NBA playoffs news: Reigning champions OKC Thunder eye first-round sweep v Phoenix Suns
In line with all the expectations surrounding the Oklahoma City Thunder, they have jumped out to a 2-0 series lead over the Phoenix Suns.
The Thunder finished with the best record in the NBA two years in a row, with point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander winning the 2024/25 season MVP and leading odds to win the award in back-to-back years.
OKC’s win in Game 2, 107-120, gives them full control of the series as the two sides head to Phoenix for games three and four.
NBA playoffs round-up: Wins for Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers and LA Lakers
With the NBA playoffs underway each day brings more drama as each game pushes towards lifting the coveted Larry O'Brien trophy.
Sports News Blitz writer Oliver Carter brings all the news together into one place after Games 2 of three separate series featuring the Philadelphia 76ers v Boston Celtics, the Portland Trailblazers v San Antonio Spurs and the Houston Rockets v LA Lakers.
How NBA Game Analysis Helps Fans Make Smarter Betting Decisions
Watching basketball used to mean tracking points, rebounds, and who looked hot. Now fans read games through numbers.
They are not magic, but they sharpen the picture and make discussion more honest. Analytics now sound normal in broadcasts, from spacing to possession value. Fans absorb that language fast, read lineup and usage changes better, and make sharper predictions before tipoff.
Late-Season Trends Shaping NBA Win Totals in 2026
The 2025–26 NBA season’s winding down, but the numbers haven’t settled. Not yet. In fact, this is usually when things start to feel a little less predictable. Teams are chasing position, protecting it, or trying to stay within reach. That tension shows up in the standings in ways that don’t always line up with how the year began.
The top teams have continued to perform better than expected. Some of the high-profile contenders have fallen off dramatically. Understanding the underlying factors driving these late season trends highlights why teams have seen their win totals continue to fluctuate dramatically. As the playoffs quickly approach, increased intensity and a heightened sense of urgency have taken over.
Teams to look out for in the upcoming 2025/26 NBA playoffs
With teams already clinching their playoff berths for the postseason, there have been surprise packages that could contend for the 2026 NBA Championship.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Lorenzo Gagliotta finds out who might be genuine challengers to take home the glory in the 2025/26 NBA Playoffs.
March Madness: A deeper look into the college basketball phenomenon
With the month of March in full swing, the college basketball regular season has come to a close with March Madness set to start.
Sports News Blitz’s Lorenzo Gagliotta gives a rundown on how it all works, what to expect and a look back at March Madness’ best moments.
NBA MVP race 2026: Ranking the five strongest candidates
With Oklahoma City separating themselves in the West and Detroit’s shock rise reshaping the East, the MVP race has entered its most decisive phase.
While familiar superstars continue to lead the conversation, new names are forcing their way into the picture.
From scoring dominance to franchise-defining leadership, several players have built strong cases this year.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s Jake Reed gives a ranking of the five strongest candidates so far.
Basketball analysis: Ranking the best NBA rookies of the 2025-26 season so far
The 2025 NBA Draft was always going to be defined by the arrival of Cooper Flagg – yet, despite Flagg’s impressive start, he is far from the only rookie to make an impact.
As the season reaches its midpoint following the All-Star Game break, a number of first-year players have already pulled ahead as influential starters.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Jake Reed looks at the top five NBA rookies so far this season.
NBA news: Jaylen Brown praises Jayson Tatum’s recovery as Celtics star nears return
Boston Celtics superstar Jaylen Brown conducted a pre-All-Star media conference on Sunday, February 15, where he offered an encouraging update on his longtime running mate, Jayson Tatum, who nears a return following a 10-month absence from a torn Achilles injury.
In this article, Sports News Blitz’s Ethan Pitts breaks down Brown’s comments and what Tatum’s progress could mean for Boston’s title push.
NBA All-Star 2026 reaction: Was the new format a success?
NBA All-Star weekend in Los Angeles is over, with Anthony Edwards walking away as the MVP from the winning USA Stars team in a revamped format.
The round-robin tournament containing a team of international stars, young American talent and American older stars saw four games played and an increased intensity from that of past years.
The question remains over whether the All-Star game is back to its former best or will the format lose its appeal if it returns in 2027.
Sports News Blitz writer Oliver Powell looks at All-Star weekend 2026 and all the positives and negatives to come from LA.
NBA All-Star Weekend: Five players who exceeded expectations to book an All-Star Game spot
With NBA All-Star Weekend ready to tip off in Los Angeles boasting a brand-new format, some players are set for their first start in the All-Star Game after stellar individual seasons.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Lorenzo Gagliotta looks at the stars who have exceeded expectations so far in the league.
NBA trade deadline news: Breaking down the top trades as Washington Wizards land Trae Young
With the NBA trade deadline having passed, many teams will be looking to move on and reshuffle their rosters in the hopes of either salvaging the season or pushing for a possible championship.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Lorenzo Gagliotta examines the trades that went down and considers how it all looks for the rest of the season.
Basketball news: Five names to watch ahead of the NBA trade deadline
With just over 48 hours remaining until the NBA trade deadline, the futures of stars across the league remain unclear as rumours continue to circulate.
Four-time All-Star Trae Young getting moved to the Washington Wizards in exchange for CJ McCollum remains the biggest deal so far. However, a certain Greek superstar continues to make headlines.
Sports News Blitz writer Oliver Powell looks at five of the biggest names on the trade market ahead of the Thursday, February 5, deadline.
2026 Championship Futures: Analyzing NBA Odds for the Thunder, Celtics, and Dark Horses
Sports News Blitz takes a comprehensive audit of the January 2026 NBA futures market.
We analyze why the OKC Thunder are a "minus money" trap, expose the massive arbitrage value in the Boston Celtics, and identify the Detroit Pistons as the year's true dark horse.
NBA news: LeBron James brought to tears in possible final Cleveland appearance
LeBron James returned to Cleveland on Wednesday, January 28, knowing the moment carried extra weight.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s Noah Ngcobo reflects on an emotional night in Cleveland that may have marked LeBron James’ final appearance in the city where his NBA journey began.
NBA 2025/26: Whose Championship Odds Have Shrunk Throughout the First Half of the Season?
The defending NBA champions haven’t missed a beat. Oklahoma City’s 36-8 record through mid-January has turned the regular season into something that feels less like a race and more like everyone else fighting for second place.
After being considered +230 shots in preseason, the popular Lucky-Rebel betting site now positions OKC as a mightily short +115 favourite to repeat as champions. And truth be told, they have played like a team that deserves top billing. But the more interesting story lives a tier below them, where a handful of franchises have forced oddsmakers to admit they misread the room.
The real story of the championship odds board is how those teams have dragged themselves from the long-shot margins to the centre of the conversation.
All Star Game 2026: a new formula for the match
The NBA superstars have been celebrated, once a year, in a game created to put them one against the other, East versus West, since 1951.
For 2026, the event will be held starting February 15. This year, the All Star Game has undergone a significant change in format, which we are about to explain. It is sure to be a great show, and since the best players in the NBA are competing, it is very difficult to predict a possible winner of the tournament.
For those who still want to bet on the event, though, it is possible to exploit the promotions that gaming platforms make available to users every month, such as the latest Paddy Power promo code. This one may come in handy for betting on the 2026 All Star Game, as well as on other basketball matches with uncertain outcomes, like many of the league’s best games are.
NBA news: LeBron James’ 22-year All-Star streak ends
LeBron James’ remarkable run as an automatic presence in the NBA All-Star starting lineup has come to an end, closing a historic chapter in league history.
In this article, Sports News Blitz’s Noa Ngcobo looks at how injuries, changing dynamics, and a new generation of stars combined to halt the Lakers icon’s 22-year All-Star starting streak.
2026 NBA All-Stars: Why the starters have been selected and who missed out
The NBA have announced the starters from both the Eastern and Western conferences for the 2026 All-Star game, set to take place in Los Angeles on February 15.
The five players deemed to have had the best season from each conference were selected by a split-voting system between fans (50%), players (25%), and media (25%).
Here, Sports News Blitz’s Oliver Powell takes a look at the 10 players voted as starters, plus some notable omissions.
NBA news: LeBron James’s agent faces backlash over Austin Reaves trade comments
What began as casual podcast speculation quickly turned into a real world NBA moment that exposed the fine line between media talk and locker room reality.
At the centre of it all was LeBron James’ longtime agent Rich Paul, Austin Reaves, one of the Lakers’ most important supporting players, and a trade idea that travelled far beyond its original context.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s Noah Ngcobo analyses the controversy surrounding Paul’s comments on Reaves.