Kyrie Irving is looking forward to the NBA Finals.
The former Nets guard said in a Friday Twitch stream that he was “excited” to watch the Knicks in their return to the NBA’s biggest stage, and gave a shoutout to the orange and blue faithful as well.
“The Knicks making the Finals is OD… a lot of those Knicks fans in New York are gonna go bonkers, man,” he said.
“It’s gonna be one of those ones. You just gotta gear up for it if you’re on the East Coast, man. They done made it to the NBA Finals, they done earned their ticket, they did everything that they could in the regular season to prepare.”
The 34-year-old Irving, who was with the Nets from 2019-23 until he was traded to the Mavericks, also praised Jalen Brunson as a “great” point guard who has “great pieces around him.” The Knicks are in the Finals for the first time since 1999.
Kyrie Irving said he was “excited” to watch the Knicks in the NBA Finals Twitch/Kyrie Irving
Kyrie "The Knicks making the Finals is OD…Knicks fans gonna go bonkers man. Its gonna be one of those ones…They done made it to the NBA Finals, done earned their ticket…I'm excited to watch them too…Mike Brown leading the helm, Jalen Brunson great PG…great pieces around him" pic.twitter.com/UVmelSX9Fk
“I am definitely close to being over at 100 percent in terms of my ACL recovery,” he said on the Twitch stream.
“It’s been a while now…I’m so grateful that I’ve had the time to heal and just experiment with my body more on the court and off the court in the weight room and just pushing myself to the limit.”
Knicks celebrate after winning the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers during Game Four of the 2026 NBA Eastern Conference Finals on May 25, 2026 at Rocket Arena NBAE via Getty ImagesIrving is helped off the court after tearing his ACL in March 2025. AP
The Knicks, meanwhile, are waiting to learn their Finals opponent after sweeping the Cavs in the Eastern Conference finals.
The Thunder and Spurs will face off in the West’s Game 7 on Saturday night with a spot in the NBA Finals on the line.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - FEBRUARY 16: Stephen Curry #30 and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of Team Chuck embrace in the locker room during the 74th NBA All-Star Game as part of NBA All-Star Weekend on Sunday, February 16, 2025 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Behold a young homegrown contender built through the draft, with an MVP running the offense. They wield the best record in basketball. They’re the defending champions with a home crowd loud enough to register on seismographs. Everybody around the league is looking at them and asking the same question with varying levels of jealousy: is this the next dynasty?
That’s the 2026 Oklahoma City Thunder.
It was also the 2016 Golden State Warriors, right down to the part where everybody started talking about them like the future before the future had actually arrived. The scary thing about becoming the next Warriors is that eventually you have to survive the part where the Warriors stopped being a great story and started becoming a problem. Saturday is that part.
What’s jarring about this WCF is we haven’t really seen the Thunder get handled like this. For two games in this series the Spurs have absolutely dominated OKC to the point where the game was over early in the 3rd quarter. Even if the Thunder hold on here, it’s safe to say that…
Which remains one of the funniest and most horrifying events in modern basketball history, depending entirely on what zip code you lived in. Oklahoma City spent years building a contender, developed an MVP, assembled a legitimate title threat, pushed the Warriors to the absolute brink of elimination, and then watched their best player leave to join the people who had just beaten him. Imagine losing a sword fight and then finding out your shiniest sword filed paperwork to switch sides.
Oklahoma City has been trying to become the Warriors ever since.
They won Game 7, walked away with Durant sixty-six days later, and turned his talent into two bonus championships that OKC spent a decade watching from a very uncomfortable distance. The Warriors went beyond winning the rivalry; they turned it into a modern day cinematic masterpiece of how to dismantle your biggest conference rival. That’s what the Thunder need to do Saturday to rise up the dynastic rankings. Now Oklahoma City can feel what the Warriors went through exactly 10 years ago. They’re the defending champions with the MVP, the home court, the banner, and the growing institutional confidence that the Western Conference belongs to them. This is usually the point where a dynasty starts stretching its legs and making everybody else miserable on a predictable schedule.
I have the strong feeling that the Spurs weren’t consulted on that schedule. Unfortunately for OKC’s story, Victor Wembanyama showed up. San Antonio wasn’t supposed to be here yet. Surely the Nuggets or Timberwolves should have been in this spot. Or at least Houston! The conventional wisdom said be patient, their time is coming, let the Thunder have this one. In reality, they are just five games away from winning it all.
Here is the part that should keep Oklahoma City awake tonight. The Warriors completed their dynasty arc by proving they could survive the challenger that was supposed to replace them. They stared down Durant and Westbrook, crawled out of a 3-1 grave, won Game 7, and then walked away with Durant sixty-six days later like adding they had added the Green Power Ranger Tommy to their squad.
Buddy, this Game 7 is going to hit like GS/OKC in 2016. Defending champs taken to the limit after a historical season. Biggest threat to the brewing dynasty trying to turn their own potential into reality. Wemby switching sides if they lose. Wait how did that get in there.
Oklahoma City doesn’t need to steal Victor Wembanyama if they win tonight. Adam Silver would probably need a sedative if that happened. But they do need to do the first part by protecting home court. Beat the young rival on the biggest stage available. Reach the Finals and leave absolutely no doubt about who runs this conference and why.
Because dynasties aren’t measured by how they handle success. They’re measured by what happens when the next monster shows up and starts knocking on the front door, and Wembanyama has been knocking for six games now with increasing confidence and very little concern for the name on the other side.
For ten years Oklahoma City watched the Warriors build something that felt permanent and consuming and almost unfair in its completeness. They rebuilt in the quiet, in the patience of believing their chance would eventually come back around. Tonight that opportunity is standing right in front of them. A reeeeaaal dynasty would seize it.
PERTH, AUSTRALIA - DECEMBER 13: Mike Gansey current Cleveland Cavaliers General Manager and former basketball player arrives at Perth Airport on December 13, 2022, in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Faith Moran/GC Images)
One of the signs of success is needing to replace up-and-coming members of both the coaching staff and the front office who get better jobs elsewhere.
Last season, the Cleveland Cavaliers lost Jordan Ott, a valuable assistant coach, to the Phoenix Suns when he was appointed head coach last summer. Now, they’re losing general manager Mike Gansey to the Philadelphia 76ers. He will lead basketball operations for Philadelphia.
Just in: Cleveland Cavaliers general manager Mike Gansey has agreed to become the new President of Basketball Operations for the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell ESPN. Gansey — who rose the ranks within the Cavaliers front office since joining in 2011-12 — now lands the top… pic.twitter.com/QXwblvV1pf
Gansey is a native of Olmstead Falls. After his playing career ended professionally overseas, he took a front office position with the then Canton Charge, the Cavs’ G League team. He was with the Charge from 2012 to 2017, before taking on the assistant general manager role with the Cavs in 2017, shortly after Koby Altman took over basketball operations from David Griffin.
Gansey continued to advance within the organization. He served as assistant general manager until February 2022, when he was promoted to general manager.
It’s difficult to parse out what to attribute to members of a coaching staff or front office. Not every one of those groups acts the same from team to team, and oftentimes decisions can be made collectively. We can’t always point to a signing or trade happening or not happening because of the work of one member of the front office.
What we can say is that Gansey is very well respected within the organization. His voice carried weight and will be missed.
The Cavs may look to fill the role Gansey vacated internally. Based solely on the organizational hierarchy and how they’ve done things in the past, Brandon Weems is the internal candidate who seems most likely to take that role. The St. Vincent-St. Mary alum is currently serving as assistant general manager.
Basketball fans of a certain age may remember Gansey from his time as an excellent college player. He got some NBA draft buzz after averaging 16.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.9 steals as a West Virginia senior. While it’s been two decades since Gansey’s college days, he has a player’s perspective on key ingredients for winning teams.
Though Gansey never cracked the NBA, he played professionally for several seasons before joining the Cavaliers as a front office intern. The Cavs are essentially a hometown team for Gansey, who’s a native of Olmsted Falls, Ohio.
One of the Charge’s success stories during Gansey’s tenure was Quinn Cook. The undrafted guard won the 2015-16 D-League Rookie of the Year award, eventually broke through to the NBA and won two championships with the Warriors. Joe Harris is another recognizable NBA name who passed through Canton after being drafted by the Cavs with the 33rd overall pick in 2014.
Two Gansey brothers teamed up for a season in the D-League. Steve Gansey, who’s about three years younger than Mike, was the Charge’s associate head coach for the 2014-15 season (under head coach Jordi Fernandez). He went on to serve as head coach of the Fort Wayne Mad Ants and College Park Skyhawks.
It’s typically tough to tell from the outside exactly who’s responsible for what in NBA front offices, but Gansey is known to have played a major role in the Cavs’ draft process.
There’s a variety of players on that list. At a minimum, it’s safe to say Gansey is open to many types of prospects.
“I think we were just trying to get the best player available, whether it was an upside guy, an older guy,” he told reporters after the Cavs drafted Tyson. “We look at our roster and especially with this pick, 20, I don’t think there’s really expectations for him to play (immediately).
“Obviously, if he comes in, competes and can play, that would be great. But I think with our roster, we have good depth where we can bring him along slowly. With Tyson, he just checks so many boxes and you can kind of play him with any of our guys. … Just trying to get the best player available and we felt he was the guy there at 20.”
With Gansey as the No. 2 in Cleveland’s front office, the Cavs were not remotely reluctant to shake things up. We’ll soon see what Gansey has in store with the Sixers.
Mike Gansey, the right-hand man to Koby Altman in Cleveland, is set to take over as the 76ers' new president of basketball operations, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN and confirmed by NBC Sports Philadelphia's John Clark.
Source confirms the Sixers new president of basketball operations is Cleveland GM, Mike Gansey pic.twitter.com/zHHnTBZEGk
Gansey has been in the Cavaliers' front office since 2011 and, in 2022, took over as the general manager and right-hand to Altman (the Cavs' head of basketball operations). During his time in Cleveland, Ganesy was in charge of the Canton Charge, the Cavaliers' D-League affiliate (as the league was then called), and was named the 2017 D-League Executive of the Year.
Gansey takes over for Daryl Morey in Philadelphia, who was let go by the 76ers after they were swept out of the playoffs by the Knicks (as were the Cavaliers in the next round).
While Gansey was Cleveland's GM, the team has been willing to make bold moves — they traded for Donovan Mitchell in 2022 and for James Harden this past season.
That's a good sign because it's going to take bold moves to help the 76ers pivot to the future.
It became clear this season that the young, energized Tyrese Maxey and VJ backcourt is that future. However, the team is locked into a contract with 32-year-old Joel Embiid, who has not played in six straight games since December of 2023, and is guaranteed $188.3 million over the next three seasons. That makes him virtually untradable without attaching young players and picks. The playoffs also showed that when Embiid is healthy and rested, he can still be a force in the league, the team just can't rely on him to be that player consistently.
Then there is Paul George, who is guaranteed $54.1 million next season and has a $56.6 million player option for 2027-28.
Gansey has a big task ahead of him, but he can also see the path he wants to take. It's going to lead to an interesting next couple of years in Philly.
Glasgow Warriors will face the Bulls in their URC semi-final at Murrayfield, after the South African side bested Munster in Pretoria.
Johan Ackermann's side were big winners at Loftus Versfeld, as they ran in six tries to rack up a 45-14 victory.
The Warriors secured their place in the semis on Friday night as they eventually overcame a stubborn Connacht side 33-21 at Scotstoun.
They will now head to Murrayfield, as Scotstoun is unavailable as it prepares to host the Commonwealth Games later this summer.
The Bulls only visited Glasgow last month, with Franco Smith's men running out 25-21 winners in a tight game.
It's been two years since the Warriors visited Pretoria for the URC final and, at it's famous altitude, reached their highest high as they won their second title.
As for the Bulls, they've finished runners-up in the previous two URC seasons and will be hoping third time is the charm.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 14: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics celebrates breaking 50 points against the Philadelphia 76ers during the fourth quarter in game seven of the 2023 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Semifinals at TD Garden on May 14, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Bill Russell famously once said: “The two greatest words in sports are ‘Game 7.’”
With the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder soon tipping off a Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals tonight, I thought it would be the perfect time to reminisce on some of the best Game 7’s in Celtics history. You can go into any era of Celtics history and find an all-time performance when the lights are at their brightest.
Russell was undefeated in his career in Game 7’s with a perfect 10-0 record with five of those wins coming in the NBA Finals. The Boston Celtics as a franchise have played the most Game 7’s in NBA History at 38, the most recent a month ago when they lost to the Philadelphia 76ers. Despite this season, Boston has been pretty great in these do-or-die contests historically with a 27-11 record.
1957 NBA Finals: Hawks vs. Celtics
The first Game 7 played in both NBA and Celtics franchise history came in the 1957 NBA Finals when they faced off against the St. Louis Hawks on April 13th, 1957. With under a minute to go in the game, Bill Russell made a basket to tie it up and blocked the Hawks attempt to take the lead and eventually force overtime.
With the game still tied at the end of the first overtime, Bill Sharman had a chance to give the Celtics the win, but his jumper rimmed out and they headed for a second overtime. In the second overtime, Boston had a two-point lead with 2 seconds left and St. Louis had possession. They drew up a play for Bob Pettit who had 39 points up to that point, but both of his game tying attempts missed, giving the Boston Celtics a 125-123 win and their first NBA championship.
The 1957 Rookie of the Year Tom Heinsohn was remarkable in this game and carried the offense for Boston with 37 points and 23 rebounds on 17-33 shooting in 45 minutes played. Russell, also a rookie, finished with 19 points and 32 rebounds in 54 minutes. In later years, Heinsohn would call it the best game ever played which is high praise given that he was the Celtics coach during Game 5 of the 1976 NBA Finals in what was deemed “The Greatest Game Ever Played.”
1965 Eastern Division Finals: 76ers vs. Celtics
The 1965 Eastern Conference Finals was the definition of a back and forth series where both the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics traded victories going into Game 7. This was a battle of the big men as Wilt Chamberlain was trying to take down Bill Russell for the first time in his career. Wilt would have 30 points and 32 rebounds while Russell had 15 points and 29 rebounds. Sam Jones led the way for Boston with 37 points, but it was John Havlicek who was the hero of this Game 7.
In the final seconds of the game after Russell threw the ball out of bounds on an inbound play, the 76ers had the ball with the Celtics leading 110-109. Hal Greer went to inbound the ball for Philadelphia and when he threw it in play, John Havlicek intercepted it and Jones dribbled out the clock to propel Boston to collect their seventh straight NBA championship. This game will be remembered most for the iconic radio call from Johnny Most as he exclaimed in excitement: “Havlicek stole the ball! Havlicek stole the ball!”
1981 Eastern Conference Finals: 76ers vs. Celtics
In an inverse of the 2026 series between the Celtics and 76ers, Philadelphia jumped out to a quick 3-1 series lead over Boston in the 1981 Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics were able to battle back into the series behind two huge games by Larry Bird to force a Game 7 back in the Boston Garden on May 3rd, 1981.
This game started with Boston trailing by 7 points at halftime, but this didn’t deter them as they were able to tie it up late in the fourth quarter. Boston’s defense would swarm Philadelphia in the paint and that led to Larry Bird hitting a huge bank shot to give the Celtics a 91-89 lead with 1:03 left in the game. With 29 seconds left, Maurice Cheeks would have a chance to tie the game at the free throw line, but he missed the first and the 76ers couldn’t get a last second shot off. Boston would win 91-90 and go on to the NBA Finals where they defeated the Houston Rockets for their 14th title.
1984 NBA Finals: Lakers vs. Celtics
Out of all the Game 7s on this list, the matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics in the 1984 NBA Finals might be the biggest of them all. The best rivalry in basketball history, the clash of the titans between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, all culminating in their first head-to-head Finals matchup. This series started with the Lakers stealing home court from Boston in Game 1, but the Celtics would bounce back to take a 3-2 series lead going into Game 6. Los Angeles won Game 6 at home, setting up winner-take-all battle in Game 7 back in Boston on June 12th, 1984.
Boston took the early advantage in this game, leading by 6 points at halftime, but the third quarter saw them start to pull away. They outscored the Lakers 33-26 and took a 91-78 lead going into the fourth quarter. Los Angeles didn’t roll over; they locked in defensively and held the Celtics to only 20 points in the final frame and cutting Boston’s lead to three points on a James Worthy jumper with 1:14 to go in the game. This would be the Lakers final basket of the game as the Celtics rattled off a 9-0 run to put the game out of reach and earn Boston their 15th championship.
2008 Eastern Conference Semifinals: Cavaliers vs. Celtics
Jumping ahead to 2008, this was the first playoff series that LeBron James would face the Celtics as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Boston was powered by their Big 3 of Paul Pierce, Keven Garnett, and Ray Allen and they were giving the 23 year-old James fits throughout this entire series. The Cavaliers were able to play some strong defense to support James, and after they beat the Celtics in Game 6, they were in for a fight in Game 7 back in TD Garden on May 18th, 2008.
Game 7 saw an all-time duel between LeBron James and Paul Pierce who decided that they were going to be the one who sent their team to the Eastern Conference Finals. James scored 45 points on 14-29 shooting and was dominating Boston for most of the game and made it a one-point game with 2:20 left in the fourth quarter.
However, the Celtics did not let up in this game as PJ Brown hit a clutch midrange jumper with 1:21 to go make a three-point game. After that Pierce took over, playing elite defense on James on every possession. He hit two clutch free throws to finish the game with 41 points. Boston would go on to beat the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals and the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals to claim their 17th championship.
2017 Eastern Conference Semifinals: Wizards vs. Celtics
The 2017 Eastern Conference Semifinals matchup between the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards is one of my all time favorite series. Every game saw both teams battle tooth and nail, being led by two All-Star point guards in Isaiah Thomas and John Wall. Thomas made his impact felt in Game 2 when he scored 53 points on his sister’s birthday who he tragically lost at the beginning of these playoffs to give Boston a 2-0 advantage in the series. Wall would make his impact in a win or go home Game 6 for the Wizards where he hit a game-winning three to help bring Washington to a Game 7 in TD Garden on May 15th, 2017.
The first half saw both teams keep the game close with Washington taking a 55-53 into halftime. Bradley Beal went off for Washington, dropping 38 points on the night and the Wizards would open up their biggest lead of the game at 6 points midway through the third quarter. However, the Celtics would respond with a 9-0 run at the end of the quarter to take a 85-79 lead going into the fourth. Once the fourth quarter started, Kelly Olynyk became a folk hero in the city of Boston forever. He exploded for 14 points in the quarter and finished with 26 points on 10-14 shooting to lead the Celtics to a 115-105 win and a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals.
2022 Eastern Conference Semifinals: Bucks vs. Celtics
On the five year anniversary of the game Kelly Olynyk knocked out the Wizards in the 2017 Eastern Conference Semifinals, another unlikely role player would have his own special moment in a Game 7. After a heartbreaking Game 5 loss at home to the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2022 Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Celtics were down 3-2 going back on the road. Jayson Tatum would put up a heroic 46 point Game 6 performance, setting the stage for Game 7 on May 15th, 2022.
The Bucks shot out to an early 10-point lead towards the end of the first quarter but that was before the Celtics started to pull away thanks to the help of Grant Williams having the game of his life. Williams would finish with 27 points on 10-22 shooting from the field and 7-18 shooting from three. Boston would ride the hot hand of Grant Williams to a dominant 109-81 victory and use this series as a stepping stone to eventually making the 2022 NBA Finals. Williams put out a video on his Instagram reminiscing on this game and said, “These were such cool moments to look back to because it shows that you had some type of defining moment in your career.”
2023 Eastern Conference Semifinals: 76ers vs. Celtics
Not only is the final Game 7 in this article the most recent victory for the Celtics, but it is also my all time favorite performance. A year after Grant Williams’ heroics, the Celtics found themselves experiencing deja vu in the playoffs once again. Down 3-2 in the series going on the road in the 2023 Eastern Conference Semifinals, this time against the Philadelphia 76ers. Jayson Tatum once again came up big in Game 6 on the road and this time was going to make his mark on Game 7 in TD Garden on May 14th, 2023.
The similarities continued into Game 7, where the 76ers took a 6-point lead at the end of the first quarter, but Jayson Tatum had 11 points for the Celtics. Once the second quarter hit, Tatum continued his hot shooting first half with 14 points in the second quarter and Boston had a 55-52 lead at the half. Boston would leave Philadelphia in the dust in the second half, led by Jayson Tatum dropping an NBA Game 7 record with 51 points on 17-28 shooting from the field and 6-10 shooting from three and the Celtics would win 112-88 to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - MAY 22: Jared McCain #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks to shoot the ball against Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs during the third quarter in Game Three of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Frost Bank Center on May 22, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs will play Game 7 in the Western Conference Finals, and it’s become one of the most compelling series in recent memory as two young teams are emerging into potential greatness.
OKC is very young and remarkably deep and flexible, while San Antonio is even younger. We can’t remember if it’s the core or the overall team, but we read that this is the youngest team ever to get to a conference finals.
And of course both teams feature a member of the Brotherhood, with Mason Plumlee on the Spurs and Jared McCain on the Thunder.
McCain has emerged as a major factor, with his upbeat nature and boundless confidence fueling his game and, in turn, his team.
We thought we’d put together a links run for tonight’s game featuring McCain. There are a few themes: 1) his surprise emergence, 2) the hard fouls that Plumlee and Bismark Biyombo gave McCain in Game 5, and 3) that OKC will rely on him in Game 7.
Game time is 8:00 p.m. Quite frankly, most NBA basketball has been reduced to threes and dunks and is no longer compelling. This series is incredible, and these two teams, as young and talented as they are, are going to change the trajectory of the league. The Warriors did that during their era, and a lot of teams went with small ball.
These teams are not about that, and it could save the NBA from death by boredom. It’s too bad they’re both in the West though. This rivalry could become historic, and if they met in the Finals, it would be amazing for the league.
It all comes down to this: Game 7 between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder tonight, with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line.
With tip-off set for 8 p.m. ET at Paycom Center and the Thunder listed as 3.5-point favorites, our Covers experts are ready to dish out their best NBA picks for Saturday, May 30.
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Jon Metler's expert pick: Spurs moneyline
Price: +135 at bet365
The Oklahoma City Thunder are simply lacking the level of efficient offense needed to win this series right now.
Jalen Williams is still battling a hamstring injury and doesn’t look fully healthy, while Ajay Mitchell could also be limited if he’s able to play. That leaves a heavy burden on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and the matchup hasn’t been easy for him. Stephon Castle has consistently pressured him at the point of attack, and when he does get into the paint, Victor Wembanyama is waiting at the rim.
From a matchup standpoint, I don’t see Oklahoma City having enough answers for what the San Antonio Spurs are doing. The injuries matter, and Chet Holmgren hasn’t provided the offensive impact the Thunder need from him in an expanded role.
I picked San Antonio to win this series in seven games before it started, and my conviction has only grown stronger. With the Spurs trading at +135 on bet365 and my number closer to +110, there’s clear value at the current price.
Jason Logan's expert pick: Chet Holmgren to record a double-double
Price: +185 at bet365
My best bet for Game 7 is the Over on Holmgren's points total, but I also like what I’ve seen from OKC’s 7-footer on the glass in recent games. He’s totaled 22 rebounds on 36 rebounding chances in the past two outings, despite not playing much in the second half of those blowouts.
Holmgren’s been active on the offensive glass too, racking up seven collective offensive boards in those contests. This is the lowest total of the series, with defense expected to be drum tight. That means more misses and ample rebounding chances.
His projections for Game 7 sit as high as 9+ boards and 17+ points. I’ll ask for at least 10 and 10 from Holmgren, who will see more minutes if game script holds up and we get a tight do-or-die contest.
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Thunder team total Over 107.5
Price: -115 at bet365
The Thunder have consistently responded well to adversity in this series, scoring 122 and 127 points in their two previous games following a loss.
OKC's offense has also been far more explosive at home, averaging 121.3 points across three contests while posting an effective field-goal percentage nearly eight points higher than on the road.
While Game 7s are often expected to be lower scoring, that narrative is already baked into a total that has fallen seven points from Game 6.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 29: Tari Eason of Rockets warms up before the NBA playoffs game 5 between Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets at the Crypto.com Arena on April 29, 2026 in Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images) | Anadolu via Getty Images
Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason is a free agent for the first time in his career.
The former first-round pick out of LSU has grown in each of his four seasons with the Rockets. In the 2025-26 campaign, Eason averaged 10.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game for the Rockets, making 60 appearances (34 starts) for the team.
His player profile and potential for even more growth is why Bleacher Report writer Eric Pincus listed him at No. 13 in his free agent rankings.
“Eason represents part of the team’s young core, but he’s expecting a significant pay raise,” Pincus wrote.
“If Houston pays Eason in the $20-30 million starting range, the franchise could face apron restrictions. If the Rockets pass, letting him leave as a restricted free agent (or sign-and-trade him), the team loses youth, depth, and a tough wing who is shooting 46 percent from three-point range on nearly five attempts.”
The only players that ranked higher than Eason in the rankings are Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson, Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton, Miami Heat guard Norman Powell, Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Luguentz Dort, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ayo Dosunmu, Washington Wizards guard Trae Young, Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder big man Isaiah Hartenstein, Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves, Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren and Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.
The Rockets have a big decision when it comes to Easton’s future. It’s clear that the team wants to invest in him, but it comes at a certain price. The Rockets would lose a lot of their rebounding prowess and physical toughness by letting Easton walk, but they could have a lot of cap flexibility if they choose to move on.
It’s a conundrum that the Rockets have to solve this offseason. There’s reason to believe the Rockets can improve with Eason on the roster, but if they don’t bring him back, they will need to make several moves to replace his value.
TDS community, how much would you pay Eason this summer? Can the Rockets afford to let him go? Let us know in the comments section below.
The Western Conference Finals have felt like a heavyweight fight, with two powerhouses exchanging blows that would have ended just about every other team. All the games (okay, most of them) haven't gone down to the wire, but they have been entertaining and intense. The level of play has been incredibly high.
"Who doesn't want to play in a Game 7?" San Antonio's Stephon Castle asked.
Which team will be left standing when the final bell rings? Here are a handful of keys to Game 7, which you can watch starting at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, or stream on Peacock.
Wembanyama vs. Gilgeous-Alexander
It feels a little reductive, a little simplistic to say, "the team whose star plays better wins." Except that's how the first six games of this series have gone — whichever of Victor Wembanyama or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored the most in a game, their team won (both scored 26 in Game 3, an OKC win).
There was Victor Wembanyama's epic Game 1 masterpiece, with 41 points and 24 rebounds. Or his 33 points in a dominant Game 4. Or how he stepped up when his team needed him most in Game 6 and scored 22 points on 9-of-16 shooting in the first half to help the Spurs pull away (he finished with 28 points in 28 minutes). The Spurs went "back to basics" in Game 6 and used him more in a pick-and-pop role early, and when he hit those 3-pointers early, he got himself and the team going, then he went into the paint and was a force. While we haven't seen the most efficient Shai Gilgeous-Alexander this series — he's shooting just 37.9% — he dropped 30 points in Game 2 and 32 points in Game 5, both Oklahoma City wins.
"A lot of the shots that I'm shooting, I've shot plenty of times before and they feel good. They're just not going in," Gilgeous-Alexander said of his shooting this series. "But it's too late to abandon my work and abandon my game and who I am. This late in the season, I got to trust it and live or die by it."
SGA carved up the Spurs with his passing and playmaking early in the series, when San Antonio doubled him and tried to force the ball out of his hands. However, since the Spurs switched to a more straightforward defense (led by Castle) with help coming when he drives into a dangerous position, SGA has really struggled.
Maybe it is as simple as which superstar has the better night.
Oklahoma City’s starting five
With Jalen Williams (left hamstring) and Ajay Mitchell (calf) missing time — and they are both out for Game 7 — Mark Daigneault has had to adjust his rotations.
His starting five the last couple of games has been Gilgeous-Aleander, Jared McCain, Lu Dort, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein — and they have not been good together. There's a reason the Spurs race out to an early-game lead seemingly every game, forcing OKC to dig out of a hole.
The biggest issue has been Dort and his lack of shooting — he is shooting 35.5% overall and 18.2% from 3, giving the Spurs an easy person to help off of and ignore. Daigneault may want to consider starting — or subbing in very early — Cason Wallace for Dort.
Oklahoma City also needs a more aggressive night from Chet Holmgren. This has been a rough series for him, but when he is a scoring threat, like Game 5, the Thunder become that much more dangerous. He has to be that guy in Game 7.
Can Thunder force turnovers then run?
As mentioned above, the Spurs' half-court defense has frustrated the Thunder and Gilgeous-Alexander.
What has fueled the Thunder this season has been forcing turnovers with their aggressive defense, then turning those into easy transition buckets the other way. If the Thunder wins this series, they have scored 20, 20 and 27 points off Spurs turnovers; in the last two losses, it was 11 and 13 (Game 1, with its double overtime, was kind of its own thing).
If OKC can get some easy transition buckets, that's huge for them in Game 7.
3s and bench stars
Two other quick keys in this game. One, the Thunder have been streaky from 3-point range this series, they need to be on in Game 7 or it's a big mountain to climb.
Second, which super-sub has the better game, Dylan Harper or Alex Caruso? Both have been brilliant this series, if one steps up big in Game 7 it's a huge advantage for their team. Or, maybe it's another sub — Game 7s have a way of bringing unexpected heroes to the front of the line.
Home court, experience
Will being at home and having played in big Game 7s before — including Game 7 of the NBA Finals a year ago on this very court — be the difference on Saturday?
Historically, experience and home court matter (stats via NBC's research team):
• Home teams have a 26-12 (.684) record in conference finals Game 7s (this excludes the bubble). • Oklahoma City won two Game 7s at home on its way to last year's title (Denver and Indiana). • Oklahoma City is 4-1 in Game 7s (since relocating to OKC, we're not counting the Seattle years or the loss in the bubble). All four of those wins are at home. • The home team has won three in a row in this series. • If San Antonio wins Game 7, it would become the third road team to win a Game 7 in these playoffs (Cavaliers over Pistons, 76ers over Celtics), which would be a record for a single postseason. • The last time the teams with the two best records in the league met in a Game 7 was 2002, when the 58-win Lakers led by Shaq and Kobe beat the 61-win Kings.
All that said, the Thunder aren't banking on being at home mattering.
"Anything can happen in a Game 7," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "It's win or go home. It being in your building is nice, but it doesn't really mean anything. You have to go out there and be the better basketball team or else your season's done and that's what it comes down to."
Gilgeous-Alexander has become one of the most dominant players the NBA has seen in recent memory, as he has averaged at least 30.1 points in each of the last four seasons.
The 27-year-old former first-round draft pick is just the 14th player in NBA history to win back-to-back MVPs.
But as the Thunder’s Western Conference finals series with the San Antonio Spurs has progressed, Gilgeous-Alexander is receiving criticism from national NBA pundits for the amount of fouls he draws and all the times he falls to the court after taking a shot.
That criticism of Gilgeous-Alexander doesn’t sit well with Warriors forward Draymond Green, who went on a long-winded rant about the national storylines on the latest episode of “The Draymond Green Show,” which was published Saturday, hours before Game 7 between the Thunder and Spurs.
“This series has been interesting because the storylines from this series has been, ‘Oh man, they’re pushing [Victor Wembanyama] too much,’ to ‘Oh man, Shai’s flopping too much,’ to ‘Oh man, the referees are calling too many fouls for Shai.’ ‘Oh man, Shai’s falling too much.’ And what has not really been appreciated is the level of play on the floor, the elite level of play that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander brings to the court, the elite level Steph Curry-like play that Victor Wembanyama or Steph Curry-like excitement that Victor Wembanyama brings to the floor, where you’re watching the game and at any moment when you’re not watching that game, you can miss one of the most insane things that you’ve ever seen a player do ala Steph Curry when you’re watching Victor Wembanyama.
“And it’s ironic that none of the conversation has been about that or the play of Dylan Harper, who’s a rookie and just keep finding a way and yeah, he’s had a couple bad games but he keep finding a way. Or the elite-level defense of Stephon Castle. Elite level defense, I say it again, of Stephon Castle. The ‘Stephon Castle’s turning the ball over too much [storyline]’ to two games in a row of one turnover. Why are we not talking about these things? Because sports media f—ing sucks. It’s awful. No one talks basketball anymore. But no one knows basketball anymore because the s—t is just moving too fast, huh?
“Everything’s moving too fast. And so we want to pinpoint the thing that we can slow down. Shai’s falling. Shai’s at the free-throw line. Everybody’s complaining about Shai getting too many foul calls. And going into Game 6, Shai had shot five more free throws in the series than Wemby. But the whole complaint is Shai’s getting too many foul calls. I don’t understand it.
“‘Ah man, he’s foul baiting.’ Shai, what I will say is, you’ve reached a new level of greatness, my man. Congratulations. Your hard work has paid off. You’ve reached a new level of greatness because you have sports media heads coming out and talking about what they don’t like about your greatness. Imagine that. You got people coming out talking about what they don’t like about your greatness. That’s incredible. As if Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is running up and down the court with the whistle in his mouth calling the foul for himself.
“That’s what we going to act like. We going to act like this man has on a zebra shirt and he’s blowing the whistle for himself. Or we can just act like the the the complete integrity of the NBA is all off and they just calling fouls for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The NBA ain’t got no integrity. They just calling fouls for one guy. Fortunately, that theory doesn’t work because the main guy on the other side going into Game 6 has shot five less free throws when all the complaint was happen. That’s why I’m saying before Game 6. Imagine that. So that theory don’t work.
“So, maybe we can just appreciate greatness and what Shai is showing and what he’s doing and what he’s capable of. Maybe we can just appreciate the greatness. And if we’re going to appreciate the greatness for what it is, then we got to appreciate what Stephon Castle is showing us. Then we got to really appreciate what that young man is showing us, which is elite-level defense on the back-to-back MVP of the NBA.
“Now, yes, it’s a little bit tougher. [Jalen Williams] ain’t out there. Even Jay Dub was just out there. Jay Dub wasn’t out there. Ajay Mitchell ain’t out there. It makes things a little tougher on Shai. So, give Stephon Castle his credit. Also, let’s sit back and identify what’s not there, what is there, why this isn’t happening, why this is happening.
“Man, when you take your secondary ballhandler like Jalen Williams off the floor against a great team, yes, they’ve been able to do it all regular season. Yes, they’ve been able to do it through the playoffs, but now they are playing the second-best team in the Western Conference, it catches up to them at times. Then you take your third-best ballhandler, Ajay Mitchell, off the floor, catches up to you.
“So now all of a sudden, Jared McCain has to handle a little bit more, right? I don’t know that he’s best suited handling and creating for himself. Yeah, he get to it at times, but I don’t know that he’s best suited, especially not on the road. At home, a little bit more comfortable, little bit you they got they’re going to bump you a little bit less because you get the home whistle. That’s just how things go because referees are human, right? Like so that’s just how things go. You get the home whistle, you’re gonna get a better little better whistle at home, right? So they ain’t going to bump you as much. So it’s easier for a Jared McCain at home. Struggles a little bit more on the road to get to different things, right? So now you take those two secondary ball handlers off and you got more of that. It’s tougher, right? Just a little bit tougher.
“And so, but again, give Stephon Castle his credit. I don’t know why we just can’t appreciate what these guys are doing. Everybody got an opinion, but they ain’t never did it. Everybody. HOV said it. Everybody wants to tell you how to do it. They never did it. Everybody got an opinion, though. I mean, I’ve been baffled watching people talk about Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Like, he just not him, like he didn’t just win back-to-back MVPs in the NBA, which is the best basketball league in the world by a long shot.
“There’s not a close second basketball league in the world to the NBA. There’s not a close second. That’s no disrespect to anyone. That’s just a fact from a money-value standpoint, talent, just not a close second. And this guy who’s been number one hands down the last two years, we really going to try to discredit him and act like it’s all because he flopped. It’s all because he drew some fouls. That’s what we really going? You all think the NBA is that easy to where this guy just flops and go to the free throw line and he becomes like the back-to-back MVP? In this league? We’re gonna really dumb the NBA down to that. That’s a shame. It’s actually sickening. It’s sickening.
“I have a fond appreciation for the work Shai Gilgeous-Alexander puts in. And I don’t know the work he put in because I don’t see him work every day. But I do know the work he put in because I know to do that again, to be the defending champ, come back, run the MVP back again. I know the work Steph Curry put in. I’ve seen that for 14 years. And the guy that I seen do that, win a championship, and then come back and run it back and win MVP. I know the work I saw him put in.
“So, I got an idea the work Shai puts in and we just going to dumb that down to a flop and drawing a foul. Man, stop it. Really? We really not going to act like this dude can’t get a bucket any which way? We really going to do that? We really going to act like the NBA is that easy of a place to succeed that he can just fall or flop and get a foul call and go to the free throw line and he going to be the back-to-back best player in that league two years in a row and we going to act like it’s just that? I’m sick of it. I am sick of it. Why we just can’t appreciate these players, man? They doing it at a high level. I’m enjoying watching it.”
Among the national analysts to criticize Gilgeous-Alexander recently are former NFL player Chris Canty and former NBA player Jay Williams.
While some might be growing tired of how Gilgeous-Alexander plays, Green is not among them, coming to the defense of the two-time NBA MVP.
Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder will have a chance to advance to their second consecutive NBA Finals on Saturday night as they host the Spurs in a winner-take-all Game 7 at Paycom Center.
Green and all of SGA’s detractors will be watching.
In a matchup that felt inevitable, the Top 2 seeds in the Western Conference will meet for a winner-take-all matchup at Paycom Center tonight, with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line.
Victor Wembanyama has been limited on the glass by OKC’s bigs, and my Spurs vs. Thunder props expect that trend to continue.
My NBA picks for Saturday, May 30, also dig into Jared McCain’s combo line and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s scoring prop, as both players will be leaned on heavily by the shorthanded Thunder.
Game 7 Prop #1: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 30.5 points
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has scored 31+ only once in this series, but his aggression and favorable home whistles will get him past his scoring line tonight.
At home, SGA has put up 22 field-goal attempts and 10.7 free throws, compared to just 16.7 FGA and 7.3 FTA on the road.
The reigning MVP has scored 30 points in two straight games following a loss in this series, and after finishing with just 15 points in the Game 6 blowout loss, I expect him to respond with a big game, making this line bettable to 32.5.
Game 7 Prop #2: Victor Wembanyama Under 12.5 rebounds
Victor Wembanyama compiled 41 total and 14 offensive rebounds in Games 1 and 2, but he’s grabbed just 28 with eight offensive boards over his last four.
Since Game 3, Isaiah Hartenstein has done a great job limiting Wembanyama in the paint, and Chet Holmgren has come alive with 31 boards across his last three to lead all players in that span.
Hartenstein leads all players in this series in rebound percentage, and his size and physicality will continue to present problems for the slighter Wembanyama. I’ll bet this one down to 11.5.
Game 7 Prop #3: Jared McCain Over 17.5 points+rebounds+assists
Jared McCain’s impact in the Western Conference Finals shows why he was the best mid-season acquisition in 2025-26.
Over the last five games, McCain has averaged 20 PRA and hit the Over on this combo line four times, including both of his starts. In that span, he ranks second in minutes, usage, and total possessions behind only Gilgeous-Alexander.
With Ajay Mitchell and Jalen Williams out again, I expect McCain to stick with the first unit, leading to plenty of opportunities to score, rebound, and facilitate. This line should be priced closer to 21.5, making it a tremendous value.
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Eight years after an exasperated Knicks fan infamously sold his “fanhood” on eBay because the team was so bad, insists he’s not crying foul now that they’ve cruised into the NBA Finals.
“I have zero regrets,” turncoat Evan Perlmutter told The Post, after the Knicks clinched their first appearance in the championships since 1999.
Evan Perlmutter, 40, went from hoop dream to hoop meme after infamously selling his Knicks “fanhood” on eBay because the team was so bad. Courtesy of Evan Perlmutter
The sports marketing exec from Long Island auctioned off his lifelong loyalty to the home team in 2018.
His “mounting frustration” had grown steadily as the powerhouse team of the 90s — with players like Patrick Ewing and Larry Johnson, whose posters adorned his childhood room — devolved into a league laughingstock.
The frustrated 40-year-old fan blamed the team’s front office, saying “the circus . . . started from the top.”
So in one final act of desperation, he wrote an impassioned 2,000-word cry for help on eBay, entitled, “Infuriated New York Knicks fan has had enough, selling my fanhood.”
“I really made him a Lakers fan,” Riedel, 30, triumphantly told The Post, noting the 2020 championship win that Perlmutter relished.
Perlmutter told The Post, “I have zero regrets,” after the Knicks clinched their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999. Helayne Seidman for the NY Post
Perlmutter, a former Madison Square Garden ad-sales employee, says he’s never looked back.
“All the coaches the Knicks went through, the horrible trades, the management, how they treated the fan base year over year, decade after decade, added up,” he said.
But as the Knickerbockers this month bulldozed through one playoff opponent after another (and the Lakers were unceremoniously knocked out in round 2), he’s begun to pay the price.
“You know you want to root for the Knicks now” and other taunting texts from friends are pouring in.
Still, the traitor won’t back down.
“It’s a false sense of the team being good,” he sniffed. “The cards have fallen in their favor. They’re more lucky than good.”
And he had this prediction for Knick fans: “The Knicks aren’t going to win the finals.”
But “The Damn Knicks,” a short film by Knick fan and filmmaker Bobby Friedman loosely based on Perlmutter’s life, has a different ending: The New Yorker who sell his Knicks loyalty becomes the laughing stock of the basketball world when the team turns itself around.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - MAY 28: Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the first quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Six of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Frost Bank Center on May 28, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
All good things must come to an end, including the Western Conference Finals and my Fraternizing with the Enemy series of back-and-forth conversations with Cray Allred of the Daily Thunder. We discuss Game 6, or expectations of the deciding game, and what our favorite parts of the series have been so far.
J.R.
I’m so excited because … it’s cliche picking time! Shall we go with all the marbles? Or do you prefer win or go home? Maybe put up or shut up? Possibly winner takes all? While I like the whole nine yards, it sounds football related, even though it isn’t, and that’s more about intensity and extent and less about finality. Here, I’ve got it: we’re headed to Game 7 for the whole shebang. Yeah, that’s the stuff. A little light-hearted, kinda quirky but gets the job done. Perfect!
Speaking of perfect, I feel like the first half of G6 was just what we needed from this series. It was more like G1 and if there’s anything better than two powerhouse squads going blow for blow through four quarters, I don’t know what it is. If I can’t get an entire game of it, 24 minutes will have to do. Seems like we’ve kinda been making do since that gem of a game two Sundays ago when it took two overtimes to decide it.
After kind of losing their way in Game 5, when the Spurs only got Wemby the ball with a chance to both pass or score (i.e. non-lob opportunities) on 25% of their plays, they ratcheted things up and took that stat to 54% on Thursday night. That’s a huge shift and I found that even though I was hoping for Victor to live in the lane again like he did in G1, there were enough clever San Antonio plays that I didn’t miss it.
Unfortunately, OKC’s shooting didn’t travel well which deprived us of another all-timer. But both teams’ road shooting has been disgusting recently, and I don’t know that I can expect that to change since Game 7’s are famously poor-shooting affairs what with everyone emptying the tank because there’s no tomorrow for the losers. Whoops, one of the cliches snuck out of the first paragraph.
Alright, I’m interested in hearing from you about what you saw on the last game, and what kind of game you expect on Saturday night.
Cray
Gosh, that double overtime Game 1 feels like a lifetime ago. It’s been so thrilling to write through such an epic series with you, even if the games haven’t been down to the wire much since that opener.
I wouldn’t be shocked by a rock fight to conclude the Western Conference Finals for the reasons you mention. I do wonder, though, if the relatively fresh legs from the Thunder (for everyone except Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell, sadly) and the last gasp from the Spurs could propel us to a more high powered finish. There was no drama that would lead to a letdown for the Spurs, and low minutes were had by all the Thunder players thanks to the blowout.
I don’t know if I’ve studied the series too much or am just out of ideas, but my analysis hasn’t changed much. Here’s my copy/paste pregame analysis of Game 6, which still sounds about right to me:
“Game 5’s offensive explosion masked some cracks in the defense for OKC, which had kept them in the series through four. An elimination Game 6 should be the boost of all boosts for the Spurs, even if they’re gassed…Wemby digging deep to find another gear is something the greats all eventually get around to. Harper could recover more health, or energy, or confidence, whatever combination of those things are holding him back.”
Wemby, Harper, and the jackals delivered for San Antonio. Shai, Chet, and tragically, JDub couldn’t for Oklahoma City.
And here’s where I was at ahead of Game 5, the last time the Spurs clawed back even with the Thunder:
“I’m taking heart in [an even] series, the bounceback capabilities of Shai and the Thunder bench, and the reality that crazy things happen in the playoffs. Shai has always been OKC’s hope, and I still believe. SGA will find a way to look more like himself, even as the sole playmaker.”
We’ve been here before, and Shai has always found a way. He’s got less help than ever, against the most formidable defensive matchup he’s faced in his postseason career. Seven games is a long time for him to crack the code, but it’s not yet too late.
I’m curious if you agree with Stephon Castle’s assessment after Game 6: has the WCF shown the Spurs to be “collectively” better than the Thunder in your eyes, or have they been fortunate to hang with OKC without their second best player virtually all series?
J.R.
The first thing I remind myself of when I hear an athlete talking about something related to confidence is that this is a person that is literally paid to maintain a positive attitude in the face of often ridiculous odds. Here’s an example, the Spurs were down 20 points in the second half of a game this year and came back to win. How ridiculous is that? How incredibly short must your memory be to keep taking shots when they have all been missing, while still expecting that the next one is going to go in?
This is part of the reason that it’s not just talent and size that separates us from professional athletes, there’s a mindset difference that is a big part of the equation. And that’s the kind of sodium chloride that I season with, because sometimes a pinch isn’t enough, and you need to take things with a grain silo of salt.
As far as whether the Spurs have been good or fortunate, I’m with the girl from the Old El Paso ad: Why not both? Once San Antonio had solidified themselves in the second seed in the Western Conference, there was a lot of talk about how they wouldn’t go very far in the playoffs because they lacked experience. And then an increasing number of NBA analysts began backtracking from that point of view. But there was enough noise in that chorus that the Spurs began championing their lack of experience. There were comments made about how they had no experience and they were proud of it and how experiences is overrated or unnecessary.
I guess that kind of talk is helpful in the same way that the guys who had to guard Michael Jordan found it useful to think of themselves as the best players in the world instead of MJ. (I’m certain Vernon Maxwell felt that way!) After all, how successful can someone be trying to defend the goat while thinking that they shouldn’t even be on the court with him? So when I hear Castle say that, I don’t mind, but I’m also not investing in it. Of course San Antonio has benefited from Oklahoma City’s injuries. Just like the Thunder has benefited from San Antonio trying to figure out who they are on the fly and from Fox and Harper being hobbled. To say otherwise would be silly.
Speaking of silly, I feel myself getting excited for the game like I was for the series before it began, which makes no sense as these teams have now being playing each other for almost two weeks! What have been your favorite parts of the series so far, and what have you least enjoyed?
Cray
Jared McCain’s flurries, especially Game 3. Not just because of how lovable a personality and player he is, but because of how chaotic the Thunder have been pushed to play thanks to their injuries and opponent both. McCain was not Plan A, *or* B for the Thunder rotation, but worked his way into the starting rotation with fearlessness and off the bounce juice that they so sorely needed.
This postseason has become an inverse of last regular season for OKC, health-wise. In 2024-25, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein missed huge chunks of the season while JDub and Alex Caruso led the small ball Thunder to keep enforcing their defensive will on the league’s frontcourts.
Those wings played the Mighty Mouse in the House role while their teammates scrapped and clawed at entry passes, gathers, and uh-oh kickouts when other teams fed their big trying to press the size advantage. Now underhanded in the backcourt, McCain has been the surprise next man up.
When McCain repeatedly took Kornet and Wemby to the cup in that Game 3, I was beside myself. Our smiley little prince had in fact come to slay giants.
The brief one-on-one possessions between Shai and Wemby have been another favorite, especially since SGA has tipped Vic over a couple times. I would love to see that matchup down the stretch in a close Game 7. I can already envision the slowmo shot of the ball barely clearing outstretched arms on a Shai jumper to win or lose the game–or to watch Wemby close the gap that looked to be available for the Clutch Player of the Year’s hero shot.
Honorable mentions: Isaiah Hartenstein’s impossibly accurate rainbow floaters skying higher and higher over Wemby, and Cason Wallace’s rude ripped dribbles from Dylan Harper in the full court.
What about your favorite moments and performances? I’d imagine it would be hard for much to come close to that transcendent Wemby Game 1.
J.R.
Wemby’s exploits are always eye-catching, and it really is astounding how often he does something I’ve never seen before. The average play is Wemby going full steam down the lane into a spin move that he finishes while traveling at near full speed with his left hand as he flies past the backboard. The extraordinary play is when he pulls up from half court at the end of a half and nails a 43-footer that nearly everybody I’ve talked to about it says that they knew was good as soon as it left his hand.
Early in the series, there were terrific plays by Harper before his injury largely took him out of his scoring in Games 2 through 5, although his defense and rebounding allowed him to keep contributing as he healed. Now he seems back to terrorizing ball handlers, driving for dunks and pulling up for jumpers all over the floor.
I’ve loved Castle’s bowling ball routine and his relentless defense. I’ve appreciated Vassell’s pinpoint shooting and his perfectly timed blocks on the much taller Holmgren. KJ’s renaissance and energy has kept the Spurs in games. And before Champagnie’s shooting came back around, his defense and intelligent play have been the setting while his timely drives for buckets have been the diamond.
Maybe most of all there’s been the chess match we discussed before; the one that has only gotten more complicated now that we’re at the ultimate game. OKC has installed entire play sets to lift Wemby out of the weak side corner so he can’t help on drives, and San Antonio has pulled Wemby away from rebounding during free throws to the front court prep lightning quick attacks because it’s safe to assume that Shai won’t miss from the line. Finally, the wrinkles that San Antonio unveiled in Game 6 with an early flare screen leading to a high pick and roll from the left side created a whole series of scoring opportunities that OKC have yet to show they can defend.
Which brings us to today’s concluding game where we’ll see if Wemby can go off again and lift his young team into the Finals, or whether OKC thrills their home crowd and sends the visitors back to Texas to plan for next season. It’s peak BBIQ and elite execution and while I wanted to see the Spurs advance after 5 or 6, I can’t say I’m sorry it’s come down to the best of seven. Thanks for accompanying me on the journey. All the best to you.
Spurs ML
Holmgren double-double
