Basketball Intelligence For 5/14/26
Today's Best NBA Reporting And Analysis
FEATURES OF THE DAY
I am heartbroken. Brandon Clarke should not have died
David Thorpe, True Hoop
AJ Dybantsa vs. Darryn Peterson: The Shape of a Rebuild
Con Brennan, Wait For The Screen
THE PLAYOFFS: ROUND TWO
Foul calls are up in the NBA playoffs. History says that’s to be expected
Tim Reynolds, AP
CLE-DET
Cavaliers find their toughness, show mental and physical capability for deep run
Jason Lloyd, The Athletic
Game 5 Observations: Mental Toughness and Growing Up
Danny Cunningham, The Inside Shot
Cavs rally from 15 down to win in OT
The Athletic
Cavs starting to rewrite narrative, answer questions about mental toughness in Game 5 comeback
Chris Fedor, cleveland.com
Cavaliers Take Down Pistons In Game 5
Danny Cunningham, The Inside Shot
Pistons’ season will end in frustration if Cade Cunningham doesn’t get help ASAP
Hunter Patterson, The Athletic
4 takeaways: Cavaliers earn overtime victory and 3-2 edge over Pistons
Shaun Powell, NBA.com
The unseen work behind James Harden’s late-game brilliance for the Cavs at 36
Ethan Sands, cleveland.com
Ausar Thompson no-call infuriates Pistons, but not like Game 5 flop
Omari Sankofa II, Free Press
Stunning collapse: Pistons fall to Cavaliers in OT, trail series 3-2
Coty Davis, Detroit News
OKC-LAL
The Thunder are 8-0 in NBA playoffs. The Lakers helped them find a new gear
Joel Lorenzi, The Athletic
SAS-MIN
How Gregg Popovich quietly became the Spurs’ secret weapon
Jared Weiss, The Athletic
TEAM-SPECIFIC
DAL: Masai Ujiri’s rise to Mavericks: From no cell phone to leading the Cooper Flagg era
Christian Clark, The Athletic
GSW: For Steve Kerr, the culture he built with Warriors was too hard to leave behind
Nick Friedell, The Athletic
IND: Looking Ahead to a Quiet Pacers Summer - 2026 Offseason Preview
Yossi Gozlan, Third Apron
ORL: Magic Season Recap: What Went Right - Desmond Bane trade
Philip Rossman-Reich, World R Squared
ORL: Jalen Suggs sits at the center of the Orlando Magic’s biggest offseason questions
Philip Rossman-Reich, Orlando Magic Daily
POR: Jrue Holiday a ‘glue guy’ who would ‘love’ to stay in Portland
Joe Freeman, Oregon Live
TOR: Raptors Season Review
Samson Folk/Louis Zatzman, Raptors Republic
WAS: AJ Dybantsa vs. Darryn Peterson: The Shape of a Rebuild
Con Brennan, Wait For The Screen
WAS: The Wizards’ ‘deconstruction’ paid off, and owner Ted Leonsis isn’t apologizing
Barry Svrluga, The Athletic
THE DRAFT
2026 NBA Draft Library
Bryce Simon, Game Theory
links to video breakdowns of the top prospects.
Billy Richmond III: Working Forward
Stephen Gillaspie, No Ceilings
Zach Cleveland Scouting Report
Ersin Demir, NBA Draft Newsletter
NBA Draft Scouting Report: Nate Ament
Derek Parker, Sports Illustrated
NBA Draft Combine’s 7 winners and 4 losers after 2026 testing, scrimmages, and measurements
Ricky O’Donnell, SBNation
Latest Intel on the Players Returning to College or Turning Pro
Kevin Sweeney, Sports Illustrated
The 94 percent failure rate of the NBA draft
Henry Abbott, True Hoop
LEAGUEWIDE
I am heartbroken. Brandon Clarke should not have died
David Thorpe, True Hoop
Adam Silver says NBA to present ‘3-2-1’ anti-tanking proposal
Tim Bontemps, ESPN