OG Anunoby Considered Day-To-Day With Hamstring Strain
Knicks forward OG Anunoby, who exited Wednesday’s game after sustaining an apparent leg injury, has been diagnosed with a right hamstring strain and will be considered day-to-day, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). According to Charania, Anunoby is being listed as questionable to play in Game 3 in Philadelphia on Friday.
Anunoby appeared to suffer the injury on a missed dunk attempt with just over three minutes left in Game 2. The 28-year-old landed a little awkwardly and briefly grabbed at the back of his right leg, then was limping as he begin running up the court following the offensive possession (video link via NBA.com). He signaled to the bench that he needed to check out of the game and was subbed out shortly thereafter.
The diagnosis is probably a best-case scenario for the Knicks, given that a more severe hamstring strain can sideline a player for weeks or even months — Luka Doncic, notably, has been out since April 2 due to a Grade 2 strain. Anunoby’s day-to-day designation suggests his strain is a mild one.
Still, even a mild hamstring strain typically requires a recovery period of at least a few days, if not a week or two. Thunder forward Jalen Williams, who is currently recovering from a Grade 1 strain, hasn’t played since April 22.
While it sounds like Anunoby’s absence might not be an extended one, the team’s medical staff will want to ensure he’s not rushing back before he’s ready, since soft-tissue injuries can easily be aggravated if they’re not fully healed.
Anunoby is averaging a team-high 35.3 minutes per game so far in the postseason, so head coach Mike Brown will have to reconfigure his rotation if the two-way wing is forced to miss time. That would likely result in an increased role for reserve guard Miles McBride, who was part of the Knicks’ closing lineup on Wednesday following Anunoby’s exit. The team would probably lean a little more heavily on wings Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges, with Landry Shamet, Jordan Clarkson, and Jose Alvarado among the other candidates for more playing time.
The Knicks hold a 2-0 lead in the series, but the Sixers came back from a 3-1 deficit in the first round, so New York won’t want to take its foot off the gas as the series shifts to Philadelphia.
Jaylen Brown Reaffirms Commitment To Celtics
Shortly after Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens addressed – and downplayed – rumors that Jaylen Brown is unhappy with the organization during his end-of-season press conference on Wednesday, Brown himself suggested on a Twitch live stream that claims of him being disgruntled in Boston aren’t accurate.
“(I) hate that our president of basketball operations even had to respond to this,” Brown said (Twitter video link). “Me and Brad have a great relationship. I love Boston. If it was up to me, I could play in Boston for the next 10 years.”
Rumors about Brown’s alleged discontent surfaced when former NBA star Tracy McGrady, who has been a mentor and friend to the Celtics wing, said on his podcast that Brown was frustrated with the team.
Brown’s claim that 2025/26 was his “favorite season” of his career also raised some eyebrows, given the implication that he preferred being the Celtics’ go-to scorer and play-maker with Jayson Tatum out for most of the year over winning a championship (in 2024) as a No. 2 option. Brown posted career highs in points (28.7) and assists (5.1) per game, along with usage rate (36.2%), this season.
The 29-year-old doubled down on calling ’25/26 his favorite season during Wednesday’s live stream, but explained it wasn’t because of the starring role he got to play. Rather, he relished the fact that he and his teammates exceeded all outside expectations after entering the year as underdogs.
“You got to see all of these guys, all of my teammates, grow,” Brown said (per ESPN). “I got to see them overcome adversity as a group, up close and personal. … Obviously, we’re not satisfied with the result. If it sounds like an excuse, it’s not. But to fight and maneuver through adversity and grow, and galvanize with a bunch of guys and to have that mindset and approach, this was my favorite year.”
“I wouldn’t say by far. By far would be a stretch because obviously winning the championship is great. But I’m telling y’all, this was my favorite season.”
Brown was also unfazed by the $50K fine he received as a result of blasting the officiating during a previous Twitch stream. The way the games are being called is an issue that players have been talking about with each other, according to Brown, who said he’s hardly the only player bothered by the officiating.
“The inconsistency of the officiating between the playoffs and regular season is not just something that’s been talked about by me,” he said. “You can fine me, you can continue to fine me, but I care about this s–t. I love the game of basketball. Damn, fine me for that.”
Haslam: Bucks Hope To Resolve Giannis Situation By 2026 Draft
After one Bucks co-owner – Wes Edens – told ESPN in March that the team figures to either trade or extend Giannis Antetokounmpo in the coming year, another one of the team’s co-owners – Jimmy Haslam – said on Wednesday that he’d like to see the team reach a resolution on Antetokounmpo by next month’s draft.
“I just think before the draft is a natural time, right? Because if Giannis does play somewhere else, then we ought to get a lot of assets, and it’s (general manager Jon Horst‘s) job to do it,” Haslam said, per Karley Marotta of TMJ4 News (Twitter video link). “If he’s here, then you build the team differently.”
Rumors surrounding Antetokounmpo have been persistent since last summer and only intensified during the season, even after the two-time MVP stayed put through the trade deadline. Giannis and the Bucks clashed publicly on multiple occasions. The two sides were at odds over his ability to return to action following a knee injury, and Antetokounmpo took exception to those aforementioned remarks made by Edens.
For his part, Haslam downplayed the notion that there’s a rift between the team and its longtime superstar.
“I just want to stress that our relationship with him, despite what is reported by certain ESPN writers, is very positive,” Haslam said.
He also reiterated the team’s respect and appreciation for everything Antetokounmpo has done for the franchise, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
“Giannis has brought Milwaukee its second championship and the first in 50 years,” Haslam said. “He’s a phenomenal player. He’s a phenomenal person. He’s arguably one of the best basketball players in the world, and we will do what’s best for Giannis and what’s best for the organization. We don’t know whether Giannis will stay with us or not, but we’ll work through that with Giannis in the coming weeks.”
There are already teams preparing trade packages for Antetokounmpo, including the Trail Blazers. Many more made offers at last season’s trade deadline, such as the Magic, who were reportedly “very active” in pursuit of the Greek forward. The Heat, Warriors, Timberwolves, and Knicks were also said to be in the mix leading up to February’s deadline.
The star forward has resisted outright demanding a trade and hasn’t ruled out signing an extension with the only NBA team he’s played for, though he doesn’t become extension-eligible until October. That could complicate plans to reach a resolution next month — while Giannis could let the team know in June whether or not he plans to sign a new deal in October, he may want a more complete picture of Milwaukee’s offseason roster moves before he makes that sort of commitment.
Haslam stressed that he and the rest of the front office and ownership understand the magnitude of the decision for the franchise and how important it is to get right. He also added that there was transparency during the lead-up to the hiring of new head coach Taylor Jenkins.
“We didn’t hold back with Taylor,” he said. “We just said, ‘Listen, (Antetokounmpo) may or may not be with us, so don’t come because of that,’ because you want to be straight up with people.”
While Edens is technically the Bucks’ governor, the franchise has an unusual ownership arrangement that sees he and Haslam swap that title every five years. Haslam will take over as governor in 2028.
Hornets’ Brandon Miller Undergoes Shoulder Surgery
Hornets forward Brandon Miller has undergone surgery to address instability in his left shoulder, the team announced today in a press release.
The Hornets didn’t provide any sort of recovery timeline for Miller or confirm that he’ll be ready for the 2026/27 season. The team simply ruled him out indefinitely and stated that updates will be provided as appropriate.
After being limited to 27 games in 2024/25 due to a wrist injury, Miller had a breakout third year, averaging 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 30.3 minutes per game across 65 outings (all starts). He made 43.5% of his shots from the floor, including 38.3% of his three-point tries, and 89.2% of his free throws.
Miller played a key role in the Hornets’ best season in a decade. The club had a 41-24 record when he played and went just 3-14 in the games he missed.
Miller’s one extended absence came at the start of the year when he missed 13 consecutive games after being diagnosed with a left shoulder subluxation, which is a partially dislocated shoulder. Although he returned in late November and played in all but four games the rest of the way, he wore protection on that shoulder following his absence. It seems the injury never fully healed, prompting the decision to address it surgically at this time.
Miller is one of 23 players who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason.
Extensions Expected For Raptors GM Bobby Webster, Coach Darko Rajakovic
Raptors general manager Bobby Webster and head coach Darko Rajakovic are both expected to receive extension offers in the next few weeks, sources tell Michael Grange of Sportsnet. The organization is hoping to emphasize continuity after making its first playoff appearance in four years, Grange adds, and Webster and Rajakovic have one year left on their respective contracts.
“You don’t have your head coach and general manager head into the final year of their contracts as lame ducks, not after a playoff year,” one source told Grange.
Details of Webster’s next deal will be worked out in meetings with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), the Raptors’ parent company, but Grange hears there’s a “mutual understanding” between the parties. Rajakovic had a year added to his three-year contract during the 2024/25 season, and Grange expects Webster to handle negotiations with his coach.
Grange also points out that there’s a fresh sense of urgency with former team president Masai Ujiri now running the Mavericks. He has several positions to fill in Dallas, and there has been speculation that he might target Webster to be his general manager. However, Grange states that he spoke to multiple sources who dismissed that idea, believing the Raptors wouldn’t let Webster go and that he wouldn’t want to revert to a secondary role under Ujiri when he’s in charge of the operation in Toronto.
Grange suggests that it’s more likely Ujiri will target members of the talent evaluation staff that he assembled with the Raptors. That includes assistant general manager Dan Tolzman, a player personnel expert who also worked with Ujiri in Denver. Tolzman played a significant role in building the 2019 championship team and helped identify young talents such as Scottie Barnes, Ja’Kobe Walter, Jamal Shead and Collin Murray-Boyles on the current roster.
Grange views Tolzman as a potential GM candidate with the Mavericks, while Toronto’s director of player personnel Patrick Engelbrecht and director of global scouting Curtis Crawford may also join Ujiri in Dallas.
MLSE president Keith Pelley didn’t put any pressure on Webster to improve the team heading into the trade deadline, according to Grange, which suggested that an extension would be coming. Accordingly, Webster opted to remain conservative rather than getting in a bidding war for Jaren Jackson Jr., who was “very much on the Raptors’ radar” before being traded from Memphis to Utah.
Grange describes the just-completed season as “an extended job interview” for Webster and his basketball operations team, nearly all of whom worked under Ujiri. The results were impressive, with a 46-36 record followed by a tight seven-game series against Cleveland in the first round. It marked the first winning season and playoff appearance for Rajakovic since he took over the team in 2023.
Luka Doncic’s Return From Strained Hamstring Remains Uncertain
Luka Doncic provided an update Wednesday on his Grade 2 left hamstring strain, telling reporters that he wants to return at some point during the playoffs but still doesn’t have a definitive timeline, writes Khobi Price of The California Post.
“Obviously this is a different injury than I ever had,” Doncic said. “It’s been second time I [injured the hamstring this season]. So recovery has been a little longer. But I’m feeling good. Working every day, so I’m trying to come back.”
Doncic strained the same hamstring in February, causing him to miss four games and limiting his playing time in the All-Star Game.
The Lakers haven’t provided much information on Doncic’s injury since it occurred nearly five weeks ago in an April 2 contest. There were media estimates that he would need four to six weeks to recover, but Doncic said doctors told him it would likely take eight weeks.
He has been able to start running, but hasn’t been cleared for contact, which is a significant step before he can consider returning to action.
“It’s very frustrating,” Doncic said. “I don’t think people understand how frustrating it is. All I wanna do is play basketball, especially this time. It’s the best time to play basketball. It’s very frustrating seeing what my team is doing. I’m very proud of them. It’s been very tough, to, just to sit and watch them play.”
Doncic confirmed that he went to Spain shortly after the injury occurred to undergo advanced treatment in hopes of speeding up the recovery process. That included four PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injections, which resulted in an extended time away from the team.
“Everybody knows that Spain, they’re just one of the best countries to do that,” Doncic said. “And obviously, I talked with the Lakers doctors, so everybody agreed for me to go there. Obviously, I know and trust lots of people from Spain that I used to work before. But why I was in Spain so long is because I needed four days in between every shot. So I did it four times. So that’s why I stayed longer.”
The injury may have prevented Doncic from becoming an MVP finalist, as he put up incredible numbers during his first full season in L.A. He led the league in scoring at 33.5 points per game, while finishing third in assists at 8.3 and sixth in steals at 1.6. However, he only appeared in 64 regular season games and had to get a ruling from the league that made him award eligible due to “extraordinary circumstances.”
Doncic scored more than 600 points in March while leading the Lakers to a 16-2 record that had them in line to be the No. 3 seed in the West. However, they slipped to fourth in his absence and are now in the midst of a daunting second-round matchup with Oklahoma City.
LeBron James admitted that the team was at a severe disadvantage without Doncic during Tuesday’s Game 1 loss.
“When you play against the world champions and [miss] having a guy that averages 34 [points] and eight [rebounds] and nine [assists] and is that special, that’s [tough],” James said.
Brad Stevens Responds To Report On Jaylen Brown’s ‘Frustration’ With Celtics
Tracy McGrady is suggesting that Jaylen Brown has become frustrated with the Celtics in the wake of their first-round playoff ouster, but president of basketball operations Brad Stevens hasn’t seen or heard anything to make him believe that’s true, according to Brian Robb of MassLive.
McGrady, a studio analyst for NBC Sports, made the claim Wednesday morning on his Cousins podcast with Vince Carter (YouTube link). The comments carry extra weight because McGrady has served as a mentor for Brown and is presumably tied into his thinking regarding the team.
“I think his frustration lies deeply within the organizations and other things that we don’t really have the details to,” McGrady said. “It’s just been a lot of stuff that I’ve been hearing just going on with the Boston organization, with JB. I think part of him is like, ‘I showed you guys more of who I am as a basketball player.’
“Not only just what I did on the basketball court but the leadership that I displayed within this team and you’ve seen that. Not having our best player in (Jayson Tatum). You’ve seen a different side of me and what I’m able to bring to the game of basketball. All that stuff just came into play with him and his frustration.”
With Tatum sidelined until early March while recovering from a torn Achilles, Brown was asked to carry more of the scoring load and responded with the best season of his 10-year career. He posted career highs of 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 71 games, placing him in contention for first-team All-NBA honors.
He recently raised eyebrows in Boston by calling this his favorite season, even though the Celtics, who won the NBA title two years ago, failed to advance in the playoffs.
Speaking Wednesday at his end-of-season press conference, Stevens said Brown hasn’t offered any indication of being unhappy.
“I talked to Jaylen Monday a little bit, after he just, real quickly, and was nothing but positive,” Stevens said. “He has not expressed those frustrations to me.”
Brown is under contract for three more seasons, so he wouldn’t have much leverage to force a trade even if McGrady’s claims are true. Brown will earn $58.5MM, $62.8MM and $67.1MM before becoming an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2029.
Stevens added that he’s willing to meet with Brown and talk through any problems, Robb adds.
“We’ve been here 10 years together, and I do think that, obviously I love JB,” Stevens said. “Everybody around here loves JB, and I think just like any of our other guys, as we get to the end of the season, I’ll be here, and my door is always open. And if anybody ever wants to come in and talk about it, and talk about their team, their place, whatever the case may be, I’m all ears.
“And that would be one through 16, not just Jaylen, not just Jayson, not just the guys that have been here. I think it’s really important to be available. So I certainly am, and none of that has been expressed to me.”
Sixers Rule Out Joel Embiid For Game 2
After initially being listed as probable due to a right ankle sprain, Sixers center Joel Embiid has been ruled out for Game 2 on Wednesday due to that ankle injury as well as right hip soreness. The decision, which is now official, was first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
According to Charania (Twitter link), Embiid has been dealing with increased soreness in his ankle and hip since Monday’s contest and wasn’t able to participate in this morning’s shootaround. The banged-up big man, who returned to action in Game 4 of the first round after undergoing an emergency appendectomy last month, has been receiving “around-the clock” treatment in the hopes of getting him ready for Game 2, Charania adds, but it wasn’t enough.
Embiid played a crucial role in the 76ers’ first-round comeback from a 3-1 deficit, averaging 28.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per night in Games 5, 6, and 7. Philadelphia outscored Boston by 31 points with Embiid on the floor during those three victories. However, the former MVP struggled in Monday’s blowout loss to New York, scoring 14 points on 3-of-11 shooting.
With Embiid unavailable, the Sixers will have to lean more heavily on Adem Bona, who started the first three games of the Boston series, and Andre Drummond, who split center duties with Bona during those contests, averaging 24.3 MPG.
There were also be added pressure on Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and Paul George to carry the offensive load without Embiid on the court.
Lakers’ Jarred Vanderbilt Dislocates Pinky Finger
Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt suffered a full dislocation of his right pinky finger during Game 1 of their series against the Thunder on Tuesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.
As The California Post’s Khobi Price writes, Vanderbilt was injured during the first half attempting to block an alley-oop for Chet Holmgren. Vanderbilt’s right pinky hit the backboard as he swiped for the ball.
The 6-foot-8 forward immediately went to the ground in pain, holding his right hand near the Thunder bench. Some Oklahoma City players turned away when they saw Vanderbilt’s hand.
The loss of Vanderbilt would remove a wing/frontcourt option for the underdog Lakers, who are already waiting for superstar Luka Doncic to return from his hamstring injury. The veteran averaged 3.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in 13.4 minutes per game against Houston during the first round.
Vanderbilt was benched during the decisive Game 6 after playing just six minutes in Game 5. He appeared in 65 games during the regular season, averaging 4.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per contest.
Oklahoma City went on to win the opener, 108-90. Once Vanderbilt came out in the first half, the Lakers essentially went with an eight-man rotation until garbage time.
Vanderbilt has two years remaining on his four-year, $48MM deal.
Jaylen Brown Fined $50K For Ripping Officials
Celtics forward Jaylen Brown has been fined $50K by the league for public criticism of the officiating, the league office announced on Tuesday (via Twitter).
Brown made his comments during a Twitch live stream on Sunday following the Celtics’ 109-100 loss to the Sixers in Game 7 of their first-round playoff series.
He accused officials of having “an agenda” against him. He also called out Sixers center Joel Embiid for flopping, saying it has “ruined our game.”
“Joel Embiid is a great player. One of the best bigs in basketball history. [But he] flops. He know it,” Brown said. “This ain’t breaking news. It is what it is.”
At one point during his comments, Brown showed a video of Philadelphia forward Paul George seeming to push off slightly before making a move. Brown, who was whistled for 10 offensive fouls during the series – twice as many as any other player in the first round – claims he isn’t officiated the same as everyone else.
“If you’re going to call push-offs, call that,” Brown said. “Same move. Same refs. Oh, it’s nothing? It’s play on, right? But you gonna call me? Everybody does it … but if it would have been me, it’d have been an offensive foul.”
Brown was called for 40 offensive fouls during the regular season, second only to Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns. However, foul calls were roughly even during the seven-game series, with 136 on the Celtics and 132 on the Sixers.
Brown averaged 25.7 points per game during the series, the best postseason scoring numbers of his career, while shooting 45.5% from the floor and 40.5% from beyond the arc. He was whistled for 3.0 fouls per game.
“Every good basketball player does this. What are y’all talking about? They clearly had an agenda,” Brown added in reference to George’s alleged push-off. “If Jaylen does this move, call the offensive foul and follow him every time. I don’t know if it’s because I pissed the refs off. I’ve been critical about them, and I called them out a bunch of times. So, they were like, ‘You know what, I got you in the playoffs. Watch this.’ [Because] that’s exactly what they did. It’s clearly an agenda. Look at the same move. Some referees that if I had to choose, if I had to, like, say there’s some referees that need to be investigated. We had three of them in the last three games.”
Brown also blasted the officiating after being ejected from a March 10 game against the Spurs for complaining about a no-call. He was fined $35K for his comments at that time.