by Zak Drapeau and Joel Piton Photo Credits to Nathaniel Butler via Getty Images Knicks The Knicks haven’t been to the NBA Finals since 1999, so they want to maximize this opportunity. They showed some weakness against the Hawks in the first round, but since then, New York has been on a historic tear, looking like one of the strongest Eastern Conference squads we’ve seen in recent memory while riding an 11-0 win streak and sweeping through two straight rounds. The Spurs may e

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 5/26/2026 Photo Credits to Sue Ogrocki via Associated Press Playoff Run After 27 long years for New York basketball fans, the Knicks are in the NBA Finals again. After last night's Game 4 in the Eastern Conference Championship finished off their sweep of the Cavaliers, the Knicks are not only heading to the Finals but look poised to win it too. With a date set against either the Thunder or Spurs, who are in the midst of a generational series, th

Photo: Sarah Stier-Getty The Western Conference Finals are heating up. After four games, the Thunder and Spurs are deadlocked at 2-2, and now the series shifts back to Oklahoma City for a Game 5 that could change everything. For OKC, home court has been a fortress all season long. The Thunder have only suffered one home loss in the playoffs so far, and interestingly enough, that loss came at the hands of these very Spurs in a double-overtime thriller. In other words, San Anto

Photo: Lucas Boland-ImagnImages The playoffs are halfway through, and it's getting intense. As we know, every championship team needs star power, but even the greatest superstars can't do it alone. Behind every deep playoff run are the players who defend the toughest matchups, crash the glass, move the ball, take charges, and keep possessions alive when the game gets ugly. These aren't the names that light up the box score, but their impact is undeniable. The best role player

Photo: Nate Billings/AP Every MVP award takes us back to an era. Since 2000, we’ve seen legends rise in little time, dynasties cemented, archetypes we never dreamed of and stars rewriting the history books. From Allen Iverson dragging Philly to the top, to Derrick Rose becoming the youngest MVP ever, to Steph Curry changing basketball forever, to Nikola Jokic turning the center position into a cheat code, every MVP left a different impression. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sec

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 5/19/2026 Photo by Ken Blaze via Imagn Images Overview Different from the Western Conference Finals, the final Series out of the East won't feature either of it's Top 2 seeds. The Knicks come into the series as the 3-seed and winners of their last 7 games in a row. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers are entering their first ECF without Lebron since 1992 and have already been through 2 grueling, 7-game series this postseason. The series will start tonight

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 5/18/2026 Photo by Daniel Dunn via Imagn Images 1Thunder vs 2Spurs (Thunder -250) Overview Before the NBA Playoffs even started, we all looked at this hypothetical matchup as the "Real Finals Series" and it's not hypothetical anymore. Ready to start tonight at 8:30 ET, this series will pit the bet two regular season teams and players this season. Shai may have won his 2nd MVP award this season but Wembanyama was arguably just as worthy and led h

Photo: Kristen Lee/AP The Boston Celtics achieved what many thought was impossible. After Jayson Tatum went down at Madison Square Garden in 2025, this season was supposed to be a survival year at best—a fluke season where Boston tried to resemble its two years, accepted the limitations of life without its star, and waited patiently for Tatum’s recovery. Instead, they won 56 games, had the best record in the Eastern Conference at one point, and watched Tatum make an early ret

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 5/13/2026 Photo by Chris Schwegler via Getty Images/ NBAE 1. Washington Wizards Darryn Peterson, Kansas, Guard So pick #1 and I'm already making waves but not only do I think Peterson is a much better fit in Washington than A.J. but has as much potential too. Peterson has been scrutinized because he "lost explosiveness in college" but I see it as a minor setback year for an amazing athlete who can get a bucket anywhere. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Photo: Braden Daley/AP After months of projections, debates, scouting reports, tank-watch drama and suspense, the order is set. The 2026 NBA Draft picture is no longer a guessing game, at least not when it comes to where each team will be picking. Now comes the fun part: figuring out which young star fits best with the franchises hoping to change their future overnight. With the lottery teams locked into place and the No. 1 pick officially belonging to Washington, the clock t

Photo: Sarah Stier/Getty The NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award celebrates a unique kind of star—usually a guy who's underrated but changes the course of games without hearing their name in the starting lineup. Some award winners were instant offense, and others became foundational pieces on championship contenders, proving that impact isn’t limited to the staring lineup. But not every Sixth Man carried the same impact. Some winners put up buckets on average teams, while other

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 5/8/2026 Photo by Pamela Smith via Imagn images 1. A.J. Dybantsa Small Forward BYU 6'9" - 210 lbs. Archetype- Very Athletic, Mid Range Forward Anytime I grade a propsect in any sport, it comes down to two things: Upside potential and their potential floor. In my eyes, Dybantsa has the best upside potential of anyone in this class. With an elite frame of a Small Forward, great athleticism, good ball handling and a silky jump shot that could beco

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 5/6/2026 2Spurs vs 6Timberwolves MIN Lead 1-0 Photo by Ronald Cortes via Getty Images Series Odds: SA -205 Game 2 Odds: SA -10 The series between the Spurs and Timberwolves should be the most exciting of all 4 2nd round matchups. With two of the premier stars of the league in Anthony Edwards and Victor Wembanyama facing off, it should also be the most watched and media covered as well. The Spurs were heavy favorites to win the series and move on

The NBA Draft is right around the corner, and following another MVP performance from Nikola Jokic, you have to wonder how important it really is to chase high picks when player development, smart scouting, and the right system can turn overlooked talent into the best player in the world. Jokic has set the blueprint for what a second rounder can do, but just how many great talents slid through the cracks on draft night because teams slept on them? Since 1947, every draft class

Photo Credit: Reed Smith/USAToday The 2016 NBA Draft feels close enough to remember clearly, yet just far enough away to judge honestly. The class was led by young prospects with tremendous upside, from franchise saviors to reliable role players. Now, with ten years of NBA evidence in the books, the picture looks very different. Some players became All-Stars, some exceeded every projection, and others notably never quite became what fans hoped they would be. Now we have years

by Zak Drapeau and Joel Piton Sportz Nation - 4/24/2026 Photo Credit: Nico Martinez/FW The Western Conference is full of icons. From dynasties in Los Angeles and Golden State to individual legends who put smaller markets on the map, the West is loaded with names that shaped the game. In terms of impact, who affected the game, and the way fans remember a team, the West have the East beat. So after breaking down every Eastern Conference team’s Mount Rushmore, we’re shifting ove

by Joel Piton Sportz Nation - 4/21/2026 Photo Credit: Danielle Parhizkaran/TBG Boston did exactly what they needed to do in Game 1, overwhelming Philadelphia 123-91 and grabbing an early 1-0 series lead. But nobody in Boston should sleep on this matchup or expect things to stay simple. The 76ers were without Joel Embiid in the opener, and while the Celtics took full advantage, this series could take on a completely different shape if Embiid comes back. A healthy or even limit

by Zak Drapeau and Joel Piton Sportz Nation - 4/19/2026 Graphic by Comet Sports via cometonline.com Every franchise has its icons, and legacy in the NBA is a brutal conversation. Great stats are nice. All-Star appearances help. But Mount Rushmore status? That’s different. That’s reserved for the players who literally became the franchise—the ones who switched up the culture, won over cities, made themselves impossible to erase from team history, and actually compelled you boo

by Joel Piton Sportz Nation - 4/17/2026 Photo: GettyImages The 2025-26 NBA season has been a hard one to predict. From breakout campaigns and MVP-level dominance to injury battles and late-season pushes to meet eligibility requirements, this year’s award races have been filled with drama at every turn. In a season defined by injuries, recovery, controversy, and nonstop debate, narrowing down the winners is no easy task. Some picks feel like clear favorites, others could go a

by Joel Piton Sportz Nation - 4/14/2026 Photo: Sarah Stier/Getty The 2025 draft class came into the NBA with some serious hype and the massive expectation to exceed the group before it—it's safe to say this crop of first-year players are doing just that. From polished scorers to pure shooters and defensive pests, this class has already produced a handful of young talents who look more than capable of becoming long term prospects. More importantly, these rookies have given fan