Aaron Nesmith is the first player in NBA history to make six three-point field goals in the 4th quarter of a playoff game. Only six other players have made six threes in a quarter of a playoff game:▪️ Antoine Walker, BOS at PHI, April 28, 2002 (2nd Q)▪️ Damian Lillard, POR… pic.twitter.com/y70n6iXR4X— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 22, 2025

Everyone’s talking about the 3s.But Indiana’s 20-6 run to steal Game 1 wasn't possible without stop after stop after stop.Let’s break down the defensive side of the miraculous comeback 🧵 pic.twitter.com/qoCjp6E98e— Michael Jagacki (@Mike_Jagacki) May 22, 2025

The Knicks were up 𝟭𝟭𝟲-𝟭𝟬𝟮.Less than three minutes on the clock. MSG was rocking.The crowd could taste a Game 1 victory.Vegas gave the Indiana Pacers a 0.3% chance to win.Statisticians said it was 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 — since 1997, NBA teams were 0–970 when down 14+… pic.twitter.com/YXnwFBUIOl— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 22, 2025

NBA teams were 0-970 in the playoffs over the last 27 years when trailing by 14+ points with under 2:50 left in regulation.Tonight made it 1-970 🤯(Via @keerthikau ) pic.twitter.com/2QeVZsm4MO— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 22, 2025

Since 1997-98, teams are 4-1,640 when trailing by 7+ in the final minute of the 4th quarter/OT in the playoffs.The Pacers account for THREE of those wins.ALL in these playoffs. pic.twitter.com/sxoB86slFJ— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) May 22, 2025

Waking up to this is insane. I hate myself for missing it. pic.twitter.com/g7mGFAppkM— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) May 22, 2025

FROM THE ABOVE ARTICLE:

Jazz receive:
-Austin Reaves
-Gabe Vincent
-2031 first-round pick

Lakers receive:
-Walker Kessler,
-Jordan Clarkson
-Keyonte George
-Two second-round picks

Why could the Jazz trade for Austin Reaves?

The Western Conference is stacked, and all of the best teams have multiple stars. In the Western Conference Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder have the likely MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and two more All-Star caliber teammates in Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren. The Minnesota Timberwolves, meanwhile, have one of the best players in the league in Anthony Edwards. He is joined by a number of other solid players, but most notably, Julius Randle has played in the All-Star game before, and Rudy Gobert is a four-time Defensive Player of the Year.

The Denver Nuggets have Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray; the Golden State Warriors have Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler; and the Los Angeles Clippers have James Harden and Kawhi Leonard. Even an up-and-coming team like the San Antonio Spurs has multiple stars, as Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox should make waves as a duo next season. The point is clear that, while depth is important, the NBA is still a star-driven league.

Lauri Markkanen has All-Star experience, but the Jazz need another elite player, especially because Markkanen had a down year. Considering Reaves scored 20.2 points on a team with other ball-dominant players, he could become a legitimate star for a team like the Jazz. On top of Reaves, the Jazz might be able to squeeze a future first-round pick out of the Lakers.

This is so stupid lol. SGA created the contact then started stumbling to make it look like he got fouled. NBA needs to stop rewarding players for this garbage style of play. It’s trash. pic.twitter.com/YLpatnNPD6— Dominique Clare (@DomClare) May 21, 2025

The refs allow Jaden McDaniels to guard Luka in the most physical manner possible. When he guards SGA he isn’t allowed to touch him. It’s like you’re watching a different defender due to officiating. Why the disparity? The reaction of all the Timberwolves players speaks volumes.— Showtime Luka (@showtimeluka) May 21, 2025

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE'S LAKERS SOLUTION:Excellent advice that Rob Pelinka would be wise to accept but will surely disregard. It's really amazing how AI is going to change everything in our lives. Step 1: Accept the Luka Era Step 2: Address the center hole post-AD Step 3:… https://t.co/m9l2S1Htd2 pic.twitter.com/rlNSXFPbaA— LakerTom (@LakerTom) May 21, 2025

FROM THE ABOVE ARTICLE:

Lakers receive…

Draymond Green
Warriors receive…

Dalton Knecht
Rui Hachimura (expiring)
2031 first-round pick

FROM THE ABOVE ARTICLE:

For years, opponents could count on Randle stopping the ball and steering his own team off course. Now, the best defense in modern NBA history will have its hands full just slowing him down. What happened?
The NBA playoffs typically reveal players for who they really are, but this year’s postseason has shown Julius Randle to be someone he’s never been. It’s as if every bit of wishful thinking around one of the league’s most talented and frustrating players suddenly snapped into reality. The hang-ups that have followed Randle from team to team for more than a decade—gone. The disengagement on defense he showed even earlier this season—vanished without a trace. At 30 years old, Randle just figured it all out: his decision-making, his focus, his place in the universe.

This version of Randle is all star, no caveat. OK, some caveats. Randle will still get a little loose with his dribble here and there, and he might occasionally catch an opposing role player with an elbow to the head. That’s a price the Minnesota Timberwolves will gladly pay for a bruising forward operating with this kind of clarity, generating offense in a way very few can. How many bigs have we seen overpower Draymond Green? Randle lowered his right shoulder, time and again, and made it look easy. Brace for impact, and he’ll drive right around you. Fail to do so, and Randle will send you flying into the stanchion. He’s a bulldozer that handles like a Miata. The only liability, before this postseason, was the man behind the wheel.

Randle has churned out impressive stat lines for years, putting him vaguely in the company of playmaking forwards like LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo—but his contributions never stood up to scrutiny. Randle seized possessions in progress and settled for jumpers he shouldn’t have. His playmaking was too wild to steady an offense, and his scoring was never efficient enough to carry one. Focused defensive attention rooted out even the best parts of his game. In his two previous playoff runs (in which he was hampered by injury, to be fair), Randle averaged 17 points on 34 percent shooting from the field and had more turnovers than assists. This time around, he’s averaging 24 points on 51 percent shooting and dishing six assists a night, tied for the team high. That’s not growth—that’s an entirely different player.

This is only surprising to some. If you’ve been keeping tabs on Mr. Randle (I have, along with Hart, Ball, Zubac and BI) you’ll see a player who consistently adds to his game. He’s cut down on the bull in a china shop drives every season, he added a solid three ball, his passing game was good when he came into the league: it’s better now. His defense has improved.

Now we’re seeing the game really slow down and Julius analyzing read/reacts at an even more elite level than in previous season’s.

I think he would have been exactly this good all season long in New York, it just took him some time to figure out how his role works in Minny.

FROM THE ABOVE ARTICLE:

The Los Angeles Lakers’ midseason trade for Luka Doncic shook up the team in more ways than one. While improving the Lakers’ short-term outlook, the trade now has Austin Reaves in a peculiar position in the trade market.

“When Reaves gets traded this summer — and he will get traded — the stuff they get back for him is going to make it seem even worse [the Mavericks] didn’t get him in the [Luka Doncic trade],” Simmons said on The Bill Simmons Podcast.

Lakers fans adore Reaves, but Simmons sees him as the team’s only real trade asset. With a player option in the 2026-2027 season, Reaves is also due for a pay raise that Los Angeles cannot afford to give him with LeBron James and Doncic owed nearly $100 million total in 2025-2026.

As James indirectly stated, the team desperately needs to add a competent center to the mix. Reaves is the Lakers’ only player, besides James and Doncic, for whom any rival organization would be willing to relinquish a starting center.

The Lakers currently have 11 players under contract through the 2025-2026 season, allowing them to run it back with Doncic for a full season. However, they only have three players contracted beyond that season, making the 2026 offseason one to watch with the team.

Beyond the 2025-2026 season, Los Angeles only has Jarred Vanderbilt, Shake Milton, and Bronny James guaranteed on its books. Doncic and Reaves have player options for that season with Dalton Knecht on a $4 million team option.

With Reaves due only $14 million in 2026-2027, he is all but guaranteed to opt out and renegotiate his terms. At that point, the Lakers would have to compete with any team willing to give him north of $20 million per season.

With LeBron James taking a year-by-year approach, the Lakers might be able to afford Reaves in the 2026 offseason. However, his play style is noticeably too similar to that of Doncic to give any hope that they can thrive together. Regardless of James’ eventual decision, Los Angeles appears in a position to either trade Reaves or lose him for nothing.

THUNDER DOMINATE WOLVES IN PAINTOKC won points in the paint by 54-20, rebounds 46-42, FG% 50.0% – 34.9%, 3P% 52.4% – 29.4%, and FTM 21 -15.Thunder hang close in first half and take over in second half. OKC looks dominant. Wolves need to win Game 2. https://t.co/74B35MzOtJ— LakerTom (@LakerTom) May 21, 2025

FROM THE ABOVE ARTICLE:

The Los Angeles Lakers’ season ended abruptly in late April when they were defeated quite handily by the No. 6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves in five games.

The Timberwolves were the better, deeper, younger and more athletic squad compared to the Lakers. L.A. had some glaring holes in its roster before the series, and they were exploited mightily in the playoffs.

Nonetheless, the Lakers are expected to come back stronger with a bolstered roster led by Luka Doncic. Doncic is eligible for an extension this summer, and the plan is that he will sign it when eligible at the beginning of August.

The Lakers will likely have a superstar to guide them for the better part of a decade. However, some question marks surround Doncic’s commitment to staying in shape.

Many have touched on the topic, including the Mavericks, who pointed to that as one of the biggest reasons they parted ways with him. However, it seems Doncic is doing his best to turn a new leaf, at least according to Jason Gallagher, an Emmy award-winning director.

Gallagher said that Doncic has major plans regarding his conditioning.

“I’ve heard from folks thats are pretty honest… that Luka has already begun a clean slate, starting anew, in this mindset of changing a lot about himself.”

Doncic’s conditioning and commitment to it have been the subject of discussion about being traded to the Lakers in February. That discussion only got louder once the Lakers were eliminated in the playoffs.

After the Lakers were eliminated, head coach JJ Redick said that entering next season, the team must be in ‘championship shape’.

“I’ll start with the offseason and the work that’s required in an offseason to be in championship shape,” Redick said. “And we have a ways to go as a roster. And certainly, there are individuals that were in phenomenal shape. There’s certainly other ones that could have been in better shape. That’s where my mind goes immediately is we have to get in championship shape.”

It didn’t stop there. Last week, the Lakers posted a job opening for a head strength and conditioning coach.

It’s evident the Lakers are prioritizing the health of their star player, knowing full well their championship hopes hinge on his availability and peak condition. Doncic’s talent is unquestionable, but whether he can elevate his team to a title remains a topic for debate.

This is great news and what I’ve been waiting to hear.
Luka got a wake up call. LeBron needs to work with him.