Those early season bets for the Golden State Warriors to repeat as NBA champions are starting to look very unstable. In a rather shocking development, the Dubs fell to the Thunder in Oklahoma City for the second straight time on Tuesday night, giving Golden State their first set of back-to-back losses on the season.

Rough Start

The team that posted an NBA best 73-9 regular season record is officially on the ropes, down 3-1 against the 3-seed Thunder. Oklahoma City has brought it offensively with Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant flat out dominating the past two games at Chesapeaker Energy Arena and finding a way to split the first two road games at the Oracle Arena.

After a 118-94 loss Tuesday, the Warriors now trail the Thunder 3-1. Teams to trail 3-1 have a 9-223 series record pic.twitter.com/ziqJPTDNeK

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 25, 2016

Just like that, the defending champs are in as big of a hole as you can get through four games and it’s starting to look like it’s one even they can’t get out of.

Long Road Back

Or can they?

There are a few good things the Warriors can take away from this hole: humility, the fact that a team just overcame this deficit in the playoffs last season and that they still have the talent to pull it off.

For one, the Warriors were arguably starting to get a little too comfortable and even too cocky for their own good, suggesting that OKC was a mere “challenge” after dropping game one. The Thunder have been more than that, as their shifting defense has proven to be a real problem when it comes to getting open looks and succeeding in penetration. Russell Westbrook has also contained Stephen Curry quite well for the majority of this series, really only giving way for the first half in game one and for the third quarter in game two.

Golden State needs to suck it up and realize that they can be beat and in four games so far this series, they just haven’t brought the goods. Their defense has only been strong for about four full quarters, the same can be said of their offense and for as well known as they are for in-game adjustments, they really have not appropriately adapted to OKC’s defensive strategy.

They have nowhere to go but up from here, of course, so odds are the Warriors can see the end in sight if they don’t get it together. The good news is that there are three potential games left and there is no mystery surrounding them: the Warriors have to win all three if they want to get back to the NBA Finals for the second year in a row. Luckily two of them are at home, where they have still lost just three times all year. Hypothetically, if the Dubs can just play at a high level on their home floor and steal one road game, they’ll have a real shot at pulling off what seems like the impossible.

Done Before

As we pointed to, a team did this very thing just last season. The Houston Rockets were down 3-1 against the Los Angeles Clippers in the second round of the playoffs last year. Seemingly toasted going into the fourth quarter of game five, Houston stormed back and force a game six and ended up closing out the series in game seven. OKC isn’t the Clippers, but we just saw this last year, so a collapse against a team as great as the Warriors has to be on some bettor’s brains.

That’s just the most recent example. It’s happened nine times total in history, showcasing a small sample size over the years, but big enough to suggest a good team can get the job done if they come together at the right time. A quick look back even gives us an NBA champion to accomplish the feat. Back in 1995, the Houston Rockets were underdogs to the Phoenix Suns and were even down 3-1 in their series. They ran the table and even went on to win the title in the next round.

So, while the Dubs winning three straight games against a clearly determined Thunder squad is far from a lock, we know it can be done. It was done last year, it’s been done nine times total, it has specifically been done in the a Conference Finals (1981 Boston Celtics) and a team that has pulled it off has gone on to win the league championship (three times).

How to Bet

If any team this year could go down 3-1 and still feel confident they could storm back and win the series, it’s got to be the Warriors. They have not played their best ball in this series so far, but they have the league MVP, Klay Thompson just started getting hot in game four and Draymond Green can’t possibly be this bad (2-of-17 in last two games) forever.

So, how do you bet going forward? If you already bet on the Dubs winning it all, it is what it is. Maybe they still will and your return will be as weak as it was always going to be. Now, of course, they look to be on the way out of the playoffs, which oddly makes them a fantastic bet to win it all. You don’t want a huge bet, but with worse odds, one of the greatest regular season teams we’ve ever seen could actually be a fun bet as they try to defy logic and go on a three-game run to get back to the Finals.

A day after the New York Knicks seemed to make positive progress by hiring head coach Jeff Hornacek, the Orlando Magic quickly wrapped up their coaching search. Per reports, the team has tabbed former Indiana Pacers leading man Frank Vogel to run the team, just a little over a week after former head coach Scott Skiles re-signed from the team.

Vogel Magic

The Orlando Magic have reached a deal in principle with Frank Vogel, the Orlando Sentinel has learned.

— Josh Robbins (@JoshuaBRobbins) May 19, 2016

Vogel could potentially be a perfect fit, as he preached defense and team continuity in Indiana, where he found solid success and appeared in two Eastern Conference Finals series. Vogel brings to Orlando a tradition of competing and winning, having helped the Pacers to the playoffs in five of his six seasons at the helm.

The big question, of course, is just how much of Vogel’s winning in Indiana can rub off on a young and inexperienced Magic team?

It’s tough to doubt Vogel’s impact, as he had Indiana competitive during the 2014-15 NBA season, even though they lost star forward Paul George to injury. That Pacers team wound up missing the playoffs, but played hard most nights and was in the post-season hunt late into the season.

Change of Scenery

The huge difference between Vogel’s Indiana teams and his new Orlando squad is youth. The Magic are very young and don’t boast many players that have playoff experience. Because of that, instilling proper culture and work ethic from day one will be of importance. At least, it would be if Skiles hadn’t already successfully transitioned the Magic to that level of thinking in his lone year on the job.

Orlando remained a young group that was prone to struggles on the road, defensive lapses and bouts with inconsistency, but they also went through spurts of buckling down defensively and playing fantastic team ball offense. The Magic also endured numerous nagging injuries to some star players during the 2015-16 NBA season, yet was still competitive for most of the year, finishing with 35 wins.

Playoff Bound?

The arrow is most certainly pointing back up for Orlando, just a week after losing their leader. One key issue with Skiles and the Magic appeared to be his lack of trust or belief in point guard Elfrid Payton, who Orlando management is said to still be very high on. It will be interesting to see if Payton can continue to develop into the player the Magic think he can be, and whether or not Vogel will have a helping hand in that.

Winning and strong defense have not been easy to come by for the Magic ever since Dwight Howard left a few years ago. With Vogel in tow, it’s possible we see a young and talented team begin to round the corner come the 2016-17 NBA season.

New York Knicks team President Phil Jackson had fans worried with talk that interim coach Kurt Rambis could be a long-term option. Star forward Carmelo Anthony was even publicly against the idea of keeping Rambis on board.

As it turns out, either Jackson listened or had a different plan all along.

Hornacek is the Man

Per reports, the Knicks are finalizing an agreement with former Phoenix Suns head coach Jeff Hornaceck, who will replace Rambis and try to get New York back into the playoffs – a place they haven’t been in each of the last two seasons.

Breaking: Knicks will hire Jeff Hornacek as head coach, per NBA source.

— Howard Beck (@HowardBeck) May 18, 2016

New York has endured an ugly but quick rebuild, as Jackson completely dismantled a regressing unit when he came on the job two years ago, and just last year added a key piece to the future in big man, Kristaps Porzingis. With a quality head coach now added to guide the Knicks forward, it seems as though Jackson’s plan could start to provide a clearer vision.

Hornaceck wasn’t the only option, as he beat out Rambis, while reports tied the likes of David Blatt, Frank Vogel and others to the New York job. Hornaceck preaches a ball sharing and up tempo offense, however, something New York could benefit from immensely. He also had solid success with a less than elite cast in his first two years with the Suns, taking a team that should have been a bottom feeder to the brink of the playoffs in each of his first two years.

Hornacek’s crew may have even been better this past season, had Markieff Morris not grown sour after the team traded away his brother and then the roster was hit by numerous injuries to key players. Once star point guard Eric Bledsoe went down, the Suns couldn’t stop losing and the writing was on the wall for Hornacek.

Hornacek’s exit from the desert was more about a bad situation that grew worse at a rapid pace, and less about his ability to coach up a team and star talent. In New York, he has some solid building blocks in Melo and Porzingis, while it’s still up to Jackson to fill out the rest of the roster to give Hornacek a real shot going into the 2016-17 NBA season.

Roster Changes

Getting Hornacek is huge and if Jackson wisely allows Hornacek to ditch the Triangle offense and run his own show, the Knicks could really take off. Those are the first two moves, though, and more need to come. For one, the Knicks would do well to land even a moderate free agent this summer, as there are several big names ripe for the plucking.

It’s very unlikely New York can sway someone like Kevin Durant their way, but they could use another quality big man next to Zinger, and that could put the likes of Dwight Howard, Hassan Whiteside or even Pau Gasol on their radar.

Two other areas of concern on New York’s roster are point guard and shooting guard. Jose Calderon has aged rapidly and can no longer defend or consistently create offense. He’s merely a spot-up shooter and needs to be upgraded upon badly. Tony Wroten was signed earlier in the year and could potentially be the answer, but he’s also an erratic performer and could be tough to trust. Jerian Grant is another option, but he’s also quite young and didn’t at all look ready to be a full-time starting point guard as a rookie last year.

With no picks in the 2016 NBA Draft at this point, New York will likely have to either hope Wroten or Grant can ascend or they may have to take a stab at someone in free agency. Mike Conley figures to be the best available point guard, but should see major interest out on the open market. Rajon Rondo is the only other feasible option that wouldn’t for sure be looked at as a stop-gap, but it might be Conley or bust when it comes to free agency.

As for shooting guard, Arron Afflalo fell out of favor with Rambis, but with Hornacek taking over and likely needing/wanting a two-way two guard, he could be safe. He was rather underwhelming last year, though, and it’s possible he could opt out of his deal if he doesn’t like his role going into next year. The Knicks could also decide to trade him to get back into the draft (something they could do with other players, also), where they could then target a young shooter, depending on where they wind up. There is always free agency, too, where DeMar DeRozan will be a high profile gun for hire. Eric Gordon is another interesting option, while Jordan Clarkson and Brad Beal could be worth tendering offers as restricted free agents.

It’s tough to know precisely what the Knicks will do moving forward, but changes are certainly coming.

Playoff Bound?

New York already made serious strides in the past year, as Porzingis ended up being more of an NBA-ready talent and less of a project, Melo can still ball, Lopez can defend down low and New York’s supporting cast really isn’t that bad. However, Afflalo wasn’t great, Melo too often had to force the issue offensively and Jose Calderon just can’t get it done as the main point guard anymore. It’s also arguable the Triangle offense just wasn’t working. Perhaps the Knicks didn’t have the pieces, maybe the coaching wasn’t right – it doesn’t matter – the point is what they were doing wasn’t working and they need to fix it.

Bringing Hornacek in doesn’t guarantee anything but the fact that New York seems to be going in a positive direction. Sticking with Rambis would have been a fatal mistake for a team that was making serious progress over the past year and now the only thing haunting this team is their clear holes and the lack of any 2016 draft choices. Jackson should work hard in the next month to either cozy up to some solid free agents, and/or find a way back into the draft to net another key building block. For all his flaws, Jackson has done three things very right since taking over: he broke up a floundering Knicks team, he got rid of dead weight and he drafted a cornerstone player.

Now he did a fourth thing right by getting a quality head coach. If he can finish the job and add 1-2 key pieces to this roster, they very well could be back in the playoff hunt next season.

Nyquist hasn’t been beaten and very well may be horse racing’s first repeat Triple Crown champion since Seattle Slew and Affirmed nailed back to back titles in 1977 and 1978. Of course, that’s not necessarily logical or likely, so horse racing bettors need to think a little outside the box heading into the 2016 Preakness Stakes.

For one, is Nyquist the best horse in this race, and is it a lock to take first to land a mere shot at sweeping the Triple Crown. The short, easy answers truly are “yes” and “probably”. Vegas suggests as much, naking Nyquist an overwhelming favorite (20/33) via Bovada.

The math doesn’t hurt Nyquist’s bid, either. We’ve seen the Kentucky Derby advance all the way to the Triple Crown unscathed in each of the last two years and over the past 50 years, we’ve seen 27 horses make it to the final leg of the race with a chance to make history. Only 12 actually pulled it off, but even if Nyquist isn’t to be the 13th, he at least has as good a chance as any other horse lining up for the Preakness Stakes, and probably a much better one.

Nyquist’s plight got a little easier with some of his competition dropping out – namely Gun Runner. Instead, a field of 11 to this point boasts little intense competition and just Exaggerator (who Nyquist has slapped around in four previous races) looks like the lone problem.

But this is what horse racing and betting is all about, right? If Nyquist isn’t the safe bet he seems to be and Exaggerator doesn’t end up being the one horse that can take him down, where and how do we bet? That brings us to the three best sleepers outside of the top two horses:

Stradivari (7/1)

Stradivari could actually be Nyquist’s biggest threat, just because no one knows what the upside is with this horse. The colt lost its debut race back in November, but has run well in its last two races, taking first in each. That kind of momentum can be scary, especially since it’s another contender that is very well rested heading into the Preakness Stakes.

The downside with Stradivari is two-fold. Not only does it lack great running experience, but it hasn’t gone up against a ton of veteran horses. In other words, it’s two big wins could mean a lot less than we would prefer. It also doesn’t have the best betting odds, currently tabbed as the third best bet to win this weekend. That can be a good thing, but considering it’s not the safest of plays with Nyquist and Exaggerator ahead of him, the return on the investment comes off as especially weak. Stradivari certainly is a dangerous sleeper, but not necessarily one worth putting a ton of betting stock in. One a $100 bet, Stradivari only returns $700 if he wins.

Collected (20/1)

Trained by Bob Baffert (trained American Pharoah), Collected is easily one of the top sleepers heading into the 2016 Preakness Stakes. Being a sleeper is one thing, but can Collected actually push Nyquist for the win? If being fresh has anything to do with it, the short answer might be “maybe”. Collected passed up the Kentucky Derby and with an elite trainer by his side, could be in a good spot to earn a surprise run in the second leg of the 2016 Triple Crown.

Baffert is the key reason why, as he’ll be going for consecutive Preakness Stakes wins for the third time in his career. Collected has a resume to back up the optimism, too, having registered wins at the Sham Stakes, the Sunland Park Festival of Racing Stakes and the Lexington Stakes. The horse did have a bad showing in the Southwest Stakes back in February, but last won on April 16th and will be well rested coming into the 2016 Preakness Stakes. With 20/1 odds, Collected isn’t getting zero respect from Vegas, yet would return a nice profit, depending on your bet. A mere $100 bet on Collected could potentially return a solid $2,000.

Lani (40/1)

There might not be a better bet when it comes to upside and realistic hope, as Lani is a far better bet to pull off an upset than the worst current odds (Laoban at 50/1), yet can pull in a large cash prize if successful. The beauty here is Lani is actually a lot more dangerous than Vegas suggests, as he was decent enough with a 9th place finish at the Kentucky Derby and got into the mix in the first place after impressively winning the UAE Derby.

Lani is also a bit of a dark horse on pedigree alone as a Japanese horse. That shouldn’t kill it’s appeal, however, as he’s run well in most of it’s races, claiming three first place runs in all and the aforementioned top-10 spot in the Kentucky Derby. Lani isn’t a lock or even a top contender, but as far as sleeper and bettor appeal goes, few horses are more interesting as we draw closer to the 2016 Preakness Stakes. After all, when a $100 bet can return $4,000 you quickly pay attention to that type of upside when a horse actually may have the goods to back up the bet.

Got a sleeper of your own you love for this weekend’s race or think Nyquist will win again? Let us hear about it in the comments below!

The Oklahoma City Thunder just shocked the NBA world by striking first in their Western Conference Finals series with the Golden State Warriors. Russell Westbrook was unstoppable in the second half, guiding OKC to a big game one win and a 1-0 series lead.

Big Upset

The Thunder were able to go into the hostile Oracle Arena – a venue where the Dubs lost twice all year – and get a huge win to kick off the series before the NBA Finals. It was road win number three in a row, too, giving them three straight wins away from home against the Spurs and Warriors, who combined for just three home losses during the regular season.

The Thunder take Game 1 as the Warriors crumble late (by @BenGolliver) https://t.co/QQgfUKLTkw pic.twitter.com/U3nMkW6B9V

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) May 17, 2016

Sure, it’s possible this is as exciting as the Thunder’s run gets. Or maybe they figured themselves out at the right time and are just now hitting their stride. One thing is for sure, they can no longer be taken lightly and the Warriors could very well have a full seven-game series on their hands.

Can They Do It?

But can the Thunder actually win this thing and get back to the NBA Finals? When you look at how they beat the Spurs, how they just beat Golden State and the talent they have, the answer is obvious: sure, why not?

Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant might be the best duo in the entire NBA, head coach Billy Donovan does not lead or coach like a rookie and an OKC team known for their explosive offense has displayed some serious defensive chops over their last several games. If all of that stays true, OKC absolutely has a chance to shock the world and make it back to the Finals.

Not Up For Chance

The thing that’s weird about the Western Conference Finals is that at least for the longest time, it doesn’t normally get left up to chance. In other words, we usually clearly see who the best team was/is and we don’t get to seven games. The series has only seen two 4-0 sweeps in the last 14 years, but it’s also only seen one game seven during that span. In fact, the last one came way back during the 2001-2002 season, when the Los Angeles Kings outlasted the Sacramento Kings.

And every NBA fan that was around back then remembers that series. It was brutal and it was highway robbery. The refs played a massive hand in Sacramento getting screwed out of a shot at a title, and no one will soon forget it – especially those Kings players.

OKC got gifted their third bad non-call in these playoffs on Monday night, so it’s fair to wonder if something like that could repeat itself. Even if it can’t, history might suggest that one of these teams will find their footing and finish this series earlier than we’re currently anticipating.

Does that mean the Dubs make up for this loss by going on a four-game run? Will the Thunder go back and forth and then win games five and six to close it out? Or will we actually go all the way to a full seven games series for the first time since 2002?

Thunder Betting Odds

What you want to believe is up to you. All we know for sure is that OKC is third in the NBA Finals odds department per Bovada (+350), so short of betting on Toronto (+2500) to shock the world, they’re the best bet when it comes to return that is left on the table.

Golden State could still tie things back up in game two and enforce their will the rest of the way, but OKC striking first tells us they’re here to play and makes them a legit threat. It’s up to Golden State to respond now, but placing a bet on the Thunder given the way they’re playing right now certainly isn’t that silly of an idea.

The status of Chris Bosh has to be the biggest story-line for the Miami Heat as they head into the off-season following their game seven loss to the Toronto Raptors on Sunday afternoon. Miami was able to push themselves all the way to the brink of a return to the Eastern Conference Finals, even despite not having Bosh around for the entire post-season run.

The question, of course, is can they count on him for a deep run next year, or are they better off cutting ties and starting fresh?

Bosh’s Future

Early signs out of Miami suggest the team is closer to the latter, with some speculating already that Bosh may never play an NBA game again. Bosh had his season ended prematurely due to blood clots for the second year in a row, and at 32 years of age, it may not be worth the risk to push Bosh back onto the court.

DEVELOPING: Heat reportedly fear Chris Bosh might never play again. Previous report: https://t.co/0aB2EA8p8C pic.twitter.com/qEs071DjPa

— The Sports Quotient (@SportsQuotient) May 16, 2016

The situation has slowly grown into an ugly battle of wits between Bosh and the Heat, as the player contests he’s fit to play, but the team isn’t willing to take on the risk. The first order of business will be Miami’s team doctors deciding whether or not he should play again. And, quite naturally, that decisions isn’t necessarily just health based. With Bosh on the Heat’s books for a cool $75 million over the next three years, the medical staff may make the best decision for Bosh and Miami. That could lead to Bosh being taken off the books for medical purposes, which would wipe his salary, but the star would still get paid.

To this point, that is the direction the two sides are headed in. Bosh thinks he can play still and certainly would like to, but Miami may not ever be willing to take that chance on him again. If that’s the case, they will have to start thinking about their future down low at the power forward and center positions.

Securing Whiteside

One of the first things Miami has to do is over-pay to keep budding center, Hassan Whiteside. Whiteside is scheduled to hit free agency and could see a ton of big money offers due to his youth, upside and ability to rebound and block shots already at an elite level. He’s even added an offensive game and is starting to round into a complete center. His post-season was also cut short due to a knee sprain, but Miami can ill afford to lose both of their best big men. Securing Whiteside is huge for next year and even bigger for the long-term.

Finding Another Big

They can’t stop at Whiteside, however. Wiping Bosh off the books for medical reasons won’t kill all of that money for them, but it should help. How much exactly could detail their next move, but it could be wise to bypass someone like Joe Johnson in order to get stronger at the four spot. Sliding Luol Deng to power forward and running a small ball lineup worked in round one, but he was far less effective in that role in round two. Miami needs a more stable presence at the four spot, and if Bosh can’t be it, they need to look for a trade, draft a big man or find one in free agency.

The draft isn’t normally the way to find a quick fix and teams usually don’t send quality big men away in trades on a whim, so hitting up free agency is probably the way to go here. Perhaps with Dwyane Wade opting out of his contract this summer, he can re-sign at a discount and help free up some cash to facilitate a move. It’s tough to know precisely what direction Miami could go in at the position until their financial situation is cleared up, but there is no shortage of options to consider.

In fact, if Bosh is suddenly out of the picture, several quality power forwards could see South Beach as the perfect destination when it comes to lifestyle off the court and trying to win on it. The likes of Pau Gasol,  Al Horford and Ryan Anderson stand out as the three best options for the Heat. A lot needs to happen before we can really think about a big signing like that, but all three would be solid additions for different reasons.

Finals Bound?

If Bosh returns and can put the blood clot issues behind him, the Heat are going to be a tough team. If Bosh is done via medical reasons but the Heat can keep Whiteside and also add a key big man like Horford, Anderson or Gasol, they’ll again be a very tough out. For now, Miami’s future hinges to Bosh’s future. They would probably love to keep him and believe his blood clot issues are a thing of the past, but for his and the team’s sake, it may be best to just play it safe and move on.

There’s no doubt the San Antonio Spurs lost some people some money in the NBA betting world this year. They were supposed to be big players this year, having added major beef up front via LaMarcus Aldridge and David West, and with defensive ace Kawhi Leonard leading the way, they looked every bit the part of an NBA Finals contender by winning nearly 70 games and losing just one game at home all year.

In their second round defeat by the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder, they lost two games on their home floor and didn’t look much like a title contender at all. The age of the “Big 3”, consisting of Tim Dunan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili seemed to catch up with them, while the Spurs seemed to ditch their team ball for iso work for Leonard and Ridge far too often. Their aging trio is what was really disappointing, however, as Duncan was a ghost for much of the playoffs and Parker was so bad that he didn’t even sniff the fourth quarter in their game six loss on Thursday night.

So, what now?

The Spurs understandably have a lot of questions to ask themselves, the first being whether or not they believe they’re close to winning a title. It’s tough to say, too, as they lost to the Clippers in the first round last year and even with reinforcements, we’re able to even get back to the Western Conference Finals – let alone the NBA Finals. The Golden State Warriors are without a doubt the cream of the crop in the conference (and likely the league) and now OKC may have moved back past the Spurs.

Is that the reality now, or will the Spurs come back more determined than ever? Or will they even re-tool again in an effort to gain just a little more of an edge?

Retirement Decisions

First thing’s first, the Spurs are going to need what veterans they’re working with. Duncan and Ginobili will be 39 and 40 come this summer and both have been considering retirement in recent years. Duncan looked fine for most of the regular season, but before showing up with 19 points on Thursday, looked completely done through two rounds of post-season play. He’d also been losing his role on the floor and the same can be said for Ginobili. It’s possible both see the title window closing with or without them, or they just realize their roles aren’t big enough and feel it’s time to call it quits.

Then again, they both probably have a good amount of fight in them, so coming back for one more hard go at it makes sense. They already had shrinking roles, but their playoff experience counts for something.

Free Agency Part II

Getting Aldridge last summer was huge and he ended up being a good fit, but the Spurs clearly lack stable youth and athleticism. They need to find a way to get a little bit better so they can compete with some of the younger, faster teams. Rumors suggest the work could start at the point guard position, as Tony Parker is 34 and regressing, while backup point guard Andre Miller is 40 and could retire.

Mike Conley is the hot name to watch, per reports, as he’s scheduled to hit free agency and is considering leaving Memphis now that the team let go of head coach Dave Joerger.

Report: Spurs interested in guard Mike Conley https://t.co/5PbKE3x9k4 #GoSpursGo

— News 4 San Antonio (@News4SA) May 13, 2016

Conley can defend at a high level, create offense and even hit the outside shot, so at this point he’d serve as an upgrade over Parker and would also help the Spurs on both ends of the court. His interest in seeking a title combines with their interest in improving a key position, so it could be a perfect fit.

There is also the issue of David West, who took a payment cut of about $11 million for a shot to chase a title with the Spurs. That didn’t go as planned, so he could decide to opt out of his player option in order to seek a little more cash with a bigger role elsewhere. If the Spurs bring in Conley and keep their aging veterans, however, he also may see a chance for a better run next year.

San Antonio could also decide to seek a little more consistency on the wing, where Danny Green provides elite defense and some outside shooting, but is probably one of the more streaky shooters in the entire league. Even if they brought in someone just to put behind him or replace Ginobili, it’s something to consider. San Antonio could also always give backup shooting guard Kevin Martin a bigger role.

Finals Bound?

At this point, the Spurs are officially not guaranteed of anything. We can’t say for sure that Duncan and Ginobili will be back, we can’t say for sure if Parker will hold onto his starting job, West could opt out and even Andre Miller could retire. Their roster could look completely different come next season. All we do know is their moves probably start and end with what their two aging vets want to do. If they decide to stick around, it could be as simple as convincing West to stay and getting Conley in to run the offense. Even then, the Spurs aren’t locks to win it all. But they’d at least remain in the conversation to give it a solid try.

Scott Skiles delivered a shocking blow to the Orlando Magic and the NBA community on Thursday afternoon, making it known that he would officially be stepping down as the team’s head coach. It was abrupt and out of nowhere, unless of course you take a closer look at how Skiles operated in his first year with the team.

Scott Skiles has resigned as the Orlando Magic’s coach.

— Josh Robbins (@JoshuaBRobbins) May 12, 2016

Here is what Skiles had to say in a statement released on Thursday:

“After much thought and careful consideration, I and I alone, have come to the conclusion that I am not the right head coach for this team. Therefore, effective immediately, I resign my position as head coach of the Orlando Magic. I realize this type of decision can cause much speculation. The reality though is in the first sentence. It is simple and true. Any other rumors are pure conjecture.”

It’s fairly honest and believable, but why did Skiles come to the conclusion that he’s not the right guy? Some speculation has pointed out his disinterest in being tied to Elfrid Payton as his starting point guard, while management has refused to budge. Payton is the guy they want to groom to be the franchise point guard and with Skiles not buying in, he decided to let someone else run the show.

Skiles dips out of a four-year deal and after a reasonably successful 35-47 2015-16 season, it’s arguable that Orlando takes a step backward. Unless, of course, they get the right coach to come in to replace Skiles. The one thing Skiles did right – at least for stretches – is get Orlando to play their best ball on their home floor and also defend (albeit inconsistently) at a fairly high level. They’re a young team, but with the right leader, could still be very much on the rise.

Here are nine coaching options that could make sense for Orlando as they try to improve even more going into next season:

Patrick Ewing

This one is out of sheer respect. Ewing has been working his tail off to get a serious shot as a head coach for years and he actually played for Orlando and coached as an assistant with them. They could dip into their own pond here and give him a shot, even if it’s just as a stop gap before their next big hire. Most fans knew Skiles wasn’t the long-term answer, either, so this could be a nice move to get Ewing’s feet wet and also see if he can instill the same qualities Skiles provided – defense, team ball and accountability.

The reviews on Ewing have been mixed, with some thinking he’s been long overdue to land a job, and others thinking he just isn’t an NBA head coach. A negative perception against former big men (Ewing was a center) could be working against him, as former pro players that coach tend to be point guards or wing players. It’s an unfortunate stereotype, but it’s possible many teams feel there is some validity to it. If so, that could be the key reason why Ewing isn’t being seriously considered for big jobs. Orlando could be a good fit, though, and it’d be mildly surprising if he didn’t at least get an interview.

Brian Shaw

Shaw had a brief tenure with the Denver Nuggets after years of playing and assistant coaching with the Los Angeles Lakers. Look at as a bright NBA mind, Shaw has issues with player chemistry and rotations in his days with Denver, and seemed to lose the locker room early on. His shaky rotations are one reason why, but it’s odd to hear about Shaw not meshing with players, especially considering he was regarded as a “player’s coach”. Still, he’s young, has experience and by all accounts know what he’s doing. It didn’t work out in Denver, but he’s been high on numerous team’s lists ever since, regardless.

Mark Jackson

Jackson could give Orlando a more veteran presence and he certainly did a decent enough job in Golden State. After all, he did pave the way for them defensively, and it wasn’t until Steve Kerr loosened them up the year after he got fired that the Warriors quickly developed into an elite team. Much like Skiles, Jackson preaches accountability and defense, which is a good culture (especially since its been ingrained already) for the current Orlando team.

Mike Woodson

Woodson has been known as a relatively bland NBA coach, but he’s still been rather successful. He helped get the Atlanta Hawks to the playoffs in three straight seasons before moving on to coach the Knicks, who he helped reach the playoffs in his first two years. He’s been with the Clippers the last two years as a helpful assistant and could be working his way back to a head coaching position. Woodson offers elite experience as a player and coach and preaches stifling defense, so he wouldn’t be a sharp change from Skiles and would keep a tight foundation in order.

Jeff Hornacek

This is the first deviation from Skiles Orlando may consider, as Hornacek aims for team offense and total effort, but tries to give his players some wiggle room. He coached up some very competitive Phoenix squads in his first two seasons as a head coach, but injuries and an extremely young roster burned him out and lost him his job this past season. With Orlando’s talent, he could help the offense raise their level of play and be more consistent, while also getting the Magic to play together.

Kevin McHale

McHale could off-set the “no tall coach” theory, as he was a former big man in the league and has found nominal success as another “player’s coach” type. Trouble is, he lost the Rockets to start this past season, even after doing all he could to get them to the Western Conference Finals a year ago. He’s a “what you see is what you get” coach, but he teaches both sides of the ball and stresses maximum effort. The only issue is Houston stopped listening, so it’s worth wondering precisely why.

Mike D’Antoni

D’Antoni has been biding his time lately, looking for the perfect opportunity to get back into the league as a head coach. His last main job was a failed run with the Los Angeles Lakers, largely thanks to a devastating Kobe Bryant injury and a less than 100% Dwight Howard. D’Antoni brings an exciting brand of euro ball to the table, constantly preaching movement, spacing and shooting in his offense. He could work wonders with Elfrid Payton at the point and his offense could flow well with Orlando’s versatile talent. Defense, of course, has always been an issue.

Frank Vogel

Vogel was recently fired by the Indiana Pacers despite reaching the playoffs in five of six seasons, and there isn’t much bad to be said about him. His coaching style can come off as bland at times and he won’t produce an elite offense, but he knows team chemistry and certainly can get his teams to play top shelf defense. He’s got good experience and knows how to win, which could make him a tough sell for a team still trying to work back to the playoffs for the first time since Dwight Howard jumped ship. The Grizzlies are probably a better bet to land Vogel, but he’d be a good hire and in turn an arguable upgrade over the departing Skiles.

David Blatt

Blatt remains the top head coach out on the open market. He has had a ton of success overseas and in his first year on the job, he got the Cleveland Cavaliers to the 2015 NBA Finals. They even made it to six games and at one point had the series tied, 2-2. Blatt knows team basketball, can coach up an offense and also can get his teams to come together to defend at a high level. Most of all, he knows how to adjust and motivate on the fly, and he’s a flat-out winner. He had the Cavs on pace to be just as good this year, and was canned out of nowhere. He’s likely waiting for the perfect job offer, and sadly Orlando may not be it. Then again, they have a very young and talented group, so if they target him, he could see the upside in growing with a fresh unit.

The good news is there are plenty of coaching options available yet, and there are even more assistant and first-year coach options we’re not touching on. Orlando may act quickly within the next week or so, just because the Skiles resignation was such a shock and in about a month the draft and then summer league will be here. It’s anyone’s guess who the next coach of the Orlando Magic will be, but don’t be shocked if it’s someone on our list. Our early pick is Blatt, should the Knicks bypass him in their coaching search.

The 2016 NBA playoffs carry on Wednesday night, as two more series take another step toward ending following a huge game five on Tuesday between the Spurs and Thunder. Golden State will have a chance to close out their second round series against the Portland Trail Blazers, while the round two series between the Heat and Raptors will get a leader in game five.

For now, that series is behind all of the others, with the two Eastern Conference goes stuck in a 2-2 tie. Toronto looks to have the mild edge with the series shifting back to Air Canada Centre, while the Dubs could put the finishing touches on a 4-1 win a day after Stephen Curry was named the NBA’s first ever unanimous league MVP. Let’s get to it:

Portland Trail Blazers (5) @ Golden State Warriors (1)

Line: -13 Total: 217

Stephen Curry returned in game four to save the Dubs, who had fallen behind early in Portland and looked like they were about to sink into an unlikely 2-2 series tie. Curry thwarted that idea off by scoring an NBA record 17 points in overtime, which naturally vaulted the defending champs to a commanding 3-1 lead. With the series shifting back to the Oracle Arena, there’s little doubt the Dubs will want to end this series before it can get interesting again.

IT’S GAME DAY! The Dubs look to close out the Blazers in Game 5.

PREVIEW & TICKETS » https://t.co/leixKVNWUe pic.twitter.com/l7SHT9IiOG

— GoldenStateWarriors (@warriors) May 11, 2016

The Blazers have been pesky, and as we suggested before the series even started, they have matched up pretty well with Golden State. The Warriors have twice made ferocious comebacks to nab wins, though, and finally have their (and the league) MVP back and healthy. A huge Damian Lillard performance for the third game in a row could keep the Blazers alive a while longer, but what’s the point? This was never going to be an upset and the Dubs just don’t lose on their home floor very often. I find it difficult to buy into a -13 spread, though, and expected the Blazers to find until the end.

Pick: Warrior 112, Blazers 106

Miami Heat (3) @ Toronto Raptors (2)

Line: -4.5 Total: 188

This is the tough game to call, as these teams have played each other extremely tight to a 2-2 tie. That’s not a good sell. Sorry, they’ve played to three overtime games in four meetings this post-season and every single game has been decided by 7 points or less.

Waiting for Game 5 like pic.twitter.com/GunJbj017u

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) May 11, 2016

They actually have four OT battles overall on the year and already matched up pretty well before both teams lost their star centers – Jonas Valanciunas and Hassan Whiteside. Whiteside could make his way back for game six or seven, but Jonas V is done for this round. That could be a big deal beyond game five, but for the moment it’s a wash. In fact, Toronto has the edge with these center injuries, as they actually have a very solid backup in Bismack Biyombo. He’s arguably a better defender than Valanciunas and at least in game four put forth a valiant offensive effort, as well. If he can step up again in game five at home, the Raptors may have the edge they need to fend of Miami to take the lead.

It’s tough to trust the Raptors, though. They’ve twice fallen into 0-1 holes to start off their playoff series and their once formidable regular season home record seems a little shakier now that they’re in the playoffs. Miami isn’t great on the road on the year and they are a lot more vulnerable down low than they were just a game ago, but they’re more experienced and carry a massive x-factor by the name of Dwyane Wade. Because of that, I don’t see Miami magically going away just because the scenery changed or because Toronto is the higher seed.

Instead, we should prepare for another close, gritty affair. I like Toronto’s chances of stealing the win on their home floor, but they won’t win by much if they do – the series simply won’t allow for it. Look for Miami to hang tight end beat the spread and I certainly wouldn’t be shocked if D-Wade led them to a win.

Pick: Raptors 101, Heat 97

Well, that was fun while it lasted. You know, that brief feeling that the 2016 NBA playoff race was wide open. That the seemingly increasingly intense round two battle between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder matters. That Cleveland blowing through the Atlanta Hawks and Detroit Pistons makes them a serious threat.

Curry’s Back

Nope, none of that matters now. And all it took was a fire-laden overtime run from the MVP himself, Stephen Curry.

After missing the first three games of Golden State’s round two series and four straight, Curry returned to help off the bench. Things didn’t go as planned initially, as the Dubs fell behind early and were down as bad as 21-5 in the first stanza. Curry didn’t even find his footing until the second half, either, looking a little timid and not completely comfortable on his way to just 11 first half points.

Stephen Curry’s return for the ages lifts the Warriors past the Blazers (by @BenGolliver) https://t.co/KJgf1J5v5b pic.twitter.com/1J2iPLpQAw

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) May 10, 2016

Curry began to blow the hinges off in the second half, however, adding an additional 12 points to help force overtime. And from there, well, he showed us all why he just won the league MVP for the second straight year and why we were all a bit silly to really doubt him or the Warriors at all.

Curry gonna Curry, and all.

Steph Curry returned in epic fashion last night to make history in Warriors’ overtime win. pic.twitter.com/DQiDmGKFtg

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 10, 2016

His NBA record 17 points in the extra period sent the Blazers into a 3-1 hole, while Curry capped the hot run with an emphatic statement: “I’m back”. Yes, he’s back, indeed.

Still the Favorites

And where do we go from here? Nowhere, really. Per Bovada, nothing has really changed when it comes to the 2016 NBA Finals odds. Curry’s crew is still the favorite (-130), with the Cavs (+250) as the next best bet as the the team likely to meet Golden State in the final series of the year for the second season in a row.

There is some chatter about the Cavs being dangerous. They’re driven, they haven’t lost in these playoffs yet and they’ll be out for blood after falling to the Dubs last year. Sure, maybe all of that is true, but probably not.

The reality is, this is how Golden State plays. They fly by the seat of their pants, they never stop shooting, they defend, they share the rock and most of all, they let Curry do his thing. Because of all that, they don’t waver, they don’t doubt and they’re never out of any game.

Truth be told, the Warriors probably should have lost game four and we should be looking at a 2-2 tie going into game five. Then again, they could or should have lost more games with Curry sidelined with a sprained knee, too. But that’s the thing; they don’t operate on our laws of logic. They set the NBA single-season for records at 73, they lost on their home floor twice all year, they didn’t lose back to back games all season and they wrecked the top teams in the league.

It’s going to take insanity to destroy insanity. And by the looks of it, Curry isn’t done yet and there really isn’t anyone else capable of topping him.