Basketball Intelligence For 4/19/25
The day's best news and reporting.
*FEATURE OF THE DAY*
NBA Playoff Deep Thoughts And Crazy Ramblings
Hardwood Paroxysm
TEAM NEWS
CLE: Cavs’ first-round NBA playoff opponent is finally set
Chris Fedor, Cleveland.com
DAL: Anthony Davis deserves so much better than what he's been dealt with Mavericks, just like his entire career
Sam Quinn, CBS Sports
DAL: Hobbled Anthony Davis shows fight, but Mavericks end season with play-in loss to Grizzlies
Mike Curtis, The Dallas Morning News
DAL: Mavis-Grizzlies Play-In Observations
Iztok Franco, Diggin Basketball
DEN: Jalen Pickett on connection to Michael Malone-Calvin Booth rift: ‘It’s kinda crazy’
Luca Evans, The Denver Post
He’s played a total of 11 playoff minutes in his short NBA career. But postseason basketball is “more my game,” Pickett told The Post. He earned the nickname Grandpa for his methodical pace growing up. He plays a unique brand of “booty ball,” a synonym of bully ball, a 6-foot-4 guard using his mass against smaller guards. He posted a 4.46 assist-to-turnover ratio in 2024-25, seventh in the NBA among players who appeared in more than 40 games.
And he’ll have his chance to plant his flag this postseason.
DET: For Pistons' Trajan Langdon, playoff payoff is 'surreal' reward
John Niyo, The Detroit News
DET: Brash Pistons kick down playoff door, hunting for more
Bob Wojnowski, The Detroit News
BI: Detroit is looking to win their first playoff series since eliminating Orlando in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in 2008.
GSW: Draymond Green-Alperen Şengün chess match could decide Warriors-Rockets series
Anthony Slater, The Athletic
GSW: One growing Warriors concern could be about to get a whole lot worse
Peter O’Keefe, Blue Man Hoop
GSW: Why Stephen Curry must shake Amen Thompson for Warriors to beat Rockets
Jack Winter, Clutch Points
GSW: Warriors-Rockets playoff roundtable: 5 burning questions
Daniel Hardee, Dub Nation HQ
GSW: How Warriors plan to combat Houston’s rough-and-tumble style in playoffs
Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News
The Rockets had no problem grabbing, holding and daring the officials to bog the game down with whistles when they beat the Warriors 106-96 on April 6. It is a tactic those legendary coaches did not hesitate to employ during Kerr’s playing days during the 1990s, and a play-style that has once again become more prevalent in 2025.
Officials called only 18.6 fouls per game, the lowest in NBA history. Houston was whistled for just 19 a game, while the Warriors were a smidge over at 19.2 a night.
HOU: Can the Rockets finally get past Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and the Warriors?
Kelly Iko/Anthony Slater, The Athletic
IND: (PODCAST) Pacers-Bucks Round 1 preview with Jim Owczarski
Scott Agness, Fieldhouse Files With Scott Agness
LAC: Clippers-Nuggets playoff preview: Controlling Nikola Jokic key to series
Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times
LAL: Playoff preview: The Lakers can believe because LeBron James believes
Dan Woike, Los Angels Times
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