Read More

The NBA postseason is here, and it’s shaping up to be a wide-open chase to the 2022 title.

The Phoenix Suns ran away with the league’s best regular-season record — eight games clear of the second-best Memphis Grizzlies. Devin Booker, Chris Paul and the reigning Western Conference champs are on a mission to redeem themselves after last season’s six-game Finals defeat to the Milwaukee Bucks, and survived an injury to Booker to knock out the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round.

Plenty of West contenders still stand in the Suns’ way, including Ja Morant and the Grizzlies, Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks and the Golden State Warriors, who are back in the playoffs for the first time since reaching the Finals in 2019.

In the East, the defending champion Bucks are the 3-seed in a log-jammed conference — the top-seeded Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers were separated by just two games in the final regular season standings and all advanced to the second round.

Here’s all the info you need for each conference semifinals matchup, including game recaps, news and series-by-series analysis.

MORE: Complete first-round results

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Game 1: 76ers at Heat, Monday, 7:30 p.m. (TNT)
Game 2: 76ers at Heat, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. (TNT)
Game 3: Heat at 76ers, Friday, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 4: Heat at 76ers, Sunday May 8, 8 p.m. (TNT)
Game 5*: 76ers at Heat, Tuesday May 10, TBD (TNT)
Game 6*: Heat at 76ers, Thursday May 12, TBD (ESPN)
Game 7*: 76ers at Heat, Sunday May 15, TBD
*If necessary

Without Joel Embiid, here’s what the 76ers must do against the Heat

76ers’ Joel Embiid out indefinitely with orbital fracture, mild concussion

Injury-depleted Heat finish off Hawks to advance

How Tyler Herro fuels the best version of the Miami Heat

The Heat have mastered winning with undrafted talent

Game 1: Bucks at Celtics, Sunday, 1 p.m. (ABC)
Game 2: Bucks at Celtics, Tuesday, 7 p.m. (TNT)
Game 3: Celtics at Bucks, Saturday May 7, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
Game 4: Celtics at Bucks, Monday May 9, 7:30 p.m. (TNT)
Game 5*: Bucks at Celtics, Wednesday May 11, TBD (TNT)
Game 6*: Celtics at Bucks, Friday May 13, TBD (ESPN)
Game 7*: Bucks at Celtics, Sunday May 15, TBD
*If necessary

Lowe: Why the Bucks need absolute peak Giannis to defeat these Celtics

Smart first guard to win DPOY since 1995-96

Bucks close out Bulls, turn attention to Celtics

Tatum scores 29 as Boston Celtics complete sweep of Brooklyn Nets

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Game 1: Mavericks at Suns, Monday, 10:00 p.m. (TNT)
Game 2: Mavericks at Suns, Wednesday, 10:00 p.m. (TNT)
Game 3: Suns at Mavericks, Friday, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 4: Suns at Mavericks, Sunday May 8, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 5*: Mavericks at Suns, Tuesday May 10, TBD (TNT)
Game 6*: Suns at Mavericks, Thursday May 12, TBD (ESPN)
Game 7*: Mavericks at Suns, Sunday May 15, TBD
*If necessary

Paul’s perfect night from field helps Suns close out Pelicans

Mavs escape Utah as Luka advances for first time

Bridges joins list of greats in powering Suns to Game 5 win

A star guard has arrived in Dallas — the price to keep him there just went up

Why no NBA playoff team comes close to these Suns

Game 1: Warriors at Grizzlies, Sunday, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
Game 2: Warriors at Grizzlies, Tuesday, 9:30 p.m. (TNT)
Game 3: Grizzlies at Warriors, Saturday May 7, 8:30 p.m. (ABC)
Game 4: Grizzlies at Warriors, Monday May 9, 10:00 p.m. (TNT)
Game 5*: Warriors at Grizzlies, Wednesday May 11, TBD (TNT)
Game 6*: Grizzlies at Warriors, Friday May 13, TBD (ESPN)
Game 7*: Warriors at Grizzlies, Monday May 16, TBD (TNT)
*If necessary

Comeback Grizzlies rally again, finish Wolves in 6

Morant honored as NBA’s Most Improved Player

Warriors lose Iguodala (neck) for at least a week

Meet the new lineup that has Golden State into the second round

Gary Payton II has found a home in Golden State

Read More

The Chicago Blackhawks had a very bad season. They played their game against the Buffalo Sabres and they were defeated in overtime by a final score of 3-2. After 82 games, they finished the season with a record of 28-42-12 for 68 standings points.

As a result, they have the 6th best odds of winning the 2022 NHL Draft Lottery. If they don’t win one of the two lottery picks (1st/2nd overall), their first-round pick goes to the Columbus Blue Jackets as a result of the Seth Jones trade. If they do win it, that pick becomes a 2023 first.

Read More

Read More

The Chicago Bears didn’t have a pick in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. They traded it to the New York Giants so that they can move up to select Justin Fields out of Ohio State University. You are nothing if you don’t have a quarterback so this will be a good move if he hits but we will see.

The Giants made that pick in the first round on Thursday and selected Evan Neal out of Alabama. He is going to be a good player but protecting the quarterback is pointless if you don’t have a quarterback. The Bears will fix their offensive line eventually (we hope).

Read More

CHICAGO — Though he didn’t rule out re-signing with the Chicago Bulls, Zach LaVine didn’t slam the door on joining another team either.

The two-time All-Star played it coy. And with that, the offseason took a dramatic turn in Chicago.

LaVine made it clear Friday that he plans to explore the market as an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career, calling it a “big decision” for him and his family. The high-flying guard insisted he is keeping an open mind, as much as he has enjoyed his five seasons in Chicago.

2 Related

He indicated he intends to meet with other teams when free agency opens, saying: “I plan to enjoy free agency. We’re going to have to experience A through Z without making any fast decisions. I think that’s something me and [agent Rich Paul] are going to go through and experience.”

Are the Bulls the leader to sign him? LaVine was noncommittal.

“You guys have been a really, really soft spot in my heart,” he said. “I have to do this as a business decision, as a man, to not just be viewed one way and be like I’m automatically coming back or I’m automatically leaving.”

The Bulls got off to a solid start this season en route to a 46-36 record and their first playoff appearance since 2017. But they were hit hard by injuries, with LaVine, guards Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso, and forward Patrick Williams missing significant stretches. Chicago struggled down the stretch and was knocked out 4-1 by defending NBA champion Milwaukee in the first round.

LaVine averaged 24.4 points per game in the regular season, made his second straight All-Star team and got his first taste of the playoffs in his eighth year. But it was hardly a smooth season.

He dealt with an early thumb injury and was in and out of the lineup the final few months because of a sore left knee. He had platelet-rich plasma therapy, a cortisone injection and fluid drained from the knee in Los Angeles before the All-Star break.

LaVine also missed the final playoff game after entering the health and safety protocols. He said he tested negative Friday after he “felt terrible” the first two days.

LaVine said he needs to get his knee back to 100%, and he will have it reexamined soon after he returns home to Los Angeles.

As for his expiring four-year, $78 million contract? The Bulls clearly want to keep him.

“The thing is that we have a relationship with him. He knows exactly what to expect here,” executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas said. “We have a really good relationship with him. The last two years have been the best two years of his career, so we’ll see what happens.”

Karnisovas said the knee problem won’t impact negotiations.

A supermax deal worth about $245 million over five years appears to be out of reach since he would need to be chosen All-NBA, MVP or Defensive Player of the Year to become eligible. The Bulls can offer a max contract worth more than $210 million over five years.

But LaVine didn’t seem too inclined to give the Bulls a discount so they might have a little more salary-cap flexibility.

“I think it’s important to me you get paid what you’re valued at,” he said. “I see myself as a top guy in this league. I think I’ve proven that over the last four years.”

He also sees potential for the Bulls to become an elite team. Karnisovas has been aggressive in reshaping the roster since he was hired two years ago, acquiring Nikola Vucevic, DeMar DeRozan, Ball and Caruso, drafting Ayo Dosunmu and hiring coach Billy Donovan.

But the injuries made it difficult to develop the continuity they needed to compete with the NBA’s best. That’s a point the players as well as Donovan and Karnisovas mentioned the past two days. A major part of that would be re-signing LaVine.

“I don’t think Rome was built in a year,” LaVine said. “I don’t think you can be a championship-caliber team right off the bat. Maybe some teams are. But it’s tough. It’s the first time a lot of us made the playoffs. I think it was a really good experience. And not all of us got to really play together due to circumstances of COVID and injury. I definitely think this is a good team and has the potential to be a championship-caliber team.”

Read More

The Chicago Blackhawks are in a weird spot. Nobody knows what the direction of the team is right now and we won’t until the draft is done and moves are made for the 2022-23 season. With a new general manager in Kyle Davidson, it is going to be interesting to see what he does.

Earlier in the week, the Blackhawks made an interesting move as they signed Jeff Greenberg to be the associate general manager. He has spent the last 11 years in the front office with the Chicago Cubs, most recently serving as the assistant GM to Jed Hoyer. He was an initial candidate to be hired for the complete general manager job but Davidson was ultimately the guy.

Read More

Read More

Read More

The NBA first-round playoff series between the Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves has the makings of an all-time classic.

We’ve seen young superstars Ja Morant and Anthony Edwards take their games to new heights — literally, in Morant’s case — Karl-Anthony Towns letting it fly from deep and some massive rallies that have swung the series momentum through five exhilarating games.

What’s in store for Friday’s Game 6 (9 p.m. ET, ESPN) in Minneapolis?

Will the Grizzlies continue to experiment with different defensive matchups against Towns? Will Jaren Jackson Jr. be able to stay out of foul trouble? What theatrics could Edwards provide in the latest chapter of his impressive playoff debut? What courtside trash talk will be traded between Tee Morant and Karl Towns Sr.?

Our NBA experts are breaking down the storylines they’re watching the closest as the Grizzlies look to close out the Timberwolves and advance to the Western Conference semifinals.

MORE: NBA playoff matchups, schedules and news

Can KAT lead a Minnesota series comeback?

No factor in Grizzlies-Wolves has been more important than Karl-Anthony Towns’ production. In Minnesota’s pair of wins, Towns has averaged 31 points and 17.5 shot attempts. In three losses, that drops to 17 PPG and almost precisely half as many attempts (8.7).

Certainly, the Memphis defense hasn’t been the only factor at play here. Towns’ own foul trouble (five in each of the Wolves’ losses, limiting him to no more than 35 minutes as compared to the 42-plus he’s played in two wins) has been key. Same goes for Minnesota’s guards, particularly D’Angelo Russell, failing to find Towns in favorable situations.

Karl-Anthony Towns is coming off a 5-for-7 performance from 3-point range in Game 5. Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images

Still, the Grizzlies’ adjustment during their fourth-quarter comeback in Game 5 was fascinating. After Jackson fouled out and sent Towns to the line for three shots with 6:58 left to play, putting the Timberwolves up 11, Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins decided to go small. He put four perimeter players on the court around Brandon Clarke and gave 6-foot-7 wing Dillon Brooks the assignment of defending the 6-foot-11 Towns, who had already scored 25 points.

In 11 half-court matchups against Brooks, Towns attempted just two shots according to Second Spectrum tracking, making one (a 3-pointer). The Grizzlies outscored Minnesota 23-10 over the final seven minutes, rallying to win and take a 3-2 lead in the series.

Although Brooks did yeoman’s work using leverage to keep Towns from establishing post position, there’s more the Timberwolves can do to take advantage of the size mismatch. What little success they did have came by playing through Towns at the elbow. A sharp cut by Russell next to Towns — effectively making Towns a screener — put Memphis in rotation because Brooks didn’t want to switch. The resulting ball movement set up Towns to knock down an open 3.

The Grizzlies foiled a similar play the next time down, with Desmond Bane poking the ball away from Towns for a turnover, but a handoff between Towns and Jordan McLaughlin set up the Edwards corner 3 that tied the game just before Morant’s game-winning layup.

We’ll see Friday night whether putting Brooks on Towns was simply a desperation move for Jenkins or a strategy he’ll go to again. If so, expect Minnesota’s offense to be better prepared.

— Kevin Pelton

Can Jaren Jackson Jr. stay on the court?

To achieve playoff success, teams generally need their top talent to perform — because talent wins big series. While Morant’s electric offense paces the Grizzlies, Jackson Jr. is building the resume to be one of those strong number 2s. Memphis believes it because they signed their big man to a four-year extension worth $105 million last October.

Yet right now, he’s one of the postseason’s most prominent underachievers.

2 Related

An All-Defensive Team candidate, Jackson has provided solid help defense, and the Grizzlies are giving up a stingy 101.6 points per possession when he’s on the floor. Fourteen blocks isn’t nothing. Problem is, he can’t stay on the floor: In the five games against Minnesota, he’s averaging 22.6 minutes per game, a result of his constant foul trouble.

That might be excusable if he were contributing offensively, but Jackson has been a cipher in the series. He’s racked up 26 personal fouls but only 18 field goals. One of Jackson’s assets as the Grizzlies 4-man is the stretch he provides in the half-court, which is crucial for a team that needs the lane clear for Ja Morant to do his thing.

But Minnesota has gladly shirked accounting for Jackson beyond the arc, and why not? Jackson is shooting only 31.8% from 3, while Morant is attacking the paint with impunity.

Jackson doesn’t excel at some of the other functions of a big man in the half court. He’s not a great screener, roller, nor high-post facilitator. Though he’s a fairly decent threat on the block, Memphis’ offense doesn’t prioritize posting up, not when Morant serves as the catalyst of the offense.

The NBA75 celebration continues with the NBA playoffs, which runs through June, when the league will crown a champion for its milestone season.

o A star guard has arrived in Dallas
o What to know about every playoff team
o Inside the world of NBA ref whisperers
o NBA matchups: First-round results

Somehow, someway, the Grizzlies and Jackson have to figure out a way to make him a useful offensive player, because they need more from him than putbacks and the occasional 3-pointer.

He’s undoubtedly a more-than-useful defensive player — he’s the Grizzlies’ linchpin — but not if he’s checking out of the game prematurely with foul trouble.

The Grizzlies need Jackson, both to close out this series and, if they should, against the Golden State Warriors in the second round. It’s incumbent on him to fulfill that need.

— Kevin Arnovitz

Which version of Ant Man will show up?

It’s easy to forget that Anthony Edwards is 20 years old and on the verge of just his sixth career playoff game. His pure scoring ability is mesmerizing, but his inexperience has been on display as much as his talent.

Game 5 was a microcosm of those diametrical views.

On one end, Edward hits a game-tying 3 pointer to knot it up at 109-109 with merely seconds to go. Yet on the other end of the court he overplayed his hand on defense against one of the best and most explosive offensive players in the game. That led to Morant’s game-winning layup that gave the Grizzlies a 3-2 lead in the series.

If you look at the Timberwolves’ two wins, there are obvious distinctions in Edwards’ play. In both Wolves victories, he’s shooting at least 50%, has at least six free throw attempts and a total of five blocks and three steals.

In their losses, he has been less efficient and is letting the Grizzlies defense off the hook by settling for jumpers.

In Minnesota’s wins, Edwards has been the best player on the floor on both ends of the court. For the Wolves to have any shot at stealing Game 6 and the series, they need Ant Man to show us his superpowers.

— Jorge Sedano

Will Desmond Bane continue his sophomore surge?

You’ve heard of a Short King?

Bane is 6-foot-5 and doesn’t come close to qualifying for the trendy term of endearment aimed at men about 5-foot-9 and under.

A short-armed king, though? That’s a category built for Bane.

The Grizzlies second-year guard is one of the rare NBA players with a negative wingspan (a wingspan shorter than your height), with his arms measuring at 6-foot-4.25. In a league that values length, Bane fell to No. 30 in the 2020 draft in part because of that measurement.

Two years removed from that draft day drop, Bane is proving arm length to be overrated while improving at a swift pace.

Bane is somewhat quietly leading the Grizzlies in scoring in this series with 23.6 points per game, which is five more points than he averaged in the regular season (18.2).

His regular season, during which he nearly doubled his scoring average from his rookie season, was impressive enough that Morant tried to redirect his Most Improved Player award to his teammate earlier this week.

But Bane’s rise is even more striking when you consider his efficiency this postseason. He’s scoring those extra points with a lower usage rate in the playoffs (21.2%) than he had in the regular season (23.1%).

Bane has been launching 9.4 3-pointers per game this series (2.5 more than the regular season) and hitting at 46.8%. In this series, he joined Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson as the only NBA players in history to hit seven or more 3-pointers in consecutive playoff games.

Bane is a master of creating space with footwork, pump fakes, step-back dribbles — none of which are hampered by his sub-optimal arm length. Bane is certainly not alone: The Miami Heat‘s Tyler Herro is another current playoff contributor who has measured a negative wingspan, while ESPN’s JJ Redick played his 14-year NBA career the same way.

Bane almost has some company on his own team. Brandon Clarke is thriving in his second playoffs (16.4 points and 8.6 rebounds) while sporting a wingspan that exactly matches his 6-foot-8.25 frame.

Bane also used those stocky arms to push Minnesota coach Chris Finch on the sideline, earning him a technical foul. So chances are that Wolves fans will pay him a little extra attention in Game 6.

— Israel Gutierrez

Read More