DON NELSON. SECOND-WINNINGEST COACH IN NBA HISTORY, DIES AT 86

Don Nelson, the second-winningest coach in NBA history, a five-time NBA champion as a player and a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, has died, it was announced Sunday. He was 86.

"On Sunday morning our beloved husband, dad, grandfather and great-grandfather Don Nelson peacefully went to be with the Lord, surrounded by his loving family," Nelson's family said in a statement. "Throughout his last week, friends and family encircled him with love, sharing the blessing of his friendship and revisiting treasured memories."

In 31 seasons as an NBA head coach with the Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors (twice), New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks, Nelson finished with a regular-season record of 1,335-1,063. He retired with the most coaching wins ever, a mark that was broken by the San Antonio Spurs' Gregg Popovich in March 2022.

Nelson made 18 playoff appearances as a coach, finishing with a 75-91 postseason record.

As a player, Nelson won five NBA titles in 11 seasons with the Boston Celtics, who retired his No. 19 jersey in 1978. He played 14 seasons in the NBA.

"The Celtics extend our deep condolences to Nelson's family, loved ones, and everyone he touched through his rich and impactful life in basketball and beyond," the Celtics said in a statement.

Immediately following his playing career, Nelson joined the Milwaukee Bucks as an assistant coach for the 1976-77 season. Only 15 games into that season, he was promoted to head coach after Larry Costello was fired.

From there, Nelson, who added general manager to his title the following season with Milwaukee, used an unorthodox coaching style that became known as "Nellie Ball" to put together a Hall of Fame résumé during his 31 seasons. Nellie Ball proved to be ahead of its time, utilizing smaller, more athletic players to fuel a fast-paced offense that prioritized creating mismatches through speed. It was a philosophy that was adopted across the league long after he retired.

"Don Nelson was a true innovator whose influence on the game of basketball is still felt today," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said in a statement Sunday. "He consistently challenged conventional thinking, experimented with different lineups and styles of play and saw possibilities in the game that others often did not. So much of what is now commonplace in the modern NBA can be traced back to the way Nellie approached the game."

Nelson's fast-paced offenses were probably best on display during his first stint in Golden State in the early 1990s -- the "Run TMC" era featuring future Hall of Famers Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin. Nelson said he wanted the trio of guards on the court at the same time, a daring idea at the time.

"Nellie was ahead of his time and there was nobody else like him," Hardaway said. "He had an incredible impact on my career and on the game of basketball. I'm going to miss him, and my thoughts and prayers are with Joy, Donnie and the entire Nelson family."

Richmond and Mullin also shared heartfelt gratitude toward Nelson in statements released Sunday, a sentiment shared by several of the longtime coach's former players.

Nelson was a three-time winner of the NBA Coach of the Year award (1983, '85, '92) but never won an NBA championship as a coach.

Boston Celtics' Don Nelson (19) goes to the basket against Milwaukee's Cornell Warner (35) during an NBA championship game in 1974. AP Photo, File

With Milwaukee, Nelson missed the playoffs only twice in his 11 seasons, winning seven straight Central Division titles. But he never reached the NBA Finals as he couldn't overcome Eastern Conference powerhouses Boston or Philadelphia, and he resigned after the 1986-87 season.

After one season of TV analyst work, he returned to the bench with Golden State, where he spent seven seasons before he resigned midway through the 1994-95 season. He returned for a second stint with the Warriors before the 2006-07 season and stayed four more seasons in his final NBA stop.

Nelson accepted the coaching job with the Knicks before the 1995-96 season but was fired with a 34-25 record and replaced by assistant Jeff Van Gundy.

The following year, Nelson joined the Mavericks, where he helped turn around the franchise's fortunes by working draft-day deals to acquire future Hall of Famers Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash. He coached eight seasons with the Mavericks, and his son Donnie, who served as his assistant, also was the team's general manager before an acrimonious split in June 2021.

"We hid Dirk for several weeks before the draft," Nelson told Sports Illustrated about Nowitzki flying under the radar while practicing with Athletes in Action in Dallas before the 1998 draft. "We made a commitment that we were going to draft him. We just wanted to keep him from going anywhere else to work out. He was going to be ours. He was happy with that. So, he hid for a week in Donnie's basement."

In a social media post Sunday, Nowitzki thanked Nelson for all his former coach did for him.

Nelson is also credited for helping land another franchise-altering superstar in his final years as Warriors head coach. During the 2009 NBA draft, he went against consensus and pushed Golden State to draft Stephen Curry with the No. 7 pick.

"One of the big reasons I was drafted by the Warriors was because of Don Nelson," Curry said in a statement. "The story is he never liked rookies, but from Day 1 he challenged me and gave me an opportunity to be my best self on the court. He taught me a lot during our one season together and I'll never forget the night he became the winningest coach in NBA history in Minnesota. We were so happy for him.

"He had an immeasurable impact on the sport and will go down as one of the greatest minds in the history of the game. He's a true icon and will be missed by the countless number of people he touched, including myself, during a legendary career."

Nelson twice coached in the NBA All-Star Game, and he led "Dream Team II" to a gold medal at the 1994 FIBA World Championships.

Nelson was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012. In 2025, he received the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the National Basketball Coaches Association. Miffed that the Mavericks sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in a blockbuster trade, Nelson wore a pair of Doncic's signature Jordan Brand sneakers to the awards ceremony. He called the trade a "tremendous mistake."

Doncic, who shared a close relationship with Donnie Nelson during their time together in Dallas, called Sunday a sad day for basketball in a social media post.

After a standout college career at Iowa, Nelson broke into the NBA as a player with the Chicago Zephyrs, who selected him with the 17th pick in the 1962 draft. The Los Angeles Lakers claimed him off waivers before the 1963-64 season, but Nelson did not play much. Celtics general manager Red Auerbach then came calling before the 1964-65 season, signing him as a free agent. Nelson went on to average 11.4 points and 5.2 rebounds while winning five titles during his 11 seasons in Boston.

His most celebrated moment as a Celtic came in the final minutes of Game 7 of the NBA Finals in 1969 against the Lakers, when Nelson's foul-line jumper that initially bounced high off the back rim gave Boston a three-point lead.

Overall, he played 1,053 regular-season games as a small forward and power forward, averaging 10.3 points and 4.9 rebounds. In 150 career playoff games, he averaged 10.5 points and 4.8 rebounds.

"Don Nelson revolutionized NBA basketball through his fearlessness, ingenuity and deep conviction," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said. "He spent nearly 50 years in the NBA -- winning five championships as a player with the Boston Celtics before building one of the most successful and pioneering coaching careers in league history. He brought an unmistakable personality to everything he did, and his impact on our sport will continue to be felt for generations."

After his coaching career, Nelson retired to a 22-acre farm in Maui, Hawai'i, and became an entrepreneur. He told HBO's "Real Sports" in 2019 that he grew flowers, coffee and cannabis on the farm.

After the deadly Maui wildfires of 2023, Nelson opened his rental properties to families who had lost their homes.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

- ESPN

UNEXPECTED RUDY GOBERT COULD COMPLETELY RESHAPE THE CELTICS' IDENTITY

A trade for Giannis may not be in the cards, but the Celtics could build an intimidating defense around Rudy Gobert.

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Even if the Celtics don’t trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer, there’s reason to believe Brad Stevens will be aggressive on the trade market to reshape the team. Regardless of what else they do, there’s a strong sentiment out there that Boston needs to improve at the center position. A stretch-big who can protect the rim would be optimal, but those guys don’t really exist on the market.

One player who may be available, and has perhaps even become a bit underrated, is Rudy Gobert of the Timberwolves. Rudy is one of the best defensive players of all time and can single-handedly anchor an elite defense, as he did in Utah for years before doing so again in Minnesota.

But after a second-round exit, the Wolves are looking to change things up, and that may mean parting with the four-time Defensive Player of the Year. This goes along with recent reports that the Wolves are interested in Derrick White and that the Celtics are interested in Gobert.

Parting with White would leave the Celtics without their best defensive player, but if it were a deal for Gobert, that may be one of the few possible upgrades in the entire league. A one-for-one swap works money-wise, and in the sense that the Wolves badly need a guard to take away some responsibilities from Anthony Edwards and the Celtics need a center, this deal could have some legs.

Celtics defense would be scary with Rudy Gobert manning the back line

In Gobert, Boston would be getting arguably the best defender in the world outside of Victor Wembanyama. He would slot in with Jayson Tatum and other strong perimeter defenders and be able to anchor the back line and clean up the glass. With Neemias Queta transitioning into a super-sub role, the Celtics should have 48 minutes a night of elite defensive play from the center position.

The offense is the concern for Rudy, but he is an elite screen setter and would create absurd driving lanes for the Jays and Payton Pritchard. Brad Stevens preached the desire to add rim pressure, and while Gobert won’t do that as a ball-handler, he can provide that in spades with his screening and rim-running.

Boston would certainly need to add to the backcourt after sending White away for a big man, but they could use their trade exceptions and mid-level exception on that front. Plus, having a presence in the back like Rudy would give the Cs more wiggle room to add offense-first guards.

This deal is far from a no-brainer, but it’s the kind of shake-up that may be needed for both sides. Other holes would need to be filled, but Boston would almost assuredly boast one of the league’s best defenses for the foreseeable future.

- Ben Handler

CELTICS' JAYLEN BROWN CALLED OUT FOR MAKING EXCUSES AFTER GAME 7 LOSS

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Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics looks on during introductions prior to a game against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game Seven of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at TD Garden on May 02, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts.

It took Jaylen Brown less than 24 hours to start the blame game after he and the Boston Celtics were eliminated from the NBA playoffs.

The 2024 NBA Finals MVP blamed the referees for having “an agenda” against him and compulsively calling offensive fouls against him. He was called for 10 offensive fouls in the seven-game series versus the Philadelphia 76ers, five more than any other player.

“They clearly had an agenda, maybe because I spoke so critical on them in the regular season, so you know, how they responded,” Brown said of the referees.

“Like, we are going to call every—you are going to lead the playoffs in offensive fouls. That was the response from the officiating crew. You could clearly tell.”

Jaylen Brown Gets Called Out

Brown also took issue with Joel Embiid’s “flopping” and suggested that the Sixers star knowingly manipulated the officials in the series.

“Flopping has ruined our league,” Brown said on his Twitch stream. “Joel Embiid is one of the greatest players that has played basketball, but he flops. He knows it too.”

Former NBA All-Star Michael Redd took serious issue with Brown’s comments, urging the Celtics star to “take ownership” for the Game 7 loss rather than making excuses.

“Jaylen Brown is a great player. A great player. Fans just need slightly more right now,” Redd began in his passionate rant on X.

“I need to rewatch game tape, to know if Brown’s right or not, but what I do know is: fans don’t want to hear this the day after losing a G7 as the higher seed.

“They need accountability and ownership of what happened. They need to know you appreciate the gravity and can and will bounce back.

“Then, and only then, can you start diving into who else is to blame and what outside factors might have played a role.”

Redd concluded his message by making it clear that he hadn’t watched the entire Twitch stream and didn’t want to assume the Celtics star didn’t take accountability.

Celtics Blow 3-1 Series Lead

Brown was a -19 on the floor in Games 5, 6 and 7 as the Celtics blew a 3-1 series lead for the first time in franchise history.

The Celtics were outscored by 57 points with Brown on the floor in the final three losses, when he shot 41.8% from the field and 31.6% from three.

Although he finished with a team-high 33 points, including 20 in the second half, in the Game 7 loss, Brown missed four consecutive shots in the final five minutes of the game when the Celtics trailed 97-96. His cold stretch in the end allowed the Sixers to outscore the Celtics, 12-6, in the clutch to come away with a 109-100 win.

- Sai Mohan

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LEN BIAS' MOTHER SAID HER SON'S DEATH HELPED SAVE LIVES ACROSS U.S.: "THE DAY LEN DIED WAS THE DAY THEY STOPPED USING COCAINE"

The NBA has seen its fair share of “what-if” stories. Players who many pegged to be on a path of greatness, only to be derailed by injuries. This includes the likes of Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway, Brandon Roy, Grant Hill and Greg Oden.

However, arguably the most tragic of them all was Len Bias. A super-talented 6’8″ forward whom the Boston Celtics selected with the second pick in the 1986 NBA Draft, the Maryland standout was expected to lead the team into the future, especially when stars like Larry Bird and Kevin McHale stepped away from the game.

Unfortunately, Bias never even got to play a single second in the big league as he passed away on June 19, 1986, due to cardiac arrhythmia related to his use of powdered cocaine. While the tragedy denied Bias of the chance to realize his basketball dreams, his mother, Lonise, made sure that his death would not be in vain, crusading against drugs in the many years that followed.

A death that woke up a nation

Bias’ death sparked a movement across the United States, with authorities cracking down on recreational cocaine use, especially amongst younger people. According to Lonise, she had been told by many people from different parts of the country that Len’s demise served as a reminder for them to stop using drugs or risk injury or even death.

“Many, many people have come to me throughout the [last] 20 years and have told me that the day Len died was the day they stopped using cocaine,” she shared.

“I’ve had people stop me in the street and tell me that. They still do, telling me they’ve remained clean since that time and that it was the turning point in their lives.”

Len’s passing led to tangible change, as the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 or the “Len Bias Law,” was signed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan in October 1986. The law mandates severe punishment for those who distribute drugs that lead to a person’s death or serious injury.

“His death woke the nation up,” Lonise added. “We got on the ball, and we started a lot of programs, and a lot of things happened to prevent drug use with young people. I believe Len has truly done more in death than he ever could have done in life.”

Gave MJ fits

Len’s glory days came in the NCAA when he established himself as one of the league’s pre-eminent players. After a solid freshman season, his stock rose in his second year when he averaged 15.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Playing for Maryland also meant playing in the ACC, the same conference that the North Carolina Tar Heels play in. And as everyone knows, there was a guy by the name of Michael Jordan who starred there.

According to ESPN ace Scott Van Pelt, he relished watching those intense matchups between Len and Michael.

“I have a picture of him in my basement, it’s a black-and-white photo of him, like at least three feet off the ground straight up in the air with Jordan, with his hand in his face,” SVP shared.

“And there’s a grainy old YouTube video of a game where it was Jordan and Carolina, and Leonard and Maryland. When you watch it, the guy in the blue jersey, no one can stop, it’s obvious that’s Michael, and in the light jersey, no one can stop is Len.”

Len obviously had All-Star potential and perhaps so much more. Unfortunately, a bad decision prevented him from ever realizing what he could have been in the NBA.

- Jonas Panerio

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