Basketball Intelligence For 5/10/26

This is not some cute little playoff run anymore.This is a special team, in the midst of an unprecedented stretch, playing with supreme confidence, incredible chemistry.

Can the 76ers summon another miracle?
Tony Jones, The Athletic

Key Plays from Game 3
Jonathan Macri, Knicks Film School

Knicks bench ‘got out the mud’ and has New York on cusp of conference finals
James Edwards III, The Athletic

New York’s off-ball movement dismantled the Sixers from the inside out
Con Brennan, Wait For The Screen

History says the Sixers’ 3-0 deficit against the Knicks is insurmountable. So what’s the message?
Gina Mizell, The Inquirer

Nick Nurse on 76ers facing elimination, talking points in film session
Ky Carlin, USA Today

OKC-LAL

Thunder have Lakers up against the wall
Jim Alexander, OC Register

(w)hile the scoreboard might exaggerate once in a while, it doesn’t lie. The Thunder are too talented, too deep and too versatile.
Redick noted before the game that the Thunder’s top 13 players “are all top seven or eight rotation players in the NBA on any team. So they can just hit you with bodies as well. It’s just the nature of how they built that team.”
Afterward, the coach elaborated.
“Typically, if you can poke holes at a team in a playoff series, there’s a good chance you might have a temporary solution or can sort of adjust maybe a little bit,” Redick said. “This team in-game, because of their personality, just adjusts, like that. You know, they need shooting on the floor, great. They need multiple wing defenders on the ball, great. They need two bigs on the floor, great.

4 Takeaways: Thunder too deep, threatening to sweep Lakers
Jeff Zillgitt, NBA.com

Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe leaving their mark Thunder-Lakers playoff series
Jenni Carlson, The Oklahoman

Ajay Mitchell almost makes you forget about Jalen Williams’ injury in Thunder playoff run
Joe Mussatto, The Oklahoman

Is Lakers coach JJ Redick out of answers against Thunder?
Nick Friedell, The Athletic

Game 3 takeaways
The Athletic

Ajay Mitchell’s breakout was another sign of the Thunder’s impressive depth
Joel Lorenzi, The Athletic

Lakers Playoffs Observations: Game 3 vs Thunder
Iztok Franko, digginbaskteball

Lakers on brink of elimination
Benjamin Royer, OC Register

Lakers’ old weakness came back to haunt them vs. Thunder
Khobi Price, California Post

SAS-MIN

Wembanyama delivers another masterpiece
Jared Weiss, The Athletic

What Do Wemby, Spurs Think of Gobert’s Gortat Screens?
Tom Petrini, Sports Illustrated

The Timberwolves are trying to push Victor Wembanyama away from the rim, but San Antonio's star shot blocker is ready for the physical challenge

3 things to watch in Game 4
Steve Aschburner, NBA.com

Game 3 slips away from Timberwolves, giving the series a sinking feeling
Chris Hine, Star Tribune

THE DRAFT

A guide to the Draft Lottery
Christopher Kline, Fansided

Which lottery team is most desperate for the No. 1 pick?
Ricky O’Donnell, SBNation

1. Sacramento Kings
The Kings didn’t want to tank — they just built a terrible team on accident. Sacramento’s core is old and expensive, and somehow none of the main pieces are on expiring contracts. How are the Kings ever going to compete in the West if they don’t get lottery luck this year? The new odds are going to hurt them, and the roster probably has less young talent on it than any team in the league currently. I’d love to see more top picks land in the East to address conference imbalance, but the Kings are the most desperate team in the league for a little bit of luck.

The Five Teams With the Most at Stake Entering the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery
Liam McKeone, Sports Illustrated

5 best Darryn Peterson destinations
Christopher Kline, Fansided

5 best AJ Dybantsa destinations
Christopher Kline, Fansided

5 best Cam Boozer destinations
Christopher Kline, Fansided

For AJ Dybantsa, landing in a small market not a concern as NBA Draft Lottery nears
Jason Jones, The Athletic

2026 NBA draft combine preview: Top prospects, events to watch
Jeremy Woo, ESPN

G-League Elite Camp Day One Reactions
Tyler Metcalf/Maxwell Baumbach/Tyler Rucker, No Ceilings

Tobias Jensen Scouting Report
Ersin Demir, NBA Draft Newsletter