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Listen. We don’t root for any specific team, but the Wolves’ win last night means we get an extra game of playoff basketball. So for that, we’d like to extend our gratitude to the entire state of Minnesota.

After all, the only type of basketball you can’t enjoy is no basketball.

Today’s Lineup

Full-Court Coverage

Timberwolves keep series alive against Mavs with 105-100 win behind KAT and Ant’s clutch buckets

In a series that has been defined by the dominance of the Mavs’ stars and the struggles of their opposing counterparts, the Wolves decided to flip the script at the perfect time.

Simply put, Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns balled out exactly as hoopers fighting for their playoff lives should. After lulling Dallas into a false sense of security by going inside early, KAT caught fire in the second half from deep, draining four crucial threes to keep Minnesota inching ahead. Ant-Man took advantage of space at every opportunity as well, weaving and fading his way to 28 points including this crucial long two with under a minute to go:

Despite relatively slow nights for Luka and Kyrie, Dallas still found themselves competing in this one thanks to some solid defense, a great interior effort from Daniel Gafford, and a sweet bench-scoring burst from Jaden Hardy. It was all enough to give Mavs fans hope after an incredible dash of Luka Magic in the final minute, but that magic ran out right as he got to the free throw line. On to Minny for Game 5! 💪

Celtics stave off Pacers 105-102 to book second Finals trip in three seasons

In an alternate universe, this series seriously could have been a seven-game all-time classic. But thanks to a few bounces of the ball, some timely shots, and a couple individual clutch defensive stops, the Pacers are going home without a win while the Celtics march on to a date with the Larry O’Brien trophy.

Jaylen and Jayson, attorneys-at-buckets, were at it again in Game 4. Boston’s dynamic duo combined for well over half of the Celtics’ offensive output, but the real MVP wasn’t the J’s. It was the D’s—defense and Derrick White.

Down four with three and a half minutes to play, the Celtics didn’t just get a few stops to take the win. They got every single one. Indiana failed to score a single point the rest of the game, as Boston’s stifling defense forced multiple bad shots and a couple turnovers to boot. Then, Al Horford’s clutch offensive board paid off, with the ball eventually finding White in the corner for the clutch trey… again.

Without the offensive engine of Tyrese Haliburton, Indy was always facing an uphill battle in Game 4—not to mention the overwhelming weight of the 0-156 record sported by playoff teams to go down 0-3. But all the credit in the world goes to the Pacers, who stuck around like super glue and made this one a game as usual. The future in the Hoosier state is bright, and it might be even brighter thanks to Andrew Nembhard, who looked every bit like mini-Haliburton in Game 4 with a smooth 24 and 10.

Remembering Bill Walton

The world of hoops has blessed us with a plethora of larger-than-life figures, and arguably none of them were more authentically themselves than Bill Walton.

We could talk all day about Bill's accomplishments on the court. A basketball prodigy from the suburbs of San Diego, Walton grew to be a towering interior force with an otherworldly knack for grabbing boards and finishing plays, all while becoming one of the first bigs to serve as a playmaking hub out of the post.

By 1977 (his third year in the NBA) Walton was helping lead the Trailblazers to a championship for the first (and only) time in franchise history. And while the rest of his career after that was mired in injuries and “what-ifs”, Bill still put his pride aside and played off the bench for the legendary ‘86 Celtics to put one last stamp on his resume. He ended his Hall of Fame career with two All-NBA nods, two All-Defense selections, two rings, and the 1977-78 MVP award. 🏆

But aside from his hardwood accolades, it was his true unbridled joy that made Walton truly special. You could hear it in his play-by-play commentary on NBC, during his many interviews, and throughout his yearly appearances at Grateful Dead shows—Bill was a man who saw the beauty in everything and never changed himself for anything.

Walton might be one of the few individuals who understood what it truly means to not only Enjoy basketball, but to Enjoy life to its absolute fullest. Rest in peace to one of the best to ever do it. 🙏

Three in the Key

Signing Off

Thanks for tuning in today, y’all! This week, let’s all take a lesson from Bill Walton and be more true to ourselves. Never feel like you have to change to fit into a box or be someone you’re not. 🙏

Talk soon,

-Spencer Poole