Lakers even series with Timberwolves; Thunder, Pacers lead 2-0; Final NFL Draft prospect rankings

This is an article version of the CBS Sports HQ AM Newsletter, the ultimate guide to every day in sports. You can sign up to get it in your inbox every weekday morning here.

🏀 Good morning to all, but especially to …

THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS

Lakers-Timberwolves is shaping up to be one heck of a battle. Los Angeles ground out a 94-85 win over Minnesota to even the series at one game apiece, a rock fight that featured the Timberwolves’ fewest points and the Lakers’ fewest points allowed in a game this season.

Luka Dončić had 31 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists, and LeBron James added 21 points and 11 rebounds. The Lakers survived shooting just 6 for 29 (21%) from 3 because the Timberwolves shot 5 for 25 (20%).

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and while this game was an offensive eyesore, the Lakers can take pride in the fact that they matched the Timberwolves’ physicality after being overwhelmed by it in Game 1. Here are Sam Quinn’s takeaways from the Lakers winning a must-win. Oh, and Minnesota was none too happy with the officiating.

Earlier in the night, the Pacers took a 2-0 series lead with a 123-115 win over the Bucks. Indianapolis’ offense is absolutely humming, and it’s a beautiful thing to watch. So much for Tyrese Haliburton (21 points, 12 assists) being voted the NBA’s most overrated player by his peers. Pascal Siakam (24 points, 11 rebounds) was also excellent.

Finally, the Thunder continued their rampage over the Grizzlies with a 118-99 Game 2 win. Oklahoma City has outscored Memphis by 70 points over two games, the second-largest margin through two games of a series ever. Not much else needs to be said.

👍 Honorable mentions

🏀 And not such a good morning for …

THE MILWAUKEE BUCKS

If you had no context clues to the Bucks’ loss to the Pacers, you might have thought it happened in the middle of the regular season, maybe on the second night of a back-to-back on the road — one of those games you try to get over with and go home. That’s how bad the defensive effort was.

But no. This was the playoffs, Milwaukee already trailing the series 1-0, no less. And yet, time after time, Pacers strolled into wide-open 3s and got into the lane with ease.

The Bucks look old. “Ancient” might be more appropriate. But it’s not just the personnel. It’s the consistent breakdowns in communication, too. Damian Lillard‘s return helped the offense, but it mattered little with a defense this porous, Jack Maloney writes.

• Maloney: “The Bucks just cannot keep anyone in front of them on the defensive end. The Pacers are a particularly bad matchup in that regard with their cadre of quick guards and desire to push the ball at every opportunity. … After the game, Bucks coach Doc Rivers singled out his starters for being unable to provide enough resistance, particularly at the point of attack.”

👎 Not so honorable mentions

🏈 NFL Draft: First-round mock, final big board, latest rumors

One. More. Day. The NFL Draft begins tomorrow, and the rumors keep coming. The Titans were never going to move off of the top pick, but the Browns and Giants are receiving calls for the No. 2 and No. 3 picks, respectively.

As we’ve discussed previously, it seems like there’s a consensus top three of Cam Ward to Tennessee, Travis Hunter to Cleveland and Abdul Carter to New York. But in Pete Prisco’s “What teams should do” mock draft, he prefers a different route.

1. Titans: WR/CB Travis Hunter
2. Browns: EDGE Abdul Carter
3. Giants: QB Cam Ward
4. Patriots: OT Josh Simmons
5. Jaguars: RB Ashton Jeanty

Again, this is not what’s going to happen. But that top three would match the top three of the final CBS Sports prospect rankings, where Mason Graham and Tetairoa McMillan round out the top five.

Shedeur Sanders comes in at 28th on the big board. With the Steelers drafting 21st, there’s been plenty of noise surrounding that fit, and Mike Tomlin has spoken glowingly about Sanders while also acknowledging the Aaron Rodgers factor. But in our live mock draft from our NFL staff, Bryan DeArdo selected a different quarterback — Jalen Milroe — after Sanders went No. 9 to the Saints.

In his buying or selling the biggest draft rumors, Jordan Dajani also thinks Sanders will be off the board earlier than some expect.

Finally, speaking of quarterbacks, this certainly isn’t the greatest class ever. But just how good (or bad) is it? Tom Fornelli has a formulaic ranking of the signal callers.

Here’s more:

🏈 Winners, losers from Nico Iamaleava’s transfer to UCLA

Nico Iamaleava leaving Tennessee and transferring to UCLA was the wildest drama of the NIL era. Not enough money? Negotiate … but only until the team moves on. Then it’s transfer portal time, where the destination has to have football and finances.

It was messy — clearly no longer amateur sports, but not quite professional sports yet, Richard Johnson wrote — and Iamaleava’s wallet was a loser, Cameron Salerno writes.

• Salerno: “Iamaleava’s high-profile exit from Tennessee will be something to look back on years from now. Iamaleava sought a new deal from Tennessee worth $4 million annually, nearly double his original reported deal … Iamaleava is expected to earn significantly less money this season than he initially anticipated. Let’s say his new deal is for $1.5 million (call it an educated guess): That’s worth about half of what it is in Los Angeles compared to how far the money would travel in Tennessee”

Nico isn’t the only Iamaleava who became a Bruin in dramatic fashion. His brother, Madden, transferred from Arkansas, which is now encouraging its NIL collective to recoup its buyout.

John Talty has an inside look at how NIL is keeping college football coaches up at night — teams costing $40 million?! — and it’s an enthralling tale. With the House vs. NCAA settlement decision potentially coming soon, could revenue share calm things down?

• Talty: “Can revenue share agreements provide stability to the current unrestricted free agency within college sports? Will the big collectives and NIL money still run the sport or will the new NIL clearinghouse enforcement actually have some teeth to it? … With little clarity or direction, it is up to each individual school and coach to decide what is right and wrong strategically in this new era.”

House vs. NCAA is also the reason why we’re seeing so many players without remaining eligibility enter the men’s basketball transfer portal, Kyle Boone writes.

Cincinnati OL Jeremiah Kelly dies at 18

Cincinnati offensive lineman Jeremiah Kelly died unexpectedly at his residence Tuesday, the school announced. He was 18 years old.

• The school did not disclose the cause of death.
• Kelly was a three-star in-state recruit in the 2025 recruiting class who enrolled early and practiced with the Bearcats this spring.
• “The Bearcats football family is heartbroken by the sudden loss of this outstanding young man,” coach Scott Satterfield said as part of a statement. “In the short time Jeremiah has spent with our team, he has made a real impact, both on the field and in our locker room.”

📺 What we’re watching Wednesday

⚾ Phillies at Mets or Padres at Tigers, 1:10 p.m. on MLB Network
🏀 Magic at Celtics (Celtics lead 1-0), 7 p.m. on TNT/truTV
🏒 Canadiens at Capitals (Capitals lead 1-0), 7 p.m. on ESPN
⚾ Dodgers at Cubs, 7 p.m. on MLB Network
🏀 Heat at Cavaliers (Cavaliers lead 1-0), 7:30 p.m. on NBA TV
🏀 Warriors at Rockets (Warriors lead 1-0), 9:30 p.m. on TNT/truTV
🏒 Stars at Avalanche (Series tied 1-1), 9:30 p.m. on ESPN
🏒 Oilers at Kings (Kings lead 1-0), 10 p.m. on TBS