The NBA announced the finalists for 2023-24 Most Valuable Player. The finalists are Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets.

Jokic is a two-time MVP, having been honored for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. Jokic was the MVP runner-up to Joel Embiid for the 2022-23 season.

This is the first time Doncic or Gilgeous-Alexander have been finalists for MVP.

The Dallas Mavericks could have interest in Klay Thompson in free agency, sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic.

Thompson has received the support from several key stakeholders within the Golden State Warriors including Stephen Curry, Steve Kerr and Draymond Green.

Grayson Allen recently signed a four-year, $70 million extension with the Phoenix Suns, which could be a benchmark for the type of deal Thompson commands.

Thompson was drafted by the Warriors in 2011 out of Washington State.

The Western Conference seeds are set following the end of regular season on Sunday. The first round begins on Saturday, April 20th.

First Round Matchups

• No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 (Pelicans, Lakers, Kings or Warriors)

• No. 2 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 7 (Pelicans or Lakers)

• No. 3 Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No. 6 Phoenix Suns

• No. 4 LA Clippers vs. No. 5 Dallas Mavericks

Play-In

• No. 7 New Orleans Pelicans vs. No. 8 Los Angeles Lakers

• No. 9 Sacramento Kings vs. No. 10 Golden State Warriors

Mark Cuban does not have a separate employment agreement as part of his sale of the Dallas Mavericks to the Adelson and Dumont families.

Sources tell Marc Stein that Cuban could have pushed for him to contractually retain operational control of the Mavericks' basketball department, but he declined to do so because he thought it was unnecessary due to his relationship with Patrick Dumont. Cuban, 65, also does not want formal employment.

The sale agreement does stipulate that new owners Miriam Adelson and Dumont hold an option to buy out a further 20 percent of Cuban's 27-percent share within the first four years of the partnership if they choose.

The Los Angeles Clippers will play the Dallas Mavericks in No. 4 seed versus No. 5 seed matchup in the Western Conference playoffs.

The No. 4 seed in the matchup is still up for grabs.

The Bulls will play the Hawks in the Eastern Conference play-in game next week. 

Kyrie Irving and Kristaps Porzingis have been named the NBA's Players of Week 24.

Irving averaged 31.8 points and 5.3 rebounds as the Dallas Mavericks went 3-1.

Porzingis averaged 19.8 points, 10.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks as the Boston Celtics went 4-0.

Jalen Brunson and Luka Doncic have been named the NBA's Players of the Month for March.

Brunson averaged 28.8 points and 5.8 assists as the New York Knicks went 9-5.

Doncic averaged 32.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and 10.1 assists as the Dallas Mavericks went 11-4. Doncic also won the award in February. 

Dejounte Murray and Luka Doncic have been named the NBA's Players of Week 23.

Murray averaged 28.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 10.3 assists as the Atlanta Hawks went 3-1.

Doncic averaged 32.5 points, 11.0 rebounds and 9.5 assists as the Dallas Mavericks went 4-0.