Love doing this series every year. If you're interested in NBA defense, this takes a very deep dive into it.

Cade Cunningham’s re-evaluation date will make him ineligible for end-of-season awards. Here’s more: www.nytimes.com/athletic/716...

From @theathletic.com: Basketball and sneakers go together like peanut butter and jelly. One without the other doesn’t feel right. Players have personal relationships with the shoes they sport. nyti.ms/4s6suIn

Godspeed Artemis II. 🚀

Jarrett Allen has worn one sneaker every game for 9 years — and he needs your help finding it again. Cade & Giddey wear close to 60 in a szn. Josh Hart likes his shoes TIGHT. My league-wide feature on the quirky bond between NBA players & their shoes: www.nytimes.com/athletic/711...

Nostalgia at its purest. @wilwheaton.net

Please help Jarrett Allen. 🙏

Josh Hart said the Knicks aren’t heading in the right direction. Jalen Brunson said New York has a long way to go. Mike Brown said “broken record” twice. www.nytimes.com/athletic/716...

Masai Ujiri has joined the Toronto Tempo as a principal owner, the incoming WNBA team announced

♫ psycho killer, cat cassette ♫

Daniss Jenkins’ confidence never wavers. His teammates first took notice during an offseason camp in San Diego last summer. More on how that confidence fueled Jenkins from a two-way contract to a career night: www.nytimes.com/athletic/714...

Knicks HC Mike Brown can sometimes be spotted with his hands in his pockets & quiet while his team is huddling during timeouts — and he’s passionate about the reasoning. On Brown’s “different voices” approach, why he does it and how players view it: www.nytimes.com/athletic/714...

I wrote about Darko's "second year of a rebuild" comments, the Raptors and Jazz, Scottie and Lauri, and the breadth of strategies that fall into what we call tanking. (Gift link)

NBA owners have approved the league exploring expansion in Las Vegas and Seattle. The two cities are both ready for a new team and waiting. The NBA hired PJT Partners to advise them. www.nytimes.com/athletic/714...

How is Jayson Tatum’s recovery going? Analyzing his early progress with Celtics www.nytimes.com/athletic/714...

The Markelle Fultz era has arrived.

The tankiest game I've ever seen, from @theathletic.com

Is the Knicks’ bench better equipped for a deep playoff run? Last year it ranked dead last in minutes played. This year? 27th. But it doesn’t feel that low. I have thoughts, quotes and more as the playoffs get close: www.nytimes.com/athletic/713...

The Raptors' bench has deserted them at an inopportune time.

Navroze Mubarak! 💐 Wishing you all peace, health and happiness.

OH. MY. GAWD.

Before the Pistons played in DC on Thursday, Cade Cunningham hopped a car service back to Detroit. He couldn't fly, not with a collapsed lung. And the Pistons won't be the same as long as he's out. Story on an irreplaceable player: www.nytimes.com/athletic/713...

On Cade Cunningham's collapsed lung: www.nytimes.com/athletic/713... On the Pistons without him (and Isaiah Stewart): www.nytimes.com/athletic/712... On how this injury could impact the East playoff race: www.nytimes.com/athletic/713...

Got together with @byjayking.bsky.social and @hunterpatterson.bsky.social to talk about how the Cade Cunningham news impacts — or if it does at all — the East playoff race. We also predict the top-8 seeds (people of Toronto, you know I love you, but I’m sorry): www.nytimes.com/athletic/713...

On Cade Cunningham's collapsed lung: www.nytimes.com/athletic/713... On the Pistons without him (and Isaiah Stewart): www.nytimes.com/athletic/712... On how this injury could impact the East playoff race: www.nytimes.com/athletic/713...

League sources confirm Cade Cunningham has a collapsed lung and is undergoing testing to determine how long he’ll be sidelined: www.nytimes.com/athletic/713...

Celtics great Robert Parish praises Joe Mazzulla: ‘They have the right coach’ www.nytimes.com/athletic/712...

NBA expansion? League has issues to fix before thinking about Seattle, Las Vegas www.nytimes.com/athletic/712...

Knicks head coach Mike Brown said he’s not afraid to change the starting lineup if the starters keep giving him reasons to. If he does, Josh Hart should stay. My column on why and the alternative if it gets to that point: www.nytimes.com/athletic/712...

"Everywhere I look, there’s a reductive caricature of Irish culture, and it’s a blatant rip-off of the reductive caricature of Irish culture that my people forged over so many Celtics' seasons."

Fun @fredkatz.bsky.social exclusive on how Miami Heat's official scorer documented Bam Adebayo's big night ➡️ bit.ly/4rVwlYZ

On a night Bam Adebayo went for 83, one person in the building scored even more points. Story on Jamie Carrig, the man who had to draw 43 circles: www.nytimes.com/athletic/712...

He heard MVP chants at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade this weekend. Then again at TD Garden while yanking a game away from the Suns. Jaylen Brown feeling the love from Boston during rewarding Celtics season www.nytimes.com/athletic/712...

In lieu of Magic City night here in Atlanta, we will instead link you to the greatest piece of man-on-the-street journalism in the history of the @theathletic.com , courtesy of @chriskirschner.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/195...

Last year's Pistons aren't a bad target for this year's Raptors.

Are the Knicks more prepared for a playoff run under Mike Brown? As we eagerly await the playoffs, and people search for optimism, a look at why Brown might have New York ready to go despite the high highs and low lows of this season (free link) www.nytimes.com/athletic/711...

Where's Wallace? Just won an Oscar.

Brandon Ingram's limitations are showing as the Raptors sputter.

I took part in a Bam roundtable. Unethical basketball? Free-throw parade? Amazing accomplishment? All of it? Because I'm swell, here's a gift link.

Why Bam Adebayo and the Heat should have stopped at 81 - just like the broadcast said - rather than taking Kobe’s mark, @theathletic.com (Free link) www.nytimes.com/athletic/710...

Last night @fredkatz.bsky.social took a sleeping pill and hallucinated that Bam Adebayo scored 83 points:

An 83-point night for Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat against the Washington Wizards. In terms of single-game highs, the list now reads Wilt Chamberlain, then Bam Adebayo, then Kobe Bryant. Story for @theathletic.com on Adebayo's remarkable performance: www.nytimes.com/athletic/710...

Lakers in-arena announcer. I AM HOWLING 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Raps mailbag, part 2

They canceled Louwill Lemon Pepper Wings night gotdamn

With 17 games left, the Knicks are likely going to grab the No. 2, 3 or 4 seed for the Eastern Conference playoffs. Which road could be the best? Hardest? I explore. (Spoiler: …no. 4 seed might not be that bad) www.nytimes.com/athletic/708...

You can follow Jayson Tatum's return in tonight's Celtics game through our live blog: www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...

Upgraded to "questionable" for tomorrow night's game.

Jayson Tatum’s return will come with sky-high stakes for contending Celtics www.nytimes.com/athletic/708...

I sat down with Cade Cunningham for an exclusive on the Pistons’ ascension, how he stays grounded and why he isn’t satisfied. “What’s the point of coming all the way up to the top if you ain’t going to do something with it?” www.nytimes.com/athletic/708...