NBA News

The specific shape of the first-round playoff matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets has changed quite a bit from how we initially expected it to look, for a number of reasons — chief among them, Kevin Durant’s ongoing injury woes and a brutal Game 3 collapse that pushed Ime Udoka’s club to the brink of elimination. The …

LOS ANGELES — 159-0. That’s the record of NBA teams who have gone up 3-0 in a playoff series. Only four teams have even forced a Game 7. The Lakers raced out to a 3-0 series lead against a Houston Rockets team that has been without Kevin Durant for all but one game (not to mention missing other veterans Fred …

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Rockets are brimming with confidence after avoiding elimination twice with consecutive wins to force Game 6 against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night in the first round of the playoffs. “We put ourselves in a bad position, but we can still make history and come back one game at a time,” Houston big man …

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here. The Los Angeles Lakers blew a 3-0 series lead over the Houston Rockets and are trending the wrong way toward history in Game 6. Advertisement Oddsmakers have Los Angeles pegged as a road pup, and my same-game parlay gladly grabs the points with …

Kevin O’Connor and Tom Haberstroh go over the electric first-round matchups in the NBA. The pair discuss the brewing comebacks, from LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers potentially blowing a 3-0 lead to the Houston Rockets, to the rejuvenated Philadelphia 76ers winning against the Boston Celtics in Game 5. Advertisement They then talk about the recently eliminated Suns & Trail Blazers …

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here. Three teams will have the chance to advance to the second round of the playoffs in tonight’s NBA slate, with some great player props available in all three games. Advertisement My NBA predictions for tonight include seeing OG Anunoby and Payton Pritchard helping …

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here. The Philadelphia 76ers did well to win Game 5 on the road and now return home with a chance to force Game 7 against the Boston Celtics. Advertisement There are several players worth targeting in our NBA player prop projections and NBA picks …

After falling behind 3-0 to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Houston Rockets have some life again – winning Game 4 and Game 5 to bring the series back to Texas for a Game 6. Arguably the most bizarre part of all of this is that the Rockets’ have managed this without their leading scorer and best player, Kevin Durant. Advertisement …

When the NBA playoffs began earlier this month, 19-year-old Zinzy was disappointed that the Memphis Grizzlies, his favorite team, weren’t in the mix. The Grizzlies were fresh off a 25-game, rebuilding season and were on the outside looking in for the first time in years. Advertisement So, he had a goofy idea — what if he jokingly live-tweeted a fake …

Former Kentucky basketball star and five-time NBA All-Star John Wall has been named president of basketball operations at Howard University, returning to Washington, D.C., in a major leadership role, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Howard officials confirmed the partnership, which positions Wall at the helm of one of the nation’s top HBCU basketball programs. Wall, the No. 1 overall pick …

NEW YORK (AP) — Moussa Diabaté of the Charlotte Hornets was announced Thursday as the NBA’s Hustle Award winner for this season. Unlike most of the year’s awards, this one was not done by voting. The NBA uses a ranking system that takes nine stats into account — offensive box outs, defensive box outs, screen assists, contested 2-pointers, contested 3-pointers, …

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here. The Cleveland Cavaliers’ ticket to Round 2 of the NBA Playoffs awaits north of the border when they visit the Toronto Raptors in Game 6. Advertisement Cleveland’s inside-out scoring is becoming too much for Toronto, which limps into Friday with serious injuries in …

Kevin Durant was on the sideline in street clothes on Wednesday night, watching his Houston Rockets teammates take care of the ball in the clutch and hold off the Lakers, to pick up their second win in a row and make this a 3-2 series, one where there is begining to be a legitimate question about whether the Rockets could …

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here. The Houston Rockets have about a one-third chance to become the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3-0 playoff series deficit. Advertisement The Rockets won consecutive games without Kevin Durant in the lineup and are -3.5 favorites on their home floor …

The 2026 NBA Playoffs continues with a thrilling night of action on Thursday, including the Denver Nuggets battling to stave off elimination against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Minnesota currently leads the series 3-2 and is just one win away from clinching the Western Conference first-round matchup. Now, the Timberwolves’ hope to advance without their star guard, Anthony Edwards. Advertisement Edwards sustained …

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here. We’re in for a tight matchup as the New York Knicks look to eliminate the Atlanta Hawks in Game 6. Our NBA player prop projections have you covered with six players to add to your NBA picks slip on April 30. Advertisement Once …

The Milwaukee Bucks never really had any intention of trading Giannis Antetokounmpo at the NBA’s trade deadline in February, if only because so many of his suitors could sweeten their offers with more draft picks come the offseason. Not only that, but the playoffs have a way of exposing teams for who they are, revealing the emperor’s clothes, showing exactly …

New York Knicks forward Josh Hart is listed as questionable for Game 6 of the team’s first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday night with a lower back contusion. Hart played 30 minutes in New York’s dominant Game 5 win, scoring 9 points with 5 rebounds and 4 assists. But after subbing out with 6:27 to go in the …

Still trailing in the series and facing a Game 6 in Minneapolis, Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets appear to actually be in the driver’s seat against the Timberwolves. Its only been one game since Minnesota lost their starting backcourt of Anthony Edwards (knee) and Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles), and as a result the Timberwolves are still trying to find their …

The transfer portal has changed college basketball, look no further than Michigan’s remade roster that led the Wolverines to the national championship this April. But high school recruiting still remains important. Don’t believe us? Look at the 2026 NBA Draft. Nine of the top 10 projected picks in this year’s draft were in the 2025 recruiting class. Advertisement Tyran Stokes, …

The Philadelphia 76ers are alive! Philadelphia took Game 5 in Boston, 113-97, behind a 28-11 fourth quarter. Joel Embiid led the game in scoring with 33 points and eight assists, while Tyrese Maxey recorded a double-double of 25 points and 10 rebounds. Boston is up 3-2 in the series and has a chance to close out the series in Philadelphia …

The Knicks took Game 5, 126-97, to put themselves in the drivers seat of the series. New York is up 3-2 with the series back in Atlanta. New York is in a close out position and coming off its best shooting effort of the series in Game 5. The Knicks shot 57% from the field and 42% from three with …

For nine seasons, John Wall was the main attraction in Washington, D.C. The former No. 1 overall pick dazzled with the Washington Wizards, making five All-Star games during his fantastic run with the team. After a few years away, Wall is ready to make his D.C. return. It won’t come with the Wizards, however, it will come at Howard University. …

The New York Knicks will be looking to close out the Atlanta Hawks, but they may have to do so without a key player. Forward Josh Hart left New York’s 126-97 Game 5 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday, April 28 in the fourth quarter and did not return to the bench. Advertisement After the game, Knicks coach Mike Brown did not have any …

If the Houston Rockets are going to battle back and force a Game 7 in their series with the Los Angeles Lakers, they’ll have to do it without Kevin Durant. The 37-year-old Durant will reportedly not play in Game 6 on Friday due to an ankle injury, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. After playing in 78 games during the regular …