After Houston's practice on Tuesday, Jabari Smith Jr. called the Rockets "obviously the better team" in their first-round matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers. On paper, it's a strange thing for a player to say when trailing 3-1 in a series that his team entered as heavy favorites,

Imagine trying to explain this to a friend who doesn’t really watch the NBA. The No. 8 seed Magic led the No. 1 Pistons 60-38 in a playoff elimination game at home with a 3-2 series lead. On the brink of becoming the seventh No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 8 ...