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When the Sixers decided to part ways with former president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, there was plenty of debate amongst the fanbase as to whether a new front office group would really change all that much. When plenty of blame falls at the feet of ownership, it’s easy for the wires to get crossed of which specific places blame should go.

Now that Bob Myers, the president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment, has made his first public appearance for the Sixers alongside governor Josh Harris, their quotes offered a little more insight into what problems will leave with Morey, and which ones might be potentially here to stay.

One of the biggest topics that came up in the press conference at the team’s practice facility Thursday, one that Harris wanted to get out in front of and address, was the luxury tax. The topic of “ducking” the luxury tax has become a hot one in Philly, with the Sixers not having paid it for their roster since 2022.

The vitriol really kicked into gear after the front office not only ignored Joel Embiid’s pleas to not duck the tax, but traded away Jared McCain for no rostered players in return. Harris was happy to field a question about this, wanting a chance to give his thoughts publicly.

“The front office absolutely has the green light to go into the luxury tax — in fact we’ve been in and out of the luxury tax,” Harris said. “It’s just not an issue.”

He went on to describe the money they’ve put into the team like a new practice facility, arena and the several max contracts they’ve shelled out since he bought the team. Myers went a step further, saying that if Harris shot down a proposed transaction because it would put them over the tax, he wouldn’t want to work for Harris.

No one should expect the Sixers to shoot up into the second apron next year, but Harris has backed up those words in the past. On top of the new facilities, he has given out max or near-max money to Embiid, Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George. The Sixers did pay the luxury tax in 2021 and 2022, two years of Embiid’s MVP contention.

There of course have been some penny-pinching as well, most notably ducking the tax in the 2023 season, the best year in terms of regular season wins since Harris took over the team. There was also attaching multiple second-round picks to salary-dump KJ Martin at last year’s deadline.

What this ownership has shown over their time in charge is that they will spend the money for a team they believe to be true title contenders. Injuries likely played a major part, but it doesn’t seem like Morey was able to sell them on an idea that would do so.

The public defense of Morey for the McCain trade was that ownership forced his hand to get over the tax. It’s worth repeating again that those were not mutually exclusive ideas. Thanks to the Paul George suspension, the salary dump of Eric Gordon alone would have gotten them under the tax. Not paying the luxury tax for 2025-26 might have been a mandate from Harris, but trading McCain was Morey’s call — with ownership’s approval.

Speaking of those big contracts handed out, a criticism often given to both Morey and Harris was their proclivity to big game fishing. For Morey, this was more centered around his roster construction, as one built around Embiid, George and Maxey would indicate.

Whether the Sixers still believe in that model is for a new hire to decide.

“Well, we didn’t get it done this year, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done,” Myers said about the Big 3 model. “Depth may be more important than it’s ever been… Not to say this model doesn’t work, but we have to look at this year and be honest about it.”

The big fish criticism has applied to Harris on more of a macro-sense. The label on him is that he will get the most well-known name available rather than leading a search to find the next new thing. Myers represents those concerns in a lot of ways for Sixers fans.

As the president of basketball operations in Golden State, he helped acquire Kevin Durant and saw the team win four titles in his time. He also missed on big draft picks that failed to bring the Warriors “two timelines” plan to fruition.

That concern over Harris’ thought process still looks valid. Several times during their press conference, Harris said something along the lines of, “that’s why you bring in the guy who’s won four championships.”

Myers’ shaky draft record was a big reason even Morey’s biggest detractors were nervous about moving on from him. If there’s any hope on that front, it’s that the Sixers’ scouting department hasn’t seen any changeover just yet.

There were several mentions made to the scouting staff currently being in Chicago for the draft combine, including general manager Elton Brand. Myers says he hopes to hire a new president before the draft in late June. Even if he’s able to do so, there is not a lot of time left to put together a strategy for this year.

It might just be a matter of timing and logistics, but the Sixers may have a lot of the same scouting infrastructure that they had under Morey. If that’s the case, that’s a reason to feel optimistic about the Sixers’ pick at No. 22 this year.

One mistake this group needs to steer clear of is not making the power structure clear. Brand’s first two seasons as general manager were notorious for being a collaborative front office without one clear vision for the team. That regime also changed after two bad contracts were handed out and they were swept out of the playoffs in 2020.

How exactly everything unfolds is still unclear after this press conference. Myers said he won’t be involved in day-to-day operations of this team, but will have a voice in big decisions. With the Sixers also retaining Brand for the moment and head coach Nick Nurse, there will already be a lot of high-paid chefs in the kitchen this new president of basketball operations will be running.

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Game 6 of this Western Conference semifinal series could be a “coming of age” contest for the San Antonio Spurs.

They need to go on the road if they want to eliminate a veteran Minnesota Timberwolves team. 

My Spurs vs. Timberwolves props and NBA picks single out three player props for Friday night, including a last stand from deep for Anthony Edwards.

Here are my best Spurs vs. Timberwolves predictions for May 15.

Best Spurs vs Timberwolves props for Game 6

Player	Pick
Anthony Edwards	Over 2.5 threes	-135
Julius Randle	Over 10.5 rebounds + assists	+110
Stephon Castle	Over 5.5 rebounds	+120

Game 6 Prop #1: Anthony Edwards Over 2.5 threes

-135 at bet365

Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards appreciated the extra day off before Game 6 more than anyone.
 
He’s been playing through a painful knee injury suffered in the first round yet is still pacing the T-Wolves offense. Edwards will be the healthiest he’s been in a long time and carries that weight again with Minnesota facing elimination at home.

Edwards is coming off his quietest day beyond the arc in Game 5, making just one of his three 3-point attempts. The shooting guard had knocked down three triples in each of the past two games and is shooting much better from distance at home during the postseason (36% vs. 28.6% away).

The San Antonio Spurs’ interior defense is pushing the Timberwolves to the perimeter and game script has Minnesota playing from behind, prompting plenty of 3-point attempts.
 
Edwards’ projections all sit north of three treys with some models as high as four makes from downtown.

Game 6 Prop #2: Julius Randle Over 10.5 rebounds + assists

+110 at bet365

Julius Randle has come under a lot of fire in this series.
 
He’s been ice cold shooting the ball, firing at 36.6% from the floor in the past five games. But he’s found other ways to contribute, with 18 rebounds and four assists in the last two outings.

The T-Wolves could roll out a smaller rotation with Randle at center in hopes of drawing Victor Wembanyama away from the rim. That will open up space and make Randle a conduit for cutters.

He’s been actively passing in the series with 28 potential assists but his teammates haven’t converted those dimes into buckets, with just eight total assists from Randle the past five games. 

He’s getting after it on the glass as well, transforming 71 rebounding chances into 39 boards. If Randle draws more defensive assignments on Wemby, he’ll be stationed closer to the rim and in prime rebounding space.

Projections for Randle have a ceiling of five assists and seven rebounds, which gets up Over his combo prop of 10.5 rebounds + assists — a bar he’s topped the past two games.

Game 6 Prop #3: Stephon Castle Over 5.5 rebounds

+120 at bet365

There haven’t been too many rebounds to go around with Wembanyama cleaning the glass like a Costco-size jug of Windex. That could change in Game 6.

The Timberwolves flirted with a smaller lineup in Game 5 in an attempt to stretch the Spurs’ interior and drag Wemby away from the rim. With the 7-footer having to check Randle, Jalen McDaniels, or Naz Reid on the perimeter, Stephon Castle could see extra opportunities on the boards.

So far in the series, the Spurs' 6-foot-6 guard has been in position for 44 rebounding chances and converted those into 23 rebounds — 4.6 per game. He’s deferred seven of those rebounding chances, meaning he let Wembanyama swoop in and snatch up the miss.

His game models range from 5.1 to 6.15 rebounds tonight with the bulk of those models leaning to six boards.

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It’s do-or-die for the Detroit Pistons in Game 6, while the Cleveland Cavaliers aim to advance to the Conference Finals for the first time since 2018.

My Pistons vs. Cavaliers props and NBA picks expect big performances from James Harden, Cade Cunningham, and Jarrett Allen.

Keep reading for the full breakdown and Pistons vs. Cavaliers predictions.

Best Pistons vs Cavaliers props for Game 6

Player	Pick
James Harden	Over 19.5 points	-110
Cade Cunningham	Over 27.5 points	-110
Jarrett Allen	Over 1.5 blocks	-130

Game 6 Prop #1: James Harden Over 19.5 points

-110 at bet365

James Harden might be past his prime, but the 36-year-old still has some game.

Harden put up a postseason-high 30 points in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Game 5 win, while chucking up a team-leading 21 field goal attempts and getting to the charity stripe 14 times.

Harden has scored Over 19.5 points in two straight games, and three of five contests against the Detroit Pistons.

He’ll be relied on heavily again in Game 6 as the Pistons continue to clamp down on Donovan Mitchell, who dropped just 21 points last time out.

Game 6 Prop #2: Cade Cunningham Over 27.5 points

-110 at bet365

Cade Cunningham delivered in Game 5 with 39 points while shooting 48% from the field and 60% from 3-point range. He’ll likely need a similar performance in Game 6 to help the Pistons avoid elimination.

The former first-overall pick clearly has the clutch gene — he scored 32+ points in all three must-win games during the Conference Quarterfinals against the Magic.

Tobias Harris is the only other Pistons player averaging more than 12 ppg, and Duncan Robinson is questionable for Game 6. Expect Cunningham to get a ton of touches — and points — tonight.

Game 6 Prop #3: Jarrett Allen Over 1.5 blocks

-130 at bet365

Jarrett Allen has been a defensive beast this postseason, ranking third on the team in defensive rating and second among all players in the NBA with 24 blocks.

Defense doesn’t always show up on the box score, but in Allen’s case it often does. The Cavs center has logged Over 1.5 blocks in three straight contests, and nine of his last 11 outings.

Detroit is averaging 86.6 field goal attempts per game in the series — third most among all teams in the Conference Semifinals. The Pistons will get their looks, but Allen will be there to shut them down in the paint.

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What Warriors coach Steve Kerr wrote to Draymond Green in emotional letter originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Not many people know Draymond Green better than Warriors coach Steve Kerr.

So during the 2025-26 NBA season, when Golden State’s fiery forward was struggling on the court, Kerr took it upon himself to privately reach out to Green.

The old-fashioned way.

ESPN’s Wright Thompson, who spent a lot of time with Kerr throughout the season, detailed, in his recent profile story, Kerr’s gesture for Green after a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Dec. 14.

“Steve sat down at his computer and typed out a letter to Draymond Green,” Thompson wrote. “Green had been in a spiral. Draymond’s plus-minus stats in one stretch were -17, -10, -12, -10, -6, -5, -9. The team performed better when he wasn’t on the court, after a decade of being the Warriors’ emotional center. To prove to himself, and the team, that he mattered, he forced things on offense.”

What exactly did Kerr write to Green?

“He told Dray how much he meant to him,” Thompson continued. “He talked about the turnovers, how the Warriors were 9-2 when they turned the ball over less than their opponents, and 3-11 when they turned it over more. He talked about aging, about how all great players adapted at the end of their career.

“Magic Johnson learned how to shoot threes, he wrote, and Steph Curry got stronger, and Michael Jordan learned to dominate the low post. Your superpower, he told Green, is your brain and your defensive instincts. He told him he loved him. Most of all, he told him he understood him.”

Both Green and Kerr have been vocal about how they view themselves as similar people, with similar levels of fire and passion that sometimes get them both in trouble.

Their personalities have clashed numerous times over the years, including this season, when both were seen yelling at each other on the Warriors bench during a timeout huddle in a Dec. 22 win over the Orlando Magic.

That altercation led to a private meeting between the two, where they apologized to each other and likely reiterated some of the things Kerr addressed in the letter he wrote just one week prior.

With Kerr returning to coach the Warriors for two more seasons, it likely won’t be the last time the two have a heart-to-heart discussion.

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Minnesota Timberwolves vs. San Antonio Spurs
Date: May 15th, 2026
Time: 8:30 PM CDT
Location: Target Center
Television Coverage: Prime Video

The Minnesota Timberwolves are out of runway.

After dropping Game 5 in San Antonio in embarrassing fashion, the Wolves now find themselves down 3-2, wounded, staring at elimination, and trying to convince themselves that the season still has one more pivot left in it.

And honestly? It might.

That’s the part that makes this so agonizing. This series has not felt like some inevitable Spurs coronation. The Wolves have had chances. Real chances. They stole Game 1. Game 3 was a one-possession game heading into the final five minutes. They capitalized on a golden opportunity in Game 4 after Wembanyama’s ejection. They tied Game 5 in the third quarter after falling behind by 18 early. That’s the generous interpretation of the series.

The realistic version, the one that has them trailing 3-2 and on the brink of elimination, reveals that every time that Minnesota has put itself in position to seize this series, it has found a new and creative way to let go of the rope. Game 2 was a total no-show. Game 3 started with nearly seven minutes of offensive malpractice before the Wolves finally remembered that the ball is supposed to go through the orange circle. Game 4 required a late Anthony Edwards miracle against a Spurs team missing its centerpiece. Game 5 was the most painful version of all. The Wolves clawed back, tied the game at 61-61, had a chance to take their first lead since the opening minutes, watched Anthony Edwards’ shot rim out, and then immediately gave the whole thing back in a blur of turnovers, transition buckets, missed rebounds, defensive breakdowns, and second-chance points.

That’s not a bad break. That’s a pattern.

And now the pattern has led them here.

On Friday night at Target Center, the Wolves are facing elimination. The situation is not hopeless, but the margin for error has disappeared. There is no “clean it up next time.” There is no “we’ll respond.” There is no “we still control our destiny” in the normal, comfortable sense. Their destiny now has a 7-foot-6 Frenchman standing in front of it, swatting away shots, inhaling rebounds, and waiting to end their season.

The injuries are real. Donte DiVincenzo’s shooting, toughness, and hustle would matter in this series. Anthony Edwards is clearly not at full force. Naz Reid’s shoulder, Ayo Dosunmu’s calf, and the cumulative toll of 94 games all matter. This Wolves team that looked so deep on paper is suddenly a battered playoff survivor trying to patch together enough healthy bodies and enough clean possessions to force a Game 7.

But the Wolves can’t hide behind injuries, because the mistakes have been too self-inflicted. They have turned the ball over. They have started slowly. They have allowed San Antonio to run wild in transition. They have wasted good defensive possessions by failing to secure the rebound. They have made Wembanyama’s life too comfortable for too many stretches.

Now they get one choice.

They can drift into the offseason, fade into the cold dark night, and spend the summer replaying all the missed chances from this series in their heads. Or they can take on the identity of their leader. Take the hit, feel the pain, stagger backward, and then heal like Wolverine and come back swinging.

They’ve done this before. Two years ago, in this same round, against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, the Wolves defended their home floor in Game 6 and sent the series back to Denver for a Game 7.

When you reach Game 7, in the immortal words of Kevin Garnett, “anything is possible.”

But before they can dream about San Antonio on Sunday, they have to survive Friday. And with that, here are the keys to Game 6…

Keys to the Game

1. Stop Digging Yourself a Hole

The Wolves cannot spend the opening minutes of Game 6 treating offense like a rumor. Slow starts have been an issue for this group for years, and while they have often shown a strange ability to find life after falling behind, this is not the time to test that trick again. Not against a Spurs team this young, this energized, and this close to breaking through. Minnesota cannot spot San Antonio an early lead and spend the rest of the night trying to claw its way out of a pit it built with its own hands.

Game 5 was the warning. Wembanyama dropped 18 points in the first quarter, San Antonio built a 13-point lead, and although the Wolves eventually cut it to four, the whole game was played on Spurs terms. Minnesota was reacting, chasing, and patching leaks, hoping each run would finally become the run. That is not a sustainable way to survive an elimination game.

From the opening tip, the Wolves need to draw first blood. They need to be the aggressor. They need to light the building on fire early and make San Antonio feel the pressure of a Target Center crowd that knows the season is on the line. The Spurs cannot be allowed to settle in. Wembanyama cannot be allowed to walk into another monster first quarter. Fox, Castle, Harper, and Vassell can’t be gifted rhythm because Minnesota is still stretching its legs.

The Wolves need urgency immediately.

2. Run the Floor

Desperate times call for desperate legs. If Minnesota has to run wind sprints for 48 minutes to survive, then that’s what this moment demands. The Wolves need to push pace offensively before Wembanyama and the Spurs defense can get fully set, and they need to sprint back defensively so San Antonio does not feast in transition the way it did in Game 5.

That was one of the defining failures in San Antonio. The Spurs got too many easy buckets before Minnesota could organize. Turnovers led to runouts. Misses became fast breaks. The Wolves’ defense, which can be excellent in the half court, was too often forced to defend from a compromised position.

Minnesota has to flip that script. Secure the rebound and run. Force the Spurs to retreat. Make Wembanyama cover ground. Make San Antonio’s young legs work both ways. And when the Spurs get the ball, the Wolves need to get back with the kind of urgency that says every possession might be their last.

They cannot get outhustled in an elimination game. Not at home. Not with this much on the line.

3. Dominate the Glass

Second-chance points are the lifeblood of this Spurs team right now, and the Wolves have donated far too many of them.

Wembanyama is going to get some putbacks. That’s just math and anatomy. But what cannot happen is San Antonio guards like Dylan Harper outworking Minnesota for offensive rebounds and creating extra possessions that extend leads, kill momentum, and make the Wolves feel like they have to win the same defensive possession two or three times. That was backbreaking in Game 5.

Minnesota has the size to control this part of the game. Between Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle, and Naz Reid, the Wolves should be able to punish a Spurs team that usually plays one true big at a time, whether it’s Wembanyama or Luke Kornet. But size only matters if it comes with force. The bigs have to vacuum the glass. The guards have to crack down and help, because the Spurs have proven they will attack the offensive glass from everywhere.

Possessions are everything now. The Wolves need to maximize theirs and minimize San Antonio’s. That starts with rebounding.

4. No Self-Inflicted Wounds

The Spurs are going to pressure the ball. They are going to crowd Minnesota’s handlers. They are going to put the Wolves in awkward situations and try to turn every lazy pass or loose dribble into an instant track meet going the other direction.

Minnesota has to be smarter than it was in Game 5. Turnovers don’t just waste offensive possessions. Against San Antonio, they become kindling. They let the Spurs run. They let Fox and Harper and Castle attack in space. They prevent Minnesota’s defense from getting set, which is the one place the Wolves have a real chance to control the game.

Cooler heads have to prevail. Mike Conley needs to steady things. Edwards needs to be aggressive without being reckless. Randle cannot try to bully through traffic while losing sight of the ball. Everyone has to understand that the simple play is often the right play.

Make San Antonio earn its points in the half court. Do not serve them layups on a silver platter because you couldn’t take care of the ball.

5. Someone Has to Rise

This playoff run has been a tremendous team effort. Jaden McDaniels has taken over games defensively. Gobert has battled Jokic and Wembanyama in consecutive rounds. Ayo authored a 43-point masterpiece. Mike Conley has defied Father Time for important stretches. Terrence Shannon Jr. has given this team real downhill juice. Naz has fought through pain.

But with Edwards hobbled, Game 6 cannot rest solely on his shoulders.

He needs help.

Even if Ant throws on the cape and gives Minnesota 40, the Wolves still need a 1B. And the most obvious candidate is Julius Randle.

This is exactly the kind of game Randle was brought here for. He is supposed to be the No. 2 option. He was the centerpiece of the Karl-Anthony Towns trade. He has shown that he can be a primary scorer, a physical tone-setter, and a facilitator who bends a defense with his strength. Against this smaller Spurs team, there is no excuse for him not to impose himself.

If Randle scores in the high 20s, gets downhill, controls his turnovers, punishes mismatches, and creates for others when help comes, the Wolves have a real recipe. Pair that with Edwards doing Edwards things, and suddenly Game 7 becomes much more than a fantasy.

And if it’s not Randle, then it has to be someone. Does Ayo find another heater? Does Jaden stay out of foul trouble and attack offensively while locking things down defensively? Does Naz catch fire? Does Shannon become a force again? Someone has to rise to the size of the moment.

Someone has to grab Game 6 and drag this team to San Antonio.

The Edge of the Cliff

It has been a long road. Ninety-four games. A brutal and costly Denver series. A chaotic San Antonio battle. Injuries, comebacks, collapses, heroic performances, missed opportunities, and now one final stand at Target Center.

The Wolves have no choice but to win if they want a 95th game.

Game 7 in San Antonio would be daunting. Frost Bank Center has largely been a house of horrors for Minnesota in this series. Wembanyama would be waiting to defend his home floor. The Wolves would still be battered, bruised, and definitely not favored.

But if they win Friday night, they give themselves a chance.

That’s all this is about now. A chance.

A chance to take this series to the limit. A chance to summon one more road miracle. A chance to keep alive the pursuit of a third straight Western Conference Finals. A chance to prove that this team, wounded as it is, still has another bite left.

But they only earn that chance by playing their best basketball now. Not eventually. Not after falling behind. Not when desperation finally kicks in midway through the second quarter. Now.

The Wolves need collective focus. They need defense. They need rebounding. They need discipline. They need someone to rise. They need to treat every possession like the season is hanging from it, because it is.

This is what the hunt is all about.

The Wolves are wounded. They are backed into a corner, but they are not dead.

Friday night is their chance to strike back on their home floor, to land one more bite, to drag this fight into a final showdown.

This is their moment.

Capture it, and anything is possible.

Let it slip, and the season is over.

"I’ve got to take it on the chin, handle it how I’m supposed to and be ready for the next one. You know, it’s going to suck. I’ve just got to be better to help my team out there."

The quote is from Knicks wing Mikal Bridges after Game 3 of the Hawks series, while he was answering questions from reporters about his play that night. Bridges had four turnovers, one rebound, and two assists in 21 minutes. He didn’t score in Game 3, missing all four of his shot attempts. 

"I’ve just got to clean it up," Bridges had said. "It’s on me."

Sometimes, those answers turn out to be empty cliches. 

Not in this case. 

In the next seven games, Bridges averaged 15.6 points on 67 percent shooting. He hit 44 percent of his threes and averaged 1.7 steals and 2.7 assists per game. 

The Knicks won all seven games by an average of more than 26 points. They were plus-123 in Bridges’ 203 minutes. 

"It's a testament to who he is and how he prepares himself and how he gets ready for the game, regardless of what's going on," Jalen Brunson said last week of Bridges. "Having a next-play mentality, having short-term memory, just focusing on the next play, next play. 

"So, regardless of what happens, positive or negative, he's locked into the next one. That's just who he is."

Bridges obviously didn’t let his Game 3 performance against Atlanta linger for too long. 

He played strong team defense and slowed Atlanta’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker over the course of the series. 

Bridges then served as the primary defender on Tyrese Maxey in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. 

In the first three games of the series, Maxey averaged 18.6 points, 10 fewer than his regular season average. He went 2-for-12 from beyond the arc, and had four turnovers per game – nearly double his regular season average.

Mike Brown and Bridges’ teammates were quick to credit him for the effort he displayed in chasing Maxey all over the floor.

But when you asked Bridges about it, he deflected praise.

"Shout out to the bigs being up to touch and having to deal with him sprint off while also (defending Joel) Embiid in the pocket and the low man having to be in and Kelly (Oubre Jr.) cutting and shooting threes," Bridges said after the Knicks swept the Sixers.

Bridges regularly credits his teammates when he’s asked about his own strong performance. He also routinely holds himself accountable after subpar games. 

In his first two seasons as a Knick, Bridges has had some big playoff moments but has been uneven in the regular season. That’s led to constant criticism of Leon Rose and the Knicks’ decision to send five first-round picks to Brooklyn in exchange for Bridges. 

But that criticism has been muted lately. For the second straight postseason, Bridges has delivered in timely situations. He helped hold the fort down while OG Anunoby missed two games with a hamstring strain. Regardless of who the Knicks play in the next round, they’ll need solid play from Bridges to get through. 

"I’m just trying to do whatever it takes to win," Bridges said last week. "You know, just beginning of (the) playoffs, knowing that, all 82 –  the regular season means a lot, but it's just (a fresh season in the playoffs). Just giving it all. That's pretty much all I gotta say."

Bridges didn’t really need to say much that night. He’d already made a loud statement with his play on the court. 

REST VS. RUST

The Knicks were playing at an elite level on both sides of the ball against the Sixers. Will they be out of rhythm early in the Conference Finals because of a long layoff (either seven or nine days)?

Brown can’t predict the future. But the head coach did see the long break as a challenge for his veteran group.

"If we expect to be who we think we're capable of being, we'll find a way to stay consistent with what we're doing," Brown said, "Whether it's the energy level, the effort level, or embracing/focusing on the details that we have to be able to understand in order to go out and get a win."

The mood around the team after the Philly series was much different from the second round last year. The Knicks pulled off an upset of Boston last season. This year, a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals was expected. 

"I think the way we beat Boston last year, the comebacks and all that, it was very – I don't want to say celebratory, but it was – it hit a little bit different than here," Josh Hart said last week. "It's just we're approaching the business as normal and we gotta make sure we're locked in and focused on the next team."

There are marriages that survive because of love. There are marriages that survive because of shared history. And then there are marriages that survive because both sides are too stubborn or afraid to walk away from each other.

And right now, the relationship between the Lakers and LeBron James is the latter.

That’s why the report that came out Wednesday from ESPN’s Dave McMenamin about LeBron feeling “unappreciated” after the Lakers’ March 31 win over the Cavaliers landed with so much force around the league.

Not because it was shocking, but because it wasn’t.

The greatest player in Lakers history since Kobe Bryant doesn’t just storm out of the locker room with ice bags wrapped around his knees and slides on his feet randomly — especially not because he didn’t get a game ball.

That kind of resentment and animosity builds slowly, layer by later, over years of passive-aggressive messaging and emotional distance.

And if we’re being honest, both sides are to blame for this mess.

Let’s start with the obvious: The Lakers absolutely should have honored LeBron that night.

Surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most combined (regular season and playoffs) wins in NBA history is not some throwaway stat. It is one of the defining accomplishments in league history. On par with LeBron passing Abdul-Jabbar for the NBA’s all-time scoring record. It deserved its own moment, acknowledgment and celebration.

LeBron James has passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1,228) for the most TOTAL WINS (regular season + playoffs) in NBA history

Greatness. pic.twitter.com/zVGeCzw2AR

— NBA (@NBA) April 1, 2026

Lakers coach JJ Redick even said as much in his postgame speech to his team that night. After listing all the accomplishments, he finished by saying:

“More importantly, LeBron James, the winningest player of all time in the regular season and playoffs.”

What happened next is what caused the ruckus, and what makes it even more ridiculous in hindsight is that the whole thing could have been avoided.

Rob Pelinka interrupted the celebration to honor Redick’s 100th win as a head coach and even had a video of his two sons congratulating him. He then presented Redick with a game ball.

JJ's kids at the end here

(via @Lakers)pic.twitter.com/aAO3IH6N5P

— NBA (@NBA) April 1, 2026

But why on earth did Pelinka not have more than one game ball ready?

NBA teams prepare three game balls before every game. Just like an NFL head coach hands out multiple game balls after the game, Pelinka easily could have secured all three to hand out to Redick, LeBron and Luka Doncic, respectively.

Instead, the Lakers somehow turned a night that should have celebrated organizational greatness into another chapter of awkward family tension. And LeBron had every right to feel slighted.

If we’re ranking the accomplishments that occurred that night in order of historical significance, it would look like this:

1. LeBron surpassing Kareem for most wins in NBA history.
2. Luka breaking Kobe Bryant’s franchise record with 600 points in March.
3. Redick earning his 100th win while becoming the first Lakers coach since Phil Jackson to post back-to-back 50-win seasons.
4. Luka reaching 15,000 career points.
5. Rui Hachimura reaching 5,000 career points.
6. The Lakers finishing March 15-2.

LeBron’s accomplishment was the greatest based on the history of the NBA. Period. And Pelinka should have done more to recognize it.

But LeBron needs to own something about himself, too. Because his reaction also exposed something contradictory to his words.

LeBron consistently says he “doesn’t care” about what people think about him. He claims to ignore articles, podcasts and criticism. He says he’s “too busy watching golf videos on YouTube” to worry about his public perception. He says winning and his teammates are the only things that matter to him.

Except his actions have not always backed up his words.

You don’t storm out of a locker room over feeling underappreciated if appreciation doesn’t matter deeply to you. And there’s nothing wrong with owning that. In fact, it makes you more human.

Of course, LeBron wants to be appreciated. Of course, he wants reverence. He’s spent 23 seasons carrying the weight of the sport on his shoulders. Players like LeBron don’t just want championships. They want legacy. They want validation. They want history to stop for a second and recognize the enormity of what they’ve done. Especially when it comes with three decades’ worth of sacrifice, dedication and hard work.

That’s why all this talk about him retiring and disappearing feels unrealistic.

LeBron might not want a yearlong farewell tour filled with rocking chairs and framed jerseys. But he absolutely wants to feel appreciated and honored by the game of basketball before he leaves it forever. This only confirms that.

And at the same time, the Lakers have every right to feel frustrated. They gave LeBron everything he wanted. They won a championship together in 2020. They traded for Russell Westbrook when he asked. They drafted his son, Bronny. They empowered his voice for nearly a decade.

And yet, since Doncic arrived, the relationship has clearly shifted.

Luka is the future now. Everybody knows it. That’s what makes this relationship so emotionally volatile. Aging superstars rarely handle succession gracefully — hell, there was an entire television series about it.

The Lakers have spent the last year slowly transitioning their team from LeBron to Doncic. And it’s that tension that bleeds into everything. Which is why this offseason cannot be handled through leaks to the media, anonymous quotes and more passive-aggressive behavior.

These two sides need to sit down and have a brutally honest conversation.

If LeBron feels unappreciated, he needs to say it directly. If the Lakers believe LeBron doesn’t show enough gratitude for what they’ve done for him, they need to stay that, too. Air all of it out.

Because LeBron is about to discover in free agency that there may not be a better basketball situation for him, both on the court and off, than staying in LA, playing alongside Luka and sharing a locker room with his son.

And the Lakers need to recognize that players like LeBron do not grow on trees. You don’t nickel-and-dime emotional acknowledgment with someone who delivered you a championship, restored relevance and helped bridge the franchise from the Kobe era into the Luka era.

If both parties actually want this marriage to continue, both sides need to evolve and grow.

The Lakers need to appreciate LeBron more and show it.

LeBron needs to show more gratitude toward the Lakers.

Otherwise, this relationship isn’t heading toward reconciliation.

It’s heading toward a loud, ugly and very public divorce.

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