What's Wright - NBA PLAYOFF REACTION: Knicks & Nuggets CHOKE, LeBron & Lakers CAPITALIZE | Nick Wright

Welcome in. It’s a playoff gauntlet, so pace yourself on sleep, because the games keep swinging. Quick hit to start: Billy Donovan is out in Chicago, which feels more like his call than theirs; he’ll have options. NFL note from the voicemail pile: Trent Williams got paid again, because he’s one of the best left tackles ever. Wemby became the first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year, which always reminds me how 2013 robbed LeBron of both unanimous MVP and DPOY. As for the Warriors, my gut says Steve Kerr stays and likely gets a raise.

Denver had control, then Minnesota snatched Game 2 late. What was the real story?

Minnesota took Denver’s 19-point punch, survived Murray’s half-court heave, and won behind a fourth-quarter squeeze where Jokic and Murray went cold. Rudy Gobert quietly won his minutes against Jokic, especially late, forcing tough looks and turning a monster stat line into low-impact possessions; McDaniels and that perimeter group made Murray work, too. I’m trying not to swing with every game, but the matchup build is real—the Wolves were built to bother Denver. I still lean Nuggets in six with a split in Minnesota and Denver in Game 5, but I’ve moved from “shocked” to “very surprised” if the Wolves take it, and a Game 7 at altitude would not scare them.

The Knicks blew a fourth-quarter lead after CJ McCollum cooked late. How worried should Knicks fans be?

I had Knicks in seven, so a rock fight was expected, but that one stings; they were up double digits entering the fourth and let it slip. CJ closed like a pro, Brunson pressed into too many shots with limited playmaking, and the end-game looked messy because the broadcast briefly showed a timeout they didn’t have, which confused everyone. It’s a real series now, and even if the Knicks advance, that fourth cost energy they’ll want against a fresh Boston.

Did Game 1 flip you from Houston to the Lakers?

Yes. LeBron controlled every possession like a giant Chris Paul, setting the table for everyone while Houston’s depth couldn’t punish him. It’s a must-win for the Rockets in Game 2, and Durant’s status is still cloudy; history says when LeBron’s teams get up two zip or three one, they don’t cough it up.

You said LeBron is still a top-10 playoff guy. Who’s clearly ahead of him right now?

I’d take Jokic, Luka, Shai, Wemby, Tatum, Giannis, and Anthony Edwards before him at this moment. I’ve got LeBron right after that tier, with Steph next, and I’d still ride with LeBron over Kawhi, Booker, Brunson, Mitchell, and Maxey in a seven-game set.

Was KD’s injury just bad luck, or did the heavy load all year play a role?

I’d call it a fluke, but without him the Rockets’ young core looked out of its depth. Amen Thompson needs a jumper to unlock All-NBA upside, and Sengun has to raise his two-way ceiling; the leaked KD critiques shouldn’t have been said, but they matched what we saw.

The Bengals traded the 10th pick straight up for Dexter Lawrence. Smart swing or overpay?

Lawrence helps immediately and the contract isn’t wild, but that price was stunning; trading a confirmed top-10 pick for a non-quarterback almost never happens, basically Randy Moss territory. Great business for the Giants, and for Cincy it only ages well if it leads to a title window payoff or Lawrence hits true DPOY-level impact.

Which contenders impressed you most in their openers?

OKC ran Phoenix off the floor, Boston looked ruthless with Tatum rolling, and Wemby was unguardable once the threes fell. Expect Boston to finish in approximately five while those groups coast into round two; I’m not overreacting to one-off wobbles elsewhere.

We’re doing a mailbag Friday—send questions that aren’t NFL Draft timing-specific. Grab a power nap, enjoy the wall-to-wall hoops, I’m with Colin soon and back here Thursday.