Best of The Herd

We’ve got a good one today. I opened on why Minnesota keeps getting overlooked, even after swiping Game 1 in San Antonio with their usual fourth‑quarter calm. Nick Wright is coming up, and Frank Isola later on the Knicks.

The Wolves are thick, seasoned, and well coached. Ant can rise above scheme, Conley steadies them, and their length smothered San Antonio’s threes; if it’s tight late, their experience usually wins it.

We tightened our execution and tweaked a few things. I love quarterbacking the offense, getting guys in spots, and earning more trust by making the right reads.

The East is a riddle. The Knicks are scorching, Brunson cruised, and a smart shift to let their big initiate has taken pressure off him; the Sixers were gassed and should look better in Game 2, but New York’s confidence and home floor matter.

Quick NFL futures gut check: schedules swing seasons. Dallas faces a brutal slate after feasting on an easy one, so I lean under. Detroit upgraded and draws a softer path, so I like the over.

LeBron’s a huge underdog against OKC, but his game ages on IQ. That is why I think J.J. Redick fits him: honest voice, high‑level mind. The question is mental, not physical—can the longtime CEO play off the ball and be a third option when needed?

I’m grateful we got that Rockets chapter. With the joystick in his hands, LeBron controlled the series, closed it with a masterclass, and turned a lot of loud skepticism into coping in real time.

On Boston, I don’t want math to run the sport. They went down chucking late, which is a tough watch; how do you see their style and where they go from here?

The league needs variety, not everyone living by the three. Playoff basketball rewards rim pressure and possession wins; Boston keeps flirting with variance, and I’d ask two things this summer: is Jalen Brown the right piece to move, and should they dial back the three‑point throttle?

Back to Wolves‑Spurs: Minnesota’s a nightmare for San Antonio—experience, size, and fourth‑quarter know‑how. They knocked Wemby off rhythm offensively in Game 1.

Wemby’s defense was wild, but Rudy’s strength and familiarity matter. When Gobert is on, both offenses grind; when he sits, Wemby has to defend in space and Minnesota can attack. With Ant’s aggression and real depth, I see the Wolves as favorites.

I’ll give the Knicks credit for the re‑wire. Making their big a hub unclogs the floor and eases Brunson’s load, but I still struggle to grade them in a muddled East.

Three straight wins by more than twenty‑five says sit up and pay attention. The Sixers’ emotion hangover was real, but the winner of this series should be favored in the conference finals—and a Minnesota matchup in June is on the board.

Last one: Brett Veach says Mahomes is ahead of schedule. In this league, if owner, GM, coach, and quarterback are A’s, you’re in the fight—your thoughts?

He’ll be fine for Week 1, and probably on a wedding dance floor before that. With an A‑plus QB, A‑plus coach, a smarter run game, and a front office that keeps solving problems, there’s no rebuild coming—Kansas City will be just fine.

Good energy today. I love a couple of offseason pickups—a new back for the Chiefs and a centerpiece for the Raiders. Those feel like wins.