Chasing History: A New York Sweep

The Knicks sweep the Sixers to advance to the East Finals, narrated by Jamal Crawford.

The NBA Mailbag is open with NBA legend and NBC analyst Jamal Crawford here to answer your questions during the 2026 NBA Playoffs as he calls games on NBC/Peacock.

Have a question for Jamal? Submit it here. 

What’s the Knicks’ X-Factor for them to win the championship? – from Moses in Defiance, OH

3-point shooting. They’re so explosive, especially when they’re playing free and fast. Jalen Brunson is going to do what he does. He’s so good and gives balance to their team, especially from 15 feet and in. When the game gets more physical, he almost becomes like a post player because he gets close to the basket. He can use his footwork and bumps to generate opportunities. But the way they shoot the ball when they play with pace is what makes them especially explosive.

I’m a Pistons fan who’s been having heart palpitations watching this playoff series. How would you generate offense without consistent outside shooting? – from Caiman in Las Vegas, NV

I would try to generate more offense off my defense. Get stops and stay in transition as much as possible. We know in the half-court, it’s going to be a heavy dose of Cade. But the fast breaks are where they can bring other guys into the game, and that’s hard for Cleveland to prepare for.

Are you surprised OKC started 8-0? Do you think they can be the first team to go 16-0? – from Tim in Denver, CO

I’m not surprised they started 8-0. I think they’re that good. If they were a boxer, they would have so many different styles. In boxing terms, you could say they shoot the jab, they’re great defenders, they have a good chin, they’re a knockout puncher, they’re technical, they have everything that you want in a team. So, I’m not surprised they’re 8-0. But I do not think they’ll go 16-0.

Chasing History: Thunder Stay Perfect

OKC improves to 8-0 and advances to the West Finals, narrated by Jamal Crawford.

If the Spurs beat the Timberwolves in this series and face OKC in the West Finals, who do you think will win that series and why? – from Cole in Leesburg, VA

That could be an epic series. My gut feeling tells me the Spurs, and the reason being, the way OKC gets you is they usually beat you because they have more defenders than you have playmakers. The Spurs actually have the right amount of playmakers to match OKC’s top-notch defenders. And they have an alien with Wemby. So I think the Spurs would win that matchup. But it would be a great, great, great West Finals.

What are your thoughts on how Wemby has developed his game over the first two rounds? – from Andrew in Hartford, CT

It’s incredible how fast his adjustments have been. Most times, you have to go into the playoffs a couple of times to make these kinds of adjustments. He’s doing it in real time. So, it’s scary to think about what his next adjustments could be, given how these developments have gone so far.

Victor Wembanyama tallies 27 points and 17 rebounds to power the Spurs to a Game 5 win.

Who are your favorite players to watch during these NBA playoffs? – from Cole in San Luis Obispo, CA

All the obvious guys – Anthony Edwards. Wemby, of course, Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. SGA, Cade.

For more under-the-radar guys, I’ll go with Dylan Harper and Ajay Mitchell.

Jamal, you’ve called “Lob City” the best team never to win a championship. Looking at the current OKC Thunder and how they dominate today, how do you think your Clippers squad matches up against them? Who wins a 7-game series? – from Kristian in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria

Wow. That is a great question. First of all, I said the Clippers squad was the best team not to win. We’re not comparing us to actual championship teams. So I have to give the nod to OKC.

But the matchups would be amazing. SGA against CP3, who is one of his mentors and taught Shai so much when they were together in OKC. And then you’d get Blake against Chet and Jaylen Williams, and DeAndre Jordan against Hartenstein would have been great.

What has changed the game of basketball more: individual players’ talent level or increased game analytics? – from Blakely in Lacey, WA

Increased game analytics. A lot of the ways teams are built or how teams want to play, especially in the regular season, are geared towards analytics. And everybody is trying to gain an edge from that. So while talent has risen a lot from top to bottom, the use of analytics has risen even more, which isn’t a negative thing. It’s just the reality of where the game is at right now.

Does your diet and nutrition plan change in the regular season vs. the playoffs? – from JM in the Philippines

Yes, it does. Not only does your diet and nutrition change in the playoffs, but you’re looking for any advantage you can get. Whether it be more sleep, or not doing things you usually do during the regular season, like shopping at the grocery store. Usually, you would go grab things during the regular season, but in the playoffs, it’s like, “Sorry, wife, you may have to go grab that and I’ll stay off my feet.” So every little thing is adjusted when you’re trying to get those advantages during playoff time. You know it’s the most important time of the year. In these games, every game is gold. So, yes. Not only does diet change, but some things you do in your daily life change as well.

How has the NBA Draft Combine changed since you entered the league? Do you think you would’ve been drafted higher if the combine had been similar to what it is today? – from James in Aurora, IL

I’m not sure because what really helped me back then was that everyone was competing in the scrimmages. So when I played against some of the top guys at the Chicago camp and won all the games, it helped me rise as a prospect, because I was projected to be a second-round pick. But I had a good showing that made my stock skyrocket. The individual workouts and testing were still important, but there were more scrimmages and competition, where my game could really shine.

What’s one playoff moment from your career that fans don’t talk about enough? – from Nikhil in Corpus Christi, TX

Probably the Game 3 takeover and game-winner against Orlando during the 2011 first round.

As a microwave scorer who often came off the bench, what was your specific routine or mental trick to feel warm and instantly effective in your first minute on the court? – from Kylon in Tampa, FL

Before I stepped on the floor, I would stretch on the bench. And people would be like, “Oh, you’re getting old and need to stretch.” I would say, “No, I’m staying young.” The more you warm up and stretch, the more ready you are when you enter the game. Now, I don’t have to warm up when I hit the floor.

So I would stretch on the bench and watch how teams were playing certain actions and players. Then I would mentally put myself in the game before I was actually checked into the game. I would see the weaknesses in their defense and just see how I could impact the game.

One thing I thought about a few nights ago with Naz Reid and the Wolves. When you come off the bench and your team is down, you get to be more aggressive. Your team is already down, so they’re looking for a bunch of offense right away. If your team is up and you come in, you don’t want to disrupt the flow of what they have going, and you just play off of them. Then in the second quarter, you start feeling more comfortable being aggressive.

What’s the biggest mistake young players make when trying to become ‘instant offense’ guys off the bench? – from Sam in Great Neck, NY

Sometimes they don’t read the room. They think when they come in that it’s about them. Instead, they should see the flow of the game or decide what every game needs. Even though I was the main scorer off the bench, I might be the guy who would run two pick-and-rolls in a row, even though I know they’re going to trap me, just so I can get my teammates going first.

You have to be able to read the room and see what’s needed, even though you know you’re out there for a specific reason. You have to do other things first.

What can kids in this generation take from earlier eras, and how can they implement those styles of play into today’s game? – from Brandon in DeWitt, AR

I would say more film study and fundamentals. I know we have a million different moves now, but the fundamentals always show up and are always important. For film study, there’s been a rise in players who watch highlights, but they don’t watch film. They will see a crazy move, like, “Oh, did you see the dunk by Wemby?” And I will say, “Did you see the footwork and how he used the defensive leverage with the bump against them? That’s what helped him gain the momentum to get to the basket for the dunk.” They see the result, but not how it developed. More film tapes, fewer mixtapes.

As a guy who grew early and was forced to play big, how do I develop my game? – from Davin in Colorado

In the world of positionless basketball, everybody’s everywhere. You can see a guy like Chet Holmgren out on the perimeter shooting 3s, or a guy like SGA in the mid-post or post playing closer to the basket. So, for you, focus on developing a consistent catch-and-shoot outside shot and a handle (maybe not Kyrie level, but enough to get you past your defender). That will help you blend size and skill.

Jamal, I’ve seen your clips and studied your games extensively. How do you dribble so quickly and are so flexible with the ball? And how do you see JJ taking on your skillet as he grows and you coach him? – from Jackson in Omaha, NE

For me, I always kept a ball with me, no matter where I went. I didn’t do any cone drills. I just became one with a ball, and naturally, my handle got better. Over time, I got more comfortable and confident with my moves.

For JJ, I’m teaching him some of the same things, and then I want him to be creative as well. With me traveling and doing games, he spends time by himself being creative and seeing what works, what doesn’t, and how he can make it better. So, it’s funny when I watch him on camera – and he doesn’t know I’m watching him, so he may read this and find out – I can see his mind working that way because it reminds me of when I was a kid going through the same things. It’s so cool. Coaching him is my favorite thing to do.

Jamal, you’ve often said that while you push your children on the court, the drive ultimately has to come from them; how do you successfully balance the role of a demanding coach with being a supportive father — especially when it comes to teaching them to love the process of getting better rather than just the results? – from Hunter in Fall River, MA

I would say I’ve gotten a lot better at it. It was tough to find a balance in the first year. I was probably harder on him than anybody else. After that, I think I became just coach. The first year, I was dad-balling the wrong way. I was harder on him because I was like, “You know this stuff. We live together!” But it was better the next year, and it’s improved each season. This is my fourth year coaching him. I think for him, too, it helped him grow to treat him like any other player. He was just another guy on the team. I think that helped his growth really take off because he could just be part of the team and not the coach’s son.

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