(Basketnews) [The Athletic] NBA players voted Houston Rockets All-Star Alperen Sengun the most overrated player in the league.
41 years old LeBron James checks out: 27 PTS, 4 REB, 6 AST, 1 STL
LeBron postgame when asked about Lakers offensive issues - “Where are the offensive issues coming from? We have a guy that averaged 37 a game… There’s the issues right there”
[Injury] The OKC Thunder bench reacts to Jarred Vanderbilt’s hand injury:
[Post Game Thread] The Detroit Pistons (1-0) defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers (0-1), 111-101.
Masai Ujiri on fans’ feelings moving on from the Luka trade and building around Cooper Flagg: “In Africa we say when kings go, kings come. And a king went, and we have a little prince here that we’re gonna turn into a king.”
[Charania] The NBA has fined Boston’s Jaylen Brown $50,000 for his comments criticizing the referees after Game 7 and series loss in the first round against the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell ESPN.
[Post Game Thread] The Oklahoma City Thunder (1-0) defeat the Los Angeles Lakers (0-1), 108-90 behind 24 points for Chet Holmgren.
[Charania] Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt has sustained a full dislocation of his right pinky finger in a gruesome injury tonight, sources tell ESPN.
[Highlight] Shai Gilgeous-Alexander misses a shot while attempting to draw a foul, and Deandre Ayton with a nice pass to LeBron James for the fastbreak dunk (with replays).
12 early points for LeBron.
Austin Reaves despite the Loss against the Thunder: 8 PTS | 3⁄16 FGS | 0/5 3PTS | 2⁄2 FTS | 4 TOS | 24% TS
Jared “sold high” McCain off the bench against the Lakers in game 1: 12 points, 4⁄7 FG, 4⁄5 3PT
Update on the Sixers fan from yesterday: thankfully he’s okay and seems to be taking the whole thing in jest. Still, as a Knicks fan, we need to weed out these clout-hungry pests from our fanbase.
Chris Finch on Wemby’s 12 blocks: “at least 4 of them were goaltending…it’s a little alarming that none of them were called…he’s 7’6” and there’s no heightened [ref] awareness that these blocks could be goaltends…You know the value of 8 points in an NBA game? That’s also 33% of his blocks”
Marcus on JJ saying they’ve sucked against the Thunder:
“JJ’s been nice. We were ass”
[Highlight] Marcus Smart realizes that if he touches the ball, it is a backcourt violation, so he lets Shai Gilgoues-Alexander dive for it and then grabs the ball too, forcing a jump ball (with a replay).
Smart wins the jump ball
LeBron James has more playoff wins this season without Luka Doncic (4) than Michael Jordan had without Scottie Pippin (1) his entire career.
[Highlight] LeBron James grabs his first rebound of the game and scores the putback layup while being surrounded by 4 Thunder players in the paint. He also lets them know.
Austin Rivers responds to Draymond Green
NBC structuring the broadcasts like this is genuine ragebait
Irony of Lebron James career
Knicks fans harass Sixers fan minding his business after game 1
Jaden McDaniels on attacking the rim when Wemby is on the floor - “You just gotta act like he’s not there. I mean, he’s gonna get blocks. He’s the tallest person in the world.”
Masai Ujiri: “You’ve got Wembanyama, Luka, Shai, Anthony Edwards and Nikola Jokic all for the next 7-15 years. Okay, now you have to convince me that I have to beat all those guys. You gotta come with something in your pocket, okay? …and in his pocket he had Cooper Flagg.”
Chet Holmgren with a big game 1 performance: 24 PTS, 12 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 3 BLK
[Mizell] Nick Nurse away from Sixers Tuesday to attend brother’s funeral services. Steve Nurse, 62, died last Wednesday, the day before Game 6 of the Sixers’ first-round series win over the Boston Celtics.
[Highlight] Ausar Thompson with a chasedown block on Keon Ellis
[McMenamin] Vanderbilt needed stitches postgame because the bone in his dislocated pinkie finger broke skin
[Highlights] LeBron James intercepts the pass by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and finishes with the fastbreak dunk. Thunder’s timeout. And then LeBron James with the layup off a lob pass by Marcus Smart. With replays. 16 points for LeBron in the 1st half.
[Highlight] Jared McCain hits back to back threes to extend the Thunder’s lead to 19
[Barker] Kelly Oubre when asked how tough it is guarding Jalen Brunson - “I dont know. I just know he has a big head.”
James Harden was 43 turnovers these playoffs already, leading all players. He is currently averaging 5.4 turnovers and 6.2 assists in the playoffs
[Highlight] Tobias Harris crosses James Harden and scores a big floater in crunch time
The Los Angeles Lakers have now been out scored by the OKC Thunder by 135 points in 5 games this season
The Timberwolves are the best watch in basketball
[Injury] Jarred Vanderbilt is in extreme pain after jamming his pinky finger against the side of the backboard while attempting to block the alley-oop dunk by Chet Holmgren (with replays).
[Highlight] Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores the tough And-1 on Jaxson Hayes (with replays).
You can see JJ Redick’s live reaction, saying “NO!”
Josh Hart responding to Kelly Oubre’s comments on Jalen Brunson’s big head - “It’s well documented”
[Highlight] Daniss Jenkins grabs the loose ball and goes coast-to-coast for the dunk to seal the victory. Detroit takes Game 1 with a 111-101 victory over Cleveland, their first playoff win over the Cavaliers since Game 2 of the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals, having lost 12 straight to Cleveland.
Austin Reaves at half: 4/2/4, 3 Turnovers, 25% TS
[Highlight] Duncan Robinson full highlights vs. Cleveland Cavaliers last night (111-101 W) - Game 1 - Eastern Semifinals:
19 Points on 7⁄12 FG (58.3%), 5⁄8 from 3 (62.5%), 0/1 FT, 2 Assists (ZERO turnovers), 2 Steals, and a +/- of +6 in 27:53 minutes played.
Chet Holmgren checks out as both teams empty the bench in a decisive Game 1 victory: 24/12/1 w/1 steal | 3 blocks
Anthony Edwards on Mike Conley: “Mike Conley was an All-Star in the NBA. I think people forget about that. Once upon a time, he was one of the best point guards in the league. I always tell him that you used to be one of my favorite players. When I played 2-K, I played with you.”
JJ Redick postgame on the Lakers shot quality - “We won expected score so it was good enough to win”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 18 points in Game 1 of the western conference semi-finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. The last time he scored under 20 points was almost 1 year ago.
Donovan Mitchell adding to the officiating complaints in the playoffs postgame- “A friend of mine got fined for talking about fl*p…I feel like that’s what I gotta do at this point. I’m trying to get to the bucket…I’m just not getting the calls. I don’t know why. I don’t fl*p maybe that’s why”
[Highlights] Chet Holmgren full highlights vs. Los Angeles Lakers tonight (108-90 W) - Game 1 - Western Semifinals - 2026 NBA Playoffs.
24 Points on 9⁄17 FG (52.9%), 2⁄2 from 3, 4⁄4 FT, 12 Rebounds (3 Off. Rebs), 1 Assist (ZERO turnovers), 1 Steal, 3 Blocks, NO fouls, and a +/- of +19 in 30:49 MP
Since becoming Head Coach of the Toronto Raptors, Darko Rajaković has run an initiative where he donates $33 for every assist recorded by the team.