Evan Mobley is main key for Cavs in second-round battle with Pistons

Evan Mobley and the Cleveland Cavaliers have a date with the Detroit Pistons in the second round of the NBA playoffs. Both teams struggled mightily versus opponents they should have handled in five games in the first round. Cleveland now has a great shot to make the Eastern Conference Finals. That would be a first for both Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley.

To achieve that, Evan Mobley has to be fully unlocked. There were many games in the past series where Mobley was able to score over 20 points. Against the Detroit Pistons, there will be even more opportunities to thrive. Jarrett Allen and Jalen Duren will be duking it out in the paint, but the Pistons do not have an answer for what Mobley can provide.

I think Mobley will be able to get to his spots and eat on the glass, too. Tobias Harris and Duncan Robinson are not the defenders that Scottie Barnes is, nor are the other players the Raptors had on the wing. The real defender the Pistons have is Ausar Thompson, and he will have his hands full with James Harden and Donovan Mitchell. michezonews.co.za

This is a match-up I see Evan Mobley finishing the series, averaging 20 points a game, and the Cavaliers frontcourt of Jarrett Allen and Mobley dominating. Mobley will also have to put an end to Tobias Harris' hot scoring playoff start, which I think he is more than capable of doing as a former Defensive Player of the Year winner.

I think Cleveland will win this series, but how and when they close this series out directly depends on what version of Evan Mobley shows up in this series.

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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Cavs' Evan Mobley will try to dominate Pistons' frontcourt in Round 2

Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has opened up on one of the most dramatic moments during his time at the club, revealing how close Lionel Messi came to being targeted by an extraordinary transfer move.

Speaking in an interview with Cadena SER, Bartomeu reflected on the period following Neymar’s exit, when Barcelona were already dealing with major changes.

It was during this time that concerns began to grow inside the club about a potential record-breaking attempt to sign Messi.

Bartomeu explained how the rumours first surfaced. “A few weeks after Neymar’s departure, rumours began to circulate that a club was preparing €400 million for Messi – the amount of his release clause.”

He then went further, revealing details about how serious the situation appeared at the time.

“Funds from an Arab country were transferred to accounts in Europe.”

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When pressed for more details about the origin of those funds, Bartomeu chose not to disclose specifics but hinted at the level of financial power involved.

“It doesn’t matter now… that’s old news; it was years ago. There are very few clubs in England, or state-owned clubs, that can afford such sums.”

An unnamed team was ready to trigger Messi’s release clause. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

He also made it clear that while a club was ready to trigger the clause, it was not one of the most commonly linked names.

“There was a team willing to pay €400 million. I don’t want to name names, but it wasn’t [Manchester] City.”

Faced with that threat, Barcelona acted quickly to secure their biggest asset. Bartomeu explained the internal response and the discussions that followed with Messi and his family.

“What we did was talk to Lionel Messi and his father and discuss the matter: we had to raise the release clause.”

That decision ultimately led to a major contractual change, with Bartomeu concluding,

“At the time, the clause was 400, so we raised it to 700, which is a very high figure.

“If you raise the release clause, you also have to raise the player’s salary and compensation.”

Jimmy Fallon got a taste of his own medicine Monday night at Madison Square Garden.

The Tonight Show host appeared courtside at Game 1 of the New York Knicks' second-round playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers. Little did he know it'd turn into quite the immersive experience.

Few love pranks as much as Fallon, so one of the Knicks players decided to return the favor. The notoriously silly Josh Hart untied Fallon's shoes midgame, prompting a hilarious response from the comedian.

The Knicks rocked the 76ers, 137-98, so Hart and Co. had plenty of time for jokes. Here's a look at Hart's biggest one:

Josh Hart, the jokester 😂 pic.twitter.com/2Qn3o0eG78

— NBA (@NBA) May 5, 2026

The 76ers bot blown out by the Boston Celtics before rallying back from a 3-1 deficit in Round 1, so New York can't afford to get too complacent.

Let's hope for a more competitive Game 2, which is slated for Wednesday at 7 p.m.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Knicks' Josh Hart unties Jimmy Fallon's shoes during playoff game

Victor Wembanyama was a defensive force on Monday. The San Antonio Spurs superstar made history in Game 1 of their NBA Western Conference semifinals series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He set the playoff record for most blocks and became the third player in league history to record a playoff triple-double with blocks.

The 2026 Defensive Player of the Year had several highlights, including his 10th block of the game. Timberwolves guard Bones Hyland drove to the basket with 2:55 left in the third quarter. Wembanyama kept his eyes on him and made sure he was ready to challenge the attempt.

MORE: NBA playoffs power rankings in round 2

The 7-foot-4 blocked the same shot twice. He first swatted it with his left hand before blocking the ball again with his right hand up top.

Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs need to regroup

Wembanyama finished with 11 points, 15 rebounds and 12 blocks. However, it wasn’t enough to lead San Antonio to victory. The 22-year-old struggled with efficiency on offense, knocking down just five of his 17 attempts. Six Minnesota players scored in double figures, securing a 1-0 series lead.

The Timberwolves stole homecourt advantage from the conference’s No. 2-seeded team. Anthony Edwards returned from injury and inspired his teammates, resulting in a 104-102 win. He registered 18 points, three rebounds and three assists, while Julius Randle recorded a 21-point, 10-rebound double-double.

The Spurs will have one day to to plan for Game 2, which is scheduled for Wednesday at Frost Bank Center. They need to bounce back to avoid a 2-0 series deficit before the series shifts to Minnesota for Games 3 and 4.

• UConn coach attracted widespread criticism for actions

• Auriemma says he felt ‘dumb’ after altercation

Six weeks after his team lost to South Carolina in the Final Four, UConn coach Geno Auriemma said on Monday that he felt “dumb” for how his postgame exchange with Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley played out in front of a national audience.

“When I walked into the locker room afterward with the coaches, you are just shaking your head, thinking five more seconds, you couldn’t keep it in for five more seconds,” Auriemma said in his first news conference since then.