An old video of Dejounte Murray, currently playing for the Atlanta Hawks, talking about his former teammate Derrick White has resurfaced on social media. In the clip, Murray claims that the former San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich preferred White over him because he was not a "yes man". Murray did not hold back on speaking his mind against coach Popovich and throwing a bit of shade on Brad Stevens, claiming that the former Celtics coach really wanted the critical backcourt player. Derrick White, who is now a vital player for the Boston Celtics in their first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks, was traded in 2022 by the Spurs, where he spent five seasons with his former teammate Murray. White has emerged as a key player for the Celtics in the playoffs series against the Hawks, averaging 25 points per game in their two wins this series. Despite Murray saying he has no bad blood against White, the video certainly raises some questions about the relationship between Murray, White, and their former coach Popovich.

According to an anonymous poll conducted by The Athletic, Trae Young has been voted the most overrated player in the NBA. Young received 14.8% of the vote, leaving him technically behind the "other" category. The poll was conducted among 54 NBA players, with Young receiving eight total votes, and no other player receiving more than four. Young rose to fame when he led the Atlanta Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, and he was a huge factor in the Hawks' success. However, he has had poor individual performances in the past two postseasons, with an average of just 15.5 points per game on 31% shooting from the field. The anonymous poll of his peers likely reflects Young's recent struggles and the possibility of him being traded from the Hawks. However, this poll should be taken with a grain of salt, as 'overrated' is a subjective term that could be influenced by Young's media coverage.

Boston Celtics point guard, Marcus Smart, has said that the team has returned to their preseason mindset of anger as they prepare to face the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the playoffs. Despite becoming the number two seed after a period of inconsistency leading up to the All-Star Break, the Celtics managed to finish the regular season with the second-best record in the NBA, and Smart believes this has been due to the overcoming of several obstacles that were thrown at them. The player himself has recently recovered from a neck injury and admits that he is not physically 100 percent, but is looking forward to playing against reigning Hawks' star guard, Trae Young. The Celtics have swept the Hawks during the regular season, however, on both occasions that the Hawks were at full strength, the scorelines were close, with Young being a major threat.

The New York Knicks are hoping that All-Star forward Julius Randle can join their lineup for Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday. Randle sprained his left ankle against the Miami Heat on March 29 and has missed the Knicks' final five games of the regular season. The 28-year-old forward has been a key figure for the Knicks this season, averaging 25.1 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. If Randle can't start, this will place more pressure on Jalen Brunson, who has been playing through pain for much of the second half of the season. The Cavaliers have Donovan Mitchell, who has been playing exceptionally, averaging more than 40 points in four straight games before being put on the bench for his team's final two tilts. However, since the NBA odds for Mitchell's total points prop has adjusted to 30.5, up from a high of 28.5 in his final regular-season tilt, bettors might be sacrificing a little juice. Mitchell has cleared 3.5 three-pointers in most of his previous games, making him a great bet to get at least four threes in this game. Overall, the Cavaliers are favored to win the series against the Knicks, but Randle's return could help increase the Knicks' chances to win Game 1.

FanDuel offers a same-game parlay for Hawks-Celtics Game 2 in which the Duke product needs to play exactly as he did on Saturday afternoon, finishing with 25+ points, 4+ assists, and draining as many trios as he did in Game 1, while Young simply needs to finish with 25+ points. However, through the first two games of the NBA Playoffs against the Hawks, Tatum has only shot two free throws total while he averaged a career-high 8.4 attempts per game. Tatum has let it be known to the referees he's not happy with the calls, but he added he's not the only one affected by the whistles. Both sides have experienced stretches of increased physicality where fouls were not called. In any case, the Celtics currently hold the 2-0 series lead over the Hawks heading into Game 3. Finally, it was revealed that Julian Edelman switched to being a Celtics fan in 2017 after joining the Patriots, but his true NBA fandom was put to a direct test during the NBA Finals last year, rooting for Boston against his former favorite team, the Golden State Warriors.

Despite posting 29 points and 12 rebounds in the Celtics' Game 1 win against the Hawks, Jaylen Brown was dealing with a cut that reopened on his right hand, according to Coley Harvey of ESPN. Brown originally suffered the cut last week and had to get stitches, but he was cleared to play on Tuesday for Game 2. Brown had padding over the cut during Game 1 but he left in the first quarter to return with a new bandage that was more comfortable. Boston will need Brown to be playing at his best as they continue in the playoffs, and it is uncertain whether his hand injury will affect him going forward. Despite the injury, Brown's performance in Game 1 was impressive, especially considering he had some trouble gripping the ball.

Minnesota Wild's center, Joel Eriksson Ek, skated by himself at the TRIA Rink in downtown St. Paul for the first time after suffering a lower-body injury on April 6 during a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Although the Wild listed him as week-to-week, Eriksson Ek's evident progress bodes well for his return. Even though his coach, Dean Evason, was hesitant to give a timeline for his return or his readiness for Game 1, it seems that it could be a possibility. Similarly, Marcus Johansson, who took a cross-check directly to the ribs in a game against the Dallas Stars and avoided any serious injuries, returned to the ice for the Wild's practice after stating he's feeling 100 per cent. The Wild will certainly benefit from having these players return to the game, particularly Eriksson Ek's outstanding record of career highs in assists, points, and goals. The Wild are currently leading the series 2-1, and the return of Eriksson Ek and Johansson can potentially secure a win in the upcoming matches.

Detroit Lions' wide receiver Jameson Williams is set to miss six games of the upcoming season for violating the NFL's gambling policy. Williams is one of four Lions players to receive discipline after gambling on non-NFL games from the team facility. The NFL suspended Lions wide receiver Stanley Berryhill for six games, while C.J. Moore and Quintez Cephus received indefinite suspensions. Washington Commander's defensive end Shaka Toney is the fifth player to be suspended indefinitely. However, the reasons behind these violations are not clear yet.

The NFL prohibits players from gambling on NFL games, draft or any such activities, and taking part in any form of gambling while at a league or team facility, or while traveling with the team. To avoid any distraction for the team, Lions released Quintez Cephus and C.J. Moore on Friday. The team had previously fired four lower-level staff members violating the league's gambling policy for employees.

The NFL has suspended Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams for six games after he was found to have violated the league's policy on gambling. League policy prohibits players from gambling on NFL games, the draft or other activities, and from taking part in any form of gambling while at a league or team facility or while traveling with the team. Williams is one of five players who were disciplined as a result of a league-wide investigation that included the Washington Commanders. Williams is the highest-profile player to be caught in the NFL's latest gambling probe. In addition to Williams, the NFL suspended receiver Quintez Cephus and safety C.J. Moore indefinitely for gambling on football games, and benched Lions receiver Stanley Berryhill six games each for mobile betting on non-NFL games done from a team facility. Commanders defensive end Shaka Toney is also suspended indefinitely. The Lions have since waived Cephus and released Moore, both players are eligible to apply for reinstatement after one year. The team previously fired four lower-level staff members in March for violating the league's gambling policy for employees.

Ted DiBiase Jr., a former WWE wrestler and son of “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase Sr., has been charged with wire fraud, theft, and money laundering in Mississippi. Prosecutors say DiBiase was part of a scheme to fraudulently obtain millions of federal funds meant to help needy families through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and The Emergency Food Assistance programs. These funds were allegedly allotted to two nonprofit organizations which were then directed to award sham contracts to individuals, including two companies owned by DiBiase. He allegedly used the money to buy a car, boat, and the down payment on a house. DiBiase’s indictment follows that of John Davis, who led the Mississippi Department of Human Services and pleaded guilty to fraud and theft in the same scandal. Former NFL star Brett Favre was connected to the scheme and reportedly has repaid the $1.1 million he received from welfare funds, but he has not been charged in this indictment. If found guilty, DiBiase could face up to 120 years in prison.

The Los Angeles Clippers are expected to play their first-round series against the Phoenix Suns without Paul George. George suffered a knee injury in March, and despite initial predictions of a 2-3 week recovery, he has not progressed enough in rehabilitation to play in the playoffs, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

George is an eight-time All-Star, and his absence presents a significant disadvantage for the Clippers, who will be going up against a formidable Suns team. Since adding Kevin Durant to the lineup, Phoenix has been on an 8-0 run, and now finds themselves among the championship favorites as the No. 4 seed in the West. Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and Deandre Ayton have all become essential in a Suns team that has thrived with Kevin Durant on board.

Without George, The Clippers will rely on Kawhi Leonard, Marcus Morris and Ivica Zubac to pick up the slack, making a first-round win against the Suns seem unlikely. Leonard and George are one of the most dangerous tandems in basketball when healthy, and the Suns will have breathed a sigh of relief knowing that the Clippers will be without George.

As the NBA regular season draws to a close, teams are battling for spots in the play-in tournament. This tournament, which the league has used since 2021, features the 7th through 10th place teams in each conference. The 7th and 8th place teams play a game, and the winner advances to the playoffs as the 7th seed. The loser of that game plays against the winner of a game between the 9th and 10th place teams, with the winner becoming the 8th seed in the playoffs.

In the two years of tournament play so far, the 9th place team has won all of its games against the 10th place team and has won all but one of its games in the second round. The 7th place team has won all of its opening games and advanced to the playoffs, but neither the 7th nor 8th seeded teams have reached the second round of playoff play.

The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Utah Jazz are currently locked in a battle for the 10th seed in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, the LA Clippers face a range of possible outcomes as they try to secure their playoff position in the middle of the conference.

Donte DiVincenzo will come off the bench for the Golden State Warriors in Monday's game 2 against the Sacramento Kings as Andrew Wiggins returns to the starting lineup. This season, DiVincenzo has been a key player for the Warriors with impressive averages of 8.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.9 triples and 1.2 steals per contest on 45.4 percent shooting in 22.3 minutes per night. Despite primarily being utilized by the team as a reserve player, his career year letting it fly started with him going back to his college roots at Villanova. An assistant coach at Villanova helped DiVincenzo with drills that have greatly improved his shot. The drills emphasized base and lower body, with his objective being to reset himself from the ground up. DiVincenzo’s success is also attributed to a simple tip from one of the game’s most accurate shooters ever. With his impressive shooting skills, DiVincenzo has become an elite shooter, thus giving the Warriors yet another sharpshooter to fear.

Russell Westbrook was involved in an altercation with a fan on Sunday outside the court at Phoenix's Footprint Center, after the Clippers defeated the Suns. The incident took place in a club lounge that visiting players can use as a shortcut from their locker room to the court, according to the Arizona Republic's Duane Rankin. Westbrook has had previous run-ins with opposing team's fans, including the infamous 2021 playoffs incident when he had popcorn dumped on his head in Philadelphia. Although Westbrook had an awful shooting night against the Suns, going just 3-for-19, he made a number of key plays down the stretch, and had 11 rebounds, eight assists, three blocks and two steals. Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue said that Westbrook's shot was not important, but rather his contribution in rebounding the basketball. The Clippers were careful with Kawhi Leonard, who played just 52 games this season, but he delivered 38 points in Sunday's game.

Golden State Warriors' guard Gary Payton II will not be playing in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series against the Sacramento Kings due to an illness, according to the NBA’s official injury report. Payton II was listed as “questionable” ahead of Thursday's game, but he didn’t attend the Warriors' pregame shootaround session due to his illness. The 30-year-old guard was acquired by Golden State at the trade deadline recently as a short-term solution when the team focused on the playoffs. Payton II showed his defensive skills in the two games he had played against the Kings, where he was the only Warriors’ player who could keep pace with Sacramento point guard De'Aaron Fox, who had been pivotal to Kings' progress. Golden State is already down to a 2-0 series deficit and instead will depend on guard Andrew Wiggins, who has been listed as “available,” to step up, as well as their other players, as they look to avoid elimination. Guard Jordan Poole, who has been struggling with ankle sprain, will also be playing. Draymond Green, the Warriors’ defensive player, remains out due to a one-game suspension, along with Payton II, with concerns regarding the team’s defensive capabilities against the fast-paced Kings.

Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors is set to make NBA history. Currently, with 4,212 assists to his name, Green is slated to surpass Hall of Famer Charles Barkley with just four more assists during Sunday’s game against the Denver Nuggets. Although Green hasn’t put up massive numbers, he is one of the best all-around players in the league, which includes being an elite passer and defender. His assists numbers have been consistent as in 64 out of 69 games this season, he has dished out 4+ assists. Given Green's playmaking abilities and the Warriors' strong offensive presence, the feat seems almost certain. Warriors are set to enter the playoffs as the No. 6 playoff seed in the Western Conference after a unique regular season. Despite some weaknesses, Green believes the defending league champions should be favored for the West Finals. In the past eight seasons, the Warriors have won the NBA Championship in four times and have been to the NBA Finals six times.

The Golden State Warriors played against the Sacramento Kings on Friday night in a pivotal late-season matchup. While the Kings have already clinched their playoff spot and are likely to finish as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, the game was critical for the defending champions. The only way for the Warriors to avoid the play-in tournament is by winning both their final two games. They currently sit in sixth place in the West and need to finish in the top six to avoid the tournament. Warriors coach Steve Kerr emphasized the importance of not letting their guard down and the necessity of winning both their final games. The Kings rested their top three scorers, which some believe could indicate that they are not taking the game seriously. Nevertheless, both teams have a chance of meeting again in the first round of the playoffs, which would be the first time for both to make the playoffs in the same season. The game ended with the Warriors winning 120-108, putting them in a stronger position to make the playoffs without the play-in tournament.

Golden State Warriors guard, Klay Thompson, is reportedly seeking a max extension contract that could cost the team over $500 million. The team is already facing a budget crunch due to several other lucrative contracts, including Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole, kicking in. Thompson, who has one year left on his current $189 million deal, has been instrumental in the Warriors' success this season, averaging 21.9 points per game over 68 games. However, with the risk of overspending, the team's future remains uncertain. The Warriors have remained loyal to Thompson through his recent post-injury struggles, and he has played a vital role in helping the team make the playoffs following Stephen Curry's injury. Despite this, some insiders are questioning whether the team should risk overspending on his contract extension. With the team already facing a payroll and luxury tax of over $500 million, there is much debate around the future of the Warriors team.

Mike Brown, head coach of the Sacramento Kings, has been named the National Basketball Coaches Association's 2023 Coach of the Year. The award is voted on by the NBA's 30 head coaches, and it goes to the coach who has made the greatest positive impact on his team. Brown is expected to also win the NBA's Coach of the Year award, which is voted on by the media and will be announced during the playoffs. This is Brown's first season with the Kings, and under his leadership, the team went 48-34, finished third in the Western Conference, and made the playoffs for the first time in 17 years. Brown has overseen one of the greatest turnarounds in NBA history, taking a franchise that had been a doormat for years and turning it into a team that plays with high energy and confidence. The Kings have been one of the most potent offensive teams in NBA history, scoring a league-best 118.6 points per 100 possessions in the regular season.

The whereabouts of a key player on the NBA's most marquee and best-covered team, Golden State Warriors, remained mostly a secret for nearly two months until Andrew Wiggins' return last week. The Athletic's Shams Charania reported the reason for Wiggins' absence was his father had a serious medical situation. Multiple reporters and editors involved in Wiggins coverage described the reporting experience as bizarre, as they debated how to pursue the story, but also one that threatened to upend the Warriors' season as it dragged on. Warriors communications director Raymond Ridder said he was surprised that no national reporters had come up with more details but said he never asked any beat writers not to look into it.

The coverage of Wiggins' absence brought up issues such as what is newsworthy, how much privacy athletes are entitled to, and how journalists and news organizations that cover them balance that with the main tenets of their jobs: reporting news. During Wiggins' return news conference, neither he nor Myers mentioned Wiggins' father and no reporters asked about him. The Warriors confirmed Charania's report. Myers thanked the media for respecting the personal life of someone in a public job, which is a pretty rare thing in the business.

The Phoenix Suns lost Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs against the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night in a very close encounter. Suns' Kevin Durant impressed in his team's playoff debut with 27 points, 11 assists, and nine rebounds. However, there is an argument to be made that Durant did not get the ball as much as his status as arguably the NBA's best player right now deserves. He only took one shot in the final six minutes, which could have given the Suns more chances to score. Suns coach Monty Williams shared that the Clippers did well in denying Durant the ball, but the team needs to create more living environments for him to get the ball. Williams added that sometimes Durant can bring the ball up the floor and create opportunities for the team. Durant was often double-teamed by Los Angeles from behind, which forced him out of post shots around the block. The Suns will need to provide Durant more freedom for him to score and advance past the Clippers, and perhaps compete for the championship.

Bay Area rapper, E-40, was ejected from Game 1 of the Warriors-Kings Western Conference playoff series on Saturday night as he claims due to racial bias. E-40 was reportedly standing excessively, blocking the view of attendees behind him, and was repeatedly yelled at by a woman to sit down, leading to a verbal back-and-forth between E-40 and her. Kings security then escorted E-40 from his ringside seat near the Golden State bench in the fourth quarter. E-40 noted in a statement that the incident was yet another reminder of racial bias, and he hopes that those involved are held accountable. The Kings are investigating the situation, and the Warriors have tweeted their support for E-40. The platinum-selling East Bay rapper has been a loyal supporter of the Warriors for years, and several players have shown their solidarity with him. Klay Thompson revealed that E-40 has been their biggest supporter for years, and he hopes that the situation gets sorted out because the rapper deserved to be there.

Andre Iguodala is the latest to heap praise on Paul George, stating that he is the second-most skilled player in the NBA behind Kevin Durant, according to his interview on the Point Forward podcast. While both players are undeniably talented, the comparison between them is not so straightforward. Durant has had the better career so far, with two championships, two Finals MVPs, and 13 All-Star and 10 All-NBA selections. George, on the other hand, has yet to make it to an NBA Finals, but has shown his scoring prowess with an average of 20.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.7 steals throughout his career.

However, injuries and LeBron James' dominance in the Eastern Conference have hindered George's chances of winning a championship. Even with his recent knee sprain, he remains a skilled player and a key component of the Clippers' success in the playoffs. A championship win for George would solidify his legacy as a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer and would also justify the greatness of his teammates, Russell Westbrook and Kawhi Leonard.

NBA's playoff schedule is causing problems for basketball fans, who are being forced to make tough decisions with Game 3 between the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings tipping off at 10:00 p.m. ET on TNT and the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers' kickoff at 10:30 p.m. ET on NBA TV. A number of diehard basketball fans took to social media expressing their anger at the scheduling choices, with many arguing that the games should have been played earlier and spread further apart, given that some fans on the East Coast have to go to school or work the following morning. The scheduling has also caused frustration for fans on the West Coast, who have to choose between two big games. The final outcome of these games will make a significant impact on the playoffs, with the Warriors looking to level the series without the suspended Draymond Green and the Kings hoping to take a step closer to winning their first playoff series since 2004. Meanwhile, the Suns and Clippers will each seek a 2-1 edge in their series, which is said to possess opening round's most star power even without Paul George.

Golden State Warriors' forward, Jonathan Kuminga, had an off night in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series against the Sacramento Kings. In just 10 minutes on the floor, he scored eight points, turned the ball over twice, fouled twice, and failed to pull down a single rebound. In contrast, over the two months leading up to the playoffs where he saw increased minutes, Kuminga proved himself capable. Now, the question is whether or not the versatile combo forward can turn his performance around in Game 2.

Aside from Kuminga's underwhelming performance, the Warriors' primary issue in Game 1 was rebounding. Golden State matched Sacramento's rebounding in the first half but fell behind in the second half, enabling the Kings to mount a comeback victory. Kuminga acknowledged his mistakes and took responsibility for his lack of rebounding, and with coach Steve Kerr and the rest of the team also emphasizing the need for improvement on the glass, Kuminga has an opportunity to redeem himself and contribute to a win in Game 2.