Aggies

The New York Knicks didn&rsquo;t just beat the Boston Celtics. They unmade them.
It was never just about winning a series. It was about proving a point. About silencing the doubt that crept in after four straight regular-season losses. About validating every roster move, every inch of grit, and every ounce of sweat poured into this season. It was about showing the basketball world &ndash; loudly and unmistakably &ndash; that this team wasn&rsquo;t just trying to contend. They were trying to conquer.
When the final buzzer sounded in Madison Square Garden and the scoreboard read 119&ndash;81, the Knicks had done just that &ndash; burying the defending champions in a Game 6 demolition and clinching their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 25 years.
But the mission is far from over.
A blueprint forged in Celtics&rsquo; green
From the jump, New York&rsquo;s front office operated with one adversary in mind: Boston. The Celtics were the gold standard, the defending champions, and the measuring stick for anyone serious about owning the East.
Leon Rose and company tailored this roster to match up directly with Boston&rsquo;s strengths. They re-signed OG Anunoby and traded for Mikal Bridges &ndash; two of the league&rsquo;s premier wing defenders &ndash; to neutralize Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Then came the blockbuster deal to acquire Karl-Anthony Towns, who gave the Knicks a stretch big man to go toe-to-toe with Kristaps Porzingis.
Everything was calculated. Every move had Boston&rsquo;s name on it.
And yet, the regular season was a humbling reminder of how far they still had to go. The Celtics swept the Knicks 4&ndash;0, and did so with such ease that New York&rsquo;s grand design felt naive. What good was a plan if the execution failed? If Boston could anticipate every counter, every scheme, every attempt at disruption?
But that&rsquo;s the thing about belief &ndash; it doesn&rsquo;t disappear with setbacks. It adapts. It evolves. It waits for its moment.
A series that changed everything
Heading into the second round, the Knicks were underdogs by every metric. They had a seven-man rotation, an ailing Mitchell Robinson, and a superstar in Jalen Brunson carrying an enormous load. Boston had depth, pedigree, and the confidence of having dismantled them all season.
But the Knicks weren&rsquo;t interested in narratives. They were there to rewrite them.
New York stunned the Celtics by taking Games 1 and 2 in Boston &ndash; punctuated by two clutch defensive stops from Mikal Bridges. In Game 1, it was a strip of Jaylen Brown. In Game 2, it was a game-sealing closeout on Tatum. That was the turning point&mdash;when the Knicks wrestled control from the defending champs and refused to let go.
OG Anunoby was nothing short of sensational. His defense on Tatum was suffocating, but it was his offensive output that tilted the series. He punished Boston with timely threes, strong drives, and unrelenting pressure. By the end of Game 6, he had cemented himself as one of the best two-way performers of the postseason.
Karl-Anthony Towns reminded everyone why the Knicks traded for him. He provided invaluable floor spacing, softening Boston&rsquo;s paint defense and making their double-big lineups less effective. His rebounding and decision-making gave the Knicks versatility they sorely lacked in previous playoff runs.
Josh Hart, the team&rsquo;s emotional engine, played like a man possessed. He chased every loose ball, battled for every rebound, and made hustle plays that sent the Garden into a frenzy. In Game 6, he notched the franchise&rsquo;s first playoff triple-double since 1972. He was the spirit of the Knicks personified.
Mitchell Robinson, matched against the veteran Al Horford, was a force on the glass and in the paint. His size and activity made Boston work for everything. And the Towns-Robinson pairing &ndash; while unconventional &ndash;&nbsp; at times gave New York an edge in rim protection and rebounding.
Miles McBride, the fan favorite, was the exclamation point. His clutch shooting and relentless defense made the most of his minutes. The Garden roared every time he touched the ball, and in Game 6, he gave fans even more to cheer for with 10 points and relentless pressure on the perimeter.
And, of course, Jalen Brunson. The league&rsquo;s Clutch Player of the Year showed why he earned that title. Whether it was a floater in traffic, a step-back jumper, or a drive through contact, Brunson delivered in every critical moment. He averaged 26.2 points in the series and captained the Knicks with poise, toughness, and swagger.
He was, and continues to be, the heart of New York&rsquo;s renaissance.
More than just a win &ndash; it&rsquo;s a revival
The impact of this series win goes beyond the scoreboard. It reverberated through the city. New York, a basketball town starving for success, erupted in celebration. Celebrities poured out of the Garden. Streets were flooded with fans chanting &ldquo;Go New York Go New York Go!&rdquo;. Timoth&eacute;e Chalamet &ndash; yes, even the &lsquo;Lisan Al Gaib&rsquo; &ndash; joined in in support of his favorite NBA team
It lit up the NBA world. What was supposed to be Boston&rsquo;s coronation turned into a Knicks uprising. The defending champs were outclassed, outcoached, and outworked. And the league took notice.
It reaffirmed the Knicks&rsquo; vision. Every decision, every gamble &ndash; they were worth it. This wasn&rsquo;t just a team that got hot. This was a team that executed its plan to perfection when it mattered most.
&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;
However, the job is not yet done.&nbsp;
The Knicks have their work cut out for them from here on out. Two series down, two series to go. Now, it&rsquo;s on to Indiana.
The Pacers are no easy out. Led by All-NBA guard Tyrese Haliburton and a deep, versatile supporting cast, they&rsquo;ve steamrolled through the playoffs with pace, ball movement, and shooting.
The Knicks, meanwhile, continue to rely on a tight, seven-man rotation. They&rsquo;ll enter the series with the same urgency, the same intensity &ndash; but also with heavier legs.
It&rsquo;ll be a clash of philosophies: New York&rsquo;s top-heavy, defense-first grind versus Indiana&rsquo;s spread attack and bench firepower. But if the Celtics series proved anything, it&rsquo;s that the Knicks are more than just a system. They&rsquo;re a team that believes &ndash; fiercely and completely.
They believe in each other. They believe in the plan. And now, for the first time in decades, the entire city believes alongside them.
So no, the job&rsquo;s not done, but the Knicks are exactly where they believed they&rsquo;d be.
And they're just getting started.

The Knicks finally beat the Celtics in a dramatic 6-game series, validating their season-long mission, but the job's not finished yet.

The Knicks were built to beat the Celtics – now they’re built for more

As the 2025 NBA Playoffs begin, the Western Conference presents no shortage of compelling narratives and unanswered questions. Each team comes in with a storyline that could define their entire postseason. From young squads making their playoff debut to experienced rosters led by superstars, here's the biggest question facing each Western Conference playoff team.
Oklahoma City Thunder &mdash; Can their historic defense carry over to the playoffs?
The Oklahoma City Thunder have fielded the league&rsquo;s best defense this season, boasting a 106.6 defensive rating &mdash; the lowest mark in the NBA and one of the best over the past decade. Anchored by a core of versatile perimeter defenders like Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, Jalen Williams, and MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, along with interior enforcer Isaiah Hartenstein and shot blocker Chet Holmgren, the Thunder built a defensive identity predicated on length, switchability, and relentless pressure.
But as history has shown, regular-season defense doesn&rsquo;t always translate to playoff dominance. Matchups become more intentional, rotations tighten, and elite scorers are given room to manipulate even the best schemes. For a team like OKC that leans heavily on team defense rather than individual stoppers, their system will be tested in a postseason series where adjustments are key. Moreover, the Thunder&rsquo;s youth &ndash; despite being a strength in the regular season &ndash; may also be a vulnerability when the game slows down and every possession is magnified.
This Thunder squad has the makings of a historically great defense, but now comes the true test: whether that same system can hold up when a superstar like Luka Doncic or Steph Curry start hunting matchups in isolation. If OKC can sustain their defensive intensity in a seven-game series, their path to a deep run remains wide open.
Houston Rockets &mdash; Will their inexperience hinder them from going too far?
After years of rebuilding, the Houston Rockets are finally back in the playoffs &mdash; and this time, with a young core brimming with talent. Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., and Amen Thompson are all making their playoff debuts, and they&rsquo;ve formed a competitive group that finished with the fifth-best defense in the league (110.3 DRtg) and earned the second seed. Their turnaround under head coach Ime Udoka has been remarkable, fueled by a defense-first identity and the emergence of Sengun as one of the best passing bigs in the league.
However, playoff basketball is a different beast. It&rsquo;s about adjustments, discipline, and poise under pressure &ndash; things young teams usually need time to learn. In their first-round matchup, the Rockets face the battle-tested Golden State Warriors, a team that features championship experience across the board. Houston&rsquo;s youth could be exposed if the moment becomes too big, especially with Golden State&rsquo;s ability to dissect inexperience through smart off-ball actions and defensive schemes.
Players like Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks, the Rockets&rsquo; veterans, will be counted on to provide leadership and stabilize the team when things go sideways. But this postseason will ultimately serve as a litmus test for how ready the Rockets&rsquo; young stars are to take the leap. Even if they fall short, the experience could be invaluable moving forward.
Los Angeles Lakers &mdash; How viable is their roster construction?
The Lakers shocked the league by acquiring Luka Doncic midseason, pairing him with LeBron James and Austin Reaves to form a high-powered offensive trio. Since then, they&rsquo;ve leaned heavily into small-ball, often starting lineups with Rui Hachimura and Dorian Finney-Smith alongside the core trio, while Jaxson Hayes remains their only true center. First-year head coach JJ Redick has installed a modern, five-out system that prioritizes spacing and switchable defense &mdash; a style tailor-made for the postseason.
But viability is still a concern. While the offense has thrived, their defense has some slippages, particularly when LeBron and Luka are on the floor together. Their lack of rim protection and size could be exploited by teams that boast elite drivers to the rim. Additionally, the wear-and-tear of postseason play could take a toll on their aging core, especially LeBron, who is playing his 22nd season and logging heavy minutes in the postseason
Ultimately, the Lakers&rsquo; playoff ceiling hinges on whether their current roster configuration &ndash; heavy on wings, light on bigs &ndash; can hold up when the game slows down and physicality ramps up. If it works, Redick could be hailed as a tactical genius. If it doesn&rsquo;t, questions about roster balance and long-term direction will resurface.
Denver Nuggets &mdash; Do they have enough help around Nikola Jokic?
Nikola Jokic is once again doing everything for the Denver Nuggets &mdash; and doing it at an MVP level. He finished the regular season averaging a triple-double and top 3 in every major statistical category. His ability to control the game as both scorer and facilitator remains unmatched, and he remains the engine of everything Denver does offensively. But after a sluggish finish to the season, the biggest concern for the Nuggets is whether Jokic has enough help to mount another deep playoff run.
Jamal Murray has battled through injuries and hasn&rsquo;t quite looked like the same dynamic scorer from their 2023 championship run. Michael Porter Jr. has been inconsistent, while Aaron Gordon&rsquo;s offensive impact has waned due to multiple injuries. Denver&rsquo;s bench has also taken a step back this year, with limited contributions outside of Russell Westbrook, Julian Strawther and Peyton Watson.
If Murray can elevate his game and Porter Jr. can knock down shots consistently, Denver remains a title threat. But the margin for error is much slimmer than last year. Jokic can only carry so much weight &ndash; the Nuggets need their supporting cast to deliver, or another early exit could be looming.
Los Angeles Clippers &mdash; Can we see James Harden and Kawhi Leonard lead this team to playoff glory?
After losing Paul George to free agency last summer, many assumed the Clippers&rsquo; title window had slammed shut. But the resurgence of James Harden and Kawhi Leonard has breathed life back into their playoff hopes. Harden has embraced the role of primary playmaker, averaging 22.8 points and 8.7 assists per game, while Leonard has quietly had one of the most efficient scoring seasons of his career in recent years, shooting 49.8% from the field and 41.1% from deep.
The Clippers finished the season strong with their offense clicking and defense holding steady. Yet the question remains &ndash; can their two stars carry them through the gauntlet of the Western Conference? Leonard&rsquo;s health has always been a question mark, and Harden&rsquo;s playoff track record has been a mixed bag at best.&nbsp;
This postseason may be one of the last chances for this iteration of the Clippers to make a real push. If Harden and Kawhi can replicate their regular-season success and stay healthy, they could make noise. Along with steady role players like Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac, the Clippers are darkhorse contenders and will be dangerous out in the West.
Minnesota Timberwolves &mdash; How will Julius Randle perform in the playoffs?
Minnesota shocked many by acquiring Julius Randle at the trade deadline, moving on from Karl-Anthony Towns in the process. The Wolves hoped that Randle, a more physical and downhill-oriented forward, would provide a better playoff fit alongside Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert. However, Randle&rsquo;s postseason history raises concerns &mdash; in 15 career playoff games, he&rsquo;s averaged just 15.6 points on 34.4% shooting from the field.
Minnesota will need more than that if they hope to build on last year&rsquo;s conference finals run. Randle must adapt his game to playoff basketball, where defenses are better prepared and isolation-heavy play often becomes less efficient. His ability to stretch the floor, make quick decisions, and play through contact will be tested, especially against elite defenses like OKC.
If Randle rises to the occasion, Minnesota could have one of the most balanced starting fives in the conference. But if he reverts to his inefficient playoff habits, the Wolves could find themselves stalling in critical moments &ndash; a risk that looms large in what could be a defining postseason for the franchise.
Golden State Warriors &mdash; How far can Jimmy Butler take them?
The Warriors made arguably the boldest trade of the deadline by acquiring Jimmy Butler from Miami, forming a star duo with Stephen Curry. Since the move, Golden State has looked rejuvenated, going on a tear to close the regular season and boasting the third-best net rating in the league during that span (+7.2). Butler&rsquo;s leadership, defense, and shot creation have given the Warriors a legitimate second option and re-energized their playoff outlook.
Butler has a proven playoff track record &ndash; he led the Heat to two Finals appearances in four years &ndash; and is widely regarded as one of the most clutch postseason performers. His fit with Golden State has been seamless, and the team&rsquo;s defense has improved significantly, ranking 6th in opponent points per game since the trade. The question is how far Butler can carry this version of the Warriors, who still lean heavily on their aging core.
If Butler can replicate his past postseason heroics and stay healthy, the Warriors have a real shot to upset higher-seeded teams and return to the Finals.
Memphis Grizzlies &mdash; Can they survive this tough season?
No team has faced more adversity this year than the Memphis Grizzlies. Between Ja Morant&rsquo;s on-court antics, injuries to key players, and coaching instability and firing, Memphis stumbled to a slump at the end of the regular season but managed to squeak into the playoffs as the 8-seed. Despite the chaos, the team has shown remarkable resilience, with Jaren Jackson Jr. and rookie Zach Edey emerging as bright spots with their improved play.
Now they face the top-seeded Thunder in a first-round matchup that few give them a chance to win. But if there&rsquo;s one thing the Grizzlies have shown, it&rsquo;s that they won&rsquo;t go down without a fight. Their defense could keep them competitive, and their physical style of play may pose problems for the Thunder.
Ultimately, the playoffs may serve more as a building block than a real title push. But if Memphis can steal a game or two &mdash; or even push OKC to the brink &mdash; it would be a testament to the team&rsquo;s grit and foundation heading into next season.

Breaking down the biggest question each Western Conference team faces heading into the 2025 NBA Playoffs.

2025 NBA Western Conference Playoffs: Each team’s biggest question in the playoffs

As the 2025 NBA Playoffs tip off, every team in the Eastern Conference brings with it a burning question. Some are looking to validate their dominance, others are hoping to make noise for the first time, and a few are simply trying to recapture playoff magic from the past. Here&rsquo;s one key question for each East playoff squad heading into this year&rsquo;s postseason.
Cleveland Cavaliers &ndash; Are they for real?
The Cavaliers were expected to take a leap under new head coach Kenny Atkinson, but few predicted it would be this significant. Cleveland posted a 64-18 record, up from 51 wins last season, and ranked eighth in the NBA in defensive rating (111.8) while climbing to the best in the league in offensive rating (121.0). It&rsquo;s a massive leap in two-way consistency, anchored by Evan Mobley&rsquo;s breakout campaign and a more dynamic offense tailored around Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland.
Mobley&rsquo;s development has been a game-changer. The 22-year-old averaged career-highs in points (18.5), rebounds (9.3), and assists (3.2), while maintaining elite rim protection (1.6 blocks per game). Offensively, his confidence as a shot creator and short-roll playmaker opened up space for the rest of the team. The Cavs now run more actions through Mobley, especially from the elbows, and his improved jump shot has made him far more difficult to guard.
But make no mistake &ndash; Mitchell remains the barometer. The All-Star guard battled injuries down the stretch but still averaged 24.0 points, 4.5 assists, and 5.0 rebounds on 44.3% shooting. If he can stay healthy and lead confidently on both ends, Cleveland has the pieces to make a legitimate run to the conference finals.
The Cavs have the metrics, the momentum, and the maturity. Now it&rsquo;s about proving they belong with the league&rsquo;s elite when the lights are the brightest.
Boston Celtics &ndash; Can they go back-to-back?
The reigning champions enter the playoffs with a sense of unfinished business &mdash; not because they failed last year, but because they&rsquo;re now chasing greatness. The Celtics finished 61-21 this season for back to back 60-win seasons. They had the league&rsquo;s second best net rating at +9.4, fueled by elite balance: second in offensive rating (119.5) and fourth in defensive rating (110.1).
Jayson Tatum continues to evolve as one of the NBA&rsquo;s most complete stars. His 26.8 points per game came with improved efficiency (58.2% true shooting) and a career-high 8.7 rebounds. Tatum has learned to pick his spots better, moving the ball when doubled and attacking mismatches when given space. Jaylen Brown, fresh off his Finals MVP last season, has become a more consistent creator as well, averaging 22.2 points.
Add in Kristaps Porzingis&rsquo; floor spacing and rim protection, Jrue Holiday&rsquo;s stability on both ends, and Derrick White&rsquo;s ability to do everything in between, and the Celtics are again the most complete team in basketball. But repeating is never easy. No team has done it since the Warriors in 2018, and even small injuries or matchup issues can derail a title defense.
Boston is built for this moment, but with every other East contender gunning for them, the question looms large: can they close the deal twice in a row?
New York Knicks &ndash; Can they stay healthy?
When fully healthy, the Knicks look like a team that can hang with anyone &mdash; and that includes Boston and Cleveland. But that&rsquo;s been the caveat all season. Jalen Brunson missed 17 games, Karl-Anthony Towns sat for 10, and OG Anunoby dealt with multiple absences due to elbow and hamstring issues. New York&rsquo;s starting five of Brunson, Hart, Bridges, Anunoby, and Towns had time to play with pace and their own style, and they looked formidable.
Brunson has been the Knicks&rsquo; engine, averaging 26.0 points and 7.3 assists while continuing to elevate in crunch time. His pairing with Towns gave New York a new level of offensive versatility, and Mikal Bridges&rsquo; ability to guard top wings allowed them to scheme freely. But concerns about wear and tear remain &mdash; especially under Tom Thibodeau, whose rotations have leaned heavily on his starters. All five starters have averaged in the top 15 of the most minutes played in the league, and that can likely put a strain on their bodies.
Depth is another concern. The Knicks rely on Precious Achiuwa, Cam Payne, Delon Wright, and Landry Shamet to absorb the bench minutes. A deep run hinges on all starters being available and fresh throughout the postseason. If any one piece breaks down, New York could fall short of its championship aspirations.
This is their most talented team in years &mdash; but availability may be just as important as ability.
Indiana Pacers &ndash; Do they have enough to make a deep run once more?
Last year, the Pacers surprised many by reaching the second round, aided in part by injuries to their first-round opponent. This year, expectations are higher &mdash; and the margin for error is thinner. Indiana finished 50-32 and ranked 9th in offensive rating at 115.4. Their identity remains clear: run fast, shoot threes, and trust in Tyrese Haliburton to control the tempo.
Haliburton posted 18.6 points and 9.2 assists per game this season, and despite shooting efficiency dipped slightly as teams began pressuring him more aggressively, he bounced back quite nicely and got back to the high level he was playing at. That&rsquo;s where Pascal Siakam comes in to help him and provide a stabilizing frontcourt presence, while defending opposing bigs.
Depth-wise, the Pacers have the tools. Myles Turner remains one of the league&rsquo;s best shot blockers, Andrew Nembhard has been solid alongside Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin has been a spark off the bench, and Aaron Nesmith&rsquo;s development as a 3-and-D wing adds much-needed versatility. Still, the question remains: can they win when the pace slows and every possession becomes a grind?
Indiana is fun, fast, and fearless. But deep playoff success often requires more grit than style &mdash; and this postseason will test how much of both they truly possess.
Milwaukee Bucks &ndash; How lethal can the Giannis-Dame combo be?
It&rsquo;s been a bumpy road for the Bucks since pairing Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, but they enter the playoffs with renewed hope. Injuries limited their time together but when both were on the floor, Milwaukee looked like a top 4 team in the East. The potential for a dominant inside-out attack remains, even as questions swirl around their chemistry and late-game execution.
Giannis put up another MVP-caliber campaign (30.4 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 6.5 APG) on 60.1% shooting, while Lillard added 24.9 points and 7.1 assists per game, albeit with a slight dip in efficiency (44.8 FG%, 37.6 3P%). Their pick-and-roll tandem has shown flashes of brilliance, especially with spacing provided by their teammates. But Milwaukee&rsquo;s defense remains a glaring concern, particularly at the point-of-attack.
Much of that responsibility falls on new head coach Doc Rivers, who took over midseason and has spent much of his tenure reshaping the defensive schemes. The team has shown better connectivity lately, but consistency is key. If the Bucks can get solid two-way contributions from Brook Lopez, Taurean Prince, and Kyle Kuzma, their ceiling rises considerably.
This postseason is the first true test of the Giannis-Dame partnership after a failed one last year. Can it deliver in crunch time and carry Milwaukee back to the Finals?
Detroit Pistons &ndash; Can they win a playoff series?
One of the most surprising stories of the season, the Detroit Pistons went from dead last in 2024 to securing the No. 6 seed in 2025 with a 44-38 record. It&rsquo;s a dramatic turnaround fueled by internal growth, better health, and the emergence of Cade Cunningham as a legitimate star. Cunningham averaged 26.1 points, 9.1 assists, and 6.1 rebounds, and improved his shooting splits across the board &mdash; including a respectable 35.6% from three.
Head coach J.B Bickerstaff deserves credit for stabilizing the young roster. Jaden Ivey (despite being out for the year to injury), Ausar Thompson, and Jalen Duren have all taken steps forward in their roles, and the addition of veterans Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Tobias Harris has added much-needed floor spacing and leadership. The Pistons ranked 10th in defensive rating at 112.5 &mdash; a massive leap from their abysmal finish last season
Still, playoff basketball is a different animal. Detroit lacks experience, and their margin for error will be slim. Can Cunningham carry the offense when defenses trap him? Can their shooters hit timely shots? And can Duren hold his own against seasoned playoff bigs?
Winning a series would be monumental for the franchise &mdash; and a sign that Detroit&rsquo;s rebuild is truly behind them.
Orlando Magic &ndash; Can their offense hold up?
There&rsquo;s no questioning the Magic&rsquo;s defensive pedigree. They finished second in defensive rating (109.1) and boast a switch-heavy scheme built around length, versatility, and discipline. But the big question entering the playoffs: can they score enough? Orlando ranked just 27th in offensive rating (108.9), and the loss of Jalen Suggs and Mo Wagner due to injuries further thins their already-limited shot creation.
Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner carry the bulk of the offense, but both have faced inconsistent stretches. Teams often sag off sub-par shooters like Cory Joseph or Jonathan Isaac, daring Orlando to hit perimeter shots &mdash; something they&rsquo;ve struggled to do all year. Against Boston&rsquo;s elite defense, those issues could be magnified.
Orlando will try to control tempo, force turnovers, and win the possession battle. They&rsquo;ve been excellent in close games, but whether they can consistently generate efficient halfcourt looks remains uncertain.
Defense may win championships, but the Magic need buckets to even stay in the fight.
Miami Heat &ndash; Will they be able to replicate the Heat playoff magic this year?
The Heat have built a reputation as a team you never want to face in the playoffs &mdash; especially as a lower seed. In 2023, they made the Finals as an 8-seed. In 2024, they made the Celtics work despite key injuries. But can they pull off another surprise run this year? The roster remains largely intact, but injuries, aging stars, and inconsistency have clouded their outlook.
Without Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo must step up on offense while anchoring the defense. Tyler Herro&rsquo;s scoring punch is much needed, and the role players should contribute as well. But questions linger around depth and chemistry within their lineups after a shaky year.
The Heat finished just 21st in offensive rating (112.4) and 9th in defensive rating (112.0), a sign that the margins are tighter than ever. Still, if any team knows how to punch above its weight class, it&rsquo;s this one. Erik Spoelstra will maximize every mismatch, he always finds a way to manipulate the opposing team.
Don&rsquo;t count them out just yet but don&rsquo;t expect the same magic to happen each and every time as well.

Breaking down the biggest question facing each team in the 2025 NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs.

2025 NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs: Each team’s biggest question in the playoffs

​In a surprising development, the Memphis Grizzlies have parted ways with head coach Taylor Jenkins, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes.
Despite the team's solid 44-29 record and a fifth-place standing in the Western Conference, Jenkins would be fired with days remaining before the playoffs start. Assistant coach Tuomas Iisalo has been named interim head coach for the remainder of the season for the Grizzlies.
Jenkins, 40, departs as the winningest coach in franchise history, amassing a 250-214 record since his appointment in June 2019. During his tenure, he led the Grizzlies to three playoff appearances and was instrumental in the development of key players.
General Manager Zach Kleiman stated that the decision was made in the best interest of the team's future, emphasizing that it was his sole decision and not influenced by players.&nbsp; The move comes as the Grizzlies have faced a recent downturn, losing five of their last seven games.
Tuomas Iisalo, who steps in as interim head coach, brings a wealth of experience from European basketball. Prior to joining the Grizzlies as an assistant, Iisalo served as the head coach for Paris Basketball, leading them to a EuroCup victory, and was named Coach of the Year in Finland in 2024.&nbsp; His promotion marks him as the first Finnish-born head coach in NBA history.&nbsp;
The Grizzlies face a challenging schedule ahead, with eight of their final nine games against teams contending for playoff or play-in spots.&nbsp; The organization and fans alike will be watching closely to see how the team responds under Iisalo's leadership as they approach the postseason.​

​In a surprising development, the Memphis Grizzlies have parted ways with head coach Taylor Jenkins.

Grizzlies part ways with head coach Taylor Jenkins before playoffs

The Los Angeles Lakers withstood a late run by the Minnesota Timberwolves to win their season opener, 110-103, on a historic Tuesday night at the Crypto.com Arena in downtown LA.
Anthony Davis had a dominant MVP-type performance, putting up 36 points, 16 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks. He made key plays down the stretch on both ends of the floor, scoring on 4-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert and swallowing up a strong take by Donte DiVincenzo.
The Lakers built a 20-point lead in the first half only to see it cut down to single digits in the 3rd quarter. The Timberwolves came to as close as 4, 81-85, but Davis and LA pulled off enough baskets and stops to come away with the victory.
Davis became the first Laker to achieve a 35+ point, 15+ rebound in an LA season opener win since Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor.&nbsp;
Anthony Edwards scored 27 for the Timberwolves in their losing effort but shot just 10/24 from the field. Minnesota played their first regular season game with Julius Randle (16 points) and DiVincenzo (10 points) after that blockbuster trade a few weeks ago that sent Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks.
This was a night to remember in Los Angeles with lots of historic moments. Let&rsquo;s check out each of them here.
LeBron-Bronny the first-ever father-son duo in the NBA
The game featured a historic moment for LeBron James and his eldest son LeBron &ldquo;Bronny&rdquo; James Jr. as they became the first father-son pair in the history of the league to step on the court at the same time.
The wholesome moment happened with 4 minutes left in the second quarter as LeBron and Bronny checked in together in the game.
LeBron, who is in year 22 of his basketball career and will turn 40 years old this December, is the all-time leading scorer of the NBA with over 40,000 points. He always expressed his desire of playing together with his son in the NBA, and that dream became a reality today.
Bronny, the 55th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, is not expected to play heavy minutes for the Lakers and will likely spend most of the year in LA&rsquo;s G League team South Bay Lakers to continue his development.
Nonetheless, the precious moment was shared by the elder and younger James with their wife/mother Savannah, daughter/sister Zhuri, and several high-profile people in attendance to witness the history.
JJ Redick&rsquo;s first pro game (and win) as an NBA basketball coach
The Lakers&rsquo; win also allowed first-year head coach JJ Redick to win his coaching debut. Redick, a 15-year NBA veteran, did not have any basketball coaching experience at any level but was relatively active around the basketball scene. After a successful NBA career, the 6-foot-4 guard out of Duke was an analyst for ESPN and had his own production studio of podcasts to talk about the NBA before applying and getting accepted for the Lakers job.
Redick did a relatively good job in his first-ever regular season game, often coaching up the Lakers to emphasize their offensive rebounding and to limit their turnovers. Redick also expressed his desire for the Lakers to shoot a certain number of threes, and although LA just went 5-30 from deep, Redick liked what he saw as the Lakers played with pace and space.
Redick also coached with a veteran sense, drawing up unique and good set plays that drew national media attention on social media. Redick was often credited for the Lakers&rsquo; renewed sense of ball movement which could be a good sign for the team moving forward.
Lakers (finally) win a season opener with LeBron
Coming into the game, the Lakers were 0-6 over their last season-opening games in the LeBron James era. They weren&rsquo;t about to lose 7 straight times, as AD willed them victory.
Davis also mentioned this was the Lakers&rsquo; first win in any historic moment that involved LeBron, as he exchanged a laugh with reporters post-game.
&ldquo;We lose every time [LeBron] does something historic or cool, so we&rsquo;re just happy to win today and celebrate this moment,&rdquo; Davis said.
LeBron: longest tenured player of all time
After playing in this game, LeBron officially tied Vince Carter as the only players in NBA history to play 22 seasons. With the body of work he has and the ability to adapt to situations, LeBron could officially surpass Carter next season and claim another record by himself &ndash; alone &ndash; next season.&nbsp;

The Lakers withstood a late run by the Timberwolves to win their season opener on a historic Tuesday night at the Crypto.com Arena

Anthony Davis, Lakers withstand Timberwolves in historic night

With the 2024-25 NBA season just days away, the Western Conference is locked, loaded, and ready for battle. The offseason drama has settled, rosters are finalized, and every team is gearing up for what promises to be a fierce and competitive race. From reigning contenders to rising underdogs, the West is stacked with talent and ambition. Let&rsquo;s break down the top 15 teams in the West as we head into this thrilling new season&mdash;no frills, just what you need to know.
<ol>
<li> Minnesota Timberwolves The Timberwolves are turning a new page after trading away longtime cornerstone Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo and are now fully embracing Anthony Edwards as the franchise cornerstone. The T-Wolves&rsquo; mix of young talent and veteran leadership gives them a balanced roster around Edwards. Rudy Gobert remains a defensive anchor as a 4-time DPOY, Edwards is primed for a superstar leap, and if the supporting cast, including Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid, steps up, the Wolves could be ready to take the top spot in the West.</li>
<li> Oklahoma City Thunder The Thunder&rsquo;s rebuild is no longer a long-term project; they&rsquo;re ready to compete now. However, due to Isaiah Hartenstein&rsquo;s injury to start the season, we&rsquo;re placing the Thunder at no.2 for now. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is already an All-NBA guard and arguably a top 5 player in the league. Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams figure out to be the dynamic inside-out duo around SGA. Add in Hartenstein and Alex Caruso, the two new acquisitions this offseason with their capable role players Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe, this young core is as versatile as it is exciting. OKC&rsquo;s depth and versatility on both ends of the floor could propel them into serious title contention.</li>
<li> Phoenix Suns The Suns have loaded up for a title run, and with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal leading the charge, Phoenix has one of the most dangerous offensive trios in the league. They have added their most significant hole which is the PG spot with a solid pick up in Tyus Jones, and they have one of the best offensive coaches in the league in Mike Budenholzer. The Suns&rsquo; questions lie in their depth and health, but if they can manage those concerns, they&rsquo;re built for a championship push. Their offensive firepower is unmatched, and if they click, the Suns will be a team no one wants to face.</li>
<li> Memphis Grizzlies Memphis has weathered their offseason storms and enters the season with a gritty identity intact. Ja Morant is back after his injury and suspension last year and he will now play with last season&rsquo;s addition Marcus Smart. Together with the continued growth of Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane, the Grizzlies are primed to be competitive and come back from their prime two seasons ago where they won 50+ games. Memphis&rsquo; defensive dominance paired with offensive firepower ensures they can be one of the top teams in the West with a deep bench with solid role players.</li>
<li> Denver Nuggets After falling short to Minnesota in 7 games last playoffs, the Nuggets will enter the season with their core mostly intact. Nikola Jokić remains the most dominant center and the best player in the game. With Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. healthy, the Nuggets are poised for another deep run. But perhaps their biggest loss this season was losing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to free agency and that might be a hit so they&rsquo;re currently ranked at no.5 to start the year. It could be a lot to ask for young players like Christian Braun or Julian Strawther to fill the void left by KCP, so it will be interesting to see how Denver handles his loss this season.</li>
<li> Dallas Mavericks Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving experiment is back after a successful season last year, where Dallas entered the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011 &ndash; when they won the title. The two stars can mesh to create one of the league&rsquo;s most potent offenses and with the continued internal development of young players like Dereck Lively, the Mavs can build on that Finals appearance. With newcomer Klay Thompson set to provide historic spacing for their dynamic duo, Dallas has the talent to climb the standings and challenge the top teams in the West.</li>
<li> New Orleans Pelicans The Pelicans&rsquo; fate will always hinge on Zion Williamson&rsquo;s health. When Zion plays, New Orleans is a force to be reckoned with. Now paired with newly-acquired point guard Dejounte Murray, they have a balanced attack capable of competing with any team in the conference with Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum still on the fold. If Zion stays on the floor, the Pelicans could find themselves rising up the ranks, but his availability remains the biggest X-factor.</li>
<li> Golden State Warriors The Warriors are clinging to their championship window with Stephen Curry still playing at an elite level. The addition of capable veterans in Kyle Anderson, Buddy Hield, and DeAnthony Melton gives them depth and personnel that can play in their offense to surround the core of Curry and Draymond Green for their foundation. Health and age are concerns, but if their veterans stay intact, Golden State can&rsquo;t be counted out.</li>
<li> Sacramento Kings The Kings struggled a bit last season after making their long-awaited playoff return two seasons ago, and they&rsquo;re looking to build on that momentum. They have signed DeMar DeRozan and he should bring a new wrinkle to their motion and three-hunting offense. DeRozan&rsquo;s mid range ability should be a welcome addition to Sacramento&rsquo;s offense. De&rsquo;Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis still lead an explosive offense, but defense remains a question mark. Sacramento&rsquo;s high-flying, fast-paced style makes them a regular-season juggernaut, but they&rsquo;ll need to tighten up defensively if they want to make a deep playoff run.</li>
<li> Los Angeles Lakers The Lakers are counting on LeBron James and Anthony Davis staying healthy for a full season. With the front office standing pat on making moves this offseason, the Lakers&rsquo; success will hinge on their superstar duo. If LeBron and AD can avoid injury, Los Angeles will be a formidable playoff team, but health is always a looming concern with this group.</li>
<li> Houston Rockets The Rockets added veterans Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks to guide their young core last season and this season could be the time for them to step up. They finished strong last year behind defensive minded coach Ime Udoka and the result could be a team that surprises many. Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun have star potential, and younger players Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson add even more excitement. The Rockets also drafted Reed Sheppard with the 3rd pick and Houston is hoping to lay the foundation for success and could push for a Play-In spot this season.</li>
<li> San Antonio Spurs Victor Wembanyama enters his second season, and the Spurs are fully embracing their rebuild around the budding star. While Wembanyama showed flashes of brilliance as a rookie, San Antonio is still in the development phase. But with the addition of Chris Paul, the Spurs now have a capable PG to feed Wemby and the other guys, possibly unlocking a new level to their games. With their young core, the Spurs may not be a playoff team yet, but their future looks incredibly bright with Wembanyama leading the way.</li>
<li> Los Angeles Clippers The Clippers&rsquo; fortunes rest on the health of Kawhi Leonard&mdash;again. After losing Paul George for nothing, Leonard is left to fend LA off by himself in their new arena at Intuit Dome. Gone are the days when LA has the talent to compete with anyone as they&rsquo;re just but a shell of themselves. Leading the way for the injured Leonard will be a 34-year-old James Harden and that might be too much to ask of the aging superstar. However, if Kawhi can return healthy and he can avoid the injury bug, the Clippers will be in the playoff mix, but that&rsquo;s a big &ldquo;if&rdquo; for this squad.</li>
<li> Portland Trail Blazers With Damian Lillard long gone, the Blazers will fully commit another season to their rebuild. Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, and Shaedon Sharpe form a promising young core, but Portland will likely spend this season focusing on player development. While they won&rsquo;t be in playoff contention, the Blazers are positioning themselves well for the future, with an eye on growth and improvement.</li>
<li> Utah Jazz The Jazz are continuing their rebuild, with Lauri Markkanen emerging as a cornerstone player. While they have some intriguing young pieces like Taylor Hendricks and Keyonte George, Utah isn&rsquo;t ready to compete just yet. This season will be about development and finding which young players can be part of their long-term plans. The Jazz may not win many games this year, but they&rsquo;re building toward a brighter future.</li>
</ol>

Let’s break down the top 15 teams in the West as we head into this thrilling new season.

2024-2025 NBA Western Conference Power Rankings: A race at the top to start the year

The first round of the 2024 NBA Draft is done and dusted, and the second round will start today at 4 PM Eastern at ESPN&rsquo;s Seaport District Studios in New York. This will be the first time in NBA history that the draft will be separated into two days, with the first round being at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.&nbsp;
Here are all the first-round selections courtesy of the NBA: (article to be updated with the second-round picks)
<ol>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/zaccharie-risacher">Zaccharie Risacher</a> (JL Bourg-en-Bresse) to the Atlanta Hawks</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/alexandre-sarr">Alex Sarr</a> (Perth) to the Washington Wizards</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/reed-sheppard">Reed Sheppard</a> (Kentucky) to the Houston Rockets</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/stephon-castle">Stephon Castle</a> (Connecticut) to the San Antonio Spurs</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/ron-holland">Ron Holland II</a> (G League Ignite) to the Detroit Pistons</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/tidjane-salaun">Tidjane Salaun</a> (Cholet Basket) to the Charlotte Hornets</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/donovan-clingan">Donovan Clingan</a> (Connecticut) to the Portland Trail Blazers</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/rob-dillingham">Rob Dillingham</a> (Kentucky) to the San Antonio Spurs &mdash; traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/zach-edey">Zach Edey</a> (Purdue) to the Memphis Grizzlies</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/cody-williams">Cody Williams</a> (Colorado) to the Utah Jazz</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/matas-buzelis">Matas Buzelis</a> (G League Ignite) to the Chicago Bulls</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/nikola-topic">Nikola Topic</a> (KK Crvena Zvezda) to the Oklahoma City Thunder</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/devin-carter">Devin Carter</a> (Providence) to the Sacramento Kings</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/carlton-carrington">Bub Carrington</a> (Pittsburgh) to the Portland Trail Blazers &mdash; traded to Washington Wizards</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/kelel-ware">Kel&rsquo;el Ware</a> (Indiana) to the Miami Heat</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/jared-mccain">Jared McCain</a> (Duke) to the Philadelphia 76ers</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/dalton-knecht">Dalton Knecht</a> (Tennessee) to the Los Angeles Lakers</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/tristan-da-silva">Tristan da Silva</a> (Colorado) to the Orlando Magic</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/jakobe-walter">Ja&rsquo;Kobe Walter</a> (Baylor) to the Toronto Raptors&nbsp;</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/jaylon-tyson">Jaylon Tyson</a> (Cal) to the Cleveland Cavaliers</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/yves-missi">Yves Missi</a> (Baylor) to the New Orleans Pelicans</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/daron-holmes-ii">DaRon Holmes II</a> (Dayton) to the Phoenix Suns &mdash; traded to the Denver Nuggets</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/aj-johnson">AJ Johnson</a> (Illawarra) to the Milwaukee Bucks</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/kyshawn-george">Kyshawn George</a> (Miami) to the New York Knicks &mdash; traded to Washington Wizards</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/pacome-dadiet">Pacome Dadiet</a> (Ratiopharm Ulm) to the New York Knicks</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/dillon-jones">Dillon Jones</a> (Weber State) to the Washington Wizards &mdash; traded to Oklahoma City Thunder (via Knicks)</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/terrence-shannon-jr">Terrence Shannon Jr.</a> (Illinois) to the Minnesota Timberwolves</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/ryan-dunn">Ryan Dunn</a> (Virginia) to the Denver Nuggets &mdash; traded to the Phoenix Suns</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/isaiah-collier">Isaiah Collier</a> (USC) to the Utah Jazz</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/baylor-scheierman-2">Baylor Scheierman</a> (Creighton) to the Boston Celtics</li>
</ol>
&nbsp;
<ol start="31">
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/jonathan-mogbo">Jonathan Mogbo</a> (San Francisco) to the Toronto Raptors</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/kyle-filipowski">Kyle Filipowski</a> (Duke) to the Utah Jazz</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/tyler-smith">Tyler Smith</a> (G League Ignite) to the Milwaukee Bucks</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/tyler-kolek">Tyler Kolek</a> (Marquette) to the Portland Trail Blazers &mdash; traded to the New York Knicks</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/johnny-furphy">Johnny Furphy</a> (Kansas) to the San Antonio Spurs &mdash; traded to the Indiana Pacers</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/juan-nunez">Juan Nunez</a> (Ratiopharm Ulm) to the Indiana Pacers &mdash; traded to San Antonio Spurs</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/bobi-klintman">Bobi Klintman</a> (Cairns) to the Minnesota Timberwolves &mdash; traded to the Detroit Pistons</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/ajay-mitchell">Ajay Mitchell</a> (UC Santa Barbara) to the New York Knicks &mdash; traded to Oklahoma City Thunder</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/jaylen-wells">Jaylen Wells</a> (Washington State) to the Memphis Grizzlies</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/oso-ighodaro">Oso Ighodaro</a> (Marquette) to the Portland Trail Blazers &mdash; traded to the Phoenix Suns (via Knicks)</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/adem-bona">Adem Bona</a> (UCLA) to the Philadelphia 76ers</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/kj-simpson">KJ Simpson</a> (Colorado) to the Charlotte Hornets</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/nikola-djurisic">Nikola Djurisic</a> (KK Mega Basket) to the Miami Heat &mdash; traded to the Atlanta Hawks (via Heat)</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/pelle-larsson">Pelle Larsson</a> (Arizona) to the Houston Rockets &mdash; traded to the Miami Heat (via Rockets)</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/jamal-shead">Jamal Shead</a> (Houston) to the Sacramento Kings &mdash; traded to the Toronto Raptors</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/cam-christie">Cam Christie</a> (Minnesota) to the Los Angeles Clippers</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/antonio-reeves">Antonio Reeves</a> (Kentucky) to the Orlando Magic &mdash; traded to the New Orleans Pelicans</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/harrison-ingram">Harrison Ingram</a> (North Carolina) to the San Antonio Spurs</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/tristen-newton">Tristen Newton</a> (Connecticut) to the Indiana Pacers</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/enrique-freeman">Enrique Freeman</a> (Akron) to the Indiana Pacers</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/melvin-ajinca">Melvin Ajinca</a> (Saint-Quentin Basketball) to the New York Knicks &mdash; traded to the Dallas Mavericks</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/quinten-post">Quinten Post</a> (Boston College) to the Golden State Warriors &mdash; traded to Thunder, then to Blazers, then to Warriors</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/cam-spencer">Cam Spencer</a> (Connecticut) to the Detroit Pistons &mdash; traded to the Memphis Grizzlies (via Timberwolves)</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/anton-watson">Anton Watson</a> (Gonzaga) to the Boston Celtics</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/bronny-james">Bronny James</a> (USC) to the Los Angeles Lakers</li>
<li> <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2024/prospects/kevin-mccullar-jr">Kevin McCullar Jr.</a> (Kansas) to the Phoenix Suns &mdash; traded to the New York Knicks</li>
</ol>
&nbsp;

The first round of the 2024 NBA Draft is done and dusted, and the second round will start today at 4 PM Eastern at ESPN’s Seaport District Studios in New York.

2024 NBA Draft: Full results

Four of the top superstars in women&rsquo;s college basketball are set to face off on the biggest stage.
Angel Reese and the defending-champion LSU Tigers will go up against leading National Player of the Year candidate Caitlin Clark and her Iowa Hawkeyes at the MVP Arena in Albany, New York. 
Then, Paige Bueckers and the Connecticut Huskies will face off against top-ranked freshman JuJu Watkins and the USC Trojans at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.
Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark set for rematch in the Elite Eight
Reese and LSU are trying to defend the title that they won last year against Clark and Iowa. LSU has had a fairly dominant tournament this year, winning their previous three games by double-digits. Reese was named the Most Outstanding Player of last year's NCAA Tournament.
Clark, who became the NCAA&rsquo;s all-time leading scorer this season, will try to lead Iowa to the Final Four and avenge last year's loss against LSU. Like the Tigers, the Hawkeyes have dominated their opponents in this year&rsquo;s tournament run, beating each team by 10 or more points.
This star-studded matchup will surely be fiery considering the stakes and a little bit of history between these teams. Reese and Clark had some words for each other last year and have developed a rivalry.
JuJu Watkins, Paige Bueckers vie for Final Four spot&nbsp;
Reese vs. Clark isn't the only star-studded matchup on tonight's game. Watkins vs. Bueckers will also be must-see TV. Watkins is making waves in March Madness as a freshman, while Bueckers is determined to prove she's still one of the best players in the nation.
Watkins, the sensational first-year player from USC, will try to lead the Trojans further into the Big Dance after just recently surviving a scare against the Baylor Bears in the Sweet Sixteen. Watkins has been the nation&rsquo;s second-leading scorer, averaging over 27 points a game behind only the prolific Clark, but she will have her hands full against a UConn team that's led by legendary coach Geno Auriemma.
On the other hand, Bueckers and UConn aim to reclaim the glory that has evaded them for the past few seasons. Despite winning the NCAA Player of the Year award as a freshman and reaching the championship game that year, Bueckers has been plagued with knee injuries over her last two seasons. Now, she's hoping to show the world what she&rsquo;s capable of again on the biggest stage.
All eyes will be on Watkins and Bueckers as they face each other for the first time and try to lead their respective teams to Cleveland for the Final Four.

Elite 8 Preview: Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers vs. JuJu Watkins

Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins has been fined $25,000 for&nbsp;public criticism of the officiating, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.
Jenkins made his comments to the media following the Grizzlies&rsquo; 127-121 loss to the Utah Jazz on Nov. 10 at FedExForum.&nbsp;
Here's video of Taylor's full comments:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
&ldquo;Saddle up. One of the most poorly officiated games I&rsquo;ve ever seen. Record it, I&rsquo;m fine with it. F*cking atrocious.&rdquo; Taylor Jenkins WENT OFF on the officials after the Grizzlies&rsquo; loss to the Jazz last night 😳<a href="https://t.co/nXGPB2YMVc">pic.twitter.com/nXGPB2YMVc</a>
&mdash; ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1723345954294702323?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2023</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins has been fined $25,000 for public criticism of the officiating.

Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins fined $25,000 for criticizing refs

Blake Stern previews the NBA's Central Division, breaking down each team's projected lineup and burning question entering the year.

NBA Central Division Preview: Burning questions, rotation projections

Julius Erving is an NBA champion, two-time ABA champion, NBA Most Valuable Player, three-time ABA MVP, 11-time NBA All-Star, five-time ABA All-Star, Hall-of-Famer and a member of every NBA anniversary team (35th, 50th and 75th).
Dr. J is also 73 years old, so he's watched a lot of terrific players over the years.&nbsp;
Recently, Erving was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDn1Ypl0qGI" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asked by Joy DeAngela</a> to name his 10 greatest players in basketball history, and his list surprised some people.
"I have five guys who are untouchable: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West and Elgin Baylor," Erving <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDn1Ypl0qGI" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. "That's my all-time best team. Everybody else has to be on the second team or the third team. I made this decision when I was 15 years old. I'm sticking with it now all these years later. There is no order. I think West and Robertson would be in the backcourt. Elgin Baylor would be in the frontcourt with Wilt and Bill Russell.
"The next group of guys would be Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Earvin 'Magic' Johnson, probably Karl Malone..."
Erving admitted that he and his son debate over his list, and struggled to name his 10th and final player.
"I always argue with my son where Tim Duncan belongs, and he's like, 'He belongs ahead of Karl Malone for sure!' I'm taking Karl Malone," Erving explained. "And that last position... I like Tiny Archibald."
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YDn1Ypl0qGI" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Notably absent from Erving's list are current players like LeBron James and Stephen Curry. When DeAngela asked him about this, he explained his reasoning.
"He hasn't played long enough, he has to finish his career," Erving said, specifically talking about Curry. "Everybody I named there, their careers are finished."
This doesn't explain why a legend like Kobe Bryant isn't on the list. But Erving is entitled to his opinion, and it's good to see some older players whom younger fans may not be as familiar with getting some love. Check out DeAngela's full interview with Dr. J above.

Recently, Dr. J was asked by Joy DeAngela to name his 10 greatest players in basketball history, and his list surprised some people.

Julius 'Dr. J' Erving lists his top-10 greatest players of all-time

Every now and then, a trade comes along that ends up shifting the landscape of the NBA.
There are quite a few NBA legends who have been traded, forever altering the course of franchises. Today, we're revisiting some of the biggest trades in NBA history.
Bill Russell to the Boston Celtics
One of the most significant trades in NBA history occurred in 1956 when the Celtics acquired Bill Russell from the St. Louis Hawks in a draft-day trade. In a stroke of genius by Celtics coach and general manager Red Auerbach, Boston acquired No. 2 overall pick Russell in exchange for Cliff Hagan and Ed Macauley. Russell, a dominant defensive force and rebounder, quickly became the linchpin of the Celtics' dynasty, leading them to an unprecedented 11 NBA championships in his 13 seasons with the team. His shot-blocking prowess and unyielding will to win solidified his legacy as one of the greatest winners in sports history. The trade not only transformed the Celtics into a perennial powerhouse but also established Russell as a symbol of defensive excellence and team-oriented basketball. His impact on the franchise and the league as a whole remains unparalleled, making this trade a cornerstone of NBA history.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to the Los Angeles Lakers
In 1975, the Milwaukee Bucks sent Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to the Los Angeles Lakers. At that time, Abdul-Jabbar was already established as one of the league's dominant forces, but his desire for a change of scenery led to this monumental deal. The Lakers gave up Elmore Smith, Brian Winters, Junior Bridgeman and Dave Meyers for Abdul-Jabbar and Walt Wesley. This trade proved to be a game-changer for the Lakers, as Abdul-Jabbar's presence immediately elevated them to championship contention. Abdul-Jabbar and his unstoppable skyhook led the Lakers to five NBA championships in the 1980s, solidifying Kareem as one of the greatest players in basketball history and cementing this as one of the most impactful NBA trades of all-time.
Wilt Chamberlain to the Los Angeles Lakers
In another major trade that reverberated throughout the NBA, Wilt Chamberlain was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers from the Philadelphia 76ers in 1968. Chamberlain, already an established superstar and prolific scorer, brought his dominant presence and unparalleled scoring ability to the Lakers. The trade was a strategic move by the Lakers to bolster their roster and create a formidable trio of Chamberlain, Jerry West and Elgin Baylor. Chamberlain's arrival in Los Angeles marked the beginning of a successful era for the Lakers, culminating in a championship in 1972. The trade reshaped the Lakers' fortunes and added another illustrious chapter to Chamberlain's storied career, solidifying him as an all-time great.
Kobe Bryant to the Los Angeles Lakers
While Kobe Bryant only ever suited up for the Los Angeles Lakers throughout his 20-year NBA career, he was actually drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. However, immediately after the selection, a pre-arranged trade sent Bryant to the Lakers in exchange for Vlade Divac. This trade, orchestrated by general manager Jerry West, proved to be a stroke of genius that forever altered the course of the Lakers' franchise. Bryant went on to become one of the most iconic figures in NBA history and a five-time champion. This trade not only transformed the Lakers' future but also set the stage for Bryant to become one of the greatest players to ever grace the basketball court.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/kg.png" alt="" width="723" height="363" />
Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to the Boston Celtics
In 2007, the Boston Celtics orchestrated a masterstroke by acquiring Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to join forces with Paul Pierce. While these were two separate trades, Garnett and Allen were in communication throughout the process and Boston pulled off both moves over the course of three days &ndash; transforming the Celtics from a struggling franchise to a powerhouse contender. The Celtics' Big Three revolutionized the concept of superstar collaborations, and their union culminated in an NBA championship in 2008, rejuvenating the storied Celtics franchise and igniting the era of superteams.
LeBron James to the Miami Heat
While many NBA fans know about "The Decision" and LeBron James taking his talents to South Beach, they may not realize that James ultimately landed in Miami via a sign-and-trade. James, the league's reigning MVP, made the highly controversial decision to leave his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers and join forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the Heat. In exchange for parting with James in the sign-and-trade, the Cavs received two first-round picks, two second-round picks and a pick swap (as well as a large traded-player exception).
The move instantly transformed the Heat into a juggernaut and created a new era of superteams. While "The Decision" ignited a firestorm of criticism, it also showcased the power and influence that superstar players had in shaping the league's landscape. With James leading the way, the Heat reached the NBA Finals in all four years of his tenure, winning two championships in 2012 and 2013. This trade not only marked a pivotal moment in James' career but also had a profound impact on the way teams approached team-building, ushering in the player-movement era in the modern NBA.
What's your favorite league-altering trade? <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tweet us your thoughts here</a>! And for <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/fa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a list of the biggest free-agency signings of all-time, click here!</a>

Basketball News looks back on six blockbuster trades that altered the course of NBA history.

Revisiting 6 blockbuster trades that altered the NBA landscape

It&rsquo;s the easiest call of the&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-draft-2023-wembanyama-b3449d1a5f7a7de5906bb1979ffb2a26">NBA draft</a>: The San Antonio Spurs won.
That&rsquo;s not to say other teams didn&rsquo;t do very well on Thursday, when 58 players were selected as the league&rsquo;s newest members. But the Spurs being able to take generational French talent Victor Wembanyama puts them at the head of the class.
Some of the teams that also did well: NBA champion Denver, Golden State, Toronto &mdash; even with just one pick &mdash; and Orlando, which might now be closer to returning to the postseason mix.
A breakdown of which teams had Excellent drafts, those that had Good drafts and others that will have to Wait and See:
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h2 Component-p-0-2-71">EXCELLENT</h2>
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">DALLAS MAVERICKS</h3>
Picks: Dereck Lively II (12, via trade); Olivier-Maxence Prosper (24, via trade).
Dallas got the big man it wanted and created opportunity by moving Davis Bertans. Hard to argue that it wasn&rsquo;t a good night. And now free agency awaits. Prosper is another player with big potential and was extremely hard to guard at Marquette.
Picks: Julian Strawther (29), Jalen Pickett (32, will be acquired via trade), Hunter Tyson (37),
Pickett should have gone in the first round. He&rsquo;s that good, and the NBA champions just got another do-it-all guy who will also serve as insurance should Bruce Brown leave in free agency.
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">DETROIT PISTONS</h3>
Picks: Ausar Thompson (5), Marcus Sasser (25, via trade), James Nnaji (31)
No matter what, the Pistons were going to get better and deeper on Thursday night. Thompson is incredibly athletic (even by NBA standards) and plays defense with a ton of energy.
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS</h3>
Picks: Brandin Podziemski (19), Trayce Jackson-Davis (57, via trade)
Play to your strength, and the Warriors got another shooter to add to the mix with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Podziemski could add something right away, and came to Golden State on the same day that the Warriors swung a deal for Chris Paul by sending Jordan Poole to Washington.
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">HOUSTON ROCKETS</h3>
Picks: Amen Thompson (4), Cam Whitmore (20)
Thompson is a great move and gives Detroit another great option as it builds. If Whitmore is healthy, then Houston got an absolute steal by getting the Villanova forward at No. 20.
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER</h3>
Picks: Cason Wallace (10, via trade), Keyontae Johnson (50)
Wallace was great for Kentucky in his lone college season and played perhaps his best game in the Wildcats&rsquo; finale in the NCAA tournament. He can score; he didn&rsquo;t look to score quite often enough at times in college.
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">ORLANDO MAGIC</h3>
Picks: Anthony Black (6), Jett Howard (11)
Paolo Banchero got a couple more shooters to help him out, and the young and talented Magic got more young talent. An excellent night again and it&rsquo;s time to start thinking about Orlando as a team that should make a run at the play-in &mdash; at minimum.
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">SAN ANTONIO SPURS</h3>
Picks: Victor Wembanyama (1), Sidy Cissoko (44).
Their grade was secured at the very moment that the last ping-pong ball appeared at the lottery last month. Wembanyama was a no-brainer, and now it&rsquo;s up to the Spurs to start the real work &mdash; get him into the gym, see how he fits, and figure out what the plan is going forward.
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">TORONTO RAPTORS</h3>
Pick: Gradey Dick (13)
Dick showed up to the draft in a red-and-black jacket &mdash; a nod to Dorothy from &ldquo;The Wizard of Oz&rdquo; and his Kansas roots. The color scheme will work in Toronto as well. Dick is a pure shooter, and no team can have too many of those. The jury&rsquo;s still out on what the Raptors will be this coming season, but this kid will be a rotation piece.
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">UTAH JAZZ</h3>
Picks: Taylor Hendricks (9), Keyonte George (16), Brice Sensabaugh (28)
Hendricks is what an NBA big pretty much is now; a power forward who can also defend centers. George was the Big 12 rookie of the year at Baylor and is a proven scorer. He&rsquo;s good from the line, has 3-point potential and can get to the rim. There&rsquo;s some work to do, but he&rsquo;s a serious prospect.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h2 Component-p-0-2-71">GOOD</h2>
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">BROOKLYN NETS</h3>
Picks: Noah Clowney (21), Dariq Whitehead (22), Jalen Wilson (51)
Clowney is an athletic big from Alabama whose game is still a bit unfinished. Whitehead has enormous potential and was highly recruited by Duke, but foot issues are a concern. Wilson was the Big 12 player of the year at Kansas. The Nets likely didn&rsquo;t choose three elite programs accidentally. Lot to like here.
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">CHARLOTTE HORNETS</h3>
Picks: Brandon Miller (2), Nick Smith Jr. (27), Amari Bailey (41).
Miller made sense over Scoot Henderson because the Hornets have a point guard already. But Henderson might be the more NBA-ready player.
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">INDIANA PACERS</h3>
Picks: Jarace Walker (8, via trade), Ben Sheppard (26), Julian Strawther (29), Mojave King (47, via trade), Isaiah Wong (55)
Walker plays hard on both ends, and this is rare to say, but he might play harder on defense than he does on offense. And getting Wong &mdash; the ACC player of the year &mdash; so late is a steal.
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS</h3>
Picks: Kobe Brown (30), Jordan Miller (48)
Brown is a strong player, addicted to rebounding, and probably needs to improve considerably on the offensive end. Miller did a little of everything for the Miami Hurricanes in their run to the Final Four.
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">LOS ANGELES LAKERS</h3>
Picks: Jalen Hood-Schifino (17), Maxwell Lewis (40, via trade).
Hood-Schifino got NBA coaching in college last season; Indiana is coached by Mike Woodson. He&rsquo;s a winner; his high school teams won, his Indiana team went to the NCAA Tournament and he&rsquo;ll obviously benefit from time with LeBron James.
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">MIAMI HEAT</h3>
Pick: Jaime Jaquez Jr. (18)
A four-year college player whose game got more complete each year, Jaquez has a notorious work ethic that should fit in quite well with the Eastern Conference champions.
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">NEW ORLEANS PELICANS</h3>
Pick: Jordan Hawkins (14)
Hawkins was a big part of UConn&rsquo;s team that won the national title last spring, earning his way onto the All-Tournament team. New Orleans got a winner.
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS</h3>
Picks: Scoot Henderson (3), Kris Murray (23), Rayan Rupert (43).
Henderson has shown that he&rsquo;s NBA-ready. The Blazers drafted well. But really, the only question now is whether Damian Lillard is happy or not. Murray is the twin brother of Sacramento&rsquo;s Keegan Murray and had a big season for Iowa &mdash; averaging just over 20 points per game.
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">WASHINGTON WIZARDS</h3>
Picks: Bilal Coulibaly (7, via trade), Tristan Vukcevic (42)
The Wizards are starting over, and on the day they also agreed to acquire Jordan Poole from Golden State they just happened to get a French player. (No, not that one.) But Coulibaly is highly touted by No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama, and that&rsquo;s enough of an endorsement for us.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h2 Component-p-0-2-71">WAIT AND SEE</h2>
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">ATLANTA HAWKS</h3>
Picks: Kobe Bufkin (15), Mouhamed Gueye (39, via trade), Seth Lundy (46)
Bufkin had a great second half of the season at Michigan, and left-handers always provide defenses with an extra challenge. The best way to describe his game is this: He doesn&rsquo;t do much wrong. Very solid, can help the Hawks in a lot of ways.
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">BOSTON CELTICS</h3>
Picks: James Njaji (31, via trade), Jordan Walsh (38, via trade)
Still only 18, Njaji started playing the game about seven years ago and is not even close to reaching his potential yet. Big prospect.
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">CHICAGO BULLS</h3>
Pick: Julian Phillips (35, via trade)
The Bulls had to forfeit what would have been their pick because of free-agency violations last summer, and swung a deal with Boston to land the Tennessee wing.
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">CLEVELAND CAVALIERS</h3>
Pick: Emoni Bates (49)
He was touted as a star since basically middle school, had more than his share of promising moments in college, and now has to really prove himself.
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES</h3>
Picks: Gregory Jackson II (45), Tarik Biberovic (56)
Prospects. They&rsquo;re not expected to provide any real help anytime soon.
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">MILWAUKEE BUCKS</h3>
Picks: Andre Jackson (36, via trade), Chris Livingston (58)
Jackson was a big part of UConn&rsquo;s national championship. He&rsquo;s only going to benefit from being around Giannis Antetokounmpo every day.
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES</h3>
Picks: Leonard Miller (33, via trade), Jaylen Clark (53)
Miller had a lot of big moments playing with Scoot Henderson and the G League Ignite this past season. Athleticism is tough to ignore.
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">NEW YORK KNICKS</h3>
No picks.
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">PHILADELPHIA 76ERS</h3>
No picks.
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">PHOENIX SUNS</h3>
Pick: Toumani Camara (52)
Given the trades that they&rsquo;re making, this might be one of their last picks for quite some time. There&rsquo;s nothing wrong with not valuing the draft, but giving up on it entirely is a dangerous game to play too often.
<h3 class="Component-root-0-2-81 h3 Component-p-0-2-71">SACRAMENTO KINGS</h3>
Picks: Colby Jones (34, via trade), Jalen Slawson (54)
Jones has skills the Kings crave; great shooter, great passing and great vision. A young Kevin Huerter-type in those regards.

Which teams came away from the 2023 NBA Draft as big winners? Check out the AP's draft report cards.

NBA draft report cards: Spurs, Rockets among teams that hit it big

<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-draft-wembanyama-big-men-716d46b407e0e0b6be18370cc7e643b2">Victor Wembanyama&rsquo;s</a>&nbsp;NBA draft experience will be quite unlike last year&rsquo;s No. 1 pick.
Paolo Banchero could never be certain he would be taken first. There was too much speculation that Orlando was also considering Jabari Smith Jr. and Chet Holmgren, with some mock drafts listing Banchero below both. The eventual Rookie of the Year said he didn&rsquo;t find out&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-nba-draft-live-updates-1a7d5a8f93ddab31614e29c337e8d862">he was the Magic&rsquo;s choice</a>&nbsp;until less than a minute before Commissioner Adam Silver went on stage in Brooklyn.
Wembanyama has no need to wait.
The 19-year-old from France has owned permanent residence atop mock draft boards, including all four versions of the AP&rsquo;s, and could begin walking to the stage Thursday night before Silver finishes announcing the San Antonio Spurs&rsquo; selection.
Shortly after, two twin brothers could make the same walk.&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-draft-amen-ausar-thompson-a34e7912942e90a202005ea35fcd0944">Amen and Ausar Thompson</a>&nbsp;of Overtime Elite are both expected to land inside the top 10.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">1. SAN ANTONIO SPURS: VICTOR WEMBANYAMA, FORWARD, FRANCE</h2>
His combination of a center&rsquo;s size and a guard&rsquo;s shooting and dribbling make the 19-year-old a prospect perhaps unlike any other the NBA has seen, and should end the 13-year streak of the No. 1 pick being a college freshman. The Spurs won five NBA titles after taking Tim Duncan in 1997, the last time they had the No. 1 pick and dream of a similar impact from Wembanyama, who is listed at 7-foot-4.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">2. CHARLOTTE HORNETS: BRANDON MILLER, FORWARD, ALABAMA</h2>
At 6-9, the SEC player of the year and tournament MVP as a freshman has the size, versatility and 3-point stroke to make him an ideal player for the modern NBA game. But the Hornets, who played without Miles Bridges last season after an arrest for a domestic violence incident against the mother of his children, may have to weigh a negative reaction if they add Miller, who&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-sports-tuscaloosa-alabama-crimson-tide-top-25-college-basketball-today-39eab4a038324d58910da79372722ad1">delivered the gun used in a fatal shooting.</a>
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">3. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS: SCOOT HENDERSON, GUARD, G LEAGUE IGNITE</h2>
<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/trailblazers/status/1665146603525795840?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Worked out for the Trail Blazers</a>&nbsp;and showed the athleticism and ability to do it all from the guard spot that may have made Henderson the No. 1 pick in many years. This time, he could be part of a trade if the Blazers decide they&rsquo;d prefer to acquire more veteran help around Damian Lillard &mdash; or perhaps Lillard&rsquo;s replacement if they instead decide to build around youth.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">4. HOUSTON ROCKETS: AMEN THOMPSON, GUARD, OVERTIME ELITE</h2>
At 6-7, Thompson has great size for a guard and the 20-year old showed the ability to step up when it matters most, averaging 17.2 points, 9.2 assists and 7.2 rebounds in the playoffs to lead the City Reapers to the championship last season. The Rockets, after adding Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. in the last two drafts, are positioned to get another good one.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">5. DETROIT PISTONS: CAM WHITMORE, FORWARD, VILLANOVA</h2>
The Pistons fell to the lowest spot possible in the lottery after finishing with the NBA&rsquo;s worst record and sharing the best odds of landing the No. 1 pick. But getting Whitmore, a versatile wing with a strong build, to add to young pieces such as Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey under new coach Monty Williams would help ease the sting.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">6. ORLANDO MAGIC: AUSAR THOMPSON, FORWARD, OVERTIME ELITE</h2>
Amen Thompson&rsquo;s twin brother has been the Overtime Elite regular season and finals MVP the last two seasons and the 6-7 swingman plays big on defense, twice blocking seven shots in a game. The Magic were a team on the rise in the second half of last season and Thompson could help ensure that continues.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">7. INDIANA PACERS: JARACE WALKER, FORWARD, HOUSTON</h2>
Coming from Houston&rsquo;s rugged program means Walker already plays NBA-ready defense, and the offensive end could come along quickly under Rick Carlisle. At 6-8, 240 pounds, he already has the size and strength to deal with anyone he could face in the frontcourt.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">8. WASHINGTON WIZARDS: ANTHONY BLACK, GUARD, ARKANSAS</h2>
<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/wizards-suns-trade-bradley-beal-55adab5fa31d5dfbc35b83223743d9c6">With Bradley Beal going</a>&nbsp;and no certainty that Chris Paul will stay, there&rsquo;s an opportunity for an immediate impact in the Washington backcourt. The 6-7 guard seems to have endless energy, playing nearly 35 minutes a game to lead the Southeastern Conference and all 20 minutes in a half 19 times. That included 37 minutes on an injured left ankle in the Razorbacks&rsquo; NCAA Tournament upset of top-seeded Kansas, when he helped hold expected lottery pick Gradey Dick to seven points.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">9. UTAH JAZZ: TAYLOR HENDRICKS, CENTRAL FLORIDA</h2>
The 6-9 freshman makes an impact inside and outside on both ends of the floor. He led the American Athletic Conference in blocked shots and shot 39% from 3-point range, becoming the only Division I player last season with at least 60 3-pointers, 55 blocked shots and 35 dunks.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">10. DALLAS MAVERICKS: GRADEY DICK, GUARD, KANSAS</h2>
Dick made 83 3-pointers, most in Kansas history by a freshman, and the 6-8 forward could get plenty of open looks when Mavericks opponents focus their attention on Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving &mdash; if Irving remains in Dallas. The Mavs went to great lengths to protect their chances of keeping this pick, tanking their final couple games to boost their lottery odds while still in play-in contention.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">11. ORLANDO MAGIC (from Chicago Bulls): BILAL COULIBALY, FORWARD, FRANCE</h2>
Wembanyama&rsquo;s teammate with Metropolitans 92 is a 6-6 swingman whose stock rose as their team reached their French League finals. He hasn&rsquo;t reached his potential yet as a scorer, but his 7-3 wingspan allows him to impact the game on both ends even without doing so and could make him a good fit with 2022 No. 1 pick and Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">12. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER: DERECK LIVELY II, CENTER, DUKE</h2>
Is still limited offensively, but the 7-1 Lively shows promise as a rebounder and shot blocker, highlighted by 14 boards and eight blocks in a game against rival North Carolina.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">13. TORONTO RAPTORS: JALEN HOOD-SCHIFINO, GUARD, INDIANA</h2>
The Big Ten freshman of the year has great size in the backcourt at 6-6 and could help the Raptors guard against a potential loss of Fred VanVleet in free agency, but needs to become a better shooter after hitting only 40% from the field in his lone season.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">14. NEW ORLEANS PELICANS: CASON WALLACE, KENTUCKY</h2>
A point guard who takes care of the ball and takes it away from opponents, he was fourth in the SEC in both steals per game and assist-to-turnover ratio. At 6-4, has the size and strength to defend some of the marquee guards in the Western Conference.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">15. ATLANTA HAWKS: KOBE BUFKIN, GUARD, MICHIGAN</h2>
Massive leap from first to second year of college, averaging 14 points as a sophomore after not starting a game while averaging 3.0 points as a freshman. Next leap is to the NBA, where the 6-4 lefty could quickly be a change-of-pace guard off the bench.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">16. UTAH JAZZ (from Minnesota): KEYONTE GEORGE, GUARD, BAYLOR</h2>
The highest-ranked recruit in program history lived up to the billing in his lone college season, scoring 20 or more points 12 times and averaging 15.3 en route to Big 12 freshman of the year honors. The 6-4 guard could provide scoring punch on a team that stayed in the postseason hunt longer than expected.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">17. LOS ANGELES LAKERS: NICK SMITH JR., GUARD, ARKANSAS</h2>
After mixed results with Russell Westbrook and D&rsquo;Angelo Russell last season, the Lakers&rsquo; search for guard help could lead to Arkansas, where the 6-5 Smith played in just 17 games in his lone college season after recovering from a right knee injury but showed the ability to play either guard spot.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">18. MIAMI HEAT: JORDAN HAWKINS, GUARD, UCONN</h2>
Ballhandling still needs improvement, but Hawkins&rsquo; catch-and-shoot ability was one of the biggest reasons the Huskies stormed through the NCAA Tournament to their fifth national title, and something the Heat were missing in their NBA Finals loss.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">19. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: NOAH CLOWNEY, FORWARD, ALABAMA</h2>
Clowney put up nearly eight rebounds and a block per game in his lone college season. With just 210 pounds on his 6-10 frame, he will need to add strength for the battles inside against NBA big men.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">20. HOUSTON ROCKETS (from LA Clippers): KRIS MURRAY, FORWARD, IOWA</h2>
After averaging 20.2 points &mdash; with a 30-point, 20-rebound game in one outing &mdash; Murray will try to make a similar first-year NBA impact as twin brother Keegan, who after leaving the Hawkeyes became an immediate starter for Sacramento last season and was an All-Rookie first-team selection.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">21. BROOKLYN NETS (from Phoenix): JETT HOWARD, GUARD, MICHIGAN</h2>
His willingness to fire from behind the arc makes the freshman a perfect fit for the 3-point happy NBA. The 6-8 freshman made multiple 3-pointers in 24 of his 29 games for Juwan Howard, his father, and hit three or more in almost half of them. Howard made 36.8% of them while averaging 14.2 points
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">22. BROOKLYN NETS: LEONARD MILLER, FORWARD, G LEAGUE IGNITE</h2>
The Nets have needed more scoring punch since trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, and Miller looks capable of providing it after averaging 18 points last season. The 6-10 Canadian also averaged nearly 11 rebounds, another area Nets leadership has identified as a priority.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">23. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (from New York): BRICE SENSABAUGH, FORWARD, OHIO STATE</h2>
Averaged 16.3 points and shot better than 40% from 3-point range in his strong one season for the Buckeyes, where he was the first freshman to lead the team in scoring since D&rsquo;Angelo Russell in 2015.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">24. SACRAMENTO KINGS: MAXWELL LEWIS, FORWARD, PEPPERDINE</h2>
The 6-7 Lewis made nearly 80% of his free throws and 36% of his 3-point attempts in his two seasons with the Waves, and improved his ability to score off the dribble while averaging 17.1 points last season.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">25. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES: G.G. JACKSON, FORWARD, SOUTH CAROLINA</h2>
Would have been heading to college now &mdash; perhaps as the No. 1 prospect &mdash; before reclassifying last summer to enter a year earlier. Instead, the 6-9 Jackson is on his way to the NBA after scoring in double figures in 25 of his 32 games, averaging 15.4 points.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">26. INDIANA PACERS (from Cleveland): JAIME JAQUEZ JR., GUARD, UCLA</h2>
The do-everything swingman led the Bruins with 17.8 points and 8.2 rebounds, becoming their first Pac-12 player of the year since Kevin Love in 2008. At 6-7, Jaquez does everything well &mdash; he&rsquo;s No. 8 in UCLA history in both points and steals &mdash; but maybe not any of them at the top NBA level.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">27. CHARLOTTE HORNETS (from Denver via New York and Oklahoma City): AMARI BAILEY, GUARD, UCLA</h2>
Bailey had a strong finish to his lone college season, averaging 16.7 points on 56% shooting in the Bruins&rsquo; run to the Sweet 16. The Hornets struggle when LaMelo Ball is out, so the 6-5 guard could be appealing to a team that was fourth-worst in the NBA in scoring.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">28. UTAH JAZZ (from Philadelphia via Brooklyn): COLBY JONES, GUARD, XAVIER</h2>
With three picks in the first round, the Jazz are positioned to bolster a team that hung around the playoff race much longer than expected. The 6-6 Jones, who made 18 of 21 shots in one torrid stretch last season and shot 9 of 10 on 3-pointers in another, could be a nice late addition.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">29. INDIANA PACERS (from Boston): BRANDIN PODZIEMSKI, GUARD, SANTA CLARA</h2>
Made 43.8% of his 3-pointers in his lone season after transferring from Illinois, accuracy from behind the arc that NBA teams covet. The 6-5 guard shared WCC player of the year honors after averaging 19.9 points and 8.8 rebounds, finishing in the top three in the conference in both categories.
<h2 class="Component-root-0-2-224 h2 Component-p-0-2-209">30. LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (from Milwaukee via Houston): DARIQ WHITEHEAD, FORWARD, DUKE</h2>
Arrived at Duke as the high school player of the year, but a foot injury led to a delayed start to his college career followed by shooting struggles after it finally began. But the 6-7 forward showed enough defensive and 3-point abilities in his limited time to make himself worthy of a first-round spot.

How will the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft shake out on Thursday night? Check out the AP's latest mock draft.

NBA mock draft: Wembanyama easy No. 1, Miller at 2, Henderson 3rd

There&rsquo;s no doubt who the San Antonio Spurs are going to select with the first pick in this year&rsquo;s NBA draft.&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/wembanyama-draft-lottery-nba-b0692a8ee59c2235f2d4f4387266eab7">Victor Wembanyama</a>&nbsp;could have started packing for Texas once the Spurs learned they had won the NBA draft lottery.
But once the&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/wembanyama-wemby-nba-draft-lottery-50308e65f44b8df7a2368c4de17bacff">7-foot-3 French phenom</a>&nbsp;is off the board minutes after the draft begins on June 22, that&rsquo;s when the intrigue will begin.
<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-combine-scoot-henderson-brandon-miller-a55811da32a6f58cafde246b0e602152">Scoot Henderson or Brandon Miller</a>&nbsp;to the Charlotte Hornets at No. 2?
The first edition of the AP&rsquo;s 2023 mock draft says it&rsquo;ll be Miller.
1. SAN ANTONIO SPURS: VICTOR WEMBANYAMA, FORWARD, FRANCE
His combination of a center&rsquo;s size and a guard&rsquo;s shooting and dribbling make the 19-year-old a prospect perhaps unlike any other the NBA has seen. The Spurs won five NBA titles after taking Tim Duncan in 1997 the last time they had the No. 1 pick and dream of a similar impact from Wembanyama.
2. CHARLOTTE HORNETS: BRANDON MILLER, FORWARD, ALABAMA
At 6-9, Miller has the size, versatility and 3-point stroke to make him an ideal player for the modern NBA game. The SEC player of the year and tournament MVP as a freshman, Miller would appear to be a good fit playing with LaMelo Ball, though the Hornets, who played without Miles Bridges last season after an arrest for a domestic violence incident against the mother of his children, may have to weigh a negative reaction if they add Miller, who&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-sports-tuscaloosa-alabama-crimson-tide-top-25-college-basketball-today-39eab4a038324d58910da79372722ad1">delivered the gun used in a fatal shooting.</a>
3. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS: SCOOT HENDERSON, GUARD, G LEAGUE IGNITE
His athleticism and ability to do it all from the guard spot may have made Henderson the No. 1 pick in many years. This time, he could be part of a trade if the Blazers decide they&rsquo;d prefer to acquire more veteran help around Damian Lillard &mdash; or perhaps Lillard&rsquo;s replacement if they instead decide to build around youth.
4. HOUSTON ROCKETS: AMEN THOMPSON, GUARD, OVERTIME ELITE
At 6-7, Thompson has great size for a guard and the 20-year old showed the ability to step up when it matters most, averaging 17.2 points, 9.2 assists and 7.2 rebounds in the playoffs to lead the City Reapers to the championship last season. The Rockets, after adding Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. in the last two drafts, are positioned to get another good one.
5. DETROIT PISTONS: CAM WHITMORE, FORWARD, VILLANOVA
The Pistons fell to the lowest spot possible in the lottery after finishing with the NBA&rsquo;s worst record and sharing the best odds of landing the No. 1 pick. But getting Whitmore, a versatile wing with a strong build, to add to young pieces such as Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey would help ease the sting.
6. ORLANDO MAGIC: AUSAR THOMPSON, FORWARD, OVERTIME ELITE
Amen Thompson&rsquo;s twin brother has been the Overtime Elite regular season and finals MVP the last two seasons and the 6-7 swingman plays big on defense, twice blocking seven shots in a game. The Magic were a team on the rise in the second half of last season and Thompson could help ensure that continues.
7. INDIANA PACERS: JARACE WALKER, FORWARD, HOUSTON
Coming from Houston&rsquo;s rugged program means Walker already plays NBA-ready defense, and the offensive end could come along quickly under Rick Carlisle. At 6-8, 240 pounds, he already has the size and strength to deal with anyone he could face in the frontcourt.
8. WASHINGTON WIZARDS: TAYLOR HENDRICKS, CENTRAL FLORIDA
The 6-9 freshman makes an impact inside and outside on both ends of the floor. He led the American Athletic Conference in blocked shots and shot 39% from 3-point range, becoming the only Division I player last season with at least 60 3-pointers, 55 blocked shots and 35 dunks.
9. UTAH JAZZ: ANTHONY BLACK, GUARD, ARKANSAS
The 6-7 guard seems to have endless energy, playing nearly 35 minutes a game to lead the Southeastern Conference and all 20 minutes in a half 19 times. That included 37 minutes on an injured left ankle in the Razorbacks&rsquo; NCAA Tournament upset of top-seeded Kansas, when he helped hold expected lottery pick Gradey Dick to seven points.
10. DALLAS MAVERICKS: GRADEY DICK, GUARD, KANSAS
Dick made 83 3-pointers, most in Kansas history by a freshman, and the 6-8 forward could get plenty of open looks when Mavericks opponents focus their attention on Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving &mdash; if Irving remains in Dallas. The Mavs went to great lengths to protect their chances of keeping this pick, tanking their final couple games to boost their lottery odds while still in play-in contention,.
11. ORLANDO MAGIC (from Chicago Bulls): KEYONTE GEORGE, GUARD, BAYLOR
The highest-ranked recruit in program history lived up to the billing in his lone college season, scoring 20 or more points 12 times and averaging 15.3 en route to Big 12 freshman of the year honors. The 6-4 guard could provide scoring punch on a team that was 26th in the NBA in points per game.
12. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER: CASON WALLACE, KENTUCKY
A point guard who takes care of the ball and takes it away from opponents, he was fourth in the SEC in both steals per game and assist-to-turnover ratio. The Thunder already have a Kentucky guard thriving in their backcourt in All-NBA player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
13. TORONTO RAPTORS: NICK SMITH JR., GUARD, ARKANSAS
Played in just 17 games in his lone college season after recovering from a right knee injury, but that was enough to play himself into lottery consideration. At 6-5, Smith can play either guard spot and would improve the backcourt on a Toronto team whose strength was its wings.
14. NEW ORLEANS PELICANS: JORDAN HAWKINS, GUARD, UCONN
Ballhandling still needs improvement, but Hawkins&rsquo; catch-and-shoot ability was one of the biggest reasons the Huskies stormed through the NCAA Tournament to their fifth national title. Now it could help create more driving lanes for Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson.
15. ATLANTA HAWKS: KOBE BUFKIN, GUARD, MICHIGAN
Massive leap from first to second year of college, averaging 14 points as a sophomore after not starting a game while averaging 3.0 points as a freshman. Next leap is to the NBA, where the 6-4 lefty could quickly be a change-of-pace guard off the bench.
16. UTAH JAZZ (from Minnesota): G.G. JACKSON, FORWARD, SOUTH CAROLINA
Would have been heading to college now &mdash; perhaps as the No. 1 prospect &mdash; before reclassifying last summer to enter a year earlier. Instead, the 6-9 Jackson is on his way to the NBA after scoring in double figures in 25 of his 32 games, averaging 15.4 points.
17. LOS ANGELES LAKERS: JALEN HOOD-SCHIFINO, GUARD, INDIANA
After mixed results with Russell Westbrook and D&rsquo;Angelo Russell last season, the Lakers&rsquo; search for point guard help could lead to Indiana, where Hood-Schifino was the Big Ten freshman of the year. Great size in the backcourt at 6-6 but needs to become a better shooter after hitting only 40% from the field in his lone season.
18. MIAMI HEAT: MAXWELL LEWIS, FORWARD, PEPPERDINE
The Heat&rsquo;s success developing undrafted players &mdash; they have seven on the roster that has made a surprising run to the NBA Finals &mdash; allows them to recover if they miss in the draft. But they might not by looking at the 6-7 Lewis, who made nearly 80% of his free throws and 36% of his 3-point attempts in his two seasons with the Waves.
19. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: KRIS MURRAY, FORWARD, IOWA
After averaging 20.2 points &mdash; with a 30-point, 20-rebound game in one outing &mdash; Murray will try to make a similar first-year NBA impact as twin brother Keegan, who after leaving the Hawkeyes became an immediate starter for Sacramento last season and was an All-Rookie first-team selection.
20. HOUSTON ROCKETS (from LA Clippers): BILAL COULIBALY, FORWARD, FRANCE
The Rockets hoped to land Wembanyama after sharing the best odds to win the lottery. They could look here at his teammate with Metropolitans 92, a 6-6 swingman who doesn&rsquo;t score much yet but whose 7-3 wingspan allows him to impact the game on both ends even without doing so.
21. BROOKLYN NETS (from Phoenix): JETT HOWARD, GUARD, MICHIGAN
His willingness to fire from behind the arc makes the freshman a perfect fit for the 3-point happy NBA. The 6-8 freshman made multiple 3-pointers in 24 of his 29 games for Juwan Howard, his father, and hit three or more in almost half of them. Howard made 36.8% of them while averaging 14.2 points
22. BROOKLYN NETS: LEONARD MILLER, FORWARD, G LEAGUE IGNITE
The Nets have needed more scoring punch since trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, and Miller looks capable of providing it after averaging 18 points last season. The 6-10 Canadian also averaged nearly 11 rebounds, another area Nets leadership has identified as a priority.
23. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (from New York): RAYAN RUPERT, FORWARD, NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS
The native of France would bring coveted defensive abilities, though not much in the way of scoring. Still, it would be hard to pass up a 19-year-old whose 6-7 size allows him to defend any forward or guard position.
24. SACRAMENTO KINGS: DERECK LIVELY II, CENTER, DUKE
Is still limited offensively, but the NBA&rsquo;s highest-scoring team doesn&rsquo;t need points. The Kings need someone to help prevent them, and the 7-1 Lively shows promise as a rebounder and shot blocker, highlighted by 14 boards and eight blocks in a game against rival North Carolina.
25. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES: TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS, FORWARD, INDIANA
Had more than 2,200 points and 1,100 rebounds in one of the most decorated careers in Hoosiers history. But in the one-and-done era, the 23-year-old All-American&rsquo;s age may work against the son of former Indiana Pacers forward Dale Davis.
26. INDIANA PACERS (from Cleveland): JAIME JAQUEZ JR., GUARD, UCLA
The do-everything swingman led the Bruins with 17.8 points and 8.2 rebounds, becoming their first Pac-12 player of the year since Kevin Love in 2008. At 6-7, Jacquez does everything well &mdash; he&rsquo;s No. 8 in UCLA history in both points and steals &mdash; but maybe not any of them at the top NBA level.
27. CHARLOTTE HORNETS (from Denver via New York and Oklahoma City): AMARI BAILEY, GUARD, UCLA
Bailey had a strong finish to his lone college season, averaging 16.7 points on 56% shooting in the Bruins&rsquo; run to the Sweet 16. The Hornets struggle when LaMelo Ball is out, so the 6-5 guard could be appealing to a team that was fourth-worst in the NBA in scoring.
28. UTAH JAZZ (from Philadelphia via Brooklyn): COLBY JONES, GUARD, XAVIER
With three picks in the first round, the Jazz are positioned to bolster a team that hung around the playoff race much longer than expected. The 6-6 Jones, who made 18-of-21 shots in one torrid stretch last season and 9-of-10 3-pointers in another, could be a nice late addition.
29. INDIANA PACERS (from Boston): NOAH CLOWNEY, FORWARD, ALABAMA
Clowney put up nearly eight rebounds and a block per game in his lone college season. At just 210 pounds on his 6-10 frame, he will need to add strength for the battles inside against NBA big men.
30. LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (from Milwaukee via Houston): DARIQ WHITEHEAD, FORWARD, DUKE
Arrived at Duke as the high school player of the year but a foot injury led to a delayed start to his college career followed by shooting struggles after it finally began. But the 6-7 forward showed enough defensive and 3-point abilities in his limited time to make himself worthy of a first-round spot.

Check out the first 2023 NBA mock draft the Associated Press, which features a bit of a surprise at No. 2 overall.

NBA mock draft: Wembanyama to Spurs at 1, then Miller to Hornets at 2

Purdue&rsquo;s Zach Edey decided it was the right call to go back to school instead of staying in the NBA draft. His predecessor as national player of the year, Kentucky&rsquo;s Oscar Tshiebwe, is sticking with his pro pursuit.
And Connecticut&rsquo;s reign as NCAA champion will begin with multiple starters having left for the NBA draft and one returning after flirting with doing the same.
The 7-foot-4 Edey and UConn guard Tristen Newton were among the notable names to announce that they were withdrawing from the draft Wednesday, the NCAA&rsquo;s deadline for players who declared as early entrants to pull out and retain their college eligibility.
Edey&rsquo;s decision came Wednesday night, in social media posts from both&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/zach_edey/status/1664075497490227202?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the center</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/boilerball/status/1664076605637947392?s=12&amp;t=srroTo7kpdGXnm7-atvQSA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the Boilermakers program</a>&nbsp;that earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-player-of-year-edey-97210ca64c44cd64ca0120406dcc969a">behind Edey, The Associated Press men&rsquo;s national player of the year</a>.
But Tshiebwe&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cs7A_lVv4CC/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">announced late in the afternoon that he would remain in the draft</a>&nbsp;after a college career that included&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-st-peters-peacocks-mens-basketball-sports-oscar-tshiebwe-johnny-davis-7174341881f37ac8750f8f9119a6fce8">being named the AP national player of the year in 2022</a>.
For the current champions, Newton (10.1 points, 4.7 assists, 4.5 rebounds)&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/D1Tristen/status/1663887976647237632?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">is returning</a>&nbsp;after being one of four Huskies to declare for the draft after a run&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/final-four-uconn-san-diego-state-1de224560610defcbc4eb9c40cbb588a">to UConn&rsquo;s fifth national championship in early April</a>. He scored a game-high 19 points to go with 10 rebounds in the victory over San Diego State in the title game.
The others were&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-championship-uconn-san-diego-state-782bd15323bda90f2b664653cae99e6e">Final Four Most Outstanding Player Adama Sanogo</a>, wing Jordan Hawkins and versatile guard Andre Jackson Jr. Sanogo (17.8 points) and Hawkins (16.3) have made it clear they have closed the door on their college careers, while team spokesman Phil Chardis said Wednesday night that Jackson (6.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists) would remain in the draft.
The Huskies have 247sports&rsquo; No. 3-ranked recruiting class for next year to restock the roster, led by McDonald&rsquo;s All-American point guard Stephon Castle.
The NBA&rsquo;s withdrawal deadline is June 12, but is moot when it comes to college players returning to school due to the NCAA&rsquo;s earlier timeline to retain playing eligibility.
STAYING IN SCHOOL
TREY ALEXANDER:&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/TrickyTrey23/status/1664070367982280707?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Creighton gets back</a> a 6-4 guard who averaged 13.6 points and shot 41% from 3-point range in his first full season as a starter.
ADEM BONA: The 6-foot-10 forward and Pac-12 freshman of the year&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/UCLAMBB/status/1663947898332286976?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">is returning to UCLA</a>&nbsp;after starting 32 games as a rookie and averaging 7.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks &mdash; with coach Mick Cronin praising his toughness for &ldquo;competing through multiple injuries for as long as he could&rdquo; in a statement Wednesday.
EDEY: He averaged 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.5 assists while shooting 60.7% from the field. His presence alone helps Purdue be a factor in the Big Ten race.
JOSIAH-JORDAN JAMES: The 6-6 guard went through the NBA G League Combine and had workouts with multiple teams&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://utsports.com/news/2023/5/31/mens-basketball-james-set-to-rejoin-vols-for-fifth-year.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">before opting to return</a>&nbsp;to Tennessee for a fifth season alongside teammate Santiago Vescovi.
JUDAH MINTZ: The 6-3 freshman averaged 16.3 points and 4.6 assists&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://cuse.com/news/2023/5/31/mens-basketball-hes-back" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">for Syracuse</a>, ranking third among Division I freshmen in scoring behind only Alabama&rsquo;s Brandon Miller and Lamar&rsquo;s Nate Calmese.
OWLS&rsquo; RETURNEES: Florida Atlantic got good news after its surprise Final Four run with the return leading scorers Johnell Davis (13.8) and Alijah Martin (13.4).&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/37768605/johnell-davis-alijah-martin-withdraw-nba-draft-return-florida-atlantic" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ESPN first reported</a>&nbsp;their decisions, while Martin later&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/martin_alijah/status/1664007891882328066" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">posted a social media statement</a>.
TERRENCE SHANNON JR.: Illinois got a big boost with Shannon&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/Sn1per_T/status/1664063397468438530?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">announcing his return Wednesday night in a social media post</a>. The 6-6 guard is returning for a fifth college season after averaging 17.2 points.
SPARTANS&rsquo; RETURNEES:&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/MSU_Basketball/status/1663931468761169926" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Michigan State announced</a>&nbsp;that guards Jaden Akins and A.J. Hoggard have withdrawn from the NBA draft. Standout guard Tyson Walker had previously withdrawn in April, setting up Tom Izzo to have five of his top scorers back.
GOING PRO
KOBE BROWN: Missouri&rsquo;s 6-8 swingman&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/TheKobe24Brown/status/1664041800917729281" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">opted against returning for a fifth college season</a>&nbsp;after being an&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/all-sec-team-brandon-miller-tshiebwe-taylor-aa366b637e7352bacaab5e7cd4e5dd9e">AP first-team all-Southeastern Conference pick</a>&nbsp;averaging 15.8 points last season.
JAYLEN CLARK: The third-year UCLA guard averaged 13.0 points and 6.0 rebounds while leading the Pac-12 with 2.6 steals en route to being named Naismith national defensive player of the year. Cronin called him a winner with strong intangibles who made UCLA &ldquo;a better program because he chose to be a Bruin.&rdquo;
BRICE SENSABAUGH: The Ohio State freshman averaged 16.3 points and 5.4 rebounds in 31 games before missing his final two in the Big Ten Tournament due to a knee injury. He&rsquo;s a potential first-round prospect.
TSHIEBWE: The 6-9, 260-pound forward is a tough interior presence who led the country in rebounds for two straight seasons (15.1 in 2022, 13.7 in 2023) while racking up 48 double-doubles. But he faces an uncertain next stop and is projected at best as a second-round prospect.

Purdue’s Zach Edey decided it was the right call to go back to school instead of staying in the NBA draft.

Purdue’s Edey returning to school; Kentucky’s Tshiebwe stays in NBA draft

Ja Morant was suspended by the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday after he appeared to be holding a gun in another social media video that was streamed live on Instagram.
It&rsquo;s the second time in less than three months that Morant was seen on Instagram holding what appeared to be a weapon. The first led to an&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/ja-morant-suspended-nba-gun-video-8cc82061f6465f96d6c5d0806d92d7d0">eight-game NBA suspension</a>&nbsp;that was handed down in March and cost Morant about $669,000 in salary.
It&rsquo;s unclear what sanctions Morant may be facing for the second video, which was widely shared online Sunday. An associate of Morant went live on Instagram while the All-Star was in the front seat of a vehicle with another person, briefly appearing to display a handgun. It is unclear where or when the latest video was filmed.
&ldquo;We are aware of the social media post involving Ja Morant and are in the process of gathering more information,&rdquo; NBA spokesman Mike Bass said.
The Grizzlies said Morant is suspended from all team activities, &ldquo;pending league review.&rdquo;
The gun video earlier this season happened when Morant went live on his own Instagram holding a gun at a club in the Denver suburbs in early March. After that went viral, Morant announced that he was taking time away to seek help, without specifying what sort of treatment he was getting. ESPN later reported that he was getting counseling in Florida, something the team eventually confirmed but did not share any other details.
&ldquo;Ja&rsquo;s conduct was irresponsible, reckless and potentially very dangerous,&rdquo; NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement in March after meeting with Morant and deciding on the suspension&rsquo;s length. &ldquo;It also has serious consequences given his enormous following and influence, particularly among young fans who look up to him.&rdquo;
Morant sat down for an interview with ESPN during his suspension, taking responsibility for the Colorado video.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t condone any type of violence,&rdquo; Morant told ESPN in March. &ldquo;But I take full responsibility for my actions. I made a bad mistake and I can see the image that I painted over myself with my recent mistakes. But in the future, I&rsquo;m going to show everybody who Ja really is, what I&rsquo;m about and change this narrative.&rdquo;
And when the season ended a couple weeks ago, Morant said again that he needed to work on his decision-making.
&ldquo;Being disciplined on both sides, off the court making better decisions and on the court being locked in even more,&rdquo; Morant said after a season-ending loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. &ldquo;Being a leader of this team, it pretty much starts with me. ... I&rsquo;ve got to be better in that area.&rdquo;
Morant&rsquo;s five-year, $194 million max contract is set to begin this coming season. It could have escalated to a supermax if he made All-NBA this season; he was not voted onto that team, which cost him about $39 million in future earnings.
His talent on the court is not a question. He averaged 27.4 points last season, 26.2 points this season and helped Memphis secure the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
But the Grizzlies&rsquo; season ended amid dysfunction. They were ousted in Round 1 by the Lakers, getting eliminated in a 40-point loss to close a series where trash-talking and antics became as much of a storyline as actual playing of basketball.
And the offseason is now off to a less-than-ideal start as well, especially after Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said following the playoffs that the team has to eliminate &ldquo;unnecessary drama, self-inflicted decisions that take away from the team.&rdquo;
&ldquo;It has to be completely different going into next year,&rdquo; Jenkins said.
This will be at least the third known NBA investigation surrounding Morant and the possible involvement of firearms so far in 2023.
Morant&rsquo;s actions were investigated after a Jan. 29 incident in Memphis that he said led to a friend of his being banned from home games for a year.
That incident followed a game against the Indiana Pacers; citing unnamed sources, The Indianapolis Star and USA Today reported that multiple members of the Pacers saw a red dot pointed at them, and The Athletic reported that a Pacers security guard believed the laser was attached to a gun.
The NBA confirmed that unnamed individuals were banned from the arena but said its investigation found no evidence that anyone was threatened with a weapon.
Then came the Denver-area incident in the early hours of March 4, after the Grizzlies played a road game against the Nuggets. At 5:19 a.m., Morant started a livestream from inside a strip club called Shotgun Willies in Glendale, Colorado.&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/ja-morant-police-colorado-memphis-grizzlies-gun-video-f6dc3708e6e48f7ecdbb09c6ff730462">No charges were filed</a>&nbsp;and police said there were no complaint calls stemming from Morant holding the gun were made.
Morant and a close friend also are involved in a civil lawsuit brought after an incident at Morant&rsquo;s home last summer, in which a then-17-year-old alleged that they assaulted him. Morant filed a countersuit on April 12, accusing the teen of slander, battery and assault.

Ja Morant was suspended by the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday after he appeared to be holding a gun in another social media video.

Grizzlies suspend Ja Morant after another gun video appears online

On Tuesday afternoon, the NBA announced the 78 players who are expected to attend the 2023 NBA Draft Combine, which will take place at the Wintrust Arena and Marriott Marquis in Chicago from May 15-21.
Players will have interviews with NBA teams and participate in five-on-five games as well as shooting and strength-and-agility drills. Coverage of the 2023 NBA Draft Combine will begin May 17 on ESPN2 from 2-6 p.m. ET and continues May 18 from 4-8 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
The NBA Draft Combine will also be available on the ESPN App. Strength-and-agility drills and shooting drills will be broadcast live on the NBA App on May 15 from 3-5 p.m. ET.
Additionally, a select number of standout players from the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-g-league-announces-45-draft-prospects-competing-in-g-league-elite-camp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2023 NBA G League Elite Camp</a>, which takes place May 13-14 at Wintrust Arena, will be invited to participate in the NBA Draft Combine.
Unfortunately, projected No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama won't be in attendance at the 2023 NBA Draft Combine as he has yet to finish his season overseas with Metropolitans 92.
Below is a list of expected attendees for the 2023 NBA Draft Combine:
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Trey Alexander (Creighton)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Seth Lundy (Penn State)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Amari Bailey (UCLA)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Kevin McCullar (Kansas)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Emoni Bates (Eastern Michigan)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Mike Miles Jr. (TCU)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Reece Beekman (Virginia)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Brandon Miller (Alabama)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Anthony Black (Arkansas)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Jordan Miller (Miami)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Adem Bona (UCLA)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Leonard Miller (G League Ignite)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Kobe Brown (Missouri)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Judah Mintz (Syracuse)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Kobe Bufkin (Michigan)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Dillon Mitchell (Texas)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Toumani Camara (Dayton)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Omari Moore (San Jose State)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Sidy Cissoko (G League Ignite)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Kris Murray (Iowa)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Jaylen Clark (UCLA)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Grant Nelson (North Dakota State)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Noah Clowney (Alabama)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
James Nnaji (Barcelona [Spain] )
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Ricky Council IV (Arkansas)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Julian Phillips (Tennessee)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Gradey Dick (Kansas)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Jalen Pickett (Penn State)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Nikola Djurisic (Mega [Serbia] )
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Brandin Podziemski (Santa Clara)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Zach Edey (Purdue)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Olivier-Maxence Prosper (Marquette)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Adam Flagler (Baylor)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Rayan Rupert (New Zealand Breakers [Oceania] )
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Keyonte George (Baylor)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Adama Sanogo (Connecticut)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Mouhamed Gueye (Washington State)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Marcus Sasser (Houston)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Coleman Hawkins (Illinois)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Brice Sensabaugh (Ohio State)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Jordan Hawkins (Connecticut)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Terrence Shannon Jr. (Illinois)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Scoot Henderson (G League Ignite)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Ben Sheppard (Belmont)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Taylor Hendricks (UCF)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Jalen Slawson (Furman)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
DaRon Holmes II (Dayton)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Nick Smith Jr. (Arkansas)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Jalen Hood-Schifino (Indiana)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Terquavion Smith (North Carolina State)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Jett Howard (Michigan)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Julian Strawther (Gonzaga)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Andre Jackson Jr. (Connecticut)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Amen Thompson (Overtime Elite)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
GG Jackson II (South Carolina)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Ausar Thompson (Overtime Elite)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Drew Timme (Gonzaga)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Jaime Jaquez Jr. (UCLA)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Keyontae Johnson (Kansas State)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Azuolas Tubelis (Arizona)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Colby Jones (Xavier)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Tristan Vukcevic (Partizan [Serbia] )
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Ryan Kalkbrenner (Creighton)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Jarace Walker (Houston)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Arthur Kaluma (Creighton)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Cason Wallace (Kentucky)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Mojave King (G League Ignite)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Jordan Walsh (Arkansas)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Bobi Klintman (Wake Forest)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Dariq Whitehead (Duke)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Maxwell Lewis (Pepperdine)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Cam Whitmore (Villanova)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Dereck Lively II (Duke)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Jalen Wilson (Kansas)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="312">
Chris Livingston (Kentucky)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="354">
Isaiah Wong (Miami)
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

The NBA announced the 78 players who are expected to attend the 2023 NBA Draft Combine.

NBA announces 78 Draft Combine participants, but no Victor Wembanyama

The Memphis Grizzlies must prove the NBA&rsquo;s second-youngest team can learn the league&rsquo;s toughest lesson that the playoffs&nbsp;are nothing like the regular season.
It&rsquo;s also time these young Grizzlies grow up.
The Grizzlies&rsquo; third straight postseason &mdash; their second consecutive as the Western Conference&rsquo;s No. 2 seed &mdash; ended Friday night in six games in the&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/lakers-grizzlies-lebron-morant-nba-playoffs-2023-0e29c52f85372c3f4580832c328ebe10">worst playoff loss in franchise history</a>&nbsp;in 13 appearances. Anthony Davis, LeBron James and the Lakers humbled them after having to win the No. 7 seed in the play-in tournament.
&ldquo;This is probably that moment in time that&rsquo;s going to be the ultimate wake-up call,&rdquo; Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said.
&ldquo;Are we going to really understand it&rsquo;s the preparation in the offseason and the preparation in the season? It&rsquo;s what you do at work, off the court. Clearly, things that we&rsquo;ve got to control and just embrace it together.&rdquo;
Two-time All-Star point guard Ja Morant, who signed a&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-9133154cdb4253d6dfebf0e68279b4c7">five-year supermax contract</a>&nbsp;last summer, will have the biggest chance to prove&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/ja-morant-grizzlies-nba-gun-investigation-allstar-9819e8b8b5c42da71488db6688f85ca3">how much he can mature</a>. Morant was&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/ja-morant-suspended-nba-gun-video-8cc82061f6465f96d6c5d0806d92d7d0">suspended by the NBA for eight games in March</a>&nbsp;and had almost as many&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-memphis-grizzlies-ja-morant-lawsuit-2392fe03e2399ba5f048d2186d1e703b">off-court distractions</a>&nbsp;as endorsement deals.
Morant, who set the franchise single-season record by averaging 26.2 points a game, said he understands where he can grow as a leader.
&ldquo;I just got to be better with my decision-making,&rdquo; Morant said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s pretty much it. My off-the-court issues affected us as an organization pretty much. Just more disciplined.&rdquo;
HOME EDGE
The Grizzlies set a franchise mark by going 35-6 at home this season, the NBA&rsquo;s best home record since Golden State won 36 games in the 2016-17 season. Memphis needs to play better on the road after going 16-25, better than only Golden State among the teams reaching the first round.
Memphis lost all three playoff games in Los Angeles, with only Game 4 reaching overtime.
INJURY HEX
This was the fifth time Memphis&rsquo; playoff hopes were hampered by injuries or suspensions.
Morant missed Game 2 against the Lakers after aggravating his bruised right hand, while&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/grizzlies-lakers-dillon-brooks-174e0914b8a2376176ee940a8869e563">Dillon Brooks was ejected in Game 3</a>&nbsp;for striking James in the groin. Luke Kennard, the NBA&rsquo;s top 3-point shooter, missed Game 6 with an injured shoulder.
The Grizzlies also didn&rsquo;t have starting center Steven Adams, their oldest player, or key reserve Brandon Clarke because of season-ending injuries.&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-steven-adams-phoenix-37d09a9662037d519eccf9282f17ac59">Adams hurt his right knee in late January</a>, and&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/brandon-clarke-memphis-grizzlies-torn-achilles-12b9cc6fbc1675b786d4b4ba0dd9aaa5">Clarke tore his left Achilles tendon</a>&nbsp;in early March.
The Lakers dominated the Grizzlies on the boards.
&ldquo;It would be dumb to say that it didn&rsquo;t play a part in it,&rdquo; third-year guard Desmond Bane said. &rdquo;(Adams) was a part of what we did all season long. Obviously (Clarke) was, too.&rdquo;
Last season, Morant&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/golden-state-warriors-memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-jordan-poole-5d6963a01c0f84c7421c9f4ff7711011">missed the final three games</a>&nbsp;of Memphis&rsquo;&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-golden-state-warriors-nba-sports-basketball-97a1c9789d3a3ad4bea8751117f69387">semifinals loss to eventual champion</a>&nbsp;Golden State.
BRIGHT FUTURE
In addition to Morant, the Grizzlies also have Jaren Jackson Jr., the NBA&rsquo;s second-youngest player to be named&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/jackson-grizzlies-dpoy-nba-defensive-player-award-25780ba4e0e48bdc7bd9ba2707cbaf97">defensive player of the year</a>. Jackson, who also is 23, led the league and set a franchise record by averaging 3 blocks per game.
Jackson blossomed, particularly after Adams&rsquo; injury, and was picked for his first All-Star Game. He averaged 18.6 points and 6.8 rebounds, both career highs. Healthy going into the offseason, the five-year veteran who won&rsquo;t turn 24 until September has more room to improve.
WHAT TO DO WITH BROOKS
The easiest decision for Memphis may be letting the 6-foot-6 Brooks leave as a free agent after five seasons. Yes, he&rsquo;s a great defender who played his best against All-Stars during the regular season, but he also led the NBA in technical fouls.
Then came the playoffs. Brooks said he wanted to face the Lakers&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-playoffs-dillon-brooks-lebron-lakers-grizzlies-2023-c8a4ec836df1b0c8a6c5172cf5fe4981">before calling James &ldquo;old&rdquo; and saying he didn&rsquo;t respect anyone</a>&nbsp;until they put up 40 on him. Well, the&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/lakers-grizzlies-lebron-morant-nba-playoffs-2023-0e29c52f85372c3f4580832c328ebe10">Lakers polished off the Grizzlies with a 40-point win</a>&nbsp;in James&rsquo; 40th postseason series victory of his career.
Brooks didn&rsquo;t help himself when he bolted the Memphis locker room after the series loss before reporters were allowed inside. The guard being paid $11.4 million this season on a rookie extension also didn&rsquo;t talk after three of the losses in the series.
FUTURE MOVES
The Grizzlies hold club options on Xavier Tillman and Kennard for next season. They also have the 25th overall pick in the June draft.

The Memphis Grizzlies are the NBA’s second-youngest team and after this year's playoff exit, it's time for them to grow up.

Young Grizzlies must grow up after early exit from playoffs

The NBA announced that 242 players have filed as early-entry candidates for the 2023 NBA Draft. Here is the complete list.