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Our NBArank countdown is back for its 11th season. And after unveiling players Nos. 100-51, Nos. 50-26 and Nos. 25-6 throughout the week, we’ve finally reached the top five.

We’ve already stated the cases for each superstar, but who was voted in as the league’s best player?

Will LeBron James retain his throne? Will Giannis Antetokounmpo add the No. 1 spot to his list of accolades? Could 22-year-old Luka Doncic leapfrog them all? Here are the very best players for the 2021-22 season.

To get the final NBArank prediction, we asked our expert panel to vote on pairs of players: Kevin Durant vs. James Harden, Luka vs. Zion Williamson, Giannis vs. Stephen Curry, LeBron vs. Nikola Jokic … and the list goes on.

We asked, “Which player will be better in 2021-22?” Voters had to predict what they expected from each player during the season.

Note: Because of knee injuries that will sideline both for most of the 2021-22 season, the LA ClippersKawhi Leonard and the Denver NuggetsJamal Murray were excluded from this season’s rankings.

MORE: Debating LeBron’s spot and the biggest NBArank surprises


Golden State Warriors | PG
2020 NBArank:
No. 8

His legacy is secured no matter what happens this season, but Curry and the Warriors are confident that they can vault themselves back toward the top of the Western Conference if he has another MVP-like season and Klay Thompson returns to form. As usual, the sky is the limit for Curry.

One big question: Can Curry play at an MVP level again? The two-time MVP led the league in scoring last season with 32.0 points per game. He did everything for a Warriors squad playing without Klay Thompson that struggled to find consistent offense outside of Curry’s brilliance. Curry believes he can stretch his prime out a little longer, but he’ll be 34 in March and, aside from a fluke tailbone injury, stayed relatively healthy. If the Warriors want to return to the top of the West, Curry will need to have another huge season — even with Thompson expected to make his return.

Swing skill: Curry is widely regarded by many peers and former players as the greatest shooter of all time. He is a career 43.3% 3-point shooter and shot 48.2% from the field last season. If he puts it up, the expectation is that it’s going in, and his mere presence on the court creates the gravity that allows his teammates to shine.

One thing to watch for: Curry enters the season just 141 3-pointers behind Ray Allen for the top spot on the all-time list. Given that Curry made 337 3s last season, he figures to eclipse Allen before the All-Star break.

— Nick Friedell


Dallas Mavericks | PG
2020 NBArank:
No. 4

At 22, Doncic has already established himself as one of the NBA’s elite. He’s been a first-team All-NBA selection the last two seasons, a feat only Kevin Durant has accomplished at such a young age since the ABA-NBA merger. It only seems like a matter of when — and how many times — Doncic wins MVP. He’s finished fourth and sixth, respectively, in the last two MVP votes.

One distinction Doncic doesn’t want: He has the most career postseason points (436) of any player without a series victory, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

One big question: Can Doncic carry the Mavs to postseason success? It would be wrong to blame Doncic for the Mavs’ failure to get out of the first round, considering he’s averaged an efficient 33.5 points, 8.8 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game in a pair of first-round exits against the Clippers. However, it’s fair to say that Doncic faded in the fourth quarters of last season’s series, shooting only 34.9% from the floor with almost as many turnovers (9) as assists (12) in the final frames over the seven games. Those struggles are likely in large part due to his astronomical usage rate (40.4%, the highest in the playoffs), which is why the Mavs attempted to add another playmaker this offseason.

Swing skill: Doncic staked a claim as the most dominant driver in the NBA last season. According to Second Spectrum tracking, Doncic led the league in points off of drives (804) and ranked third in assists (150). He shot 59.2% from the floor in those situations, tied for second behind Giannis Antetokounmpo among the 48 players with at least 600 drives. Doncic isn’t an explosive leaper, but he excels as a finisher due to his rare combination of size, strength and savvy — and he has mastered a pivot into a one-legged fadeaway for the occasions when he can’t get all the way to the basket. The Mavs’ offseason additions of shooters should give Doncic wider driving lanes this season.

One thing to watch for: There is a good chance that Doncic will rank among the top 10 all-time in triple-doubles by his 23rd birthday on Feb. 28. Doncic has 36 triple-doubles through his third season (plus three more in the playoffs), putting him seven behind Fat Lever for the 10th most in NBA history. (Doncic is only two shy of Oscar Robertson for the most triple-doubles before turning 23.) Doncic has scored at least 30 points in 17 of those triple-doubles. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, only seven players have as many or more 30-point triple-doubles: Robertson, Russell Westbrook, LeBron James, James Harden, Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.

— Tim MacMahon


Los Angeles Lakers | SF
2020 NBArank:
No. 1

In two out of the last three seasons since arriving in Los Angeles, James has suffered a major injury that sabotaged his and the Lakers’ chances. In the other: James finished second in MVP voting and led the Lakers to the championship. Will it be triumph or tribulations in 2021-22?

One big question: Can James help a Lakers team with 10 fresh faces coalesce into a championship team from the jump? James has four titles under his belt already and has long cemented his legacy as one of the true greats to ever play the game, but adding a ring at age 37 would certainly boost his quest for universal GOAT recognition.

Swing skill: James averaged a career best 2.3 3-pointers made per game last season and shot 36.5% from deep, which accounted for his fourth most accurate season from deep of his career. With Russell Westbrook added to the mix as another playmaker, it will be interesting to see if James’ aim can benefit from the type of looks he’s usually creating for others.

One thing to watch for: James enters the season just 1,562 points away from passing Karl Malone for No. 2 on the league’s all-time scoring list. If James averages the 25 points per game that he did last season — and plays in every game — he would be in range to pass Malone in L.A.’s 63rd game on the schedule (which just so happens to be a primetime ABC matchup against Curry and the Warriors).

— Dave McMenamin


Milwaukee Bucks | PF
2020 NBArank:
No. 3

What do you do to top the epic NBA Finals-winning performance Antetokounmpo turned in last year? The easy answer is to repeat. The real answer — which is downright scary for the rest of the league — is for Antetokounmpo to improve the few areas of his game he can still work on. He’s still just 26 years old, which means we probably are just now getting to Antetokounmpo’s prime years. He’ll enter them with the confidence of a two-time MVP and an NBA champion.

One big question: History will always remember Antetokounmpo’s 50-point masterpiece in Game 6 of the NBA Finals to close out his first championship and Finals MVP. Social media will always remember the 50-piece at Chik Fil-A he ordered afterward. But it was the 17-for-19 performance at the free throw line in Game 6 that really stood out. Giannis was so unstoppable at times during the Finals that fouling him and forcing him to hit free throws (he hit just 54% of them in the three road games during the Finals) seemed like the best way to stop him. Giannis is a career 71.7% free throw shooter, but he dipped to 63.3% in 2019-20 and 68.5% last year.

Swing skill: Antetokounmpo was the first player to average 20 points and shoot 65% in the paint in a single postseason. In the Finals he was even more lethal in the paint, shooting 75%. Simply put, he is virtually impossible to stop once he gets inside. But there’s even room for improvement there, too, if he works on his back-to-the-basket post moves like LeBron James did at a similar juncture in his career.

One thing to watch for: Antetokounmpo is already second on the Bucks all-time scoring list after passing Glenn Robinson last season. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (14,211 points as a Buck) is in sight this year. Antetokounmpo (12,319 points) needs 1,892 this year to become Milwaukee’s all-time leading scorer. He’s averaged 1,895 points over the past four seasons (the last two were shortened to 72 games) so he could easily pass Kareem sometime in April.

— Ramona Shelburne


Brooklyn Nets | SF
2020 NBArank:
No. 6

NBA moments are ripe for hyperbole, but with what happened in 2021, there’s a grounded case to make for the championship coming down to Durant’s toe. That devastating turnaround jumper in Game 7 against the Bucks — the thunderous left-foot pivot and lightning-quick rise-and-release over P.J. Tucker is downright legendary — was almost on the list of biggest shots in NBA history. Instead it was the longest 2-pointer possible and the topper to an incredible playoff series that verified Durant’s complete recovery from a torn Achilles. Then, by the way, he laid waste at the Olympics and carried the Americans to gold. Yeah, um, look out, 2021-22.

One big question: Durant’s game is almost untouchable, so the real question is: Will everyone stay on the floor? Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden all had moderate injuries during the shortened season, and, combined with Irving’s leave of absence, the Spencer Dinwiddie injury and the transition after the Harden trade, they made last season a mess for Brooklyn. If they get even half of those events eliminated, it’s not hard to see why the Nets are the preseason title favorites.

Swing skill: It’s probably foolish in these times to say anyone is the “greatest” at anything, so let’s avoid that nonsense. Let’s leave it at: Durant is one of the most skilled players to ever take up basketball, and his height, release and accuracy make him one of the most undefendable players in history. It’s remarkable that Durant doesn’t shoot every time down the floor because, frankly, it would almost always be considered a good shot no matter the circumstances.

One thing to watch for: The Nets protected Durant as much as they could last season — he averaged his fewest minutes per game during the regular season and he skipped some back-to-backs. With the team deeper this season after signing a host of veterans, the inclination will be to protect Durant some more. The inactive list may be the only thing that stops him. How that may affect the MVP race could be a topic as the year unfolds.

— Brian Windhorst

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Braves activate RHP Anderson, sign OF Rosario

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Braves activate RHP Anderson, sign OF Rosario

It was old faces in familiar places for the Atlanta Braves on Monday after they activated right-hander Ian Anderson to the active roster and signed outfielder Eddie Rosario to a major league contract.

In corresponding moves, outfielder Jarred Kelenic was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett, while right-hander Davis Daniel was optioned to Triple-A after Sunday’s game.

Both Anderson and Rosario emerged as 2021 postseason heroes in Atlanta as the Braves went on to win the World Series.

Anderson, who was claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday, went 4-0 with a 1.26 ERA in eight postseason starts for the Braves over the 2020 and 2021 postseasons.

In the 2021 World Series, Anderson famously pitched five no-hit innings in Game 3 to lead Atlanta to a 2-0 victory over the Houston Astros. The Braves defeated the Astros in six games.

Anderson, who turns 27 Friday, was traded by the Braves to the Angels on March 23 for left-hander Jose Suarez. He struggled badly with his new club, going 0-1 with an 11.57 ERA in seven relief appearances. He allowed 17 hits and seven walks in just 9⅓ innings.

Rosario, 33, signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in February and played in two games with the club, going 1-for-4. He was designated for assignment and became a free agent when Shohei Ohtani returned from the paternity list just over a week ago.

Rosario was the 2021 National League Championship Series MVP, when he powered the Braves past the Dodgers with three home runs, nine RBIs and a 1.647 OPS in six games.

Over parts of 11 seasons, Rosario is a career .261 hitter with 169 home runs and 583 RBIs in 1,123 games with five different clubs, including five seasons with the Minnesota Twins (2015-20) and four with the Braves (2021-24).

Kelenic, 25, was batting .167 with two home runs in 23 games and is a career .211 hitter with 49 home runs and 156 RBIs in 406 games with the Seattle Mariners (2021-23) and Braves.

Daniel, 27, made his only appearance for the Braves on Sunday with a scoreless inning and has appeared in 10 games (six starts) over the past three seasons with a 4.95 ERA.

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Two-time Cup winner Sullivan out as Pens coach

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Two-time Cup winner Sullivan out as Pens coach

Mike Sullivan, who led the Pittsburgh Penguins to back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017, is out as the team’s head coach, it was announced Monday.

Sullivan was the longest-tenured coach in Penguins history after just completing his 10th season. The 57-year-old, who also coached Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off, was under contract in Pittsburgh through 2026-27.

In a statement, Penguins GM Kyle Dubas said the decision was “the best course forward for all involved” as Pittsburgh navigates a transitional period.

“On behalf of Fenway Sports Group and the Penguins organization, I would like to thank Mike Sullivan for his unwavering commitment and loyalty to the team and City of Pittsburgh over the past decade,” Dubas said. “Mike is known for his preparation, focus and fierce competitiveness. I was fortunate to have a front-row seat to his dedication to this franchise for the past two seasons. He will forever be an enormous part of Penguins history, not only for the impressive back-to-back Cups, his impact on the core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Bryan Rust, but more importantly, for his love and loyalty to the organization. This was not a decision that was taken lightly, but as we continue to navigate the Penguins through this transitional period, we felt it was the best course forward for all involved.”

The Penguins have missed the playoffs for three straight seasons as Dubas works to retool the team into a contender while Crosby is still competing at a high level. Crosby just completed his 20th straight season in which he posted a point-per-game scoring pace, and he was voted by his peers in the NHLPA as the league’s most complete player. The captain is under contract through next season on a two-year extension he signed prior to the 2024-25 season.

Sullivan was elevated to Penguins head coach in 2015 after leading the organization’s AHL team in Wilkes-Barre. With 409 wins in Pittsburgh, he leaves as the Penguins’ all-time wins leader.

With Sullivan’s departure, there are now seven head-coaching vacancies in the NHL. The Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers, Anaheim Ducks, Seattle Kraken and New York Rangers are also searching for new coaches right now. According to sources, Sullivan has been atop the Rangers’ wish list.

Sources also said Sullivan is keen on coaching again next season and will be a top candidate for several of the vacancies. Sullivan worked as an assistant coach with the Rangers and as both an assistant and head coach with the Bruins earlier in his career.

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Stanley Cup playoffs daily: Round 4 of the Battle of Florida, pivotal Game 5 for Avs-Stars

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Stanley Cup playoffs daily: Round 4 of the Battle of Florida, pivotal Game 5 for Avs-Stars

Home teams are on a tear in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs, going 21-10 thus far. Will that trend continue Monday?

The early matchup is Game 4 of the Battle of Florida, and the festivities have become heated; Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel was given a major penalty for his hit on Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov in Game 2, and subsequently suspended for Game 3. In that game, Matthew Tkachuk leveled a hard hit on Jake Guentzel but did not receive the same punishment. What will transpire in Game 4?

In the nightcap, the clash of West titans continues, as the Colorado Avalanche look to keep the momentum going after their 4-0 victory over the Dallas Stars in Game 4 on Saturday.

Read on for game previews with statistical insights from ESPN Research, recaps of what went down in Sunday’s games, and the Three Stars of Sunday Night from Arda Öcal.

Matchup notes

Tampa Bay Lightning at Florida Panthers
Game 4 (FLA leads 2-1) | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN

Teams that hold a 2-1 series lead have gone on to win the best-of-seven matchup 69% of the time in Stanley Cup playoff history. The Panthers have won two out of three best-of-seven series when holding a 2-1 lead, and the Lightning are 6-7 all time when trailing 2-1.

Jake Guentzel had three points (goal, two assists) in Game 3, and his 40 career playoff goals are third most among active U.S.-born players, trailing Patrick Kane (53) and Chris Kreider (48).

With his win in Game 3, Andrei Vasilevskiy now has 67 for his postseason career, second most among active goaltenders (behind Marc-Andre Fleury, who has 92), and one behind Andy Moog for 11th on the all-time list.

Matthew Tkachuk scored his third goal of the series in Game 3, and became the third player in franchise history with 20 career playoffs goals (Carter Verhaeghe 26, Sam Reinhart 22); he is also the third Panther to record 50 playoff points for the club (Aleksander Barkov 62, Verhaeghe 54).

Aaron Ekblad‘s return from suspension didn’t go so well. According to Stathletes, Ekblad and Gustav Forsling played 10:50 together at 5-on-5, and the Lightning scored three goals while they were on the ice.

Colorado Avalanche at Dallas Stars
Game 5 (series tied 2-2) | 9:30 p.m. ET | ESPN

With the series tied 2-2, history is on the Stars’ side: Colorado is 11-12 when a series is tied 2-2. Dallas has gone 18-14 in the same scenario.

Nathan MacKinnon is up to 52 career playoff goals, which is six away from tying Peter Forsberg for second in Avalanche/Nordiques franchise history; Joe Sakic is first with 84.

Gabriel Landeskog made his return to the ice in Game 3 for the first time since the 2022 Stanley Cup Final, and scored a goal in Game 4, the 28th playoff goal of his career.

Mikko Rantanen (formerly of the Avs, now of the Stars) has only one point (an assist) through four games, but it’s not for a lack of trying; he has 12 shots on goal, which is second most on the team this postseason (Roope Hintz has 13).

Stars goalie Jake Oettinger was pulled in Game 4, just the fourth time in 49 career playoff starts he has played 40 minutes or less. Since 2022, Oettinger has the second-most postseason wins (25), behind Sergei Bobrovsky (34).


Arda’s three stars from Sunday night

Svechnikov potted a hat trick to lift the Canes to a 5-2 win against the Devils in Newark, giving them a 3-1 series lead. Svechnikov is the only Hurricanes/Whalers player in franchise history (45 seasons, 205 playoff games) with a hat trick in the playoffs (he now has two).

His two goals in the third period tied the game at 3, setting the stage for the Oilers to win in OT and tie up the series. Bouchard is now the fourth defenseman to have back-to-back multigoal games in Stanley Cup playoff history.

After two points over the first three games of the series, Neighbors scored a goal and added two assists as the Blues emphatically tied the series with a 5-1 victory in Game 4.


Sunday’s scores

St. Louis Blues 5, Winnipeg Jets 1
Series tied 2-2 | Game 5 Wednesday

Although he is the overwhelming favorite to win the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s best goalie in the regular season, Connor Hellebuyck is not having a great time this postseason. He was pulled in the third period of this loss after giving up five goals on 18 shots. Winnipeg’s Kyle Connor opened the scoring in this game, but the Blues charged back with five straight goals off the sticks of Jake Neighbours, Tyler Tucker, Brayden Schenn, Justin Faulk and Robert Thomas. The home team has won every game in this series. Will that continue in Game 5 in Winnipeg? Full recap.

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0:51

Tyler Tucker puts the Blues ahead with a goal

Tyler Tucker scores in the second period to give the Blues a 2-1 lead over the Jets.

Carolina Hurricanes 5, New Jersey Devils 2
CAR leads 3-1 | Game 5 Tuesday

After the Canes went up 3-0, the Devils punched back with two second-period goals, and Carolina starting goalie Frederik Andersen was knocked out after a collision with New Jersey’s Timo Meier. However, that was as close as the Devils would get, as Brent Burns added a goal at 14:14 of the third, and Andrei Svechnikov finished off his hat trick with an empty-net goal to seal the deal. Full recap.

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2:05

Andrei Svechnikov scores his second career playoff hat trick

Andrei Svechnikov lit the ice with his second career playoff hat trick in Game 4 vs. the Devils.

Washington Capitals 5, Montreal Canadiens 2
WSH leads 3-1 | Game 5 Wednesday

The Bell Centre was rocking again for this one. Washington’s Dylan Strome started the scoring at 1:25 of the second period, but the Canadiens answered back with two power-play goals (from Juraj Slafkovsky and Cole Caufield) to take the lead heading into the third. However, the Caps proved they were the better team, tying it 6:39 into the third, taking the lead 10 minutes later and then pumping in two empty-netters to put it out of reach. Full recap.

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0:39

Andrew Mangiapane’s big-time goal gives Caps a lead in the 3rd period

Andrew Mangiapane notches a big-time goal to give the Capitals a lead late in the third period.

Edmonton Oilers 4, Los Angeles Kings 3 (OT)
Series tied 2-2 | Game 5 Tuesday

Another back-and-forth contest for these two teams. The Kings held a 3-1 lead heading into the third, thanks to goals from Trevor Moore, Warren Foegele and Kevin Fiala. But the Oilers came back, thanks to a pair of goals by Evan Bouchard (both of which were assisted by Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid) to send the game to overtime. Draisaitl then scored the winner on the power play with just 1:42 left in the extra session. Full recap.

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1:14

Leon Draisaitl’s OT winner evens the series for the Oilers

Leon Draisaitl nets the winning goal in overtime to give the Oilers a dramatic win over the Kings in Game 4.

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