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With 8:39 remaining in the second quarter of Game 4, Victor Wembanyama fought with Wolves big man Naz Reid for a rebound and made a decision that potentially could swing the momentum of the whole series. The Spurs star threw an elbow right into Reid’s neck and was promptly ejected from the game after a video review.

Got a question about the NBA playoffs, the upcoming draft, or really anything hoops-related? Drop your question HERE for a chance to be featured next week.📫

In what might be the final edition of the modern draft lottery format, there weren’t quite as many surprises as we’ve come to expect over the last few years. But there were a few outcomes with potentially massive implications. Let’s take a look at our three main takeaways from the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery.

1. 🧙‍♂️ The Wizards Finally Win One: John Wall described rekindling his relationship with the Wizards and representing them at the draft lottery as a “Full-circle moment.” And it ended up being one in more ways than one. 17 years since they selected Wall with the 1st pick in 2010, Washington has another shot at drafting a franchise-defining superstar 1st overall.

With the insane impact tanking has had on basketball discourse recently, the Wizards, ironically, were actually the first team to have the worst record and win the lottery in the same season since 2018. The only question now is, who do they pick?

2. 💥 The Pacers Plan Blows Up: Fresh off an NBA Finals appearance, the Pacers certainly had a season to forget, which was to be expected without the talismanic play of Tyrese Haliburton. But, with the second-worst record in basketball, they had a rare opportunity to add a top prospect to a playoff-caliber team. Keyword, had.

For better or for worse, Indiana’s front office decided to take a calculated risk and trade a package including Bennedict Mathurin and their 2026 1st round pick (1-4 and 11-30 protected) for former All-NBA center Ivica Zubac from the Clippers. As long as their pick wasn’t between 5th and 10th, they were in the clear.

But, in a cruel twist of fate, their pick ended up falling to that 5th spot, just outside of the protected top four zone. It remains to be seen whether the trade will pay off, but, for now, it is a pretty hefty blow for a franchise with lofty short-term ambitions.

3. 🐂 Chicago Makes a Huge Jump: It appears the NBA gods have rewarded the Bulls for finally cleaning house and starting over with a fresh front office. Predicted to pick 9th, Chicago jumped all the way to 4th in a move that hopefully can help kickstart a rebuild still in its early stages. In a draft that many see as having a top four a step above the rest, the Bulls have a great chance of snagging a star in 2026.

It’s another two-game slate tonight, although one of these series feels just about finished.

The Cavaliers and Pistons head back to Cleveland for a pivotal Game 4. Detroit still holds the 2-1 series lead, but Cleveland avoided disaster on Saturday thanks to some vintage late-game shotmaking from James Harden. Now, Donovan Mitchell and co. will try to even the series before things shift back to Detroit.

Out West, the Lakers return home facing the harsh reality of a 3-0 deficit against the Thunder. With Luka Dončić still sidelined, LeBron James and Austin Reaves will need something close to a miracle to extend the season