Blown leads, series adjustments & NBA Draft Lottery preview
KOC and Tom Haberstroh react to the Wolves evening their series with the Golden State Warriors at 1-1. Anthony Edwards suffered a bad-looking ankle injury, but miraculously returned for the 2nd half. But does it even matter, as Kevin thinks the Warriors are DONE after this one? PLUS - what team would be the absolute dream landing spot for Cooper Flagg on Monday night's NBA Draft Lottery? The guys preview the Lotto that is just a weekend away!
Up next, NBA Skills Coach Drew Hanlen is back on The KOC Show to talk about how his client Chet Holmgren bounced back to have a great Game 2. What did the Oklahoma City Thunder do different on both ends of the floor to completely neutralize Nikola Jokic? Hanlen also works with Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers, calling him "the best passer in the NBA." With the Pacers set to take on the Cavs in Game 3, KOC wants to know, why doesn't he shoot more??
And then, Noa Dalzell and Jack Simone join KOC to break down how the Boston Celtics have fallen into the completely unexpected 0-2 hole vs the underdog New York Knicks. How much of the blame should superstar Jayson Tatum get, and how much of it falls on HC Joe Mazzulla? Find out the answers to all those questions in this awesome KOC Show conversation!
(0:22) Tom Haberstroh joins the show
(0:33) Wolves beat Steph-less Warriors in Game 2
(18:41) NBA Draft Lottery preview
(35:33) Drew Hanlen joins the show
(36:06) Thunder dominate Nuggets in Game 2
(55:10) Pacers take 2-0 lead vs. Cavs
(1:11:57) Noa Dalzell & Jack Simone join the show
(1:12:32) Celtics blow ANOTHER 20-pt lead to Knicks
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Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Time for a change as coach Thibodeau told to Knick off
Tom Thibodeau just took the New York Knicks to the NBA's Eastern Conference finals, the deepest play-off march in 25 years for a franchise that re-emerged as a contender after he became their coach. For that, he was fired. The Knicks made what they called a "difficult decision" to move on from Thibodeau on Tuesday, believing it was a necessary step in their chase for a championship. "We can't thank Tom enough for pouring his heart and soul into each and every day of being the New York Knicks head coach. He led us not only with class and professionalism for the past five seasons, but also to tremendous success on the court with four play-off berths and four play-off series victories," team president Leon Rose said in a statement. Thank you, Coach Thibodeau. — NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) June 3, 2025 "Ultimately we made the decision we feel is best for our organization moving forward. Tom will always be a part of our Knicks family and we truly wish him nothing but the best." The Knicks were eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 on Saturday night, falling two games short of their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999. Axing the coach is a strange decision by the Knicks, who had been one of the league's worst franchises for most of the 2000s until Thibodeau was hired in 2020. He led the Knicks to the play-offs in his first season, winning his second NBA Coach of the Year award, and they have been solid contenders in recent seasons. They gave Thibodeau a three-year contract extension last summer. Their big breakthrough came in 2024-25, when they knocked off defending champions Boston in the second round to reach the conference finals for the first time since 2000, when Thibodeau was an assistant under Jeff Van Gundy. Thibodeau faced criticisms that his hard-driving style and over-reliance on his starters wore down his players, the same ones who have followed him since the beginning of his head coaching career in Chicago. But his ways seemed to be working in New York. The Knicks hadn't won a play-off series since 2013, but now have done it in three straight seasons. They went 50-32 in 2023-24 and followed that with a 51-31 record this season. Thibodeau grew up as a Knicks fan in Connecticut, before joining the organisation as an assistant coach in 1996. He went on to help the Boston Celtics win the 2008 NBA title as an assistant, earning a reputation as one of the league's top defensive minds, before finally getting a chance as a head coach with the Bulls in 2010-11. He went 62-20 in his first season, earning his first Coach of the Year award. Thibodeau, who spent five seasons with the Bulls and also coached Minnesota, is 578-420 as a head coach.
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
How OKC Thunder gave Denver Nuggets hope in Game 6, 'most dangerous thing' in NBA Playoffs
DENVER — Those sounds: the clamoring from a thirsty Denver crowd, the roars of exhilaration from Jamal Murray's motivated lips. Those looks: the smirk that escaped the otherwise stiff Nikola Jokic during his exit to the tunnel, the loss of color and life from Jalen Williams' expression. Those are the signs of what Alex Caruso was fearful of. Giving the Nuggets hope. Advertisement 'You don't wanna give a team fighting for their life any hope or belief,' Caruso warned hours before Game 6, ahead 3-2 in the Western Conference semifinals then. 'Probably the most dangerous thing you can do.' Invoke danger the Thunder did. Ball Arena was sent into a frenzy by an equal dose of hope and belief. Hope that a Game 7 was possible. Belief that it could stomp the Thunder, 119-107, to unlock it. 'Yeah, I said 'give them hope,'' Caruso recalled to The Oklahoman Thursday night. 'It's not up to us. They have (a) championship mindset. They were always going to come out and throw punches and haymakers tonight. Jamal Murray flexing to the crowd — you can see the emotion and energy that they were playing with.' The door of hope was thrust open as soon as the second quarter. Advertisement MUSSATTO: OKC Thunder needs more from Jalen Williams to oust Nuggets from NBA Playoffs in Game 7 DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 15: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets greets fans after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 119-107 in Game Six of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena on May 15, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. Inside the period, Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams each picked up their third foul. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander picked up his fourth. In all non-Game 2 performances this series — when he played 30 minutes in a blowout Thunder win — SGA has played at least 38 minutes. He played 35 on Thursday. Contact and time were his greatest enemies, a 32-point, six-assist night on 11-of-16 shooting to show for it. His fourth whistle was preventable, a swipe at Jokic after losing the ball. A handful of Jaylin Williams and Hartenstein's fouls stemmed from jumping near Jokic — who finished with an efficient 29 points and 14 boards, attempting 12 free throws — while he made his way to the rim in slow motion. Advertisement SGA and Hartenstein opened the half seemingly avoiding drivers underneath the rim like they were attempting to dodge a laser security system. 'We had some dumb fouls that we could've prevented,' Jaylin Williams told The Oklahoman. 'Nothing really changed. We just gotta be smarter with our contact.' And yet, OKC still found itself in the driver's seat after that: a 12-point lead with two minutes to play in the first half in a game where that kind of deficit felt worth a fortune. That lead was erased in those two minutes. With a pair of Christian Braun 3-pointers. With a steady flow of rim attempts from Denver. Advertisement CARLSON: OKC Thunder falls into cauldron of a Game 7 after failing to eliminate Denver Nuggets Belief seemingly coursed through Murray's bloodstream before Mucinex ever got the chance to. He began Thursday listed as questionable with an illness, something coach David Adelman apparently caught wind of earlier that morning. Murray finished the night with 27 points, seven assists and eight rebounds. He dazzled with marvelous shotmaking, without a jumper worth sneezing at. Perhaps the sideline was contaminated when he nearly crowd surfed at the end of the third quarter; he flexed and grimaced in their air space after a 10-second sequence saw him score a fastbreak layup and draw a pivotal foul to swing the end of the third. He wore the emotions of Denver's Game 6 push. But they all floated to the top with the way the Nuggets closed that third quarter. Advertisement If potential elimination games call for an unsung hero, Nuggets guard Julian Strawther was that. Twice in this series, Strawther played less than five minutes. Once he picked up a DNP. But Thursday, he pumped air into Denver's season. In just over a minute, he scored eight points: two 3s and a funky lob. Arson-worthy for the Denver faithful, migraine-inducing for a Thunder squad aiming to wipe its hands with this round. The Nuggets' lead went from three. To five. To eight. To 10. All in lung-crushing time. 'When halftime ends, you get 24 minutes to play your best, regardless of what just happened,' Daigneault said. 'We had that opportunity. So did they. They outplayed us in the second half.' Advertisement 5 TAKEAWAYS: OKC Thunder fails to close out Denver Nuggets, sending series to Game 7 DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 15: Jamal Murray #27 of the Denver Nuggets reacts as Jalen Williams #8 of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks on during the third quarter in Game Six of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena on May 15, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. Despite Oklahoma City's most recent couple closes, and despite Gilgeous-Alexander's gradual control over his performance in the series, the comeback didn't happen. OKC entered its past three fourth quarters with at least a six-point deficit. The Thunder shot just 38% in Thursday's second half, missing all but two of its fourth-quarter 3-point attempts. Jalen Williams, the Thunder's rightful second All-Star, finished 3 of 16 for a series-low six points. It capped off a 10-of-43 stretch in his past three games. He refused to excuse his wrist. He sat hidden behind his Thunder teammates while the final seconds dwindled, his towel wrapped over his head, his stare stuck on his process. Advertisement The Nuggets won and cheered, the Thunder swallowed defeat and filed to the back halls — all while Williams remained glued to the bench. Unsatisfied. Stuck like stone. 'I just hurt us tonight not making shots,' he said postgame. Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder couldn't outplay hope. Now it's all they have. About as much as they can count on. The Thunder can scrape together three Game 7s between this core. Its eventful, historically great, record-shattering season depends on appearing as competent Sunday as it had through those 82 games. On shoving the idea that they're too prepubescent for the moment, the bright lights, down the throats of their detractors. Advertisement That's all they can believe in Sunday. 'Just gotta go for it,' Caruso said. 'There's no time to be timid. There's no time to second guess. You've gotta just throw your best punch and go for the win. That's probably gonna be our message. 'Do the things that we've done all year to be a great team and go for it.' Joel Lorenzi covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joel? He can be reached at jlorenzi@ or on X/Twitter at @joelxlorenzi. Support Joel's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at Advertisement REPORT CARD: Thunder vs Nuggets grades: Julian Strawther, foul trouble spell trouble for OKC in Game 6 Game 7: Thunder vs. Nuggets TIPOFF: 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Paycom Center (ABC) This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC Thunder gave Denver Nuggets 'most dangerous thing' in NBA Playoffs
Associated Press
34 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Packers' Keisean Nixon now says he remains open to possibility of returning kickoffs
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon remains open to the possibility of returning kickoffs and says he regrets comments he made immediately after the 2024 season indicating otherwise. Nixon, an All-Pro kickoff returner in 2022 and 2023, said the day after the Packers' 22-10 playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles that he's 'kind of through with' returning kicks. Nixon had a different take on the subject Tuesday while speaking during the Packers' organized team activities. 'Of course, I'm open to it,' Nixon said. 'I'm always going to do what the team needs.' Nixon's reluctance about returning kicks stemmed in part because of his increasing role on defense. Nixon said at the time that 'I want to be CB1' and added that 'CB1 is not doing kick returns. That's just what it is.' 'That's a comment I probably could have kept to myself, for sure, but it is what it is,' Nixon said Tuesday. 'I meant what I said, but I'm also a team player. And if the coach and the team need me to do something, I'm going to do it, for sure.' Nixon also wasn't happy with the impact of the dynamic kickoff format that took effect last season. Nixon averaged 29.3 yards on 18 kickoff returns in the 2024 regular season and fumbled the opening kickoff of that playoff loss. He had 35 kickoff returns in 2022 and 30 in 2023. NFL owners voted to move touchbacks on kickoffs from the 30 to the 35 this season, but Nixon has doubts about whether that will lead to more returns. He believes teams still won't want to risk the possibility that he makes a big play. 'The rule change don't matter,' Nixon said. 'I don't think they'll fully kick me the ball. They'd rather (us) get it at the 35 than give it at the 50.' The Packers have other options to return kicks. Green Bay added former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman, who has 45 career kick returns and 89 punt returns. The two receivers Green Bay drafted – Matthew Golden in the first round and Savion Williams in the third – had experience returning kicks in college. Nixon wants to build on what he accomplished on defense last year. His role expanded when two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander played just seven games because of injuries to his knee, quadriceps and groin. Alexander remains on Green Bay's roster, but isn't present for organized team activities as his future with the team remains uncertain. 'I love to play with Jaire,' Nixon said. 'That's just what it is since I've been here. Jaire pushed me to be really who I am because it's always friendly competition between me and him. Whatever happens, happens. We don't have control over that. If he's here, we're going to rock out. If he's not, we're still going to rock out.' Whether or not Alexander plays for the Packers this season, Nixon figures to have major responsibilities on defense again. After most of his previous defensive snaps came as a nickel, Nixon showed an ability to adapt to a new assignment last year. 'To his credit, he's shown a lot of versatility, you know, in terms of how we've used him in the past, switching him from inside to outside,' coach Matt LaFleur said. 'I think he did a lot of great things last year, primarily playing on the outside.' The 27-year-old Nixon believes he still has plenty of room to grow as he enters his seventh NFL season since he played so little defense early in his career. Nixon started his career with Oakland in 2019 and never played more than 15% of the Raiders' defensive snaps in any of his three seasons with them before joining the Packers in 2022. He played 94.1% of Green Bay's defensive snaps last season. 'I don't feel like I'm an old guy yet,' Nixon said. 'I'm in year seven, but my body feels like I'm on year four. Because with the Raiders, I don't feel like I was really on the team, for real. I was just making money, I guess. It's just what it was. When I got here, I feel like I was a rookie.' NOTES: DL Kenny Clark said he underwent surgery on his right foot after the season as he dealt with bunions and bone spurs. Clark, who has been limited in OTAs, says he injured the foot during the Packers' season-opening loss to the Eagles in Brazil. … DL Lukas Van Ness said he wore a full cast up until 'about week 10 or 11' while playing with a broken right thumb last year. ___ AP NFL:
