NBA Player News

It’s pretty rare a player not currently in the league gets two blurbs on the same day, but that’s what has happened with Taylor. With J.R. Smith reportedly “closing in” on a deal with the Knicks, the Clippers could be exploring alternative options.

The Wizards will be followed by the Jazz, Grizzlies and Bulls in the top four of the draft order. Washington had a 14 percent chance of landing the first overall pick, which was tied with Indiana and Brooklyn for best odds under the current lottery system. AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer and Darryn Petterson are among the top prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Embiid was initially listed as probable and with the 76ers down 3-0 in the series, it’s no surprise he’s available for Game 4 on Sunday. The 32-year-old center missed Game 2 with ankle and hip injuries, but had 18 points in 35 minutes in Friday’s Game 3 loss.

Anunoby is set to miss his second consecutive game in this series after injuring his hamstring in the fourth quarter of Game 2. The Knicks won Game 3 without him and with a 3-0 lead in the series can be cautious with the 28-year-old small forward’s injury. Miles McBride could start again in Game 4 with Landry Shamet seeing additional minutes off the bench in Anunoby’s absence.

After scoring 27 and 23 points in the first two games of the series, James was limited to 19 on 19 shots in Game 3. He’s managed to keep the turnovers in check, committing eight through three games, but the Lakers’ overall struggles in that category have been costly. Oklahoma City scored 30 points off 16 Lakers turnovers in Game 3, turning a competitive game into a second-half blowout. James and the Lakers will look to avoid a sweep when they host Game 4 on Monday.

Reaves got off to an excellent start regarding his playmaking, as he recorded eight first-half assists. Unfortunately for him and the Lakers, the well dried up in the second half. Oklahoma City ramped things up defensively, and the Lakers turned the ball over at a higher rate than they did in the first half. As for Reaves, he accounted for just five points and one assist after halftime. Simply put, that won’t get the job done, especially with Luka Dončić (hamstring) unavailable. The Lakers will need a win on Monday to avoid getting swept.

As has been the case for the Lakers throughout this series, Game 3 was a tale of two halves. Taking a lead into the intermission for the second consecutive game, the Lakers were outscored 74-49 in the second half. And after scoring 16 points in the first half, Hachimura was limited to five in the second half. With Luka Dončić (hamstring) not close to a return, the Lakers need more consistent production from Hachimura if they’re to extend the series. The Lakers will look to avoid getting swept with a Game 4 victory on Monday night.

Despite being without Jalen Williams (hamstring) since Game 2 of their first-round series against Phoenix, the Thunder have not skipped a beat. And they’ve got Mitchell to thank for that. The second-year guard, who was out injured for the team’s run to the title last spring, has scored at least 15 points in each of the five games he’s started this postseason. Mitchell finished Game 3 with playoff career-highs in points and assists, and he’s scored at least 20 points in three of his five starts. Oklahoma City holding a 3-0 series lead removes any urgency to get J-Dub back on the court, especially with Mitchell playing as well as he has.

Holmgren was one of seven Thunder players, five being starters, to finish the 131-108 victory in double figures. While he could not extend his streak of games with at least 20 points to four, the Thunder forward/center was once again impactful on both ends of the floor. Isaiah Hartenstein also played well, contributing 12 points, nine rebounds, two assists and one steal. With Saturday’s victory, the Thunder became the first defending champion since Cleveland in 2017 to start the following postseason with seven consecutive victories.

Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t have a great game shooting the basketball, as he finished Game 3 shooting 4-of-13 from inside the arc. However, the reigning league MVP’s struggles were not an issue for Oklahoma City, which outscored the Lakers 74-49 after halftime. Game 3 played out similarly to Game 2, as the Thunder’s ability to capitalize on the Lakers’ turnovers proved decisive. Oklahoma City scored 30 points off 16 Lakers turnovers and was a plus-19 in that category. Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder will look to close out the series on Monday night.

Kerr’s future with the Warriors was one of the major storylines for the franchise this season, and that has reportedly been addressed. The head coach has led the Warriors to four NBA championships, the most recent being won in 2022. Getting a healthy Jimmy Butler back in the mix will help matters, but he’s likely to miss the start of the 2026-27 season after suffering a torn ACL in mid-January. Stephen Curry and Draymond Green are under contract for next season, while Kristaps Porziņǵis will be an unrestricted free agent and De’Anthony Melton has a player option.