Deadspin | Rockets rest starters, rout short-handed Grizzlies Apr 12, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Jae’sean Tate (8) attempts to get control of a loose ball during the second quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Clint Capela produced a double-double in his third start of the season while Tari Eason and Reed Sheppard combined for 39 points as the host Houston Rockets closed the regular season with a 132-101 victory over the short-handed Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday. The Rockets (52-30) concluded the schedule with nine victories in their last 10 games. With the fifth seed in the Western Conference playoffs already secured, Houston rested four starters in its finale: Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. Capela paired a season-high 23 points on 9-for-11 shooting with 13 rebounds and three blocks. Eason added 20 points and eight rebounds while Sheppard posted 19 points. Jae’Sean Tate tallied 13 points and six rebounds while making his first start of the season. Houston swept a season series against the Grizzlies for the first time since 2009-10. Memphis (25-57) had only seven players available. Dariq Whitehead scored a career-high 26 points; Rayan Rupert (21 points, 12 rebounds) and Jahmai Mashack (11 points, 11 assists) added double-doubles for the Grizzlies, who closed the season with 21 losses in 23 games. Whitehead provided the Grizzlies an early lift with a 3-for-3 start from behind the arc that pushed Memphis to a 13-12 lead. But the Rockets immediately responded with an 7-0 spurt capped by a Sheppard 3-pointer. When the Grizzlies reclaimed the lead with an 8-0 rally, the Rockets fashioned a decisive surge that spun momentum in their favor for good. Houston closed the first period with a 10-0 run that featured free throws from Dorian Finney-Smith, JD Davison and Eason, who added an alley-oop dunk off a Davison assist during the rally. The Rockets, on the strength of 10 second-chance points and 16 points in the paint, carried a modest 32-26 lead into the second quarter. That margin swelled quickly and continued to build. Finney-Smith gave Houston its first double-digit lead at 40-30 with a 3-pointer at the 9:18 mark. When Eason sank consecutive pull-up jumpers, that cushion reached 56-36 with 3:51 left in the half. Sheppard bridged the halves with a flourish, first with a dunk that gave the Rockets a 66-45 lead. He then opened the third quarter with consecutive 3s that ignited the rout. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Rockets #rest #starters #rout #shorthanded #Grizzlies

Deadspin | Rockets rest starters, rout short-handed Grizzlies
Deadspin | Rockets rest starters, rout short-handed Grizzlies Apr 12, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Jae’sean Tate (8) attempts to get control of a loose ball during the second quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Clint Capela produced a double-double in his third start of the season while Tari Eason and Reed Sheppard combined for 39 points as the host Houston Rockets closed the regular season with a 132-101 victory over the short-handed Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday. The Rockets (52-30) concluded the schedule with nine victories in their last 10 games. With the fifth seed in the Western Conference playoffs already secured, Houston rested four starters in its finale: Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. Capela paired a season-high 23 points on 9-for-11 shooting with 13 rebounds and three blocks. Eason added 20 points and eight rebounds while Sheppard posted 19 points. Jae’Sean Tate tallied 13 points and six rebounds while making his first start of the season. Houston swept a season series against the Grizzlies for the first time since 2009-10. Memphis (25-57) had only seven players available. Dariq Whitehead scored a career-high 26 points; Rayan Rupert (21 points, 12 rebounds) and Jahmai Mashack (11 points, 11 assists) added double-doubles for the Grizzlies, who closed the season with 21 losses in 23 games. Whitehead provided the Grizzlies an early lift with a 3-for-3 start from behind the arc that pushed Memphis to a 13-12 lead. But the Rockets immediately responded with an 7-0 spurt capped by a Sheppard 3-pointer. When the Grizzlies reclaimed the lead with an 8-0 rally, the Rockets fashioned a decisive surge that spun momentum in their favor for good. Houston closed the first period with a 10-0 run that featured free throws from Dorian Finney-Smith, JD Davison and Eason, who added an alley-oop dunk off a Davison assist during the rally. The Rockets, on the strength of 10 second-chance points and 16 points in the paint, carried a modest 32-26 lead into the second quarter. That margin swelled quickly and continued to build. Finney-Smith gave Houston its first double-digit lead at 40-30 with a 3-pointer at the 9:18 mark. When Eason sank consecutive pull-up jumpers, that cushion reached 56-36 with 3:51 left in the half. Sheppard bridged the halves with a flourish, first with a dunk that gave the Rockets a 66-45 lead. He then opened the third quarter with consecutive 3s that ignited the rout. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Rockets #rest #starters #rout #shorthanded #GrizzliesApr 12, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Jae’sean Tate (8) attempts to get control of a loose ball during the second quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Clint Capela produced a double-double in his third start of the season while Tari Eason and Reed Sheppard combined for 39 points as the host Houston Rockets closed the regular season with a 132-101 victory over the short-handed Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.

The Rockets (52-30) concluded the schedule with nine victories in their last 10 games. With the fifth seed in the Western Conference playoffs already secured, Houston rested four starters in its finale: Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr.

Capela paired a season-high 23 points on 9-for-11 shooting with 13 rebounds and three blocks. Eason added 20 points and eight rebounds while Sheppard posted 19 points. Jae’Sean Tate tallied 13 points and six rebounds while making his first start of the season.

Houston swept a season series against the Grizzlies for the first time since 2009-10.


Memphis (25-57) had only seven players available. Dariq Whitehead scored a career-high 26 points; Rayan Rupert (21 points, 12 rebounds) and Jahmai Mashack (11 points, 11 assists) added double-doubles for the Grizzlies, who closed the season with 21 losses in 23 games.

Whitehead provided the Grizzlies an early lift with a 3-for-3 start from behind the arc that pushed Memphis to a 13-12 lead. But the Rockets immediately responded with an 7-0 spurt capped by a Sheppard 3-pointer. When the Grizzlies reclaimed the lead with an 8-0 rally, the Rockets fashioned a decisive surge that spun momentum in their favor for good.

Houston closed the first period with a 10-0 run that featured free throws from Dorian Finney-Smith, JD Davison and Eason, who added an alley-oop dunk off a Davison assist during the rally. The Rockets, on the strength of 10 second-chance points and 16 points in the paint, carried a modest 32-26 lead into the second quarter. That margin swelled quickly and continued to build.

Finney-Smith gave Houston its first double-digit lead at 40-30 with a 3-pointer at the 9:18 mark. When Eason sank consecutive pull-up jumpers, that cushion reached 56-36 with 3:51 left in the half. Sheppard bridged the halves with a flourish, first with a dunk that gave the Rockets a 66-45 lead. He then opened the third quarter with consecutive 3s that ignited the rout.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Rockets #rest #starters #rout #shorthanded #Grizzlies

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Apr 12, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Jae’sean Tate (8) attempts to get control of a loose ball during the second quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Clint Capela produced a double-double in his third start of the season while Tari Eason and Reed Sheppard combined for 39 points as the host Houston Rockets closed the regular season with a 132-101 victory over the short-handed Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.

The Rockets (52-30) concluded the schedule with nine victories in their last 10 games. With the fifth seed in the Western Conference playoffs already secured, Houston rested four starters in its finale: Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr.

Capela paired a season-high 23 points on 9-for-11 shooting with 13 rebounds and three blocks. Eason added 20 points and eight rebounds while Sheppard posted 19 points. Jae’Sean Tate tallied 13 points and six rebounds while making his first start of the season.

Houston swept a season series against the Grizzlies for the first time since 2009-10.

Memphis (25-57) had only seven players available. Dariq Whitehead scored a career-high 26 points; Rayan Rupert (21 points, 12 rebounds) and Jahmai Mashack (11 points, 11 assists) added double-doubles for the Grizzlies, who closed the season with 21 losses in 23 games.

Whitehead provided the Grizzlies an early lift with a 3-for-3 start from behind the arc that pushed Memphis to a 13-12 lead. But the Rockets immediately responded with an 7-0 spurt capped by a Sheppard 3-pointer. When the Grizzlies reclaimed the lead with an 8-0 rally, the Rockets fashioned a decisive surge that spun momentum in their favor for good.

Houston closed the first period with a 10-0 run that featured free throws from Dorian Finney-Smith, JD Davison and Eason, who added an alley-oop dunk off a Davison assist during the rally. The Rockets, on the strength of 10 second-chance points and 16 points in the paint, carried a modest 32-26 lead into the second quarter. That margin swelled quickly and continued to build.

Finney-Smith gave Houston its first double-digit lead at 40-30 with a 3-pointer at the 9:18 mark. When Eason sank consecutive pull-up jumpers, that cushion reached 56-36 with 3:51 left in the half. Sheppard bridged the halves with a flourish, first with a dunk that gave the Rockets a 66-45 lead. He then opened the third quarter with consecutive 3s that ignited the rout.

–Field Level Media

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The Assam Cricket Association (ACA) has announced a cash reward of Rs 25 lakh for the ground staff after successfully hosting three IPL matches this season despite challenging weather conditions.

The curator and groundsmen ensured that the pitches were prepared and maintained to the highest standards.

“Their efforts were central to the smooth conduct of the matches and helped uphold the venue’s growing reputation on the national stage.

“In recognition of their contribution, the association has announced a reward of Rs 25 lakh for the curator and groundsmen, ACA secretary Sanatan Das said in a press release.

ACA president Taranga Gogoi and secretary Das praised the team’s professionalism and commitment, stating that their dedication was instrumental in the seamless execution of the matches.

Heavy rain and thunderstorms severely impacted IPL 2026 matches at Guwahati’s Barsapara Cricket Stadium, with the April 7 Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians match shortened to 11 overs per side.

A later match between RR and Royal Challengers Bengaluru on April 10 also suffered significant rain delays, forcing the ground crew to cover the pitch.

Despite the issues, the groundsmen at the ACA stadium managed to hold the matches.

Published on Apr 13, 2026

#IPL #ACA #announces #lakh #cash #reward #ground #staff">IPL 2026: ACA announces Rs 25 lakh cash reward for ground staff The Assam Cricket Association (ACA) has announced a cash reward of Rs 25 lakh for the ground staff after successfully hosting three IPL matches this season despite challenging weather conditions.The curator and groundsmen ensured that the pitches were prepared and maintained to the highest standards.“Their efforts were central to the smooth conduct of the matches and helped uphold the venue’s growing reputation on the national stage.“In recognition of their contribution, the association has announced a reward of Rs 25 lakh for the curator and groundsmen, ACA secretary Sanatan Das said in a press release.ACA president Taranga Gogoi and secretary Das praised the team’s professionalism and commitment, stating that their dedication was instrumental in the seamless execution of the matches.Heavy rain and thunderstorms severely impacted IPL 2026 matches at Guwahati’s Barsapara Cricket Stadium, with the April 7 Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians match shortened to 11 overs per side.A later match between RR and Royal Challengers Bengaluru on April 10 also suffered significant rain delays, forcing the ground crew to cover the pitch.Despite the issues, the groundsmen at the ACA stadium managed to hold the matches.Published on Apr 13, 2026 #IPL #ACA #announces #lakh #cash #reward #ground #staff

Deadspin | Hornets knock off Knicks to secure East’s ninth seed Apr 12, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) dribbles up court against the New York Knicks during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Brandon Miller, LaMelo Ball and Coby White each scored 19 points as the visiting Charlotte Hornets earned the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament with a 110-96 win over the New York Knicks on Sunday. Ball made five 3-pointers and added seven rebounds and six assists for Charlotte (44-38), which will host the Miami Heat in a No. 9 vs. No. 10 play-in game on Wednesday. Kon Knueppel finished with 14 points, six rebounds and five assists. New York (53-29) had nothing to play for after already clinching the East’s No. 3 seed. With most of their regulars sitting out, the Knicks started Miles McBride, Jose Alvarado, Mikal Bridges, Mohamed Diawara and Ariel Hukporti. Bridges’ consecutive games played streak reached 638 with his brief appearance. Bridges is the NBA’s active leader in consecutive regular-season games played and was replaced by Jordan Clarkson just 23 seconds into the contest as part of a plan by coach Mike Brown to keep the streak intact. McBride made four 3-pointers and scored 21 points for New York, which had its five-game winning streak come to an end. Alvarado had 16 points, Kevin McCullar Jr. added a career-high 14, Pacome Dadiet scored a career-high 12, and Jeremy Sochan also tallied 12. New York will face the East’s No. 6 seed in a first-round series beginning either Saturday or Sunday. The Hornets shot 45.9% from the field and 36.5% (19 of 52) from 3-point range. Ten different players played at least 12 minutes for New York, which connected on 43.3% of its shots from the field and 32.5% (13 of 40) from beyond the arc. Charlotte led 30-20 at the end of the opening quarter and extended its lead to 50-35 on Miller’s two foul shots with 3:34 left in the second. The Hornets took a 57-44 lead into the half. Knueppel drilled one of his three 3-pointers to give the Hornets a 69-54 lead with 8:53 left in the third quarter. Charlotte held an 87-73 advantage at the end of the period. The Hornets maintained a double-digit lead throughout the fourth quarter and led 108-91 on Sion James’s trey with 3:02 remaining. Both teams garnered a dozen offensive rebounds, but Charlotte outscored New York, 26-12 on second chance points. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Hornets #knock #Knicks #secure #Easts #ninth #seedApr 12, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) dribbles up court against the New York Knicks during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Brandon Miller, LaMelo Ball and Coby White each scored 19 points as the visiting Charlotte Hornets earned the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament with a 110-96 win over the New York Knicks on Sunday.

Ball made five 3-pointers and added seven rebounds and six assists for Charlotte (44-38), which will host the Miami Heat in a No. 9 vs. No. 10 play-in game on Wednesday. Kon Knueppel finished with 14 points, six rebounds and five assists.

New York (53-29) had nothing to play for after already clinching the East’s No. 3 seed. With most of their regulars sitting out, the Knicks started Miles McBride, Jose Alvarado, Mikal Bridges, Mohamed Diawara and Ariel Hukporti.

Bridges’ consecutive games played streak reached 638 with his brief appearance.

Bridges is the NBA’s active leader in consecutive regular-season games played and was replaced by Jordan Clarkson just 23 seconds into the contest as part of a plan by coach Mike Brown to keep the streak intact.

McBride made four 3-pointers and scored 21 points for New York, which had its five-game winning streak come to an end. Alvarado had 16 points, Kevin McCullar Jr. added a career-high 14, Pacome Dadiet scored a career-high 12, and Jeremy Sochan also tallied 12.


New York will face the East’s No. 6 seed in a first-round series beginning either Saturday or Sunday.

The Hornets shot 45.9% from the field and 36.5% (19 of 52) from 3-point range.

Ten different players played at least 12 minutes for New York, which connected on 43.3% of its shots from the field and 32.5% (13 of 40) from beyond the arc.

Charlotte led 30-20 at the end of the opening quarter and extended its lead to 50-35 on Miller’s two foul shots with 3:34 left in the second. The Hornets took a 57-44 lead into the half.

Knueppel drilled one of his three 3-pointers to give the Hornets a 69-54 lead with 8:53 left in the third quarter. Charlotte held an 87-73 advantage at the end of the period.

The Hornets maintained a double-digit lead throughout the fourth quarter and led 108-91 on Sion James’s trey with 3:02 remaining.

Both teams garnered a dozen offensive rebounds, but Charlotte outscored New York, 26-12 on second chance points.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Hornets #knock #Knicks #secure #Easts #ninth #seed">Deadspin | Hornets knock off Knicks to secure East’s ninth seed Apr 12, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) dribbles up court against the New York Knicks during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Brandon Miller, LaMelo Ball and Coby White each scored 19 points as the visiting Charlotte Hornets earned the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament with a 110-96 win over the New York Knicks on Sunday. Ball made five 3-pointers and added seven rebounds and six assists for Charlotte (44-38), which will host the Miami Heat in a No. 9 vs. No. 10 play-in game on Wednesday. Kon Knueppel finished with 14 points, six rebounds and five assists. New York (53-29) had nothing to play for after already clinching the East’s No. 3 seed. With most of their regulars sitting out, the Knicks started Miles McBride, Jose Alvarado, Mikal Bridges, Mohamed Diawara and Ariel Hukporti. Bridges’ consecutive games played streak reached 638 with his brief appearance. Bridges is the NBA’s active leader in consecutive regular-season games played and was replaced by Jordan Clarkson just 23 seconds into the contest as part of a plan by coach Mike Brown to keep the streak intact. McBride made four 3-pointers and scored 21 points for New York, which had its five-game winning streak come to an end. Alvarado had 16 points, Kevin McCullar Jr. added a career-high 14, Pacome Dadiet scored a career-high 12, and Jeremy Sochan also tallied 12. New York will face the East’s No. 6 seed in a first-round series beginning either Saturday or Sunday. The Hornets shot 45.9% from the field and 36.5% (19 of 52) from 3-point range. Ten different players played at least 12 minutes for New York, which connected on 43.3% of its shots from the field and 32.5% (13 of 40) from beyond the arc. Charlotte led 30-20 at the end of the opening quarter and extended its lead to 50-35 on Miller’s two foul shots with 3:34 left in the second. The Hornets took a 57-44 lead into the half. Knueppel drilled one of his three 3-pointers to give the Hornets a 69-54 lead with 8:53 left in the third quarter. Charlotte held an 87-73 advantage at the end of the period. The Hornets maintained a double-digit lead throughout the fourth quarter and led 108-91 on Sion James’s trey with 3:02 remaining. Both teams garnered a dozen offensive rebounds, but Charlotte outscored New York, 26-12 on second chance points. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Hornets #knock #Knicks #secure #Easts #ninth #seed

The NBA’s 65-game rule is wreaking havoc on the awards landscape to end the 2025-26 season. Luka Doncic won’t be eligible for MVP, Cade Cunningham doesn’t qualify for the First-Team All-NBA honors he deserves, and Anthony Edwards didn’t play enough games for an All-NBA nod, either.

This year will be remembered for another close MVP race between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic — only this time, Victor Wembanyama made it a three man choice. Wembanyama’s ascension is the biggest story of the season, even if it isn’t surprising for a player getting compared to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar a year before he was drafted. Wembanyama will be the favorite to win MVP next season, and he’ll almost certainly win the league’s top individual honor at least a few times in his career, but he’s not quite there yet.

With the regular season now over, here’s our picks for every NBA award this season.

MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Nikola Jokic has been the best player in the world for the last five years, but this is the season Gilgeous-Alexander stole that title away from him. It’s excruciating not to give Jokic his fourth MVP after a season where he led the league in both rebounds and assists while scoring just about as well as ever, but it’s a testament to SGA’s level that he’s still ultimately most deserving of the honor. Don’t believe the narrative that Gilgeous-Alexander is simply a free throw merchant (Austin Reaves had a higher free throw rate this year) or that OKC’s success is only about its defense. Switch SGA with even another offensive star like Jalen Brunson, and there would be so many more holes to pick in the Thunder. He was already the best guard alive even before he unleashed a deadly step-back three-pointer this year, which he used to win several games at the buzzer. Gilgeous-Alexander putting up 45.3 points per 100 possession on 66.5 percent true shooting is simply absurd stuff for a 6’6 guy. He’s legitimately one of the best guards the league has seen post-Michael Jordan, and Steph Curry is really the only guard I feel comfortable saying had an objectively higher peak in the time since. SGA crushed Jokic in EPM (+9.3 to Jokic’s +8.0) and estimated wins (+19.1 to +17.1) this year. Some of the other advanced stats slightly favor Jokic or even Wembanyama, but Shai grades out as an elite player in all of them, and the Thunder would have been nowhere close to 64 wins without him, especially in a year where Jalen Williams barely played. Wemby is coming for the Best in the World title next season, but SGA has it for now, along with what should be his second MVP.

Defensive Player of the Year: Victor Wembanyama

There’s no need to spend much time on this one. Apologies to Bill Russell, but Wembanyama is already maybe the best defensive player in league history at age-22. With an 8-foot wingspan, incredible speed, and a high motor, he’s going to win this award every year for the foreseeable future as long as he plays enough games. If Wembanyama weren’t eligible this season, I’d go with Chet Holmgren as a distant second choice.

Rookie of the Year: Kon Knueppel

I went longer on this year’s Rookie of the Year race last week, but Knueppel deserves the award over his college teammate Cooper Flagg because he was simply a better and more impactful player this season. Knueppel’s shooting and screening have been elite traits from day one. I’d say he’s been a top-50 player in the entire league as a rookie. Flagg would still go No. 1 in a redraft, but Knueppel has been the NBA’s best rookie this season, and I honestly don’t think it’s all that close.

Sixth Man of the Year: Keldon Johnson

I agree with Mat Issa’s analysis of the Sixth Man of the Year race: this is Keldon Johnson vs. Jaime Jaquez, and Johnson has a slight edge for being a little bit more impactful.

Coach of the Year: JB Bickerstaff

I considered Joe Mazzula, Jordan Ott, and Charles Lee for this honor, but ultimately Bickerstaff deserves the nod for getting this Pistons team from 14 wins to 44 wins to 60 wins. I felt like Detroit downgraded over the offseason by losing Dennis Schroder and Malik Beasley among others, but Bickerstaff got the most out of the defense, developed two-way guard Daniss Jenkins into a key contributor, and found ways to prioritize Jalen Duren offensively as he made a huge leap. Bickerstaff deserves a lot of credit for Detroit going 13-5 without Cade Cunningham this season, and he’s the brains behind the league’s No. 2 overall defense. The Pistons’ preseason over/under was only 46.5 wins. No one thought this would be the best team in the East this season, and Bickerstaff’s fingerprints are all over their success. The Monty Williams era seems so long ago at this point, and that might be Bickerstaff’s biggest accomplishment yet.

Clutch Player of the Year: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Gilgeous-Alexnader led the league with 175 points in the clutch this season. Jamal Murray (166) and Nikola Jokic (155) were second and third in that category, but unlike Denver’s star duo, SGA didn’t really have anyone else to take the pressure off him in late-game situations. Chet Holmgren was the only other Thunder player to finish top-100 in clutch points this year by checking in at No. 49. The development of his step-back, like the game-winner against Denver above, is going to make him so much harder to guard in the playoffs.

Most Improved Player: Jalen Duren

There are plenty of worthy candidates for this award, but it still feels like it’s going to come down to Nickeil Alexander-Walker vs. Duren. I’m going with the Pistons center because I feel like the leap he made this season — going from a pretty good starter to a potential All-NBA nod — is more difficult than the one NAW made. I had Duren at No. 5 on my 2022 draft board, so I always believed he had this type of development in him coming out of Memphis. Duren was the NBA’s youngest player as a rookie, and he was the first guy to enter the league who was born after LeBron’s debut. It’s wild to think he’s still only 22 years old, and he’s younger than several projected first-round picks in the 2026 draft, including Bennett Stirtz, Thomas Haugh, and of course Yaxel Lendeborg. His ability to attack off the dribble just exploded this year, and he also became more efficient from short mid-range, while continuing to crush the glass at both ends. Detroit’s offense scored 122 points per 100 possessions with Duren on the floor this year for more than 1,800 minutes — which would have led the league. When he was off, the team only scored 114.7 points per 100. His free throw improvement from 66.9 percent last year to 74.7 percent this year is also part of the story. Duren’s defense can still get better, and he’s got plenty of time for that. He’s one of the best centers in the league right now, and I don’t think anyone saw that coming before this season started.

NBA All-Defensive Team picks

First team: Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, Bam Adebayo, Derrick White, Rudy Gobert

Second team: Scottie Barnes, Amen Thompson, Ausar Thompson, OG Anunoby, Cason Wallace

First team: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Kawhi Leonard, Donovan Mitchell

Second team: Jaylen Brown, Chet Holmgren, Jamal Murray, Jalen Duren, LaMelo Ball

Third team: Tyrese Maxey, Kevin Durant, Derrick White, Jalen Brunson, Scottie Barnes

#NBA #awards #picks #honor #including #MVP #Rookie #Year #AllNBA">NBA awards picks for every honor, including MVP, Rookie of the Year, All-NBA, and more The NBA’s 65-game rule is wreaking havoc on the awards landscape to end the 2025-26 season. Luka Doncic won’t be eligible for MVP, Cade Cunningham doesn’t qualify for the First-Team All-NBA honors he deserves, and Anthony Edwards didn’t play enough games for an All-NBA nod, either.This year will be remembered for another close MVP race between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic — only this time, Victor Wembanyama made it a three man choice. Wembanyama’s ascension is the biggest story of the season, even if it isn’t surprising for a player getting compared to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar a year before he was drafted. Wembanyama will be the favorite to win MVP next season, and he’ll almost certainly win the league’s top individual honor at least a few times in his career, but he’s not quite there yet.With the regular season now over, here’s our picks for every NBA award this season.MVP: Shai Gilgeous-AlexanderNikola Jokic has been the best player in the world for the last five years, but this is the season Gilgeous-Alexander stole that title away from him. It’s excruciating not to give Jokic his fourth MVP after a season where he led the league in both rebounds and assists while scoring just about as well as ever, but it’s a testament to SGA’s level that he’s still ultimately most deserving of the honor. Don’t believe the narrative that Gilgeous-Alexander is simply a free throw merchant (Austin Reaves had a higher free throw rate this year) or that OKC’s success is only about its defense. Switch SGA with even another offensive star like Jalen Brunson, and there would be so many more holes to pick in the Thunder. He was already the best guard alive even before he unleashed a deadly step-back three-pointer this year, which he used to win several games at the buzzer. Gilgeous-Alexander putting up 45.3 points per 100 possession on 66.5 percent true shooting is simply absurd stuff for a 6’6 guy. He’s legitimately one of the best guards the league has seen post-Michael Jordan, and Steph Curry is really the only guard I feel comfortable saying had an objectively higher peak in the time since. SGA crushed Jokic in EPM (+9.3 to Jokic’s +8.0) and estimated wins (+19.1 to +17.1) this year. Some of the other advanced stats slightly favor Jokic or even Wembanyama, but Shai grades out as an elite player in all of them, and the Thunder would have been nowhere close to 64 wins without him, especially in a year where Jalen Williams barely played. Wemby is coming for the Best in the World title next season, but SGA has it for now, along with what should be his second MVP.Defensive Player of the Year: Victor WembanyamaThere’s no need to spend much time on this one. Apologies to Bill Russell, but Wembanyama is already maybe the best defensive player in league history at age-22. With an 8-foot wingspan, incredible speed, and a high motor, he’s going to win this award every year for the foreseeable future as long as he plays enough games. If Wembanyama weren’t eligible this season, I’d go with Chet Holmgren as a distant second choice.Rookie of the Year: Kon KnueppelI went longer on this year’s Rookie of the Year race last week, but Knueppel deserves the award over his college teammate Cooper Flagg because he was simply a better and more impactful player this season. Knueppel’s shooting and screening have been elite traits from day one. I’d say he’s been a top-50 player in the entire league as a rookie. Flagg would still go No. 1 in a redraft, but Knueppel has been the NBA’s best rookie this season, and I honestly don’t think it’s all that close.Sixth Man of the Year: Keldon JohnsonI agree with Mat Issa’s analysis of the Sixth Man of the Year race: this is Keldon Johnson vs. Jaime Jaquez, and Johnson has a slight edge for being a little bit more impactful.Coach of the Year: JB BickerstaffI considered Joe Mazzula, Jordan Ott, and Charles Lee for this honor, but ultimately Bickerstaff deserves the nod for getting this Pistons team from 14 wins to 44 wins to 60 wins. I felt like Detroit downgraded over the offseason by losing Dennis Schroder and Malik Beasley among others, but Bickerstaff got the most out of the defense, developed two-way guard Daniss Jenkins into a key contributor, and found ways to prioritize Jalen Duren offensively as he made a huge leap. Bickerstaff deserves a lot of credit for Detroit going 13-5 without Cade Cunningham this season, and he’s the brains behind the league’s No. 2 overall defense. The Pistons’ preseason over/under was only 46.5 wins. No one thought this would be the best team in the East this season, and Bickerstaff’s fingerprints are all over their success. The Monty Williams era seems so long ago at this point, and that might be Bickerstaff’s biggest accomplishment yet.Clutch Player of the Year: Shai Gilgeous-AlexanderGilgeous-Alexnader led the league with 175 points in the clutch this season. Jamal Murray (166) and Nikola Jokic (155) were second and third in that category, but unlike Denver’s star duo, SGA didn’t really have anyone else to take the pressure off him in late-game situations. Chet Holmgren was the only other Thunder player to finish top-100 in clutch points this year by checking in at No. 49. The development of his step-back, like the game-winner against Denver above, is going to make him so much harder to guard in the playoffs.Most Improved Player: Jalen DurenThere are plenty of worthy candidates for this award, but it still feels like it’s going to come down to Nickeil Alexander-Walker vs. Duren. I’m going with the Pistons center because I feel like the leap he made this season — going from a pretty good starter to a potential All-NBA nod — is more difficult than the one NAW made. I had Duren at No. 5 on my 2022 draft board, so I always believed he had this type of development in him coming out of Memphis. Duren was the NBA’s youngest player as a rookie, and he was the first guy to enter the league who was born after LeBron’s debut. It’s wild to think he’s still only 22 years old, and he’s younger than several projected first-round picks in the 2026 draft, including Bennett Stirtz, Thomas Haugh, and of course Yaxel Lendeborg. His ability to attack off the dribble just exploded this year, and he also became more efficient from short mid-range, while continuing to crush the glass at both ends. Detroit’s offense scored 122 points per 100 possessions with Duren on the floor this year for more than 1,800 minutes — which would have led the league. When he was off, the team only scored 114.7 points per 100. His free throw improvement from 66.9 percent last year to 74.7 percent this year is also part of the story. Duren’s defense can still get better, and he’s got plenty of time for that. He’s one of the best centers in the league right now, and I don’t think anyone saw that coming before this season started.NBA All-Defensive Team picksFirst team: Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, Bam Adebayo, Derrick White, Rudy GobertSecond team: Scottie Barnes, Amen Thompson, Ausar Thompson, OG Anunoby, Cason WallaceFirst team: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Kawhi Leonard, Donovan MitchellSecond team: Jaylen Brown, Chet Holmgren, Jamal Murray, Jalen Duren, LaMelo BallThird team: Tyrese Maxey, Kevin Durant, Derrick White, Jalen Brunson, Scottie Barnes #NBA #awards #picks #honor #including #MVP #Rookie #Year #AllNBA

NBA’s 65-game rule is wreaking havoc on the awards landscape to end the 2025-26 season. Luka Doncic won’t be eligible for MVP, Cade Cunningham doesn’t qualify for the First-Team All-NBA honors he deserves, and Anthony Edwards didn’t play enough games for an All-NBA nod, either.

This year will be remembered for another close MVP race between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic — only this time, Victor Wembanyama made it a three man choice. Wembanyama’s ascension is the biggest story of the season, even if it isn’t surprising for a player getting compared to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar a year before he was drafted. Wembanyama will be the favorite to win MVP next season, and he’ll almost certainly win the league’s top individual honor at least a few times in his career, but he’s not quite there yet.

With the regular season now over, here’s our picks for every NBA award this season.

MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Nikola Jokic has been the best player in the world for the last five years, but this is the season Gilgeous-Alexander stole that title away from him. It’s excruciating not to give Jokic his fourth MVP after a season where he led the league in both rebounds and assists while scoring just about as well as ever, but it’s a testament to SGA’s level that he’s still ultimately most deserving of the honor. Don’t believe the narrative that Gilgeous-Alexander is simply a free throw merchant (Austin Reaves had a higher free throw rate this year) or that OKC’s success is only about its defense. Switch SGA with even another offensive star like Jalen Brunson, and there would be so many more holes to pick in the Thunder. He was already the best guard alive even before he unleashed a deadly step-back three-pointer this year, which he used to win several games at the buzzer. Gilgeous-Alexander putting up 45.3 points per 100 possession on 66.5 percent true shooting is simply absurd stuff for a 6’6 guy. He’s legitimately one of the best guards the league has seen post-Michael Jordan, and Steph Curry is really the only guard I feel comfortable saying had an objectively higher peak in the time since. SGA crushed Jokic in EPM (+9.3 to Jokic’s +8.0) and estimated wins (+19.1 to +17.1) this year. Some of the other advanced stats slightly favor Jokic or even Wembanyama, but Shai grades out as an elite player in all of them, and the Thunder would have been nowhere close to 64 wins without him, especially in a year where Jalen Williams barely played. Wemby is coming for the Best in the World title next season, but SGA has it for now, along with what should be his second MVP.

Defensive Player of the Year: Victor Wembanyama

There’s no need to spend much time on this one. Apologies to Bill Russell, but Wembanyama is already maybe the best defensive player in league history at age-22. With an 8-foot wingspan, incredible speed, and a high motor, he’s going to win this award every year for the foreseeable future as long as he plays enough games. If Wembanyama weren’t eligible this season, I’d go with Chet Holmgren as a distant second choice.

Rookie of the Year: Kon Knueppel

I went longer on this year’s Rookie of the Year race last week, but Knueppel deserves the award over his college teammate Cooper Flagg because he was simply a better and more impactful player this season. Knueppel’s shooting and screening have been elite traits from day one. I’d say he’s been a top-50 player in the entire league as a rookie. Flagg would still go No. 1 in a redraft, but Knueppel has been the NBA’s best rookie this season, and I honestly don’t think it’s all that close.

Sixth Man of the Year: Keldon Johnson

I agree with Mat Issa’s analysis of the Sixth Man of the Year race: this is Keldon Johnson vs. Jaime Jaquez, and Johnson has a slight edge for being a little bit more impactful.

Coach of the Year: JB Bickerstaff

I considered Joe Mazzula, Jordan Ott, and Charles Lee for this honor, but ultimately Bickerstaff deserves the nod for getting this Pistons team from 14 wins to 44 wins to 60 wins. I felt like Detroit downgraded over the offseason by losing Dennis Schroder and Malik Beasley among others, but Bickerstaff got the most out of the defense, developed two-way guard Daniss Jenkins into a key contributor, and found ways to prioritize Jalen Duren offensively as he made a huge leap. Bickerstaff deserves a lot of credit for Detroit going 13-5 without Cade Cunningham this season, and he’s the brains behind the league’s No. 2 overall defense. The Pistons’ preseason over/under was only 46.5 wins. No one thought this would be the best team in the East this season, and Bickerstaff’s fingerprints are all over their success. The Monty Williams era seems so long ago at this point, and that might be Bickerstaff’s biggest accomplishment yet.

Clutch Player of the Year: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Gilgeous-Alexnader led the league with 175 points in the clutch this season. Jamal Murray (166) and Nikola Jokic (155) were second and third in that category, but unlike Denver’s star duo, SGA didn’t really have anyone else to take the pressure off him in late-game situations. Chet Holmgren was the only other Thunder player to finish top-100 in clutch points this year by checking in at No. 49. The development of his step-back, like the game-winner against Denver above, is going to make him so much harder to guard in the playoffs.

Most Improved Player: Jalen Duren

There are plenty of worthy candidates for this award, but it still feels like it’s going to come down to Nickeil Alexander-Walker vs. Duren. I’m going with the Pistons center because I feel like the leap he made this season — going from a pretty good starter to a potential All-NBA nod — is more difficult than the one NAW made. I had Duren at No. 5 on my 2022 draft board, so I always believed he had this type of development in him coming out of Memphis. Duren was the NBA’s youngest player as a rookie, and he was the first guy to enter the league who was born after LeBron’s debut. It’s wild to think he’s still only 22 years old, and he’s younger than several projected first-round picks in the 2026 draft, including Bennett Stirtz, Thomas Haugh, and of course Yaxel Lendeborg. His ability to attack off the dribble just exploded this year, and he also became more efficient from short mid-range, while continuing to crush the glass at both ends. Detroit’s offense scored 122 points per 100 possessions with Duren on the floor this year for more than 1,800 minutes — which would have led the league. When he was off, the team only scored 114.7 points per 100. His free throw improvement from 66.9 percent last year to 74.7 percent this year is also part of the story. Duren’s defense can still get better, and he’s got plenty of time for that. He’s one of the best centers in the league right now, and I don’t think anyone saw that coming before this season started.

NBA All-Defensive Team picks

First team: Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, Bam Adebayo, Derrick White, Rudy Gobert

Second team: Scottie Barnes, Amen Thompson, Ausar Thompson, OG Anunoby, Cason Wallace

First team: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Kawhi Leonard, Donovan Mitchell

Second team: Jaylen Brown, Chet Holmgren, Jamal Murray, Jalen Duren, LaMelo Ball

Third team: Tyrese Maxey, Kevin Durant, Derrick White, Jalen Brunson, Scottie Barnes

#NBA #awards #picks #honor #including #MVP #Rookie #Year #AllNBA">NBA awards picks for every honor, including MVP, Rookie of the Year, All-NBA, and more

The NBA’s 65-game rule is wreaking havoc on the awards landscape to end the 2025-26 season. Luka Doncic won’t be eligible for MVP, Cade Cunningham doesn’t qualify for the First-Team All-NBA honors he deserves, and Anthony Edwards didn’t play enough games for an All-NBA nod, either.

This year will be remembered for another close MVP race between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic — only this time, Victor Wembanyama made it a three man choice. Wembanyama’s ascension is the biggest story of the season, even if it isn’t surprising for a player getting compared to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar a year before he was drafted. Wembanyama will be the favorite to win MVP next season, and he’ll almost certainly win the league’s top individual honor at least a few times in his career, but he’s not quite there yet.

With the regular season now over, here’s our picks for every NBA award this season.

MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Nikola Jokic has been the best player in the world for the last five years, but this is the season Gilgeous-Alexander stole that title away from him. It’s excruciating not to give Jokic his fourth MVP after a season where he led the league in both rebounds and assists while scoring just about as well as ever, but it’s a testament to SGA’s level that he’s still ultimately most deserving of the honor. Don’t believe the narrative that Gilgeous-Alexander is simply a free throw merchant (Austin Reaves had a higher free throw rate this year) or that OKC’s success is only about its defense. Switch SGA with even another offensive star like Jalen Brunson, and there would be so many more holes to pick in the Thunder. He was already the best guard alive even before he unleashed a deadly step-back three-pointer this year, which he used to win several games at the buzzer. Gilgeous-Alexander putting up 45.3 points per 100 possession on 66.5 percent true shooting is simply absurd stuff for a 6’6 guy. He’s legitimately one of the best guards the league has seen post-Michael Jordan, and Steph Curry is really the only guard I feel comfortable saying had an objectively higher peak in the time since. SGA crushed Jokic in EPM (+9.3 to Jokic’s +8.0) and estimated wins (+19.1 to +17.1) this year. Some of the other advanced stats slightly favor Jokic or even Wembanyama, but Shai grades out as an elite player in all of them, and the Thunder would have been nowhere close to 64 wins without him, especially in a year where Jalen Williams barely played. Wemby is coming for the Best in the World title next season, but SGA has it for now, along with what should be his second MVP.

Defensive Player of the Year: Victor Wembanyama

There’s no need to spend much time on this one. Apologies to Bill Russell, but Wembanyama is already maybe the best defensive player in league history at age-22. With an 8-foot wingspan, incredible speed, and a high motor, he’s going to win this award every year for the foreseeable future as long as he plays enough games. If Wembanyama weren’t eligible this season, I’d go with Chet Holmgren as a distant second choice.

Rookie of the Year: Kon Knueppel

I went longer on this year’s Rookie of the Year race last week, but Knueppel deserves the award over his college teammate Cooper Flagg because he was simply a better and more impactful player this season. Knueppel’s shooting and screening have been elite traits from day one. I’d say he’s been a top-50 player in the entire league as a rookie. Flagg would still go No. 1 in a redraft, but Knueppel has been the NBA’s best rookie this season, and I honestly don’t think it’s all that close.

Sixth Man of the Year: Keldon Johnson

I agree with Mat Issa’s analysis of the Sixth Man of the Year race: this is Keldon Johnson vs. Jaime Jaquez, and Johnson has a slight edge for being a little bit more impactful.

Coach of the Year: JB Bickerstaff

I considered Joe Mazzula, Jordan Ott, and Charles Lee for this honor, but ultimately Bickerstaff deserves the nod for getting this Pistons team from 14 wins to 44 wins to 60 wins. I felt like Detroit downgraded over the offseason by losing Dennis Schroder and Malik Beasley among others, but Bickerstaff got the most out of the defense, developed two-way guard Daniss Jenkins into a key contributor, and found ways to prioritize Jalen Duren offensively as he made a huge leap. Bickerstaff deserves a lot of credit for Detroit going 13-5 without Cade Cunningham this season, and he’s the brains behind the league’s No. 2 overall defense. The Pistons’ preseason over/under was only 46.5 wins. No one thought this would be the best team in the East this season, and Bickerstaff’s fingerprints are all over their success. The Monty Williams era seems so long ago at this point, and that might be Bickerstaff’s biggest accomplishment yet.

Clutch Player of the Year: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Gilgeous-Alexnader led the league with 175 points in the clutch this season. Jamal Murray (166) and Nikola Jokic (155) were second and third in that category, but unlike Denver’s star duo, SGA didn’t really have anyone else to take the pressure off him in late-game situations. Chet Holmgren was the only other Thunder player to finish top-100 in clutch points this year by checking in at No. 49. The development of his step-back, like the game-winner against Denver above, is going to make him so much harder to guard in the playoffs.

Most Improved Player: Jalen Duren

There are plenty of worthy candidates for this award, but it still feels like it’s going to come down to Nickeil Alexander-Walker vs. Duren. I’m going with the Pistons center because I feel like the leap he made this season — going from a pretty good starter to a potential All-NBA nod — is more difficult than the one NAW made. I had Duren at No. 5 on my 2022 draft board, so I always believed he had this type of development in him coming out of Memphis. Duren was the NBA’s youngest player as a rookie, and he was the first guy to enter the league who was born after LeBron’s debut. It’s wild to think he’s still only 22 years old, and he’s younger than several projected first-round picks in the 2026 draft, including Bennett Stirtz, Thomas Haugh, and of course Yaxel Lendeborg. His ability to attack off the dribble just exploded this year, and he also became more efficient from short mid-range, while continuing to crush the glass at both ends. Detroit’s offense scored 122 points per 100 possessions with Duren on the floor this year for more than 1,800 minutes — which would have led the league. When he was off, the team only scored 114.7 points per 100. His free throw improvement from 66.9 percent last year to 74.7 percent this year is also part of the story. Duren’s defense can still get better, and he’s got plenty of time for that. He’s one of the best centers in the league right now, and I don’t think anyone saw that coming before this season started.

NBA All-Defensive Team picks

First team: Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, Bam Adebayo, Derrick White, Rudy Gobert

Second team: Scottie Barnes, Amen Thompson, Ausar Thompson, OG Anunoby, Cason Wallace

First team: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Kawhi Leonard, Donovan Mitchell

Second team: Jaylen Brown, Chet Holmgren, Jamal Murray, Jalen Duren, LaMelo Ball

Third team: Tyrese Maxey, Kevin Durant, Derrick White, Jalen Brunson, Scottie Barnes

#NBA #awards #picks #honor #including #MVP #Rookie #Year #AllNBA

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