Best of The Herd

It’s Friday, we’ve had a great week, and we’re live with Rachel Nichols stepping in—she’s got an MVP vote, and I’m starting with a game Lakers fans would rather forget.

OKC treated it like playoff night and exposed the Lakers: they hunted Luka and Austin Reaves, LeBron was quiet, and a hamstring scare for Luka underlined how overreliant and lopsided this roster is.

Totally—OKC’s swarming defense set a tone, and with all the chatter about Luka chasing SGA for MVP, they took the matchup personally even before the injury.

The Lakers’ recent zone looks great in-season, but that’s harder to hide behind when teams have time to prep in the playoffs.

Final Four is loaded—Arizona, Michigan, UConn, Illinois—and college hoops keeps offering stylistic variety the NBA often doesn’t.

NIL hasn’t killed parity; outside of UConn’s consistency, new teams keep cycling through, ratings are up, rosters are older, and players finally get paid even if the system still needs guardrails.

Coach, what’s the key to beating Illinois?

They’re complete—elite guard play, a seasoned backcourt mate, shooters, and twin seven-footers—and their tournament defense has erased rim twos, so you have to make perimeter shots to survive.

How did Arizona look to you?

They’re much better than in November, with lottery-level wings and strong bigs around a steady senior point; they don’t live by the three, but they’ll hit them when needed, and our history makes those games grindy.

Michigan felt unstoppable when they’re hitting—fair?

They’re brutal to contain—best player in this field, multiple first-rounders, and real bench punch—so if you can’t keep pace, they separate fast.

UConn surprise you?

No—their culture is steel, they’ve got a core guy chasing a third ring, and they play to the final horn, though I still think Illinois has the better players.

What about Keaton Wogler’s rise?

Under-recruited and maybe not the top NIL earner, yet he became their best player with size and pace that holds up, and while UConn will body him, he’s handled a physical league all year.

Thoughts on Tommy Lloyd staying?

In the NIL and portal era, alignment with your administration and resources beats brand-hopping, so if those boxes are checked, there’s no need to move.

Your read on matchups and swing factors?

Arizona–Michigan feels even and could turn on free throws or foul trouble, while Illinois–UConn hinges on whether Reed can score inside against real size.

Has coaching tone shifted with NIL?

Great teams need stars who invite hard coaching—think Kareem asking Riley to turn up the heat—because when your best players want that edge, the rest follows.

I see three NBA teams who can win it—Spurs, Celtics, OKC—and Boston’s low-turnover, younger front line makes them a clean, efficient machine.

East bracket: Pistons or Hornets?

Pistons if Cade is truly back, though conditioning after a lung issue is a real variable and the Hornets have been hot.

Cavs or Hawks?

Cleveland comfortably; Harden eases Donovan’s load and their size anchors the back line.

Knicks or Sixers?

Leaning Knicks, but recent stagnation worries me while Philly looks friskier, so expect a tight, fun series.

Celtics or Raptors?

Boston, no drama.

Semis and the East champ?

Cavs over Pistons, Celtics over Knicks, and Boston runs the East with star power and math-friendly shooting.

West: Thunder or Blazers?

Thunder handle it with focus and depth.

Nuggets or Rockets?

Denver—Jokic and a deeper group outclass a fun but flawed Houston team.

Lakers or Timberwolves?

Lakers in a squeaker with an asterisk on Luka’s hamstring, because over seven games their scoring pieces should edge it.

Suns or Spurs?

Respect to Phoenix for the fight, but I’m riding with San Antonio and a locked-in Wembanyama.

Who comes out of the West?

Thunder over Denver in a long one, then the Spurs stun OKC as Wemby solves every adjustment the longer it goes.

Finals: young Spurs against the veteran Celtics—I’ll lean San Antonio.

Same here; I’d rather be early on this group, and a Spurs title would mark the generational handoff the league’s been waiting for.

Stephon Castle’s been on a post-break heater from deep, and that shot-making swing could be the difference against Boston.

Great week—thanks to Rachel for jumping in, the draft ramps up next week, we’ll track Luka’s MRI, and we’ll see you Monday.