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<p>Staff Writer</p>
<p>Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19</p>


Chris Thompson

JJ Redick Pushed The Panic Button And Lost Anyway

Patrick Redford

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 27: Damian Lillard #0 of the Milwaukee Bucks is helped off the court after an apparent injury during the first quarter in Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Indiana Pacers at Fiserv Forum on April 27, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

The Milwaukee Bucks Are Dead

Ray Ratto

Josh Hart reacts after the Knicks beat the Pistons in Game 4.

The Knicks Got Away With That One

Samer Kalaf

Aaron Gordon #32 of the Denver Nuggets dunks the game winning basket during the fourth quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the LA Clippers

Aaron Gordon Bails Out Nuggets With Buzzer-Beating Dunk

of the Memphis Grizzlies walks off the court against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half of Game Three of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs on April 24, 2025.

For 20 Minutes, The Memphis Grizzlies Were Actually In It

HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 23: Jalen Green #4 of the Houston Rockets reacts in the first half against the Golden State Warriors in Game Two of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center on April 23, 2025 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

Jalen Green Stops Killing The Rockets Long Enough To Kill The Warriors Instead

General manager of the Dallas Mavericks Nico Harrison looks on before the game of the Play-In Tournament against the Memphis Grizzlies on April 18, 2025.

The Mavericks Just Keep On Sending Nico Harrison Out There

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 21: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks and Ausar Thompson #9 of the Detroit Pistons react after a call during the fourth quarter in Game Two of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 21, 2025 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Jalen Brunson Is The NBA’s Premier Falling-Down Artist

Tom Ley

Kawhi Leonard (2) of the LA Clippers drives on Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets during the first quarter at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Saturday, April 19, 2025.

Kawhi Leonard Is Just Living With It

CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 20: Ty Jerome #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrates during the fourth quarter against the Miami Heat in game one of the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs at Rocket Arena on April 20, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Heat 121-100. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

See What Makes The Cavaliers Special Through The Ty Jerome Game

Fred VanVleet #5 of the Houston Rockets dives for the ball against Gary Payton II #0 and Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors during the first quarter in Game One of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs on April 20, 2025.

The Warriors And Rockets Know Each Other’s Weaknesses

Barry Petchesky

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - APRIL 10: Malik Beasley #5 of the Detroit Pistons and Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks look on during the third quarter of a game at Little Caesars Arena on April 10, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)

The Knicks Gave The Pistons A Lesson In Playoff Entropy

Los Angeles, CA - April 19: Minnesota Timberwolves bench reacts after a basket as Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on in the second half of a first round game one NBA basketball game at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 19, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)

The Lakers Have Bigger Problems Than Luka Doncic Can Fix

DENVER, CO - APRIL 19: Russell Westbrook (4) of the Denver Nuggets pushes the ball in transition as Ben Simmons (25) of the LA Clippers defends during the third quarter of the Nuggets' 112-110 overtime win at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Saturday, April 19, 2025. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

There Is No Getting Off The Russell Westbrook Rollercoaster

David Roth

Luis Paez-Pumar

The Wyoming basketball team, left to right: Coach Everett Shelton; James Reese, forward; Milo Komenich, center; Kenny Sailors, forward; James Weir, guard; and Leon Brown, guard.

Silence! You Are Summoned To Read A Preview Of The 2025 NBA Playoffs

Nikola Jokic (15) of the Denver Nuggets argues with referee Justin Van Duyne (64) during the first quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Tuesday, April 1, 2025.

Everyone Can Do That

APRIL 16: (R-L) DeMar DeRozan #10, Domantas Sabonis #11, and Zach LaVine #8 of the Sacramento Kings sit on the bench at the end of the game in their loss to the Dallas Mavericks in othe NBA play-in tournament game at Golden 1 Center on April 16, 2025 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.

Extinguish The Beam

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 15: Zach Edey #14 of the Memphis Grizzlies unsuccessfully goes up for a dunk on Quinten Post #21 of the Golden State Warriors in the first half of the NBA play-in tournament game at Chase Center on April 15, 2025 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Zach Edey Is A Force

Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors reacts after making a basket against the Memphis Grizzlies in the second half of the NBA play-in tournament game at Chase Center on April 15, 2025.

The Warriors Really Had To Work For It

General Manager Nico Harrison of the Dallas Mavericks looks on during the second quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at American Airlines Center on April 09, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.

Nico Harrison Picks Ideal Moment To Piss Off Everyone Again

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 31: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball during the second half against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena on March 31, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images)

The NBA Playoffs Will Be A Clash Of Generations And Styles

Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies reacts during the first half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at FedExForum on April 10, 2025 in Memphis, Tennessee.

Ja Morant Is Doing A New Thing, And That Thing Is Grenade

You Would Cry Too If It Happened To You

Head coach Chris Finch of the Minnesota Timberwolves leaves the court after a game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on February 21, 2025 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

The Timberwolves Collapsed In The Worst Way At The Worst Time

Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth speak during the teams training camp at the UCSD campus in La Jolla, California on Thursday, September 28, 2022.

NBA