Danny Ainge, in the middle of the pandemic, drafted a pair of key rotation players in Payton Pritchard and Aaron Nesmith back in 2020.

Plus, Netflix's newly renewed series keep thriving and "American Idol" wraps up its season with a ratings bang The post NBA Playoffs Kick Off to Ratings Growth Amid a Changing of the Guard appeared first on TheWrap.

For the second year in a row, the Minnesota Timberwolves are in the Western Conference Finals. Last year, they were eliminated in five games by the Dallas Mavericks, who went on to lose to the eventual champion Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.

The discourse -- and discord -- surrounding playoff officiating isn't new. But this year, players and coaches have wondered if the league has lost control. The NBA says its ref data is in line with past years.

An early exit from the postseason in the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs certainly does not feel like much of an accomplishment.

As a result, former NBA player DeMarcus Cousins delivered a shocking claim regarding Brunson and Los Angeles Lakers forward Luka Doncic on who he would rather have. "I'm going to take Jalen Brunson because he's still playing," Cousins said. "That's obvious. One guy's at home and one guy's playing. The guy at home can't help me right now.

The Boston Celtics have run headlong into the wall of both of those realities, which is why change is coming this summer. The only question is how much. How Boston got here. Bosto

The semifinals are over and 4 teams are still alive. How do they look with a Finals berth is within reach for each of them?