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Top 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Caleb Malhotra Praises New Islanders AHL Coach Jay McKee

BUFFALO, NY -- On May 29, the New York Islanders announced that they had hired Jay McKee to be the first-ever head coach of the Hamilton Hammers, the club's newest AHL affiliate. 

Islanders Name Jay McKee Head Caoch Of Hamilton HammersIslanders Name Jay McKee Head Caoch Of Hamilton HammersNHL veteran Jay McKee takes the reins for the franchise’s inaugural AHL season, bringing 802 games of experience to lead the Hammers following a successful tenure in Hamilton.

McKee, who played 802 NHL games, has spent the last three seasons coaching the OHL's Brantford Bulldogs.

Top draft prospect Caleb Malhotra, the son of former NHLer and recently named Vancouver Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra, played this past season for McKee and had glowing things to say about the newest member of the Islanders organization.

"I learned a lot," Malhotra said at the 2026 NHL Combine. "He's extremely composed as a coach, very intelligent, and very detail-oriented. So, I mean, he expected so much from us. We had a very good team there, and we had to prove it night in and night out that we were detail-oriented. So, learning from him on how to approach the game and what to take out of video work  and how to apply it to your game...that was a big thing this year."

The Bridgeport Islanders, under the tutelage of Rocky Thompson, took massive strides after years of seeing prospects take steps back. 

Thompson was a player's coach through and through but knew what he had to do to get players to play to the best of their abilities at a consistent rate and also keep themselves level-headed through adversity. 

Because of his great work, Rocky was elevated to Pete DeBoer's NHL coaching staff. 

When the Islanders were looking for Rocky's replacement, they needed to bring in someone who could build on the groundwork Rocky had just laid. 

From all accounts, it sounds like McKee, who was a finalist for the Bellville Senators head coaching gig, is a slam-dunk hire at a critical time for the Islanders' growing prospect pool. 

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India’s 15-year-old IPL sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi called up to face England

  • Teenager in squad for T20s against Ireland and England

  • Set to be youngest India debutant since Tendulkar

The teenage phenomenon Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been handed his maiden India call-up for their T20 series against Ireland and England.

An array of outrageous knocks in the Indian Premier League led to the 15-year-old opener collecting the most valuable player award after amassing 776 runs at a staggering strike-rate of 237.30.

Continue reading...
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Yankees news: The wide-ranging aftershocks of the Aaron Judge injury

May 31, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) smiles back at his teammates after his bloop hit fell between two Athletics fielders during the third inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

ESPN | Jorge Castillo and David Schoenfield: In light of Aaron Judge’s rib fracture, the whole baseball world is now wondering what the captain’s absence will mean for the Yankees. Most immediately, it presses Spencer Jones into duty, but it will also open up ample opportunity for Jasson Domínguez and Giancarlo Stanton once healthy. It places the spotlight on Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Trent Grisham, two talented players who have had uneven seasons thus far. And it also influences their trade deadline plans, though don’t expect the team to rush out and try to find an outfield replacement, especially considering Judge is likely to return at some time in the second half.

MLB Trade Rumors | Anthony Franco: The Yankees made a surprising move after last night’s loss to the Red Sox, optioning backup catcher J.C. Escarra and calling up Ali Sánchez from Triple-A. Signed to a minor-league deal prior to the start of 2026, Sánchez has a .702 OPS for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2026, and has struggled in limited time in the majors, posting a .454 OPS in 50 games for five different teams this decade. That being said, the Yankees have been interested in getting a righty-hitting option at catcher, and the lefty/lefty tandem of Escarra and Austin Wells has been downright anemic in 2026. So even though Sánchez doesn’t have much of a track record either … well, why not roll the dice in the short term? They’ll be browsing the trade options regardless. Sánchez could be in the lineup tonight with the lefty Ranger Suarez ready to go for Boston.

MLB.com | Max Ralph: Judge’s injury primarily affects the Yankees, obviously, but it also sends shockwaves throughout the league. Ralph looks at some of the ways Judge’s absence will affect the whole baseball landscape, from the ways it could affect the trade deadline, to how the AL MVP race is now wide open, and will presumably have a winner that isn’t Judge or Shohei Ohtani for the first time since 2020.

The Athletic | Chris Kirschner*: After days of speculation, Judge’s prolong absence is a reality. The question now is: do the Yankees have what it takes to withstand it? As devastating as Judge’s injury is, there is reason to believe the club is better equipped to weather the storm than they were, say, in 2023, when Judge missed a total of 56, with the Yankees putting up a 25-31 record in those games. Now, they have two other MVP candidates in Ben Rice and Cody Bellinger, not to mention bats like Stanton and Domínguez on the mend. That said, the Yankees will need some of the hitters towards the bottom of the order to step up; Jazz Chisholm Jr., Austin Wells, and Ryan McMahon can’t be zeroes all at once if the Yankees want to stay towards the top of the AL.

*We shared this article yesterday as well, but it’s a good assessment and worth a re-up in case you missed it yesterday.

FanGraphs | Michael Baumann: The Yankees signed Gerrit Cole to a nine-year, $324-million contract in December of 2019, likely committing him to the Yankees until he turned 38-years-old. When a contract like that gets inked, the end of the term feels infinitely far in the future; at the moment Cole and the Yankees put pen to paper, a contract running through 2028 seemed like it might as well run until the end of time. But Baumann notes that for Cole, and a whole lot of other stars who signed mega deals, we are closer to the end than it may seem. Cole is tethered to the Yankees for just 2.5 more seasons, Giancarlo Stanton’s 13-year contract expires next year, and even Bryce Harper’s 13-year deal, which runs from 2019 through 2031, is on the back nine.

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Wembanyama mistake hands Knicks control of NBA Finals

Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks shoots a free throw
Jalen Brunson scored the winning basket - and only five of 37 teams who have taken a 2-0 Finals lead have then failed to win the championship [Getty Images]

The New York Knicks survived a late rally by the San Antonio Spurs to win 105-104 and take a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals as they seek a first championship in 53 years.

With nine and a half seconds remaining on the clock, Jalen Brunson stole possession after Spurs' Victor Wembanyama passed the ball into team-mate Stephon Castle's back.

Wembanyama then fouled Benson, who converted the free-throw to give the Knicks the decisive point.

There was still time for Wembanyama to attempt to tie the game for the Spurs, but he missed from 20 feet on the buzzer to hand the Knicks their 13th successive play-off victory.

Wembanyama has been at the centre of much of the drama in the NBA Finals so far - in game one, he was approached by a spectator who ran on to the court, filming himself on his phone.

Appearing in the Finals for the first time since 1999, the Knicks are the third team to win the first two games of a Finals away from home.

The Chicago Bulls did it in 1993, and the Houston Rockets in 1995. Each side went on to win the championship.

After a quiet first-half performance, Wembanyama led a Spurs' comeback, scoring 22 second-half points as they caught up with 14-in-a-row in the final quarter.

In the final seconds, the scores were level as the Frenchman passed the ball into Castle's back, which gave Brunson a chance to grab the winning basket.

In a post-match news conference, Wembanyama conceded that he was not at his best, having starred on the Spurs' route to the Finals.

"We need to never get too high and never get too low," said the 22-year-old, appearing in the Finals for the first time. "Personally, I think I could have been better in recovering from the high of the conference finals.

"I threw that [misplaced pass] away. I messed up.

"Am I going to regret it? Yes, of course. Am I going to use that to fuel me and to fuel us next game? Absolutely."

Meanwhile, match-winner Brunson credited the team environment for his sparkling form after his final-quarter scoring also won game one for the Knicks.

"I think most importantly, knowing we're on the road, and knowing my team-mates have my back, I think that's the biggest thing in an environment like this," Brunson said.

"The trust they have in me and the trust I have in them, it's got us to this point."

The best-of-seven series continues on Monday, when the Knicks host the Spurs at Madison Square Gardens in New York City.

US president Donald Trump, who was born in New York City, plans to attend as the Knicks hunt their first championship since 1973.

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Mikal Bridges steps up, Mitchell Robinson locks down Victor Wembanyama as NBA Finals momentum swings Knicks' way

SAN ANTONIO -- A few notes from the Knicks’ Game 2 win over the Spurs:

The Knicks still owe the Nets four first-round picks as part of the Mikal Bridges trade. They’ll send them over with a smile if Bridges continues to perform like he did on Friday night. The wing had 20 points on 13 shots while adding six rebounds and six assists to help the Knicks take a commanding 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals.

Bridges’ points came at some opportune moment as Knicks captain Jalen Brunson struggled with his shot. In the second and third quarters, Bridges hit all eight of his attempts for 20 points. Brunson was 2-for-8 with two turnovers in the same stretch.

All in all, Bridges is averaging more than 16 points per game on roughly 60 percent shooting during the Knicks’ 13-game winning streak. For the second straight season, Bridges has had big moments in the playoffs following a so-so regular season.

What is it that makes Bridges a playoff riser?

“Just that desperation,” Bridges said. “You know, that desperation of trying to be the last team standing and trying to do whatever it takes to help my team win. There's nothing after June. You don't play again until October. So just try to give it all that I got and do whatever it takes for this team.”

Thanks in part to Bridges, the Knicks are two wins away from their first NBA championship in 53 years.

ROBINSON ROLLS

Mitchell Robinson defended Victor Wembanyama late in Game 2 -- and it worked out well. Mike Brown used Robinson on Wembanyama in the closing moments and Robinson delivered, helping to force Wembanyama into two missed shots.

“Wemby is, I said it before, iconic,” Brown said. “There is nobody like from. He can score from all three levels. He wants the ball. Two big possessions at the end of the game we put Mitch on him. What I'm proud about more than anything else, Mitch defended him the right way.

“Wemby is iconic. If he makes a shot, he makes a shot. You're not blocking a shot. You make him work, you lead with your chest. You show your hands and you embrace those details while trying to guard him and then box out. It started with Mitch and it ended with the other four guys boxing out.

“So just a heck of a job by Mitch guarding the most iconic player in the world on two possessions to possibly win the game. Phenomenal.”

With two more wins, Brown will draw accurate comparisons to Joe Torre in 1996. A low-key manager takes over for an intense coach and gets results in Year 1.

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3 Takeaways: WBS Penguins Drop Game 5 to Toronto, Face Elimination Sunday

Throughout the first 40 minutes of Game 5 between the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins and the Toronto Marlies, the Penguins were generating their fair share of scoring chances and giving themselves a good opportunity to win the hockey game. 

Unfortunately, the last 20 minutes did them in. 

The WBS Penguins were defeated by the Toronto Marlies, 5-1, in Game 5 to go down in the best-of-seven AHL Eastern Conference Final series, 3-2. They head back home Sunday for Game 6, and Game 7 will also take place in WBS should the game be necessary. 

“I thought, in the first two, we were getting a lot of looks," said forward Tanner Howe. "We were shooting the puck, we were getting a lot of second chances. In the third, they just outplayed us, and that’s it.”

The first period was a tightly contested one, perhaps with the very slight edge going to Toronto. However, WBS came alive in the second period. They were the first to get on the board with their lone goal that came courtesy of Mikhail Ilyin on the power play, and it was a snipe from the top of the left circle off a feed from Emil Pieniniemi - playing in his first career Calder Cup Playoff game - to give WBS the 1-0 lead.

However, Landon Sim tied things up for the Marlies less than a minute later, and Benoit-Olivier Groulx added one on later in the period to put Toronto on top, 2-1. 

Then, the third is when things got dicey.

After two goals within a minute and 15 seconds by Easton Cowan and Logan Shaw - the former of which featured a ridiculous toe-drag move - WBS started to lose their cool a bit. A little more than 11 minutes into the final frame, Avery Hayes earned himself a roughing penalty and a 10-minute misconduct, and the PIMs just piled on from there. 

In fact, the WBS Penguins had a combined total of 50 penalty minutes in the third period alone, and they all came before Marshall Rifai's empty-net goal to put the nail in the coffin.

Despite the loss - and the messy way it ended - Howe was optimistic about the overall result of the three-game swing in Toronto, of which the Penguins won two.

“We knew coming here, we needed to get two. We did that, and that’s why we’ve got home ice advantage. We’re going back home, and there’s nowhere else we’d want to play these last two games. So, we’re excited.”

Calder Cup Playoffs: Rutger McGroarty's Late Goal Lifts Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Over Toronto In Game 4Calder Cup Playoffs: Rutger McGroarty's Late Goal Lifts Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Over Toronto In Game 4The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have made the Eastern Conference Final a best-of-three series.

Here are three takeaways from the 5-1 Game 5 loss:

1. Not Murashov's best

Sergei Murashov has been lights-out for the WBS Penguins throughout the entirety of their Calder Cup playoff run. 

That said, he didn't have his best stuff on Friday.

WBS head coach Kirk MacDonald said that he thinks Murashov would probably want the Cowan goal back, and I think he would want Shaw's goal back, too, as it trickled underneath him after a nice save initially. 

Honestly, it's fair to wonder whether or not fatigue might be setting in a bit for the 21-year-old Murashov, who has played in every Calder Cup Playoff game - which includes 14 of them - and has managed to post a .930 save percentage. He needs to find a way to bounce back in Game 6, though, as he has done throughout the playoffs.

Penguins' Goaltending Future Looks Bright — And The Success Of Their Rebuild Depends On ItPenguins' Goaltending Future Looks Bright — And The Success Of Their Rebuild Depends On ItWith talented but unproven netminders like Sergei Murashov in the system, the Penguins appear to be a franchise with a lot of promise at the goaltending position.

2. Emotions gone wild

It's pretty apparent that WBS completely lost control of the game in the third period, and they did resort to trying to get under the skins of a veteran-heavy Toronto team.

There is a balance that needs to be struck between letting emotions run in playoff atmospheres and not allowing that emotion to dictate the highs and lows of the game. MacDonald acknowledged that the emotional component is sometimes unavoidable in the playoffs - especially when the opposing team's defense is frustrating players - but he is confident his team will find their way back from the way the game ended.

"I mean, obviously, the game got out of hand," MacDonald said. "It's an intense series. It's emotional. You know, we'll move forward. You can tell the momentum doesn't really roll from game to game, in the playoffs."

He added: "It got a bit sideways, but we'll regroup."

This team has shown that it can and will regroup throughout the course of these playoffs. I would expect to see that again on Sunday.

3 Under-The-Radar Penguins' Trade Candidates This Summer3 Under-The-Radar Penguins' Trade Candidates This SummerMuch of the talk around the Pittsburgh Penguins and the trade market involves Rickard Rakell, Bryan Rust, and Erik Karlsson. But there are other rostered players who may make sense to move — and who could fetch a decent return.

3. Tip of the cap to the blue line

After the game, I asked MacDonald about the play of the blue line in this series, especially given the injury situation. Alexander Alexeyev is out. Sebastian Aho is out. So is Phil Kemp. And Finn Harding. Owen Pickering missed some time, too,  even if he slotted back in the lineup and was on the top pairing next to Harrison Brunicke, who has been logging very heavy minutes.

It's safe to say MacDonald is happy with the play of his backend, and he lauded their ability to limit opposing scoring chances. 

“I think they’ve done a damn good job under the circumstances," MacDonald said. "We basically played four ‘D’ for the last two periods in Game 4, and they did an outstanding job. Guys are battling. Like, you go back and look, both ways, there’s not a ton of scoring chances, when you actually go back and watch the video. It’s this time of year where you’ve got to battle. It’s the next-man-up mentality. We’ve been like that the whole year. And I think the guys are doing an outstanding job.

"There’s mistakes that happen, but at the end of the day, look at, especially, the first two goals. I wouldn’t blame the ‘D’ by any means. I think we’ve done a really good job defending, and I don’t doubt that we’ll continue to do so on Sunday night.” 

It's hard for any team to play four defensemen down. What this unit is doing in the absence of four regulars is commendable, and that's especially true for Pickering and Brunicke, who are shouldering a heavy load.

David Breazale - in addition to Pieniniemi - also made his Calder Cup Playoff debut, and he was rock solid in this one. They're going to need all of these guys to continue to outperform if they're going to take the last two games of this series.

AHL Notebook: Wilkes-Barre Scranton’s Embarrassing Playoff Attendance, Coaches On The Move, TJ Hughes & MoreAHL Notebook: Wilkes-Barre Scranton’s Embarrassing Playoff Attendance, Coaches On The Move, TJ Hughes & MoreThe Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins aren't selling tickets despite an Eastern Conference Final appearance, and it's a bad look for the team and the league. Plus, a look at some assistant coaches to keep an eye on, TJ Hughes as a difference-maker for the Eagles, and more things from the week that was.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!    

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Karl-Anthony Towns is outplaying Victor Wembanyama, Knicks are two wins from title because of it

SAN ANTONIO — If the vote took place after two games, Karl-Anthony Towns would be the NBA Finals MVP.

It's not just me saying that.

"The MVP of the Finals is gonna be Karl-Anthony Towns. That man earned his flowers," Charles Barkley said on Inside the NBA Friday night.

That nod to Towns is with all due respect to Jalen Brunson, who has lived up to the Captain Clutch nickname in two straight games. It's with all due respect to Mikal Bridges, who has played his best basketball in the Finals.

Without Towns playing at this level, New York is down 0-2 in this series.

Towns scored a team-high 21 points with 13 rebounds on Friday night, but his counting stats don't do his impact in this series justice. His physical defense on Wembanyama has kept the Spurs star off balance and in relative check for most of the first two games. On the other end of the court, Towns is a matchup nightmare because he can bully his way to the rim for a bucket or knock down a jumper. His threat as a 3-point shooter who must be accounted for has pulled Wemby out of the paint — opening the path for Knicks drives and offensive rebounds in a way the Thunder or no other team has been able to against the Spurs.

"He's been great. I think he's been pretty phenomenal on both sides of the ball," Jalen Brunson said of Towns' effort. "The things he's been able to do throughout this entire playoffs but obviously here now, he's been great..."

Then Brunson threw out the line that defines these Knicks this postseason:

"But we need more."

"I think he's made some shots and he's a really good player..." Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. "He played two good games. We have to make it tougher on him. We've had some coverage breakdowns."

Towns’ Journey wasn’t smooth

The Timberwolves traded Towns to New York in a deal that was far more about Minnesota's salary cap outlook than production on the court. However, there also were persistent questions around the Timberwolves about whether Towns was enough alongside Anthony Edwards to get the team over the hump.

It's because of those years that Towns relates to what the Spurs are going through in these Finals, but the hard lessons he learned then are paying off now.

"I have been on the other side where you're a young team and you're trying to do a lot to win the game, and I think that for us, we keep leaning on experience and we keep leaning on the word 'execution,'" Towns said.

Towns' play in New York has not been consistent over the past two years — there are times it has felt he is not doing enough, and there are times when it feels like he is trying to do too much. Rarely has it felt like a natural fit.

Mike Brown seemed like a coach who could change that — his style of play should have been a hand-in-glove fit with Towns. It was not. Or at least not instantly. It took most of the season, and even into the playoffs, for Towns and Brown to find a balance in the offense that worked for both.

"I came in with a great plan. Maybe the plan doesn't work. Who adjusts, him or me? Me. I adjust," Brown said of how the season went with Towns. "The adjustment's not enough. Every once in a while we're not on the same page. We talk about it. We talk about it. I adjust again. A little bit better. He's feeling good. We talk about it. We talk -- maybe we take a couple of steps backwards because what I did, he doesn't like, which is fine....

"And we finally got to a point where he was comfortable, I was comfortable, Jalen (Brunson) was comfortable, OG (Anunoby) was comfortable, Mikal (Bridges) was comfortable, and to me that's what the regular season is about. The regular season is about finding your way so you can prepare for this time of the year."

Towns looks prepared.

He looks like a Finals MVP. And, in what matters most to Towns himself, he looks like an NBA champion.

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Spurs’ rally ends in heartbreak as Knicks escape with Game 2 win

SAN ANTONIO, TX - JUNE 5: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the game against the New York Knicks during Game Two of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 5, 2026 at Frost Bank Center 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

For five minutes on Friday night, it looked like the San Antonio Spurs were on their way to completing one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the NBA Finals. Instead, they are facing a harash reality: being in an 0-2 series deficit.

Despite rallying from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter and taking the lead in the final minutes, the Spurs suffered a heartbreaking 105-104 loss to the New York Knicks in Game 2 of the NBA Finals at the Frost Bank Center, putting San Antonio in an 0-2 hole as the series shifts to Madison Square Garden.

“We weren’t playing good enough,” Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson said. “We weren’t consistent enough in the phases of the game. It felt like we chased the game a little bit and they [Knicks] made some tough shots at the end of the shot clock. I thought that affected our approach at times and took away from trying to play our brand of basketball.”

After a strong first quarter, the Spurs were outscored 31-18 in the second quarter thanks to the play of Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges. Victor Wembanyama, who said he needed to be better after Game 1, had just seven points on four shot attempts in the first half.

Wembanyama turned things around in the second half as he finished the game with 29 points, nine rebounds and four blocks while being a key cog in San Antonio’s comeback effort on both ends of the floor. De’Aaron Fox bounced back from a poor outing in Game 1 to score 20 points as the Spurs chipped away at New York’s lead.

With the Spurs trailing 97-83 with 6:03 remaining, San Antonio’s defense tightened, shots started to fall, the crowd came alive, and the Spurs began getting stops that turned into transition points. Wembanyama gave the Spurs the lead when he was fouled on an attempt, hitting the free throw to put his team up one. When it appeared momentum had shifted, New York responded.

“I threw that one away. I messed up. We needed to win that game. This game was ours,” Wembanyama said of his turnover at the end of the game. “But at this point, it’s done. Am I going to regret it? Yes, of course. Am I going to use that to fuel me and to fuel us next game? Absolutely.”

Jalen Brunson delivered in the game’s biggest moments, which is why he’s earned the nickname “Captain Clutch”. Wembanyama passed the ball, but it went off the back of Stephon Castle. Wemby fouled Brunson who dived to the court for the ball, sending him to the free throw line. Brunson knocked down the go-ahead free throw with 9.5 seconds left, giving New York the 105-104 lead.

“We showed tremendous desperation, urgency, and competitive response,” Johnson said of the Spurs’ fourth quarter rally. “Hopefully we can try to bottle that up so we don’t have to be down to play at that same level.”

The Spurs still had one final chance. Wembanyama’s shot attempt hit iron as time expired, sending the thousands of Knicks fans who made the trip into a frenzy. Anthony-Towns led the way for the Knicks with 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Bridges added 20 points, six rebounds and six assists. Brunson chipped in 20 points despite a difficult shooting night, going 7-for-25 from the floor.

“I’m still very blurry, and that’s the whole problem,” Wembanyama said of the final moments down the stretch. “I need to have more poise, more control over the game.”

The loss stings for San Antonio because they were so close. After struggling offensively for long stretches and having the Knicks control much of the game, the Spurs nearly tied the series up at one game apiece and sent their fans honking into the night.

The comeback will be remembered, but so will the heartbreaking ending. Now, the Spurs are in unfamiliar territory: needing to win on the road at Madison Square Garden to get back into the series.

While things seem daunting, the Finals are far from over. But for one night in June in San Antonio, a rally became a heartbreaking reminder of how thin the margin for error can be on basketball’s biggest stage.

Game Notes

  • Through two games, Jalen Brunson is 19-for-56 from the field against the Spurs. We can’t chalk it up to Brunson having a bad shooting night. This is more credit for the swarming defense that the Spurs have played on him.
  • Keldon Johnson played 15 minutes and was 1-of-4 from the floor. Not exactly the numbers the Spurs need from their sixth man of the year.
  • Julian didn’t have the best night, but his rebounding made up for the poor shooting night.
  • The series is not over, but it has gotten harder with two games in New York and down 0-2.
  • If the Spurs can play like they did over the final six minutes in Game 2 to start Game 3, they will get themselves back in the series.
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Jalen Brunson explains why Knicks 'can't be comfortable' returning to MSG with 2-0 NBA Finals lead

The Knicks take a 2-0 NBA Finals lead back to New York after Friday's 105-104 Game 2 win at the Spurs, swiping both of the series' first two matchups in San Antonio and setting the stage for a chaotic MSG as Mike Brown's team could close out the championship chase on its home court.

Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns put the Knicks' two-game advantage into perspective following New York's near collapse in which it trailed 104-102 with 57 seconds left and was a Victor Wembanyama shot away from a 1-1 tie.

"Every single day, we try to chip away, trying to be the best team we can be," said Brunson, who scored the Knicks' final five points, tying and ultimately taking the one-point lead along the way. "I think our mindset was 0-0, not being up 1-0. Even with what the series is now, next game, mindset has to be 0-0 again. It's just how it has to be. You can't be comfortable, you can't be satisfied with anything. You've just got to continue to push forward."

New York overcame Brunson's 20 points on 7-of-25 shooting with Towns' 21-point, 13-rebound double-double and play against Wembanyama -- the game-high scorer with 29 points -- to fend off the Spurs, who trailed 97-83 with six minutes left after OG Anunoby's dunk assisted by Towns.

"I have been on the other side where you're a young team and you're trying to do a lot to win the game," Towns said. "I think that, for us, we keep leaning on experience and we keep leaning on the word 'execution' and I think we did a good job when we needed to, executing, but we didn't do as well as we wanted to. So, when we get back to New York, we'll get back to work, we'll get back to the gym and try to correct the mistakes we made tonight."

Monday's 8:30 p.m. Game 3 at The Garden awaits with the Knicks expecting the Spurs' best.

"Knowing them, there's definitely another level," Brunson said. "We've got to be prepared and ready to match it, be ready to play for 48 minutes and, no matter what goes on throughout a game, just having each other's back, regardless of what's going on -- who's on a run, who's not, who's up, who's down. Just making sure that we're playing together for 48 minutes is really important."

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Mets' Luis Torrens 'finally' hits first home run of season as part of big night

Luis Torrens had gone 101 at-bats to begin the regular season without a home run this season, but he unloaded a 413-foot blast to straightaway center field for a two-run shot in his 102nd at-bat that put the Mets up 4-0 against the San Diego Padres on Friday night.

Although Torrens isn’t necessarily a power hitter, he’s a backup catcher after all, he does have some pop, even hitting 15 homers one year as the everyday catcher for the Seattle Mariners in 2021.

In his third season in New York Torrens has been playing regularly as of late with Francisco Alvarez on the IL recovering from a meniscus tear in his right knee. The veteran has always been a defensive whiz behind the plate, but he’s had some big hits this year for the Mets -- none bigger, or at least farther, than Friday’s home run.

“Finally I got my first homer,” he said after the 5-0 win. “It’s always good when you’re available to help the team win games and tonight was one of those times.”

Not only did Torrens go deep for the first time this year, he also had a double, drove in two and scored two all from the No. 9 spot in the lineup. He also caught Christian Scott’s 5.2 scoreless innings as well as the following 3.1 scoreless innings from the bullpen.

“It was good to see the offense, especially Luis, have a really good game there,” said manager Carlos Mendoza. “Not easy to hit that ball to dead center on a night like that in San Diego. Overall, I thought we played a pretty good game.”

As for Scott’s performance, Torrens attributes the great start to executing their game plan against the Padres who entered the game losers of nine of their past 10 games and an offense that has been reeling.

“Tonight was a great example of execution of a game plan,” Torrens said of Scott. “We attacked the zone, threw all the pitches.”

Scott’s fastball, in particular, had San Diego uncomfortable all night and he used it to set up his other pitches like the sweeper, cutter and changeup.

“I thought I did a good job with my fastball in the strike zone,” Scott said. “I thought LT called a great game. I didn’t have my best stuff today but [just to] go out there and compete with the fastball and fastball location was huge for me today and I thought the defense played great, too.”

“He kinda set the tone there, attacking hitters,” Mendoza added. “I like how he moved the fastball around the plate. The sweeper was a good pitch for him.”

Scott has been on an incredible stretch recently, allowing one earned run over his last three starts and lowering his ERA to 2.50. But Friday’s gem was the first of the last three starts that Torrens has behind the plate.

In fact, entering Friday, the right-hander owned a 5.40 ERA in six starts with Torrens, the worst mark with any catcher but also the most starts with any catcher. With Torrens an important part of the team, it’s imperative he and Scott get on the same page and it looked like on Friday they were finally able to do that.

“He was able to command pretty much all of his pitches and he’s been able to attack the zone kind of with the same type of game plan that we’ve prepared with,” Torrens said. “But also he’s been able to just prove the type of pitcher that he is.”

“He’s a really nice guy to catch,” Torrens added. “He’s easy and the fastball is different and when he’s [able] to throw it for strikes it’s special.”

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What The No. 2 Pick Means For Utah’s Long-Term Cap Sheet

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 4: Kevin Love #42, Lauri Markkanen #23 and Jaren Jackson Jr. #20 of the Utah Jazz look on during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 4, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by David DowNBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The NBA can be pretty simple. There’s one ball and five players. If you have one of the best players in the league handling the ball the majority of the time, your team is going to win a lot of games. The issue that teams run into is the salaries. Teams rise and fall with the balance of contracts that fit into a team’s timelines and windows.

How many teams have fizzled because a team had no cap room to improve? That’s every team, actually. As teams fill their rosters, typically in the draft, those players eventually run out their contracts and will demand the most possible. The best teams in the league will make sure they’re constantly replenishing their team with young players from the draft. If teams run out of draft picks, it’s inevitable that the cap or age catches up to them. The best example of this came from the Jazz four seasons ago. Utah had gone all in on a Mike Conley trade as they tried to maximize on their two-man core of Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. With the picks gone from the Mike Conley trade, and with some bad drafting (looking at you, Udoka Azubuike), the Jazz maxed out their potential and had no way to improve because they were capped out.

Beyond the potential of being the best prospect in Jazz history, the #2 pick is valuable for what it does for the Jazz cap as well. Having a player like AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson is incredibly valuable. But having them on your team, secured on a rookie contract, means the Jazz can also maximize every other position.

Next season, Utah will be giving $49M to Jaren Jackson Jr., $46M to Lauri Markkanen, and they’ll likely be giving somewhere between $25M and $30M to Walker Kessler, and Keyonte George is going to get paid soon too. That’s a situation that doesn’t leave anything for signing players in free agency, outside of exceptions like the mid-level exception.

But that’s what makes the #2 pick even more valuable. That core of George, Kessler, Markkanen, and Jackson, with Ace Bailey on a rookie contract, is great. Now? The Jazz will add another rookie contract in either Dybantsa or Peterson. And what if Dybantsa or Peterson are as good as people hope? Having a tier-1 prospect making $13M over the next four years is incredible. Down the road, Utah will have to make decisions on their contracts, but for now? They’re sitting pretty and can keep this current roster together as long as they’re willing to pay the tax.

With the draft just weeks away, Utah has to be excited about the chance to add not only a generational prospect, but one that will also fit into a rapidly rising cap situation for the Jazz. Currently, FanDuel has the odds of AJ Dybantsa at -450 so it seems likely that Darryn Peterson is likely going to be on the Jazz.

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New York Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs timeline: How New York won NBA Finals Game 2

The New York Knicks managed to thwart the San Antonio Spurs’ fourth-quarter rally, taking a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals on Friday, June 5.

The game saw both teams hold leads as large as 12 points. The Knicks trailed the Spurs 34-25 at the end of the first quarter and did not see their first lead of the game until the final minutes of the second quarter.

New York went back to the locker room at halftime with a 56-52 lead after outscoring San Antonio 31-18 in the second quarter and carried its momentum into the third quarter.

The Knicks led the Spurs 84-75 after three quarters ... before the game’s final quarter helped the contest live up to the standard set for the series.

9:35 left: Tension began to rise when De’Aaron Fox of the Spurs and Jalen Brunson of the Knicks had a stare down. Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson, Jalen Brunson's father, was visibly unhappy with the situation and was briefly held back by Knicks head coach Mike Brown on the bench.

9:11 left: The Spurs began to pick up the pace in the final frame, cutting the Knicks' lead down to five after Dylan Harper made a shot under the basket. New York led San Antonio 87-82.

2:59 left: San Antonio managed to gain some momentum late in the quarter after Dylan Harper scored under the basket to tie the game with the Knicks at 97. San Antonio went on a 14-0 scoring run to even the score.

57.3 seconds left: Victor Wembanyama had previously made a layup off an assist from Dylan Harper to give the Spurs a 103-102 lead with 57.3 seconds left in the quarter. Karl-Anthony Towns was called for his fifth foul on the play, sending Wembanyama to the line before a successful free-throw attempt.

13.6 left: With the game tied at 104, Wembanyama grabbed the defensive rebound after Jalen Brunson missed a jump shot. The Defensive Player of the Year attempted to pass the ball toward point guard Stephon Castle, who wasn't looking. Brunson then swooped in and stole the ball before colliding with Wembanyama, who was called for a foul.

7.5 left: Brunson made just one of his two free-throw attempts to give the Knicks a 105-104 lead.

0.0 left: Wembanyama had a clean look for a potential game-winner but missed the shot on the final possession as time expired. The Knicks won 105-104 and will return to New York with a 2-0 lead and a chance to sweep the series and capture their first title since 1973.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Knicks vs Spurs timeline: How New York won NBA Finals Game 2