INGLEWOOD, CA - 1971: Jerry West #44 of the Los Angeles Lakers takes the jump shot during an NBA game against the New York Knicks circa 1971 at the Forum in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Martin Mills/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Before he became one the best two GMs in NBA history (along with Red Auerbach), Jerry West had a brilliant career with the Los Angeles Lakers.
He was a lean 6-4 guard who punished his body constantly by driving to the lane against massive defenders. Do a search on his injuries sometime. His ankles and feet were constant victims, and there are photos of him playing with a mask over his broken nose.
He was really tough.
But his calling card was a beautiful jump shot. This video breaks his shot down in various ways, but the most interesting thing to us is his release.
Today, most players extend their hand/wrist through the shot. You see photos of players with the ball on the way to the basket and what you usually see is the follow-through. A great example of this is Michael Jordan’s game-winning shot against Georgetown in 1982. He has an immaculate follow-through (scroll down just a bit).
What you’ll notice in this video of West is that he doesn’t really have a follow-through. He flicks his shot. His goal is to release as quickly as possible, and it works.
We’ve noticed in a lot of older videos that the players from the 1960s and 1970s tend to do this as well, so you have to think that at one point, shooting was taught this way.
Whatever. It worked brilliantly for West, who remains an archetype of an offensive artist.
This weekend, all but one team will pass the 40-game mark, a very unofficial but nonetheless meaningful checkpoint that signals the season is already – gulp – one quarter complete. And it’s officially OK to start buying what you’re seeing.
Oh, that’s not a hard and fast rule. Fans can believe the New York Mets won’t lose 99 games, and Fernando Tatis Jr. won’t finish with zero home runs, and they’ll probably be correct.
But for many trends, the cement has set even if it’s not totally dry. With that, we take a look at six paces that are defining the season – and would certainly look startling come the end of September:
61: Home runs for Munetaka Murakami
OK, this one might be tough to maintain. That doesn’t diminish what the 6-foot-2, 213-pound Murakami has done in his first season in the world’s premier league.
Sure, the worrywarts were right: Murakami is striking out 34.4% of the time, his 55 punchouts leading the AL. His whopping 43.9% whiff rate is near the very bottom of the majors. Yet he’s clearly running into enough balls, and his expected slug (.568) practically mirrors reality (.565).
Additionally, his .369 on-base percentage was only slightly dented by the move to MLB, as he posted a .379 OBP his last full season in Japan. An elite 22% chase rate certainly helps that, allowing him three shots to unleash his “A” swing against pitches in the zone.
His two-year, $34 million deal is possibly the White Sox’s finest free agent investment ever. In concert with slugging middle infielder Colson Montgomery and emerging ace Davis Martin, Murakami has helped the 17-20 Sox push memories of 121 losses seem much longer than two years ago.
110: Wins for the Cubs, Braves and Yankees
OK, so these teams probably won't maintain their .684 winning percentage, right?
Well, you probably didn't figure that the Cubs would win (at least) 15 games in a row at Wrigley Field, either. Heck, a streak that long hasn't happened since 1935, but Chicago is now a stunning 18-5 at the Friendly Confines after a raucous four-game sweep of the Reds, who went from second to last place in a hurry.
Now, however, the Cubs will have to carry on without lefty Matthew Boyd, who tore meniscus in his knee. Then again, they lost ace Cade Horton for the season and lefty Justin Steele suffered a setback on the rehab trail and still, the club is 26-12, tied with Atlanta and the Yankees for the best record in baseball.
Once again, Shota Imanaga is off to a fantastic start, with 11- and 10-strikeout games already. Yet April and May are by far the two best months of his career (2.28 ERA, 3.83 the rest of the time). Put it this way: If Imanaga can sustain, the Cubs may just run off with their first full-season division title since 2017.
.500: Winning percentage for AL Central, West champions
Yep, we have at least a remote shot at baseball history: First time a team “won” a division without a winning record.
Folks might remember 1994 for the lost World Series or the historic statistical seasons washed away, but perhaps the real tragedy was sweating whether the Texas Rangers (52-62 and in first place when the plug was pulled on the season) could win the AL West with a .456 winning percentage.
In subsequent seasons, the 2005 San Diego Padres (82-80) and 2007 St. Louis Cardinals (83-79) captured ignominious “championships” in the six-team format, with the Cards Jeff Weaver-ing their way to a World Series title.
Now, we have perhaps the most parity-laden year in recent memory, with 18 of 30 teams within three games of the .500 mark. The flat distribution of wins is most pronounced in the AL’s Central and West, with Cleveland and the Athletics “leading” their divisions at 20-19 and 18-19, respectively.
What gives?
Well, we’re firmly out of the tanking era, teams like the Chicago White Sox and Colorado Rockies have cleaned up their acts and exited their historically awful periods and even clubs trying not to win (hello, St. Louis) are finding surprise success.
Additionally, the schedule – which seems to get weirder every year – has kept many division combatants away from each other. Four AL Central teams have just six or seven games against division foes, while the Tigers, say, have already played 21 interleague games.
Separation may occur once the division games pile up. Then again, there’s no obvious punching bag anywhere in the majors, with only the Rockies and San Francisco Giants barely on track for 100 losses.
1.214: OPS for Ben Rice
Yordan Alvarez, in the conversation as the greatest hitter of his era, is having arguably the finest season of his career. Yet Alvarez, and Aaron Judge, and Matt Olson and the resurgent Mike Trout are all looking up at a part-time catcher drafted in the 12th round by the New York Yankees.
Ben Rice is not just off to a powerful start, as his major league-best OPS suggests, he’s nearly in the Triple Crown conversation at the moment, leading the AL with a .343 average, second with 27 RBIs and 12 homers trailing only Judge and Murakami.
This thing is real: Rice ranks in at least the 97th percentile in a half-dozen measurables, and his batting average on balls in play is a normal .269. Sustainable?
Well, Rice is currently day-to-day with a bone bruise on his hand, slowing his roll just a bit as the second quarter nears tipoff. But plenty is already in the bank both for he and the Yankees, now 26-12 after largely bringing back last year’s roster.
Projecting another big step forward for the 27-year-old Rice was clearly a prudent part of their grand plan.
3.61: Walks per game
Weird one, we know. Yet no stat probably better exemplifies the effect the automated ball strike system has had on the game.
That walk rate (per team) is the highest since a 3.75 mark in 2000 (right in the teeth of the steroid era) and third-highest since 1956. And why’s that?
Well, the ABS challenge system has empowered batters to be more selective around borderline calls, and provided a real-time check on umpires who might be more inclined to give pitchers the edge.
In short: The strike zone is smaller.
Has that made it easier to hit? Alas, not really. The leaguewide .242 batting average is the worst since the mound was lowered after the 1968 season, and down 2.5% since 2023, when hitter-friendly rules (a shift ban, bigger bases) were enacted and the league batted a collective .248.
So is life getting easier for pitchers? Um…
8: Complete games
Yeah, that’s the pace. For the entire league. This is not a misprint.
So far, only Miami’s Sandy Alcantara and Seattle’s George Kirby have managed to go the distance, Kirby’s the eight-inning variety in a losing effort. While that seems like nothing new – nobody faces the order three times through, velocity and relievers are king, blah, blah, blah – this drop is still precipitous.
Just last season, pitchers threw 29 complete games, one more than the previous all-time low set in 2024. Starters aren’t working dramatically less than 2025 – averaging 5.1 innings per start, compared to 5.2 a year ago.
Still, it’s instructive to think how dramatic the drop has been over the past decade: Starters averaged 5.8 innings in 2015 and threw 104 complete games that season. Nowadays, the opener is still prevalent as both a strategy and survival mechanism – 21 of 30 teams have used a reliever to start the game so far – and traditional pitching roles continue to get blurred.
Will a 72% drop in complete games hold throughout the season? Perhaps. Pitchers are all stretched out and can get deeper into games than in March and April, but warmer weather also helps the hitters.
Just don’t be surprised when $35 million becomes the baseline salary for the handful of sentient starters on the free agent market.
BRONX, NY - MAY 07: Left fielder Jasson Dominguez #24 of the New York Yankees runs into the wall making a catch during a game between the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on May 7, 2025 in the Bronx, New York. (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
SNY | John Flanigan: Yankees outfielder Jasson Domínguez suffered a low-grade AC sprain in his left shoulder after crashing against the wall while making an impressive defensive play on Thursday. He tested negative for a concussion, but the shoulder injury sent him to the 10-day injured list anyway; they’ll continue to monitor for concussion symptoms as well.
It was a scary scene as Domínguez stayed face down for several moments before the training staff arrived. It’s a tough break for him, as he had rightfully earned a promotion to the majors with a 138 wRC+ in Triple-A Scranton. He leaves behind a 71 wRC+ in eight games with the Bombers and is expected “in a few weeks,” but the Yankees can’t offer a timetable at this juncture.
New York Post | Andrew Crane: To take the Martian spot, the Yankees will call up young outfielder Spencer Jones in advance of this weekend’s series in Milwaukee. The slugger, who ranks sixth in MLB Pipeline’s organizational prospects list, currently leads Triple-A with 41 RBI and has 11 home runs and a 143 wRC+ in Scranton. Jones’ role is still unclear, but he will need to prove he can limit the strikeouts at the highest level to secure consistent playing time. Still, it’s a huge day for him and his family.
New York Yankees on SI | Devon Platana: Lost in all the hoopla was the fact that Brendan Beck, the Yankees’ 21st prospect according to MLB Pipeline, made his MLB debut with the team on Thursday. He pitched as a bulk reliever after opener Paul Blackburn and allowed two runs in three innings, with a couple of hits, three walks, and one strikeouts. “A dream come true to come up here and do it at Yankee Stadium,” he said after the game. Good for Beck, who was sporting a 5.11 ERA in Triple-A.
SNY | Ben Pawlak: Reliever Kervin Castro will be called up to the active roster today, replacing Beck to give the Bombers a fresh arm. He has a 3.14 ERA in 14.1 frames in Scranton. The 27-year-old, who was a candidate to make the team out of camp, last appeared in the majors in 2022 with the Chicago Cubs and the San Francisco Giants. Expect him to return to the minors by Sunday at the latest, when Carlos Rodón returns to the rotation.
FanGraphs | Jay Jaffe: John Sterling was a national treasure. Respected by the entire broadcasting industry and nearly universally loved by New York fans, his voice brought joy to multiple generations of Yankees supporters. Jaffe had some beautiful words for him just a few days after his passing. “Dressed in a suit and tie even though listeners couldn’t see him, prone to dropping a reference to a midcentury Broadway musical while celebrating a Yankees home run, and delivering his lines with a booming baritone capable of reaching the cheap seats, Sterling brought a unique and dramatic flair to the job,” he said, and that last sentence sums up his style to perfection.
Carolina Hurricanes (53-22-7, in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (43-27-12, in the Metropolitan Division)
Philadelphia; Saturday, 6 p.m. EDT
LINE: Hurricanes -188, Flyers +156; over/under is 5.5
NHL PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND: Hurricanes lead series 3-0
BOTTOM LINE: The Carolina Hurricanes visit the Philadelphia Flyers in the second round of the NHL Playoffs with a 3-0 lead in the series. The teams meet Thursday for the eighth time this season. The Hurricanes won 4-1 in the last meeting.
Philadelphia is 43-27-12 overall and 16-13-6 against the Metropolitan Division. The Flyers are 38-7-4 in games they score three or more goals.
Carolina has a 53-22-7 record overall and a 23-4-2 record in Metropolitan Division games. The Hurricanes have a 29-6-3 record in games they have fewer penalties than their opponent.
TOP PERFORMERS: Travis Konecny has scored 27 goals with 41 assists for the Flyers. Bobby Brink has four assists over the last 10 games.
Nikolaj Ehlers has 26 goals and 45 assists for the Hurricanes. Jackson Blake has two goals and seven assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Flyers: 5-4-1, averaging 2.3 goals, 3.7 assists, 7.3 penalties and 19.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.2 goals per game.
Hurricanes: 9-0-1, averaging 2.9 goals, 5.7 assists, 6.3 penalties and 14.8 penalty minutes while giving up 1.2 goals per game.
INJURIES: Flyers: Owen Tippett: day to day (undisclosed), Noah Cates: out (lower body), Rodrigo Abols: out (ankle), Nikita Grebenkin: out (upper body).
Hurricanes: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
May 7, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts towards an referee John Goble (10) after a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first half during game two of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
The Lakers came into their series against the Thunder aware that fouls and officiating would be a talking point. Before the series even started, head coach JJ Redick made sarcastic comments about how little OKC fouls.
There was no laughing at the final whistle of Thursday’s Game 2 loss, though. Following a night when LA felt they were repeatedly on the wrong end of whistles — or weren’t even receiving them in some cases — they let their frustrations be known, both on and off the court.
After the final buzzer, multiple Lakers circled around official John Goble for an animated conversation.
Austin Reaves spends some time after the final whistle talking to the officials.pic.twitter.com/bEkQD4skAd
Once in the back, they continued sounding off, led by Redick himself
“I sarcastically said the other day they were the most disruptive team without fouling,” Redick said. “I mean, they have a few guys that foul on every possession and all the good defenses do. [Shai Gilgeous-Alexander] gets like, I don’t even know, a touch foul, I guess, on a drive. There was a stretch where, four straight possessions, our guys got absolutely clobbered.”
“They’re hard enough to play. You’ve got to be able to just call it if they foul. And they do foul.”
The Lakers did well to manage their frustrations, not allowing it to boil over into their play. It was a notable accomplishment given how heated many of them were, none more so than Reaves. Following a sequence that ended with a Cason Wallace 3-pointer that forced a Lakers timeout, Reaves had to be pulled away from Goble.
"THAT'S SOME BULLSH*T TO TALK TO ME LIKE THAT….. P*SSY"
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) May 8, 2026
Following the game, Reaves explained that his anger stemmed from a sequence preceding that in which he felt like Goble disrespected him.
“When we were doing the whole tip ball, they were switching spots,” Reaves said. “I wanted to get on the other side because they had a guy on the other side. We were just trying to keep an advantage. He turned around and just yelled in my face.
“I just thought it was disrespectful…But at the end of the day, we’re grown men and I just didn’t feel like he needed to yell in my face like that. I told him that. I wasn’t disrespectful. I told him if I did that to him first, I would have got a tech. I felt the only reason I didn’t get a tech was he knew he was in the wrong.”
Here's the sequence where the official turns and yells at Reaves, as he said.
He moves to the other side of Cason Wallace to be in a defensive position. The official turns and says something to him, which you can see Austin recoil in surprise a bit. https://t.co/ZHB1DvKhlxpic.twitter.com/6qjqGD6fDZ
Another subject of frustration centered on LeBron and the fouls not being called. Through two games this series, he’s shot just five free throws.
“LeBron has the worst whistle of any star player I’ve ever seen,” Redick said. “I’ve been with him two years now. The smaller guys, because they can be theatric, they typically draw more fouls. The bigger players that are built like LeBron, it’s hard for them. But he gets clobbered and he got clobbered again tonight a bunch.
“That’s not a new thing that’s specific to this crew or this series. He gets fouled a lot and it doesn’t happen. The guy gets hit on the head more than any player I’ve seen on drives and it rarely gets called.”
On Thursday, there were several questionable calls that left the Lakers upset. Early in the game, LeBron finished a layup through contact from Jaylin Williams that knocked him to the ground and left him limping briefly, but no foul was called.
In the second half, LeBron looked to have drawn a foul on a shot and converted the off-balance jumper for, again, what looked to be a clear and-one. Instead, the officials waved off the basket, calling the foul on the floor.
While LeBron was ready to speak his mind, LeBron took the complete opposite approach, refusing to say a word about the officiating after the game.
Q: JJ Redick was irate about the officials, how was that a factor in the runs OKC put together? LeBron James: “We’re down 2-0.” Q: Redick said you get the worst whistle of any superstar he’s seen, why do you think that is? LeBron: “I don’t know” pic.twitter.com/QyPwxUd9Td
It all culminated in the frustrations boiling over at the final buzzer and in the press conferences. Still, as frustrated as the team was, Redick was clear that was not the reason they lost.
“We didn’t lose because of the refs,” Redick said. “That’s never the case. You don’t lose because of refs. You lose because the other team outplays you and Oklahoma City outplayed us.”
Still, on a night with 45 fouls, a half-dozen reviews and a lot of questionable decisions, it’s understandable the Lakers walked away from this game feeling aggrieved.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - MAY 06: Carter Bryant #11 of the San Antonio Spurs dunks the ball past Rudy Gobert #27 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first half in Game Two of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Frost Bank Center on May 06, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. 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 Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a 133-95 rout of the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game Two, the San Antonio Spurs will head to Minneapolis looking to steal a game and regain home-court advantage. Much like they did in round one of the playoffs, the Spurs head into Game Three with a bit of uncertainty.
The Timberwolves are undefeated at home in the playoffs this season. Their games in Minnesota legitimately swung their first-round series with the Denver Nuggets. While the Spurs dominated Game Two, things could swing the other way on the road.
San Antonio will come into Game Three with a fully healthy roster. The Wolves are still dealing with injuries to key players on their roster. Ayo Dosumnu is questionable, now with a heel injury rather than the calf injury that kept him out of Game One. Anthony Edwards remains questionable, despite playing in the first two games. Those injuries haven’t held the Wolves back from making this a competitive series so far.
Game Two should fill the Spurs with confidence. But as Victor Wembanyama told reporters after the game, “when you win, you’re never as good as you think you are.” They’ll have to prove that Game Two wasn’t just a flash in the pan, but a sign of a team learning how to win this series.
Timberwolves Injuries: Donte DiVincenzo – Out (achilles), Ayo Dosunmu – Questionable (heel), Anthony Edwards – Questionable (knee)
What to watch for:
Stephon Castle’s fouls
Castle had five fouls in 24 minutes on Wednesday night. He was dangerously close to fouling out for the third straight game. It makes sense why Castle is racking up the fouls. He’s consistently guarding the Wolves’ best perimeter defender or banging inside with Julius Randle. He’s being forced to fight around screens and battle with the Wolves for 50/50 balls. He’s been the driving physical force for the Spurs in this series. They need him to maintain that level of physicality while keeping the foul count low.
Three-point shooting
Not to simplify the game, but sometimes winning does come down to making shots. The Spurs were abysmal from three in Game One’s loss, shooting 28% from deep. In Game Two’s blowout, San Antonio shot 41% from three. The contrast in the offense in those two games was stark. When the Spurs are hitting shots, it opens up lanes for their drivers to get to the basket. They got their best looks from three when they pushed the ball up the floor to get easy shots early in the shot clock. The Wolves will certainly try to slow the game down a bit in Game Three. San Antonio should continue to push the pace to create those easy looks that will open up their offense.
Guard play
San Antonio’s most significant advantage in this series has been its guards. If De’Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, and Castle are playing at their best, the Wolves don’t have the guard play to keep up with them. With Edwards clearly playing through an injury and Mike Conley past his prime, the Wolves have had difficulty getting to the basket. The Spurs outscored Minnesota 58-36 in the paint in Game Two.
Mitch Johnson’s strategy has been to blitz the Wolves’ ball-handlers, sending two defenders at the ball, forcing them to pass and oftentimes, turn it over. Minnesota had 22 turnovers in Game Two. Expect the Spurs to keep pressuring Minnesota’s ball-handlers in hopes of replicating this result in Game Three.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 07: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives around Cason Wallace #22 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the fourth quarter in Game Two of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Paycom Center on May 07, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One of the things that separates good teams from great teams is depth.
Look back to the 2020 Lakers. They had 10 realistic options they could turn to in the playoffs and all had moments. They could pull in an Alex Caruso for a Game 6 to seal the series, a move that made them go small one series after leaning on JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard.
It’s a trait the great teams have. Not just depth, but reliable depth. Guys who can not only step onto the court when needed, but produce at a high level. This Thunder team has that in abundance.
Through two games, the Lakers have done a fantastic job on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. But that has led to Ajay Mitchell, Chet Holmgren and Jared McCain all stepping up. The Thunder come at you wave after wave after wave.
Eventually, the dam bursts for good teams. The Lakers have seen second-half runs in Games 1 and 2 turn close games into blowouts. At a certain point, LA is running out of steam because they don’t have the necessary depth and when that moment comes, OKC buries a backbreaking three to cap off a big run.
In about 85% of the two games in Oklahoma City, the Lakers have played the Thunder relatively even. That 15%, though, is a gap that LA might not be able to close.
So, let’s dive into the loss. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
This wasn’t quite the same performance he had in Game 1, but it was still great. The ball wasn’t in his hands as much, a result of Austin Reaves returning back to form. But he was still efficient and had big baskets.
His early pins on fastbreaks led to a couple of layups. He hit back-to-back baskets in the four to close the lead to five. Unfortunately, there weren’t many others in purple and gold at his level.
Not enough has been made about Rui has a playoff riser. With Thursday’s 4-7 shooting from range, he now has 12 straight games overall shooting at least 50% from range. He is up to 10 straight postseason games shooting at least 50% from three, dating back to the Wolves series last season.
What’s important is not just that he’s making threes, but he’s taking them. He’s in an absolute groove and is freely firing away.
This was not a great Ayton game. It started off alright, though most of his contributions came in the form of good screen setting and things that don’t show up in the box score.
However, that only goes so far and the box-score production has to come at some point. As the game progressed, things got worse with a bad turnover in the fourth and then a poor closeout on Chet that led to free throws. He came out after that play and didn’t return for the final 6:47.
The Lakers aren’t going to have a chance to win if Ayton isn’t great.
It turns out that three bad games after a month out with injury do not define a player. This is who Reaves has been. And this is who the Lakers need Reaves to be this series.
There were a couple of moments, particularly early, where Reaves was a bit out of control and either turned the ball over or forced up a bad shot. But he really found a groove late in the first quarter and was everything the Lakers needed.
He was picking apart the Thunder defense and either finishing in the mid-range or at the rim or finding open shooters.
This was a lot of Marcus Smart. Too much, in fact.
There’s been plenty of discussion about Reaves needing to catch the moving train and get up to speed with the team. There hasn’t been as much discussion about the adjustment the team has to make to Reaves, though.
Specifically when it comes to Smart, the Lakers needed him to be a creator for himself and others against the Rockets. They could live with the bad possessions — to an extent — because they had no other option.
But now that Reaves is back, that’s not what they need out of him. He hasn’t adjusted to that, though. The result on Thursday was too many possessions where he’s trying to create something out of nothing when Austin and LeBron are on the floor.
We’re also to the point that there’s nothing more Smart can say about turnovers and taking blame. We’re seven games into this postseason and years into Smart’s career. The lazy entry passes that get stolen by the Thunder are just flat out unacceptable.
It was nice to see Kennard be more aggressive with his shot, which the Lakers need from him. If he could adopt Rui’s mindset of firing away when he has an inch of space, we might be cooking.
We’re oscillating between Hayes being unplayable and average. Game 2, he was unplayable.
Perhaps it’s the nerves or trying too hard, but there were multiple occasions on Thursday where he was jumping around on the perimeter when Thunder players weren’t even shot faking, leading to either open lanes or open threes.
Mix in some bad turnovers and illegal screens and the Lakers had to try to finish the game going small, which absolutely did not work.
This is probably the game that is the point of no return for LaRavia. Against Houston, there was just enough positive to warrant him playing. It was also a series that was already a rock fight and he could play that style. In fact, Game 6 was probably his best game of the postseason.
But more is needed against the Thunder and he is absolutely not stepping up. I was willing to give him some benefit of the doubt on the foul of Jaylin Williams’ three because it looked to be pretty clearly a kick out. But he then immediately followed that with a foul on Holmgren underneath the basket.
I wouldn’t be surprised if those were his final minutes of the series.
Grade: F
Adou Thiero
6 minutes, 3 rebounds, 1 turnover, 1 foul, +3
Realistically, Thiero didn’t really get enough minutes for a grade. But I did want to exclude him from the garbage time group because he actually did play meaningful minutes.
He didn’t really have an opportunity to do anything good or bad. But given the state of the rest of the bench, he should get more run in Game 3.
Grade: B
Dalton Knecht, Bronny James, Nick Smith Jr.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Bronny James got minutes in Game 3. Perhaps Nick Smith Jr. as well, though the Lakers seemed to find some solutions offensively. Still, a shake up isn’t the worst thing down 2-0 in the series.
JJ Redick
The Lakers went back to the drawing board offensively and found all the answers. They broke the 100-point barrier for the first time in five games. And they still were able to limit Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as well.
Specifically, that second quarter was perhaps the best quarter the team has played this postseason, especially given the opposition.
Again, for 85% of this series, the Lakers have more or less matched the Thunder. That this is even competitive for that much is a testament to the coaching staff. They’ve had two great gameplans.
It just seems to be becoming clearer and clearer that the team doesn’t have the horses that OKC does in this series.
Grade: A-
Thursday’s DNPs: Maxi Kleber
Thursday’s inactives: Jarred Vanderbilt, Luka Dončić
Oklahoma City Thunder (64-18, first in the Western Conference) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (53-29, fourth in the Western Conference)
Los Angeles; Saturday, 8:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Thunder -8.5; over/under is 211.5
WESTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND: Thunder lead series 2-0
BOTTOM LINE: The Oklahoma City Thunder visit the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference second round with a 2-0 lead in the series. The Thunder won the last matchup 125-107 on Friday, led by 22 points from Chet Holmgren. Austin Reaves led the Lakers with 31.
The Lakers are 33-19 in conference matchups. Los Angeles averages 116.3 points and has outscored opponents by 1.7 points per game.
The Thunder have gone 41-11 against Western Conference opponents. Oklahoma City is eighth in the Western Conference with 25.8 assists per game led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averaging 6.6.
The Lakers average 11.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.5 fewer makes per game than the Thunder allow (14.3). The Thunder are shooting 48.4% from the field, 0.1% higher than the 48.3% the Lakers' opponents have shot this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: LeBron James is averaging 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists for the Lakers. Rui Hachimura is averaging 16.4 points over the past 10 games.
Gilgeous-Alexander is scoring 31.1 points per game with 4.3 rebounds and 6.6 assists for the Thunder. Holmgren is averaging 16.0 points and 7.9 rebounds while shooting 61.1% over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Lakers: 6-4, averaging 103.6 points, 40.4 rebounds, 25.3 assists, 8.9 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 100.5 points per game.
Thunder: 8-2, averaging 118.5 points, 42.4 rebounds, 27.4 assists, 10.2 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 49.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.8 points.
INJURIES: Lakers: Luka Doncic: out (hamstring), Jarred Vanderbilt: day to day (finger).
Thunder: Jalen Williams: out (hamstring), Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Detroit Pistons (60-22, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (52-30, fourth in the Eastern Conference)
Cleveland; Saturday, 3 p.m. EDT
LINE: Cavaliers -4.5; over/under is 212.5
EASTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND: Pistons lead series 2-0
BOTTOM LINE: The Detroit Pistons visit the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference second round with a 2-0 lead in the series. The Pistons won the last meeting 107-97 on Thursday, led by 25 points from Cade Cunningham. Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 31.
The Cavaliers are 33-19 in Eastern Conference games. Cleveland has a 2-5 record in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Pistons are 12-4 against the rest of their division. Detroit is fourth in the league scoring 18.0 fast break points per game led by Cunningham averaging 3.7.
The Cavaliers make 48.2% of their shots from the field this season, which is 3.9 percentage points higher than the Pistons have allowed to their opponents (44.3%). The Pistons average 117.8 points per game, 2.4 more than the 115.4 the Cavaliers allow to opponents.
TOP PERFORMERS: Mitchell is scoring 27.9 points per game with 4.5 rebounds and 5.7 assists for the Cavaliers. James Harden is averaging 17.6 points and 5.1 rebounds while shooting 42.3% over the past 10 games.
Cunningham is averaging 23.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 9.9 assists for the Pistons. Tobias Harris is averaging 21.6 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Cavaliers: 5-5, averaging 111.1 points, 44.3 rebounds, 22.4 assists, 8.0 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 47.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.6 points per game.
Pistons: 7-3, averaging 106.8 points, 46.4 rebounds, 22.8 assists, 8.6 steals and 8.0 blocks per game while shooting 45.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 100.3 points.
INJURIES: Cavaliers: Sam Merrill: day to day (hamstring).
Pistons: Kevin Huerter: day to day (adductor).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 07: Marcus Smart #36 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder look on during the fourth quarter in Game Two of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Paycom Center on May 07, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Winning on the road is tough, but beating the Thunder in OKC feels impossible.
The Lakers did a lot right in their Game 2 loss. They got a much better offensive game from Austin Reaves, won the points-in-the-paint battle 52-46 and Rui Hachimura remained elite, scoring 16 points on 60% shooting.
But the Thunder outscored the Lakers 36-22 in the third quarter to turn this game from a close contest to a blowout win for OKC.
Now, JJ Redick and the Lakers find themselves down 2-0 in this series and head home still looking to play a full 48 minutes.
Perhaps the uncomfortable truth is they just don’t have the personnel to play such a perfect game.
Losing the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander minutes
There are plenty of reasons the Lakers lost, but the main culprit was their play in the third quarter, particularly when Shai-Gilgeous Alexander was off the floor.
SGA went to the bench after earning his fourth foul at the 10:34 mark. WithReaves knocking down three subsequent free throws, LA was in front by five.
This was a golden opportunity for the Lakers to take advantage. Winning the minutes when SGA is off the floor is something Lakers head coach JJ Redick said was necessary after practice on Wednesday.
JJ Redick says the tape from Game 1 showed that the Lakers’ defense “was good with some of the Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander] coverages.” What wasn’t good? “We have to be better when [SGA’s] not on the floor … they were plus-nine in those minutes. We’ve got to at least be even” pic.twitter.com/uQrGoqoycR
Apparently, the purple and gold didn’t get the memo.
Chet Holmgren began feasting inside. Then Jared McCain scored five straight points, and after Jaylin Williams knocked down a three and was fouled on the shot, the crowd erupted and LA’s lead had evaporated.
The Thunder continued to pile on, going on a 32-14 run while SGA watched from the bench. This was the turning point of the game as the Lakers never led again.
LA has done a great job containing SGA. He scored 18 points in Game 1 and only scored 22 on Thursday.
However, OKC is so dominant because of its tremendous team. The Lakers have allowed McCain to torch them in both games. Chet has been great as well, and Ajay Mitchell once again had another strong performance. If LA doesn’t find a way to contain them, this will be a sweep.
Welcome back, Austin Reaves
One of the silver linings was the play of Reaves. He struggled massively in Game 1, but had a bounce back performance in Game 2. He continued to attack the paint, but finished strong at the rim this game. He went 10-16 from the field, shot 50% from deep and 80% from the charity stripe.
Add in his six assists, and Reaves put LA in a position to remain competitive in this contest.
The noise surrounding Reaves was overblown in Game 1.
He is a proven player, and one game doesn’t take away from all he has done over the years as a Laker. Still, recency bias is a thing, and it was good for him and the team that Reaves was able to be an impactful player for LA.
With Luka Dončić out, they’ll need all the help they can get in the backcourt to generate some points.
Who can be a responsible adult?
Before the game, Redick said he’d play a nine-man rotation. He barely did with only eight players logging at least 10 minutes. And Jake LaRavia barely cracked the 10-minute mark.
Redick looked for answers playing Adou Thiero in the first half, but while the minutes weren’t bad, they were unimpactful. And with LaRavia playing so poorly, there don’t seem to be many bench players who can play at this level.
Redick has to try something, though.
Can Redick find some responsible adults? Some players who can be depended on to be positive and at least eat up a handful of minutes?
It might be time to play Nick Smith Jr. and see if he can give the Lakers an offensive spark. Maxi Kleber can play some five and give Deandre Ayton a break. Even Bronny James can slot in for a moment to start the second, as he did against the Rockets.
So far, the Lakers haven’t found a winning recipe, so Redick has to throw the kitchen sink at OKC and see if he can find something that gets him a win.
Instead, the Lakers fall to 0-2 in the series and move one step closer to potentially being swept by the defending champions.
The Lakers continue to miss point guard Luka Doncic, and his absence is apparent after the Lakers turned the ball over 20 times, trying to move the ball around and generate some offense. The Thunder were able to produce 26 points off the Lakers' turnovers.
Austin Reaves was responsible for five, while LeBron James and Marcus Smart each had three. Reaves did carry the offense, shooting 10-of-16 from the field for 31 points.
While the turnovers will likely be a topic of discussion internally, the Lakers remained vocal throughout and after the game about the fouls called by the officiating crew.
Coach JJ Redick was asked about the officials after the game and noted that James has only had five free-throw attempts over the first two games of the series.
“LeBron (receives) the worst whistle of any star player I’ve ever seen,” Redick told reporters after the game. “I've been with him for two years now, the smaller guys, because they can be theatrical, tend to get more fouls and guys built like LeBron, it’s hard for them.”
Austin Reaves and the Lakers just had a meeting with the refs after the game to share their frustration with them. pic.twitter.com/exHIVkrese
Redick also said the Thunder have "guys that foul on every possession," which he noted all good defenses do. Still, he was left frustrated by the lack of calls.
"They're hard enough to play. They're hard enough to play. You gotta be able to just call it if they foul, and they do foul," Redick said.
Reaves and James were seen postgame among a crowd near midcourt that consisted of other members of the Lakers and the officiating crew.
Reaves, in particular, was vocal with his displeasure.
"I felt like I was respectful to all of them all night," Reaves told reporters. "... And when we were doing the whole tip ball and they were switching spots, I wanted to get on the other side because they had a guy on the other side, was just trying to keep an advantage. And he turned around and yelled in my face. I just thought it was disrespectful."
James himself had very little to say about the referees after the game.
Q: JJ Redick was irate about the officials, how was that a factor in the runs OKC put together? LeBron James: “We’re down 2-0.” Q: Redick said you get the worst whistle of any superstar he’s seen, why do you think that is? LeBron: “I don’t know” pic.twitter.com/QyPwxUd9Td
The Lakers remained aggressive during the game, matching the pace of the Thunder as the teams exchanged respective scoring runs before Los Angeles took a one-point lead into the locker room at halftime.
OKC managed to pull away in the second half after a 32-14 run during the third quarter, all while the Thunder’s star player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, was not on the floor.
The Lakers have the opportunity to overcome all that happened in Game 2, when the series moves to Los Angeles for the next two games.
The Thunder remain in a good place as the franchise has not lost a best-of-7 series when leading 2-0. Oklahoma City also improved to 6-0 during this postseason, having swept the Phoenix Suns in the first round.
When is Game 3 between Lakers and Thunder?
The Lakers will host the Thunder on Saturday, May 9. The game will air on ESPN at 5:30 p.m. PT (8:30 p.m. ET).
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Lakers, one again, were so close.
But they kept getting in their own way in their 125-107 Game 2 loss to the Thunder at Paycom Center.
The Lakers had too many self-inflicted wounds, like their 21 turnovers for 26 OKC points.
Or the 17 second-chance points they allowed the Thunder to score, wasting the strong moments of halfcourt defense they had.
“We played well in spurts,” LeBron James said. “We had some really good minutes, obviously through three [quarters]. They were able to take a five-point lead in the third quarter and they made a run. Obviously, they kept scoring and they’re really good at exploiting matchups and things of that nature. But we had a good game plan. We tried to execute it as close to 48 minutes as possible, but it just didn’t get done.”
The Lakers had too many self-inflicted wounds, like their 21 turnovers for 26 OKC points. APOr the 17 second-chance points they allowed the Thunder to score, wasting the strong moments of halfcourt defense they had. NBAE via Getty Images
Even with Austin Reaves bouncing back from a purtid Game 1 performance with a playoff career-high 31 points to go with 6 assists, Game 2 was defined by the Lakers’ mistakes.
And the Thunder capitalized off them.
“They do a good job of capitalizing off turnovers,” Luke Kennard said. “Obviously, that’s going to be a big thing for us. We knew that going into it, their physicality. We gotta stay poised, under control when they go on those runs. I think we’ve done a pretty good job overall, but it’s gonna take a full, full 48 minutes.”
James had 23 points and 6 assists.
Rui Hachimura (16 points) and Kennard (10 points) combined for 26 points, but the Lakers wasted a strong shooting night (50% from the field, 37.9% on 3s).
Chet Holmgren led the Thunder with 22 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 assists and 2 blocked shots.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 22 points. Ajay Mitchell recorded 20 points and 6 assists, while Jared McCain had 18 points off the bench.
LeBron James had 23 points and 6 assists. AP
What it means
The Lakers are now trailing 2-0 in the best-of-seven second round series.
Under the 2-2-1-1-1 home/away pattern, the team with homecourt advantage has a 221-19 all-time record in playoff series after taking a 2-0 lead since the NBA moved to a 16-team playoff in 1984.
Turning point
When Gilgeous-Alexander picked up his fourth personal and a Flagrant Foul penalty one foul at the 10:34 mark of the third quarter.
Reaves made a pair of flagrant free throws, and a technical free throw after Alex Caruso was assessed a technical from the bench, to put the Lakers up 66-61 as Gilgeous-Alexander subbed out and went to the bench for the remainder of the quarter.
Usually, this would be a positive moment for an opponent when the reigning MVP has to watch nearly an entire quarter from the bench.
That wasn’t the case for the Lakers, who were outscored 32-14 in the final 10 ½ minutes of the third.
Jared McCain (8 points), Holmgren (8) and Mitchell (7) combined for 23 points in the third, with the trio outscoring the Lakers, who had 22 points in the third.
“I talked about it a little bit [on Wednesday], them being plus-nine in the non-SGA minutes and then in the second half, we just got blitzed, 32-14, seven turnovers,” coach JJ Redick said. “They shot 14 free throws during that stretch. So we got to look at lineups, look at everything, try to figure out how we can be better in those minutes.”
That wasn’t the case for the Lakers, who were outscored 32-14 in the final 10 ½ minutes of the third. NBAE via Getty Images
MVP: Ajay Mitchell
The second-year guard continues his breakout season with another strong playoff performance.
He was the biggest reason why the Thunder won the non-Gilgeous-Alexander minutes in the second, scoring 11 points of his scoring total in the quarter.
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That’s how many points the Thunder outscored the Lakers by when Gilgeous-Alexander wasn’t on the floor before Redick subbed out his main rotation players with 2:14 left, with his team down 120-103.
The Lakers also struggled in the non-Gilgeous-Alexander minutes in Game 1, being outscored on Tuesday when Gilgeous-Alexander was on the bench.
Up next
Game 3 of Lakers-Thunder will tip off at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday at Crypto.com Arena.
OKLAHOMA CITY — Chet Holmgren and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander each scored 22 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Los Angeles Lakers 125-107 on Thursday night to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinal series.
Ajay Mitchell had 20 points and Jaren McCain added 18 for the defending champion Thunder, who improved to 6-0 in the playoffs. The Lakers will host Game 3 on Saturday.
The Lakers again were without scoring champion Luka Doncic, who is out indefinitely with a strained left hamstring. They also were missing forward Jarred Vanderbilt, the reserve forward who dislocated the pinkie finger on his right hand during the second quarter of Game 1. The Lakers also had three players finish with five fouls, limiting their aggressiveness late in the game.
Lakers guard Austin Reaves, who struggled with his shot in Game 1, scored 31 points on 10-for-16 shooting in Game 2. LeBron James, coming off a 27-point effort in Game 1, followed that up with 23.
With the Lakers up 63-61 early in the third quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander got tied up with Reaves and was called for his fourth foul. Upon review, it was upgraded to a flagrant 1 for Gilgeous-Alexander’s follow through. Oklahoma City’s Alex Caruso was called for a technical foul as the situation was being sorted out.
Gilgeous-Alexander left the game with the Lakers up 65-61, but the Thunder rallied and took control without him. On a fast break, Holmgren found a trailing Jaylin Williams, who hit a 3-pointer and was fouled. His free throw put the Thunder up 85-74.
The Thunder outscored the Lakers 32-15 while Gilgeous-Alexander was out in the third quarter to take a 93-80 lead into the fourth. The Lakers cut Oklahoma City’s lead to five in the fourth quarter before the Thunder pulled away again.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - DECEMBER 30: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics shoots the ball during the game against the Utah Jazz on December 30, 2025 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With an early exit from the playoffs, it looks like there’s trouble in Celtics land.
Jaylen Brown is “deeply frustrated” with the Boston Celtics organization, per @Tmac_213
“I think his frustration lies deeply in the organization that we don’t have the details to… There’s just been a lot of stuff that I’ve been hearing, just going on with the Boston… pic.twitter.com/W9EgpUdFvP
It’s a trade that makes sense for both sides but if the Bucks decide they’re not interested in Brown maybe the Jazz could give them an offer that makes sense.
Here’s a trade that could make sense for both sides. If the Utah Jazz don’t jump in the NBA lottery, this trade makes some sense.
Lauri Markkanen and Jaylen Brown’s contracts match perfectly. If Utah ends up with the #6 or #7 pick, they could move that to Boston for Brown along with Markkanen and that might be enough to get it done. For Boston, they get a player that, even though he’s not the level of Brown, is still all-star caliber and they get a top ten pick.
For Utah, they get an upgrade and a player that fits better at the 3 and who’s also a huge upgrade defensively. It also fits all their pieces together much better. Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. are both at their best at the 4. This allows more cohesion with their team and a better defensive identity. A front court of Jaylen Brown, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler could be incredible defensively. On top of that, this would give Jaylen Brown the opportunity to be the lead dog of the Jazz. He wouldn’t be considered the Robing to another Batman and that could be appealing to him considering the frustrations he’s had in Boston.
It’s an interesting idea and we’ll see if it’s possible. What do you think? Is something like this a move the Jazz should consider?
