 2: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Chris Paul #3 of the Phoenix Suns talk during the game on April 2, 2023 at Paycom Arena 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It’s the first round of the NBA Playoffs without the Phoenix Suns, yet one of the most important players in the franchise’s history helped transform some of the best teams in the association into what they are today, including the team that defeated the Suns in the first round, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
In his three years in Phoenix, Chris Paul helped the Suns reach new heights, leading them to the Finals for the first time in 28 years, getting them to at least the Western Conference Semifinals in three straight seasons, along with running the show for the most successful regular season team in franchise history. Paul was a main reason the team became an attractive spot for Kevin Durant when he requested a trade from the Nets. Before his arrival, the Suns missed the playoffs 11 straight seasons.
His perfect shooting playoff game, 32-point Finals game, 41-point closeout game to get the team back to the Finals, and many other performances in his three years as a Sun will not be forgotten.
However, Paul didn’t just leave his mark in Phoenix in his final seasons of his career.
Before joining the Suns, the Point God helped in developing reigning Finals MVP Shai-Gilgeous Alexander into the lead wrecker he is today. Playing a season with Gilgeous-Alexander back in the 2019-2020 campaign, the scoring champion developed playing next to Paul, something he remains grateful for, even years later.
After he retired in February, Gilgeous-Alexander said that Paul was “special” for his career, setting the standard for how point guards should play. Alongside Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder All-Defensive Forward Lu Dort gives heavy praise to Paul for how he’s learned to guard NBA Superstars like James Harden.
In Paul’s last full season in the league, he joined the San Antonio Spurs to pair up with Victor Wembanyama. Amid a tumultuous and unfortunate year for the team, where NBA Legend Greg Popovich was able to coach just a handful of games before his coaching career was cut short due to a stroke, and Wembanyama’s season was ended early because of a blood clot, Paul was a stable force for the organization, playing in all 82 games for the team and leading them on and off the court.
During his time in San Antonio, Paul mentored Wembanyama, setting him up for lobs and open threes and paving the way for young guard Stephon Castle to become a two-way player for the Spurs. A year later, San Antonio is back in the playoffs, winning 60 games for the first time in nearly a decade, and is a heavy favorite to make the Western Conference Finals.
It’s very likely that either the Spurs or Thunder are hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy when the 2025-2026 season comes to a close. According to FanDuel, they’re the two favorites, and if the Thunder become the first back-to-back champs since the 2017-2018 Warriors, or the Spurs win their first ring in 12 years, a Suns legend will have helped them get there along the way.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 12: Marcus Smart #36 and Luke Kennard #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers look on during a game against the Dallas Mavericks at Crypto.com Arena on February 12, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Wally Skalij/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The injuries to Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves seemed like they’d end the Lakers’ season prematurely.
Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard had other ideas.
While LeBron James has temporarily returned as the head of the Lakers snake, he needed a few members of his supporting cast to step up in a big way. Smart and Kennard have answered the bell.
In the Lakers’ first-round series against the Houston Rockets, Smart averaged 14.7 points, 5.5 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 2.7 steals while shooting 46.4% overall and 44.8% from deep. Kennard got off to a hot start in the series with 27 points on 9-of-13 shooting in Game 1 and 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting in Game 2, although he came crashing back to earth after that.
The emergence of Smart and Kennard is great news for a short-handed Lakers team that capped off an impressive series with a Game 6 win. Although Reaves returned ahead of Game 5, Dončić still remains without a timetable to return. Smart, in particular, should continue to play a critical role for the Lakers.
The timing couldn’t be better for Kennard or Smart, both of whom could become free agents this offseason. Kennard is finishing up a one-year, $11 million contract, while Smart has a $5.4 million player option for the 2026-27 season that he may be increasingly likely to decline with each passing game.
The question is whether the Lakers can retain either or both.
The path to re-signing Smart and Kennard
The Lakers are still in line to be one of only a few teams with significant salary-cap space this offseason, so they could just use some of that money to re-sign Kennard and Smart, provided the latter opts out. On Thursday, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported that “it is increasingly anticipated leaguewide” that the Lakers will want to re-sign Kennard.
Kennard will be a non-Bird free agent, but there are multiple pathways that the Lakers could explore to keep him in the fold in a nod to the role he has earned in purple and gold under fellow Duke alumnus JJ Redick.
Fischer didn’t expound upon what those multiple pathways might be. Allow us to hazard a guess.
The most straightforward way would be to just use some of their roughly $50 million of cap space to re-sign Kennard. The Lakers could offer him anything up to a max deal, although he isn’t likely to sniff anything close to that. Something around the $15 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception seems like a reasonable starting point in negotiations.
The Lakers could also sign Kennard with their MLE, although if/when they go the cap-space route this offseason, they’re only going to have the $9.4 million room mid-level exception at their disposal. If Kennard were willing to take that, they could renounce their rights to him to wipe his $13.2 million cap hold off their books, then re-sign him after they spent the rest of their cap room.
The Lakers are likely to do some cap-hold chicanery with Austin Reaves this summer, but that’s not in play for Kennard or Smart since they’d both be non-Bird free agents. If the Lakers want to re-sign either of them via non-Bird rights, they can offer no more than 120 percent of what they were previously earning as the starting salary of their new contract. Their cap hold is also 120 percent of their previous salary.
If the Lakers want to re-sign Kennard or Smart via non-Bird rights, they’ll have to keep their cap holds on their books heading into the offseason. (It’s $13.2 million for Kennard and roughly $6.2 million for Smart.) They can’t offer a starting salary higher than those cap holds without dipping into their cap space or MLE, though.
So, while the Lakers could have more than $50 million in cap space this offseason, Kennard and Smart already may have some of that money set aside for them. That could hurt the Lakers’ chances of landing another marquee free agent unless they’re able to salary-dump the two years and $25.7 million left on Jarred Vanderbilt’s contract.
The good news is that the Brooklyn Nets and Chicago Bulls are the only other two teams guaranteed to have cap space this summer. They might not face much competition for Kennard or Smart, particularly north of $15 million per year.
The bad news is that the NBA’s new anti-tanking proposal reduces the incentive for rebuilding teams to throw away a season before it even begins. Even though the Bulls are heading directly into a rebuild and the Nets are firmly in one, both still figure to pursue veterans in free agency who can help keep them out of the bottom three of the standings.
If the Lakers are somehow able to lure Jalen Duren or Walker Kessler in restricted free agency, they might not be able to squeeze either of them in while keeping Kennard’s cap hold on their books. Otherwise, they have clear paths to re-sign both Kennard and Smart whether via cap space, non-Bird rights or their MLE.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 24: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks and VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers look on during the game on January 24, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
They say if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. Well, the Philadelphia 76ers have checked “beat the best” off the list after winning a first-round series in seven games over the Boston Celtics, who were the odds-on favorite to reach the NBA Finals out of the Eastern Conference. So are they now the best the East has to offer?
The New York Knicks will certainly have something to say about that idea, as the two teams get set to square off in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series tonight. Per FanDuel, the Knicks have the best odds to reach the Finals out of the East at plus-145, followed by the Pistons (plus-240), Cavaliers (plus-310), and then the Sixers (plus-600).
Objectively, it makes sense to pick the Knicks to advance over Philadelphia. They won eight more games during the regular season and have home-court advantage in the series. Plus, as usual, Joel Embiid’s health looms as a factor. He’s currently listed as probable for Game 1 with a right hip contusion, but is also known due to be dealing with a knee issue, an oblique strain and had his appendix removed just a few weeks ago. I love Joel for continuing to battle and do everything to show up for his team, but the reality is every game played is like removing another block from the jenga tower that is his body and hoping it all doesn’t come crashing down.
Yet, all of those points could have been made for the Boston series to an even higher degree, and it was still the Sixers who emerged victorious. They certainly have to be considered the vibes favorite with everything clicking into place for the roster at the right time. During the last couple Boston games, Embiid looked as poised as he ever has in the postseason. Tyrese Maxey became the lights-out closer the franchise has always needed and never had with the exception of a few months of Jimmy Butler. Paul George and VJ Edgecombe both hit big shots and defended like madmen, incredibly impressive for one guy who just turned 36 years old and another who is a 20-year-old rookie seeing his first playoff action. Every talking head segment from this season of, “The Sixers could be the potential dark horse no one wants to face” finally became a reality.
Looking at the Knicks series specifically, you can see the blueprint for a Sixers victory. VJ Edgecombe defended Jalen Brunson incredibly well during the regular season, and Philadelphia has a handful of other viable options to throw at him in Kelly Oubre Jr., Paul George and Quentin Grimes. They’ve also been able to exploit Brunson as a defensive liability in the past, something that doesn’t really exist on the other side of the court, credit to Maxey for improving so much as a defender. Embiid has had success against Karl-Anthony Towns in past matchups. The biggest potential advantage for New York will be on the offensive glass; it’s only too easy conjure visions of Mitchell Robinson and Josh Hart grabbing every possible second-chance opportunity. However, the Sixers did look to figure some things out in that department as the Boston series progressed. These two teams played a highly competitive playoff series two years ago, and that was a better Knicks squad, and the Sixers now have George and Edgecombe and Embiid not playing on one leg (hopefully). It’s not hard to project a Philadelphia win.
And if that should happen, who is scared of Detroit or Cleveland? Both teams also just had to win Game 7s to be here. Respect to Cade Cunningham, but the Pistons would be home if Orlando hadn’t missed 23 straight shots in the second half of Game 6. I mean, they’re treating Tobias Harris like some sort of folk hero there. He scored zero points (!) in his last playoff game as a Sixer. Cleveland would present its own set of challenges, but would anyone go into that series thinking, “Philadelphia couldn’t possibly overcome James Harden in the postseason?” I don’t think so.
This isn’t to say things will be easy for the Sixers. We can’t let the last two-and-a-half games completely erase all the general Sixers-ness we’ve witnessed over the years, as recently as Games 1 and 4 against Boston. But they have a real shot. Philadelphia hasn’t had this sort of opportunity since Ben Simmons declined to shoot an open layup against Atlanta. The path is there. Now the Sixers just have to march down it with all the competitive fire we witnessed last week and seize this moment.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 28: Steven Kwan #38 of the Cleveland Guardians takes the field prior to a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Progressive Field on April 28, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Finally, the Guardians will play an AL Central team for the first time since early April when they played… also the Royals… and took a three-game series.
The Guardians are 18-17, 12th in team wRC+ at 99 (what a difference a weekend can make!), 23rd in baserunning runs above average at -0.9, 10th in Defense at -1.1, ninth in starting pitcher ERA at 3.79 (4.26 FIP), and 18th in bullpen ERA at 4.18 (4.03 FIP).
The Royals are 15-19, 23rd in team wRC+ at 94, 11th in baserunning runs above average at 0.5, 9th in Defense at 0.6, 14th in starting pitcher ERA at 4.01 (4.16 FIP), and 27th in bullpen ERA at 5.03 (4.89 FIP).
On paper, the Guardians look like the better team, but it’s close. The key would seem to be to get into the Royals’ bullpen as early as possible and take advantage of opportunities from that point on.
MATCHUPS: Game One: Michael Wacha, RHP 3.13 ERA (3.93 FIP) vs. Tanner Bibee 4.08 ERA (4.36 FIP) 7:40PM ET Game Two: Noah Cameron, LHP 5.40 ERA (4.47 FIP) vs. Gavin Williams 2.70 ERA (3.89 FIP) 7:40PM ET Game Three: Cole Ragans, LHP 5.29 ERA (6.81 FIP) vs. Joey Cantillo 3.67 ERA (4.43 FIP) 7:40PM ET Game Four: Seth Lugo, RHP 2.68 ERA (2.64 FIP) vs. Slade Cecconi, RHP, 6.56 ERA (5.84 FIP) 2:10PM ET
The Royals’ offense is led by Kyle Isbel 121 wRC+, Jac Caglianone 109 wRC+, Bobby Witt Jr 108 wRC+, Maikel Garcia 108 wRC+, Carter Jensen 106 wRC+ and Lane Thomas 105 wRC+.
The Guardians’ hitters feature Chase DeLauter 162 wRC+, Daniel Schneemann 147 wRC+, Austin Hedges 127 wRC+, David Fry 126 wRC+, Angel Martinez 116 wRC+, Rhys Hoskins 113 wRC+, Jose Ramirez 110 wRC+ and Brayan Rocchio 108 wRC+. It will be a big week for Hoskins and Fry to continue to dominate lefties and for Angel Martinez to get it going from that side, as well.
I would very much appreciate the Guardians finding a way to win at least two of the first three because that Lugo-Cecconi series ender looks like a HORRIBLE matchup. I know Stephen Vogt is paid to say he isn’t worried about Cecconi, but I am not and I am worried. I am confident he can be a good reliever if asked to, and we may be approaching the time where that ask needs to be made. Hopefully, saying all this means this is the series he will turn it around.
Timberwolves
Spurs
COVERS INTEL: Allen fell short of this prop in 
