5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
May 16, 2025
See You Sunday: Denver’s star duo steps up to keep their season alive
Strawther Spark: An electric 2nd-half eruption to swing Game 6
Celtics-Knicks: Can New York close out the defending champs tonight at MSG?
Boston’s Big Lift: Inside the “Luke Kornet Game” and the Celtics’ unwavering cor
WNBA Preview: Everything to know before the W tips off tonight
All Eyes On MSG: With a 3-2 series lead, Jalen Brunson the Knicks will look to punch their ticket to the East Finals with a win over Jaylen Brown and the defending champion Boston Celtics
WNBA Tips Today: The 2025 WNBA season starts toight, with No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers making her debut and the Golden State Valkyries playing their inaugural game. Saturday on ABC, catch the last two champs in in Aces-Liberty (1 ET) and Caitlin Clark & Angel Reese headlining Sky-Fever (3 ET).
1. NUGGETS OUTLAST THUNDER TO FORCE GAME 7 IN OKC
With Denver’s back against the wall, its dyamic duo delivered – again.
Nuggets 119, Thunder 107: Nikola Jokić notched 29 points, 14 rebounds and 8 assists, while Jamal Murray poured in 25 along with 8 boards and 7 dimes as Denver pulled past Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (32 pts, 6 ast) and OKC to force a Game 7 on Sunday.
After waking up under the weather, Murray found another gear under the lights, setting the tone with an opening 4-point play en route to his sixth 25+ point game when facing elimination.
- Unflappable: Asked postgame if there was any chance he wouldn’t suit up, Murray didn’t hesitate: “Absolutely not.”
That resolve has long defined Denver’s star tandem, which not only led the franchise to its first-ever title in 2023, but has risen to the occasion in win-or-go-home games time and time again.
- Playoff Punch: Since 2019, Jokić and Murray have each scored 25+ in the same Playoff game 19 times – the most by any duo in that span
- Elimination Elevation: In that same stretch, Murray (27.6 pts, 5.3 ast) and Jokić (26.2 pts, 6.7 apg) have combined for an average of 53.8 points and 12.0 assists in elimination matchups while each shooting over 49%
- The Result? The Nuggets are 10-5 in elimination games since 2019 – ranking only behind the Celtics (11-5) in wins and win percentage
What’s Next: Sunday (3:30 ET, ABC) will mark the seventh Game 7 for both Murray and Jokić – more than any other player since 2018-19 – and Denver’s third straight seven-game series dating back to last postseason.
2. DENVER’S DEPTH DIGS DEEP WITH A STRAWTHER SPARK
In Game 5, Jokić (44) and Murray (28) combined for 72 points – yet the Thunder still got the win.
With its season on the line in Game 6, Denver’s stars shined again. But it was the Nuggets’ collective effort – on both ends – that ultimately made the difference.
- Breakout Braun: Christian Braun finished with 23 points, 11 boards, 5 assists and 3 steals, joining Fat Lever (6x), Jokić (6x) and Murray as the only Nuggets to hit those marks in a Playoff game
- Core Contributions: Aaron Gordon finished with a Playoff-high 7 assists, while Michael Porter Jr. (10 pts) rounded out five Nuggets in double figures
- Defensive Anchor: On the end, Peyton Watson finished with a team-best 93.3 DefRtg, helping Denver hold OKC to 4-of-23 from deep in the 2nd half
But it was the least experienced member of the Nuggets’ rotation – sophomore Julian Strawther – who changed the game for good.
With Denver holding an 80-78 lead with 3:03 left in the 3rd, Strawther walked to the scorers’ table — and checked into another zone.
- Instant Ignition: After SGA tied the game, Strawther – who scored just three combined points in Games 3, 4 & 5 – splashed a 3 to give Denver the lead
- One minute later, he buried another, then finished an alley-oop six seconds before the horn to send all arena wild– capping a personal 8-0 flurry and fueling a 10-0 run that gave Denver a lead it never relinquished
- Closing Time: Strawther added seven points in the 4th to finish with a Playoff career-high 15 on the night, capped by a late back-breaking 3 to slam the door shut
- “We all know what he’s capable of,” said Murray on Strawther postgame. “You can see how he can impact the game real quick, and in a high-pressure moment … his energy really set the tone for us.”
“Tonight we had a guy step up,” added Nuggets coach David Adelman on Strawther. “He made some shots and then our main people were still complementary…”
“Now, we’ve put ourselves in a position where we can say, ‘Hey, let’s go see what happens on Sunday.”’
3. CELTICS LOOK TO STAY ALIVE TONIGHT AT MSG
Jaylen Brown reminded New York about the gravity of the task at hand. Against the defending champions, it’s a daunting one.
“You’ve got to beat us four times,” Brown said after Boston’s Game 3 victory.
With or without Jayson Tatum, that truth remains. And Wednesday showed the Knicks what the challenge in front of them truly entails.
Tonight (8 ET, ESPN), the series shifts back to Madison Square Garden for Game 6 with New York carrying a 3-2 lead, again in position to reach the East Finals for the first time since 2000. Boston dodged elimination in Game 5 by trusting its depth to defend the parquet.
- Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla: “Whatever it is that we’ve got to go through, there’s no bunch of people I’d rather do it with than the guys in that locker room. It’s that simple.”
The C’s march onward as Tatum exits the equation. In his absence, a triumphant trio emerged to extend the squad’s season.
- Pocket Full Of 3s: Derrick White – en route to a Playoff-high 34 points – shot 7-for-13 from 3 in Game 4. The team is now 27-3 this season (reg + post) when draining 20+ 3-pointers
- Luke Skyblocker: Luke Kornet blocked a career-high seven shots to spearhead a defensive effort that held Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby to a shared 5-for-26 shooting
- JB Ballin’: Brown stepped into a facilitating role, becoming the first Celtic since 1998 to post 25+ points, 12+ assists and a plus/minus of 28 or better
- “That one’s for JT. Get well bro,” Brown said
Still, the Knicks sit in the driver’s seat. They’ll need Brunson and Towns to bounce back to finish the job in Game 6.
- King of NY: The group is 5-1 this postseason when Brunson drops 30+ points. He did so in five of six games last series but only has once (Game 4) thus far in the semifinals
- KAT Critical: Similarly, New York’s success relies on Towns’ efficiency. It’s 5-2 in these Playoffs when he shoots 45% or better from the field
“You don’t flush it,” said Josh Hart about Game 5. “You watch it, you learn from it and you get better next game.”
4. LUKE LEADS THE WAY: CAN BOSTON’S BENCH DELIVER AGAIN?
Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
The halftime score stood at a tie. With one half separating Boston from season’s end or an extended series, Mazzulla made one change.
He started Luke Kornet in the 3rd quarter.
Elevating the reserve center into the lineup proved to be a stroke of genius, as Kornet put on a defensive clinic throughout the frame and well into the 4th. He spearheaded an effort Wednesday night that staved off elimination.
- Pre-Luke: The Celtics surrendered 10 second-chance points off of six offensive rebounds in the opening half
- Post-Luke: While playing all 12 minutes of the 3rd, Kornet racked up five blocks and rebounds apiece as Boston allowed just four second-chance points the rest of the way
“He’s just good at being in the right place at the right time, anticipating the play on both ends,” Mazzulla said. “It’s just his basketball IQ.”
Game 5 of the East Semifinals may go down as “The Luke Kornet Game” for the Boston faithful, but they’ve seen production from the 8th-year center all season long.
- No Opportunity Wasted: Kornet – who began his career as a Knick for two seasons – wrapped this past regular season with the 2nd-best DefRtg (106.5) among reserve centers
- Big-Man Bonus: His value extends well beyond his position. For reserve players overall, Kornet’s 14.3 NetRtg also ranked 2nd-best in the league
- Al Horford: “His presence is what got us through that moment.”
The very depth that allowed Kornet to take center stage Wednesday was a definitive characteristic of the Celtics’ dominant run to last year’s title.
- Looking Back: In the 2024 Finals, Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday steered the ship in Games 1 and 2, respectively. Then it was the combination of Tatum/Brown in Game 3 and Tatum alone in Game 5, ultimately raising Banner 18
Nearly all members of that championship squad returned for the back-to-back pursuit. Fittingly, Boston’s bench again proved to be one of the Association’s finest.
- Second-Unit Strength: Guided by Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year Payton Pritchard, the group submitted a 60.7 TS% matched by no other team, and a 2nd-best NetRtg of 4.2
- Perfectly Balanced: Five different Celtics boasted a +20 or better in Game 5, marking the franchise’s first such occurrence in the postseason since May 13, 2023
5. 2025 WNBA SEASON TIPS OFF TONIGHT
The WNBA is back, with its 29th season tipping off tonight with a three-game slate
The W is coming off a historic 2024 campaign and is ready to build off that momentum with a new rookie class, a new team in the Bay and the first-ever 44-game season.
Before we dive into what’s happening on opening weekend, let’s rewind to catch you up, beginning with last season.
- Rookie Sensations: Indiana’s Caitlin Clark (league-high 8.4 apg, ROY winner) and Chicago’s Angel Reese (league-high 13.1 rpg) made immediate impacts on the court and helped drive the WNBA to record-breaking attendance and viewership
- A’Season for the Ages: How good was A’ja Wilson last season? Check the stats: 26.9 ppg (best in league history), 11.9 rpg (2nd), 2.58 bpg (1st) and 1.79 spg (5th). The result: becoming the W’s only the 2nd unanimous MVP
- 6th Times The Charm For Liberty: After five runner-up finishes (1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2023), one of the WNBA’s original eight teams claimed its first title by defeating the Lynx in an overtime thriller in a winner-take-all Game 5
A busy WNBA offseason saw some major players on the move, seven head coaching changes, a GOAT calling it a career, and a new No. 1 pick headed to Dallas.
- No. 1s On The Move: Three former No. 1 picks changed teams: Brittney Griner (Mercury to Dream), Jewell Loyd (Storm to Aces) and Kelsey Plum (Aces to Sparks)
- Vets Find New Squads: Indy added DeWanna Bonner & Natasha Howard around Clark, Chicago added Courtney Vandersloot & Ariel Atkins around Reese, Phoenix added Alyssa Thomas & Satou Sabally, New York added Natasha Cloud
- Diana Retires: After a two-decade run in Phoenix that saw three title runs, Diana Taurasi ended her WNBA career as the league’s all-time leading scorer (10,646 – nearly 3k more than any other player)
- Paige Leads Draft Class: After leading UConn to the NCAA title, Paige Bueckers became the 6th former Husky selected No. 1 in the Draft. She heads to Dallas to join Arike Ogunobwale and newcomers DiJonai Carrington & NaLyssa Smith
Sam Hodde/Getty Images
Tonight, the 2025 season tips off with a pair of highly-anticipated debuts.
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