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On this date in 1963, with the 83 pick in the 14th round of the NBA Draft, the New York Knicks drafted Bill Raftery out of La Salle. It wasn’t an easy pick to make. It took ONIONS!
The Buck Stops Here
Bucks, Giannis should prioritize themselves
A couple years ago, when the Bucks paired Giannis Antetokounmpo with Damian Lillard, they were supposed to get a second life in title contention. Instead, they’ve now been eliminated from the playoffs in the first round for the second straight year. The Bucks were supposed to challenge Boston in a race for supremacy in the Eastern Conference. Instead, they’ve been left in the dust.
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With Lillard’s Achilles tear putting him out for perhaps all of next season, the Bucks are officially cooked in this iteration. The injury and the second apron have left them without any true chance of even dreaming about contention. And as John Hollinger wrote following the Pacers eliminating them from the playoffs last night, the Bucks should think long and hard about trading Antetokounmpo in order to reset things, find some salary relief, stockpile draft picks and bring in some young players.
The Bucks can’t do this and tank, though. Why, you ask? Great question. They don’t own their future draft picks. The Bucks have been wheeling and dealing to win another title for so long that they don’t have control of their own first-round picks until 2031. The Pelicans have control of the next two drafts. The Hawks have 2027. Portland has 2028 and 2030 control. Washington gets 2029. So, tanking wouldn’t do them any good. While Hollinger nailed the complexities of the trade situation ahead of them, I offer up another perspective.
Antetokounmpo should want out. He should request a trade, and hope to work something out with the Bucks to find his way to a destination that will serve all parties involved. At the same time, he can’t fully worry about whether or not this works out best for the Bucks in a trade scenario. He gave them a championship and 12 seasons of Hall of Fame, all-time basketball. He’s done more than enough.
He hasn’t been out of the first round in three years. He hasn’t been out of the second round since the 2021 title run. Since winning the championship, Antetokounmpo has been having historic seasons, and they’ve amounted to very little. There’s always an excuse or an injury. But the results have not been there for the team. With these Lillard and financial situations ahead of them, Antetokounmpo shouldn’t anchor himself to a sinking ship.
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He’s 30 years old, coming off a historic season of averaging 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists. He’s going to finish third in MVP voting, which will be the fifth time the two-time MVP has finished top-three in voting. He’s going to make his ninth All-NBA team (seventh First Team).
Antetokounmpo has a lot of basketball left, and it doesn’t need to be saddled with trying to be the good guy with the Disney+ persona, gutting it out with one franchise forever. The Bucks will take years to recover as is. Antetokounmpo can land somewhere new and compete right away. While Bucks fans would be disappointed, I can’t imagine they would even blame him. The writing is on the wall. Antetokounmpo just has to be willing to read it out loud.
The story of the greatest players in NBA history. In 100 riveting profiles, top basketball writers justify their selections and uncover the history of the NBA in the process.
The story of the greatest players in NBA history.
The Last 24
Do the Kings believe in their new coach?
🏀 Interim removed. The Kings made it official by giving Doug Christie the full-time coaching job. How long will that last?
🐺 Good pick. The Wolves didn’t even consider moving Anthony Edwards for Luka Dončić. Working out this round!
🎤 Adding more talent. Stan Van Gundy has thrived in a second career as a TV commentator. Amazon adds him to their roster.
👊Fighting words? Does the NBA have a physicality problem? Some people think so.
📚 Shaq State. Shaquille O’Neal has become the GM of Sacramento State basketball. Can he and coach Mike Bibby make them relevant?
🪑 A good seat. Rick Mahorn is a Pistons legend for popularizing one of the most underrated defensive moves in the game.
🎧 Tuning in. Today’s “NBA Daily” discusses whether the Pistons can force a Game 7 against the Knicks.
About Last Night
Dad drama, apologies and Game 6
As you saw above, the Bucks lost to the Pacers, which ended Milwaukee’s season. The way the Bucks lost the game was brutal. Milwaukee was up four points in the fourth quarter with 53 seconds left, and Indiana forced overtime. Then, the Bucks were up seven points with 40 seconds left in overtime. Milwaukee had a 97.9 percent win probability at that point.
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Andrew Nembhard hit a 3, then got a steal. Tyrese Haliburton converted an and-one to pull within one with 17 seconds left. While the Pacers were trying to foul, Gary Trent Jr. (who was having a good finish otherwise) let the ball slip through his hands and out of bounds. Haliburton got the ball, drove on Antetokounmpo, and scored the layup for the 119-118 victory.
Then, the drama started. Haliburton’s dad came onto the court with a towel displaying his son’s face and confronted Antetokounmpo with a little standoff. Bucks security eventually stepped in.
Then, they had another forehead-to-forehead exchange minutes later before being separated. Antetokounmpo also had this very odd situation with Bennedict Mathurin that led to both teams coming together, pushing each other around and then eventually being separated.
This was a highly contentious series with lots of little incidents like this. But after everything, Haliburton said he didn’t think his dad was in the right on any of this. He talked to Antetokounmpo, and his dad apologized on social media.
Detroit heads home but forces a Game 6
The Knicks had a chance to put the pesky Pistons away in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden and failed to do so. The Pistons have struggled to close out these games the last two times, but found a way to come through in Game 5. Something that helped them was the floor of MSG. A panel on the court seemed to buckle a bit, which apparently caused Jalen Brunson’s ankle to roll again in this series. He’d end up leaving the game for some key moments.
Anybody with any kind of feeling or memory of rolling their ankle is going to physically cringe watching this. Look, I’m sorry, but it’s a GIF, so it’s just going to keep playing until the end of time. So look at the floor panel buckle and then scroll down to keep reading with this out of the frame.
Brunson was out from the 2:57 mark until 27.1 seconds remained. However, he walked over to the scorer’s table at the 1:57 mark, but there weren’t any stoppages in play until 27.1 seconds left. Tom Thibodeau didn’t call a timeout to get him and Josh Hart back in the game because they only had one left. They had to burn one to get Hart off the floor after he crashed to the ground and was hurt.
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The Pistons executed down the stretch, and Cade Cunningham found Ausar Thompson for a key dunk with a sweet pass to pretty much seal the 106-103 win. Game 6 is Thursday.
Denver takes control thanks to Jamal Murray
What a difference an Aaron Gordon tip-dunk makes! The Game 4 win seems to have breathed new life into the Nuggets. They came out in Game 5 and lit up the Clippers defense. Murray had 24 of his 43 points in the second half, and Russell Westbrook had 21 off the bench. The Clippers now have to win Game 6 at home on Thursday in order to keep their season alive. Maybe James Harden and Norm Powell will show up there.
Rookie of the Year
Stephon Castle is runaway winner of a bad race
The Spurs have back-to-back Rookie of the Year winners. After Victor Wembanyama became their franchise savior last season and ran away with the award as the unanimous winner, Stephon Castle followed it up with his own dominant vote. He received 92 of the possible 100 first-place votes from the media. It marks the first time a franchise has had back-to-back Rookies of the Year since the Minnesota Timberwolves did it with Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns in 2015 and 2016.
Castle had a solid rookie campaign, averaging 14.7 points, 4.1 assists and 3.7 rebounds while making 42.8 percent of his shots. He played in 81 games, starting 47 of them. He got off to a very slow start, but finished strong from January through the end of the season, while Jaylen Wells of the Grizzlies fizzled out before getting hurt at the end of the season. Jared McCain looked like he was running away with the award before a knee injury ended his season in December. McCain still received one third-place vote.
This was one of the worst rookie classes we’ve had in a very long time when it comes to exciting, potential star power. Maybe Castle can become one of those guys next to Wemby. He has a bright future, and there are some other guys like Alex Sarr (Wizards) and Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks) from France, or Kel’el Ware (Heat). But between a rookie class that gave us Wembanyama and the upcoming draft class that will give us Cooper Flagg, this has felt like having to eat your Brussels sprouts between finishing your chicken entree and getting your dessert.
The moment. @VCMtweets | #sponsored pic.twitter.com/hnxM5sfKBN
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) April 30, 2025
Farewell to Thee
Magic disappear but have a big summer ahead
The Celtics ended up finishing their series with a 120-89 victory, behind 35 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds from Jayson Tatum, to send the Magic to the offseason. The Magic had a frustrating season due to injuries, but once again showed a lot of promise and fight. Paolo Banchero continues to look like a franchise player, and they have young talent. So, how do they keep building during this summer?
Orlando Magic (41-41, seventh in the East)
- Draft pick situation: They have the 16th pick (their own) and the 25th pick, which is from Denver for the Aaron Gordon trade. They have their second-round pick (46th) and Boston’s second-round pick (57th).
- Upcoming free agents: Moe Wagner ($11m team option), Gary Harris ($7.5m team option), Cory Joseph ($3.4m team option), Caleb Houstan ($2.1m team option)
- Main guys: Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs
- Any cap room? Not at all.
- Do they have to worry about any tax aprons? They’re in the first apron and are in danger of the second.
- What do they need this summer? For the love of Bo Outlaw, please go get a real lead guard who can score and set people up. Do whatever it takes. And maybe coach Jamahl Mosley should go get an offensive coordinator for an assistant.
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(Top photo: Benny Sieu / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
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NBA playoffs results and takeaways: Rockets dominate Warriors, force Game 6
The Houston Rockets staved off elimination Wednesday night in a 131-116 win over the Golden State Warriors at home.All five of Houston’s starters scored double-digit points in a dominant showing to force a Game 6. The series heads back to San Francisco on Friday night.Rockets 131, Warriors 116(Warriors lead series 3-2)Rockets dominate on both ends of the floorThe Rockets, who trailed 3-1 before Wednesday night, could have easily thrown in the towel against a veteran Warriors team. Instead, they buckled down, got back to the basics and dominated at both ends of the floor to earn a trip back to the Bay and give themselves a fighting chance in this series. The Rockets led by as many as 31 points in a game that was never truly threatened by the Warriors.AdvertisementHearing Fred VanVleet speak after a bitter Game 4 loss, […]
Panthers eliminate Lightning, advance to second round with Game 5 win: Takeaways
TAMPA, Fla. — Nikita Kucherov enjoyed quite a season while collecting his third Art Ross Trophy.He won’t be skating with the Stanley Cup for a third time this spring, and largely has himself to blame. Kucherov, held without a goal in this series, has now gone 15 postseason games without scoring, and his turnover led to Sam Bennett’s game-winner as the Panthers won the Battle of Florida convincingly, ending the Lightning in five games with a 6-3 victory on Tampa Bay ice.AdvertisementThe Lightning went 0-3 at home in this series.Kucherov, who did have four assists in the first four games of this series, was a disaster throughout the evening. He continually turned the puck over, forcing passes that simply weren’t there against the air-tight Florida defense. The Tampa Bay superstar never looked himself in this series and Florida’s physical punishment […]
Vancouver thrashes Messi’s Miami to reach Concacaf Champions Cup final
The Vancouver Whitecaps continued their dominant start to 2025, reaching the final of the Concacaf Champions Cup with a commanding 3-1 win (5-1 on aggregate) at Inter Miami. The visitors weathered a ninth-minute goal from Spanish defender Jordi Alba, then broke out just after halftime with a barrage led by Brian White and emerging midfielder Sebastian Berhalter.AdvertisementVancouver becomes the third Canadian club to reach the continental club final, joining CF Montréal (then known as the Montréal Impact) in 2015 and Toronto FC in 2018. The Whitecaps will face a Mexican opponent, either Tigres or Cruz Azul, in the final on June 1. The other semifinal is level at 1-1 on aggregate leading into Thursday night’s second leg.Coincidentally, the defeat sees Lionel Messi & Co. eliminated from the North and Central American continental club competition on the same day Cristiano Ronaldo […]
Giants drop game and series to Padres, end April on a confusing note
It was tempting to make too much of the Giants’ first matchup against an NL West rival. Now that the series is over, with the Padres winning both games, it’s even more tempting. I know I’m tempted. Some of you rascals will even give in to that temptation in the comments, and I’m a little jealous.The series had extra importance built into it because it was the first chance the Giants had to show off against a division rival. Their hot start was built against all sorts of teams, including the Phillies, Yankees and four-fifths of the AL West, but they couldn’t test themselves against the other flourishing teams in their own division. There wasn’t any head-to-head evidence to scrutinize.AdvertisementNow the early returns are in, and we can make too much of it. So without further ado, here are the […]
Capitals eliminate Canadiens with 4-1 win in Game 5: Takeaways
WASHINGTON — Ahead of his team’s game on Wednesday night, Spencer Carbery was asked how difficult it was to close out a series in the Stanley Cup playoffs.The coach of the Washington Capitals, his team up 3-1 in the series on the Montreal Canadiens, couldn’t help but laugh a bit. “It’s extremely difficult,” he said. At the time, he’d never done it; the Rangers swept the Capitals in Carbery’s first playoff series as an NHL coach.Advertisement“It is a gauntlet just to win a playoff game, let alone win a series,” Carbery said. “We know the obstacle in front of us and the challenges in front of us, and it’s on us to come out and play our best game of the series tonight on home ice.”They came close enough, beating Montreal 4-1 in Game 5 and advancing to the second […]
Lakers coach JJ Redick storms out of press conference after taking issue with question about lineup decisions
Getty Images JJ Redick, by and large, has had a successful first season as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. On Sunday, however, he made his first major decision that drew significant criticism. With the Lakers trailing the Minnesota Timberwolves 2-1 in their first-round series and most of his roster struggling, Redick elected to use the same five players (LeBron James, Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Dorian Finney-Smith) for the entire second half. They built up a 12-point lead, but ultimately lost the game in part because the players seemed to run out of gas at the end.Redick was the first coach of the play-by-play era ever to use only five players across an entire second half in a playoff game, and because the Lakers lost, the decision naturally become controversial. After Game 4, Redick explained that […]
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NBA playoffs results and takeaways: Rockets dominate Warriors, force Game 6
The Houston Rockets staved off elimination Wednesday night in a 131-116 win over the Golden State Warriors at home.All five of Houston’s starters scored double-digit points in a dominant showing to force a Game 6. The series heads back to San Francisco on Friday night.Rockets 131, Warriors 116(Warriors lead series 3-2)Rockets dominate on both ends of the floorThe Rockets, who trailed 3-1 before Wednesday night, could have easily thrown in the towel against a veteran Warriors team. Instead, they buckled down, got back to the basics and dominated at both ends of the floor to earn a trip back to the Bay and give themselves a fighting chance in this series. The Rockets led by as many as 31 points in a game that was never truly threatened by the Warriors.AdvertisementHearing Fred VanVleet speak after a bitter Game 4 loss, […]
Panthers eliminate Lightning, advance to second round with Game 5 win: Takeaways
TAMPA, Fla. — Nikita Kucherov enjoyed quite a season while collecting his third Art Ross Trophy.He won’t be skating with the Stanley Cup for a third time this spring, and largely has himself to blame. Kucherov, held without a goal in this series, has now gone 15 postseason games without scoring, and his turnover led to Sam Bennett’s game-winner as the Panthers won the Battle of Florida convincingly, ending the Lightning in five games with a 6-3 victory on Tampa Bay ice.AdvertisementThe Lightning went 0-3 at home in this series.Kucherov, who did have four assists in the first four games of this series, was a disaster throughout the evening. He continually turned the puck over, forcing passes that simply weren’t there against the air-tight Florida defense. The Tampa Bay superstar never looked himself in this series and Florida’s physical punishment […]
Vancouver thrashes Messi’s Miami to reach Concacaf Champions Cup final
The Vancouver Whitecaps continued their dominant start to 2025, reaching the final of the Concacaf Champions Cup with a commanding 3-1 win (5-1 on aggregate) at Inter Miami. The visitors weathered a ninth-minute goal from Spanish defender Jordi Alba, then broke out just after halftime with a barrage led by Brian White and emerging midfielder Sebastian Berhalter.AdvertisementVancouver becomes the third Canadian club to reach the continental club final, joining CF Montréal (then known as the Montréal Impact) in 2015 and Toronto FC in 2018. The Whitecaps will face a Mexican opponent, either Tigres or Cruz Azul, in the final on June 1. The other semifinal is level at 1-1 on aggregate leading into Thursday night’s second leg.Coincidentally, the defeat sees Lionel Messi & Co. eliminated from the North and Central American continental club competition on the same day Cristiano Ronaldo […]
Giants drop game and series to Padres, end April on a confusing note
It was tempting to make too much of the Giants’ first matchup against an NL West rival. Now that the series is over, with the Padres winning both games, it’s even more tempting. I know I’m tempted. Some of you rascals will even give in to that temptation in the comments, and I’m a little jealous.The series had extra importance built into it because it was the first chance the Giants had to show off against a division rival. Their hot start was built against all sorts of teams, including the Phillies, Yankees and four-fifths of the AL West, but they couldn’t test themselves against the other flourishing teams in their own division. There wasn’t any head-to-head evidence to scrutinize.AdvertisementNow the early returns are in, and we can make too much of it. So without further ado, here are the […]
Capitals eliminate Canadiens with 4-1 win in Game 5: Takeaways
WASHINGTON — Ahead of his team’s game on Wednesday night, Spencer Carbery was asked how difficult it was to close out a series in the Stanley Cup playoffs.The coach of the Washington Capitals, his team up 3-1 in the series on the Montreal Canadiens, couldn’t help but laugh a bit. “It’s extremely difficult,” he said. At the time, he’d never done it; the Rangers swept the Capitals in Carbery’s first playoff series as an NHL coach.Advertisement“It is a gauntlet just to win a playoff game, let alone win a series,” Carbery said. “We know the obstacle in front of us and the challenges in front of us, and it’s on us to come out and play our best game of the series tonight on home ice.”They came close enough, beating Montreal 4-1 in Game 5 and advancing to the second […]
Lakers coach JJ Redick storms out of press conference after taking issue with question about lineup decisions
Getty Images JJ Redick, by and large, has had a successful first season as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. On Sunday, however, he made his first major decision that drew significant criticism. With the Lakers trailing the Minnesota Timberwolves 2-1 in their first-round series and most of his roster struggling, Redick elected to use the same five players (LeBron James, Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Dorian Finney-Smith) for the entire second half. They built up a 12-point lead, but ultimately lost the game in part because the players seemed to run out of gas at the end.Redick was the first coach of the play-by-play era ever to use only five players across an entire second half in a playoff game, and because the Lakers lost, the decision naturally become controversial. After Game 4, Redick explained that […]
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