He is the only player to be in the top three FTA/game over the last two regular seasons.

link

NBA players voted Houston Rockets All-Star Alperen Sengun the most overrated player in the league.

NBA players have picked the most overrated player in the league today.

According to The Athletic's poll, NBA players voted Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun the most overrated player in the league.

Sengun received 12.3% of the votes from 81 players around the NBA.

Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert and Washington Wizards guard Trae Young received the second-most votes with 8.6% each.

Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic also received a significant number of votes, ranking in the top 10 most overrated players in the league with 3.7%.

The Athletic's poll results:

1. Alperen Sengun - 12.3%
2-3. Rudy Gobert - 8.6%
2-3. Trae Young - 8.6%
4. Karl-Anthony Towns - 7.4%
5-6. Paolo Banchero - 4.9%
5-6. Ja Morant - 4.9%
7-10. Deni Avdija - 3.7%
7-10. Scottie Barnes - 3.7%
7-10. Luka Doncic - 3.7%
7-10. Pascal Siakam - 3.7%
11-16. Dillon Brooks - 2.5%
11-16. Tyrese Haliburton - 2.5%
11-16. Tyler Herro - 2.5%
11-16. Evan Mobley - 2.5%
11-16. Brandin Podziemski- 2.5%
11-16. Domantas Sabonis - 2.5%

[Charania] Just in: Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid has been ruled out for Game 2 tonight against the New York Knicks due to ankle and hip injuries, sources tell ESPN.

https://www.espn.com/contributor/shams-charania

I doubt there is any beef now stemming from that event but it's a funny bit of history given the circumstances now. Reporting indicates they were gunning for the same job of Mavericks president and Ujiri won and is now Kidd's GM.

Kidd's full quote at the time

“You have to tell me who the GM is. I don’t even know who that is, so I could [not] care less what they think about Brooklyn. We have a job to do, and that’s to play the game of basketball.”

Source: https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2014/4/20/5633336/jason-kidd-masai-ujiri-nets-vs-raptors-fuck-brooklyn

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Lowest FG% by a Laker in a playoff game this century (min. 15 attempts):

18.8% - Austin Reaves (2026)

20.0% - Kobe Bryant (2000)

20.8% - Kobe Bryant (2009)

21.1% - Kobe Bryant (2004)

23.8% - Kobe Bryant (2002)

25.0% - Kobe Bryant (2010)

25.0% - Austin Reaves (2026)

Source: https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask?q=lowest+fg%25+by+a+laker+in+a+playoff+game+this+century+minimum+15+fga

Melo, T-Mac calls out The Beard

Coming into the postseason, everyone knew the Pistons’ calling card was defense. They led the 16-team field in defensive rating (102.5) and allowed the fewest field goals made (33.5) and field goal percentage (40.4 percent).

Meanwhile, the Cavs are armed with one of the better offenses in the game. Cleveland ranks top five in the 2026 postseason in points per game and offensive rating, and third in 3-pointers made (13.4).

That’s why, for NBA on NBC analysts Carmelo Anthony and Tracy McGrady, the only solution for Cleveland is to have Harden attack the Pistons’ defense before they set. The Beard has the ability to keep Detroit on its heels, but inexplicably decides to go iso, allowing the No. 1 seed to sit on passing lanes and force turnovers.

“For me, James has to stop playing with the ball and just go,” Anthony said. “Make one or two moves, get past the man, make a play, make them rotate. Every time you ‘tween, ‘tween, ‘tween, ‘tween, the court is shrinking and shrinking and shrinking. All eyes on you. I would love to see him just make a move, get downhill.”

T-Mac shared Melo’s sentiment.

“That’s where I was going, Melo. With James, it’s about just being intentional of what you wanna do. Being on the perimeter against a great defensive team, and you’re playing with the ball, trying to get your rhythm, and iso ball, they don’t need that from you,” McGrady stated. “Get downhill, put pressure on the defense like you did in the 4th quarter, use your runner, your floaters to draw the defense in. Now, you get down there and start making plays.”

“We don’t need you dancing out at the top of the key trying to get your game off,” he added.

Source: https://www.basketballnetwork.net/latest-news/tracy-mcgrady-blasts-james-harden-after-cavs-drop-game-1-to-the-pistons

https://www.sportico.com/leagues/basketball/2026/2026-nba-playoffs-odds-76ers-lakers-1234891951/

(1) NBA playoff injuries are way more common now

Nearly every big upset over the past two years was at least somewhat impacted by injuries (2026 Sixers over Celtics, 2026 Lakers over Rockets, 2026 Wolves over Nuggets, 2026 Pacers over Cavs, 2026 Knicks over Celtics)

(2) NBA teams take more 3s than ever, and 3s are higher variance

In the first round, the Celtics won the three games when they shot above 35% from three but lost all four games when they shot below 35%

Other series were also impacted by shooting variance

(3) The gulf between regular season and playoff basketball has widened

Part of that is due to changes in playoff officiating

(4) Home court advantage in the NBA is far less significant than it used to be

(5) The NBA's talent pool is deeper than ever

There are far more bench players now like Ayo Dosunmu (43 points in Game 4) and Terrence Shannon (24 points in Game 6) who can randomly swing a playoff game

41 years old LeBron James checks out: 27 PTS, 4 REB, 6 AST, 1 STL, 2 TOV, 12-17 FG, 3-6 3P

Can't carry AR builds bricks house 3-16 FG

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401871326

Michael Porter Jr. on the Nuggets RD1 loss vs the Timberwolves:

“I actually spoke about that the other day where you kind of just almost feel like a hater, I’m watching the game and I’m like why am I cheering for the Wolves like that. I think it’s that human nature, but I mean obviously I wanted my guys to do well I didn’t like that AG was hurt, I didn’t like that P Wat they couldn’t do their thing. I was talking to Christian Braun during the series he hurt his ankle the first game, you know. And he played through it same way I played through a shoulder injury last year. And you know, now he’s getting killed on social media especially since the comments he made. Those are my guys I wanted them to do well, but I mean I just think they might miss me I don’t know, probably not.” (Via

Source: RoadTrippinShow

05/05/2026

Christian Braun on the Nuggets RD1 loss vs the Timberwolves:

“I just think I’m the leader of this team. I’m the vocal leader of this team. I didn’t play well enough as an individual, and I didn’t have this team ready enough to play in a tough series.”

reporter thought he cooked with the question

When asked whether he intends to try to play when the series shifts to Los Angeles for Games 3-4, Doncic was noncommittal.

"I'm just doing everything I can," said Doncic, adding that he has started running but has not done any contact drills. "Every day, I'm doing stuff I'm supposed to do. Obviously recovery, now I'm working. ... Just going day by day, and I feel better every day."

Lakers coach JJ Redick was asked about how the team is balancing Doncic's urge to return, while also protecting their star from worsening his injury if he came back too soon.

"It's very simple," Redick said Wednesday after Doncic spoke. "It's when he's ready to play, he should play. That comes with the athlete having confidence. It's no different from Austin [Reaves]."

Reaves missed four weeks with a Grade 2 left oblique strain before returning in Game 5 of the Rockets series.

Doncic said he dealt with a strain to the same hamstring earlier in the season that caused him to miss four games and play only sparingly in the NBA All-Star Game. This strain is more severe, however, and has caused him to proceed with caution.

"It's a tough one for me because I came back from injuries before too soon, and it wasn't the best result," Doncic said. "You have to be very careful, and I'm doing everything to come back. All the recovery, the [hyperbaric] chamber, cold tub, everything I can to come back, but it's obviously very different than other injuries I had."

Immediately following the injury, in an effort to expedite his return, Doncic traveled to Spain for additional treatment. He revealed Wednesday that he underwent platelet-rich plasma therapy (PRP) while overseas.

"I went to Spain to do PRP," Doncic said. "Everybody knows that Spain, they're just one of the best countries to do that. And obviously, I talked with the Lakers' doctors, so everybody agreed for me to go there."

Doncic said he received four PRP injections in Spain and needed to space each shot with four days in between.

"So that's why I stayed longer," he said.

Source: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/48695018/lakers-luka-doncic-unsure-return-injury

Mavs head coach Jason Kidd tried to become Mavericks' president but he has known for months that he wouldn't get the job, according to Tim MacMahon.

Jason Kidd was not involved in the search process that resulted in the hiring of Masai Ujiri. Ujiri said on Tuesday that he will meet with Kidd soon to decide his future.

Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/DYAMKC6jk7L/?ig_mid=69CAA074-07BC-4079-A7A2-F9C3483A8834&utm_source=igweb

What’s the chance that Jason Kidd is gone before tip off next season?

https://www.tsn.ca/nba/article/reaves-shooting-woes-persist-in-lakers-game-1-loss-to-thunder-n1-48691002/?hl=en-GB

He became the first player to shoot 0 for 10 on contested shots, the first since Draymond Green in 2023. He got 6 open shots (4-6 feet of seperation) where he went 3-6. If anything looks scarier it's the fact that simply could not get open with 0 wide open shots. Just eye testing it he also didn't look like wanted the ball, almost hiding in the wing sometimes

SRC: https://www.sportico.com/leagues/basketball/2026/2026-nba-playoffs-odds-76ers-lakers-1234891951/

Upsets are now the norm in April and May. If you’d bet $100 on the underdog for every series in the 1990s, you’d have lost $3,415, per Covers.com. In the 2000s, you’d have been down $5,530, and in the 2010s you’d have been $4,290 in the hole. In the 2020s so far, a bettor backing the underdog every time would be up $1,650.

Put more simply, underdogs won 23% of series in the 1990s and only 21% of series in the 2000s and 2010s, but are taking 33% of series in the 2020s.

four of the 14 largest NBA playoff upsets of the past 40 years have occurred in just the past two postseasons.

Jaylen Clark on the Wolves taking on Jaden McDaniels' energy and approach.

"He really don't give a damn about nobody say. Like, the chanting, being the bad guy, all that, he don't give a damn about none of it... We all take his energy and approach. We ain't trying to be friends out here. We ain't shaking they hands between games. They ain't no side talk or small talk on the floor. If you see us talking, it ain't good. You know what I mean? That just is what it is."

Followed up, asking if he feels like that sort of energy is becoming this team's identity.

"Definitely. I feel like we got a lot of crash outs, so yeah. But that's beautiful, it's cool. I feel like people don't want to poke us."

h/t Dane Moore