Category: Basketball

A brutal night for Victor Wembanyama continued even after he returned to his New York hotel on Wednesday, as he was pelted with boos from jeering Knicks fans and nearly struck by a flying egg.

A video shared online showed at least one egg tossed in the direction of the San Antonio Spurs superstar as he entered his hotel, flanked by security, after the team’s Game 4 loss to the Knicks.

It was not clear who threw the egg. The video showed taunting fans swarming the hotel, a few blocks south of Madison Square Garden.

Related: Wembanyama condemns apparent attacks on Spurs fans in New York during NBA finals

A few seconds after the egg cracks on a street sign, Wembanyama turns around and confronts a person standing near the hotel’s entrance, before continuing inside.

The Spurs did not immediately respond to a request seeking clarity on whether the object struck Wembanyama.

The confrontation followed a historic collapse by the Spurs, who now find themselves on the brink of elimination after blowing a 29-point lead to the Knicks. Wembanyama missed two key free throws in the game’s final minutes.

The Knicks’ victory prompted scenes of bedlam and jubilation across New York City, as ecstatic fans packed the streets, set off fireworks, scaled lamp-posts and at times clashed with police. According to the New York police department, 56 people were taken into custody for charges that ranged from assault to disorderly conduct.

“Once again, there were large crowds of people who engaged in incredibly reckless and dangerous behavior last night both during and after the game,” the police department said in a statement.

An NYPD spokesperson said they had nothing on file about the egg incident.

Earlier this week, players from both teams condemned apparent attacks on Spurs fans by supporters of the Knicks. Video had circulated showing San Antonio fans having their jerseys ripped off in the streets of New York after the Spurs’ win in Game 3 on Monday.

“My thoughts of course [are] that we can’t forget it’s a game,” Spurs star Victor Wembanyama said about the incidents. “We’re just playing a game out there. I am all for passion, but [with] the respect of each other. It’s unacceptable.”

Added Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns: “The game is built off of respect and passion. We want everyone to respect each other. We want everyone to enjoy basketball at its purest state. It’s the NBA finals. There’s no better place to watch basketball. Leave the physicality to everyone on the court.”

Every once in a while, you see something you've never seen before. Something that makes the impossible, possible, regardless of what the odds say. On June 10, the New York Knicks gave fans another moment that will forever be a snapshot in time.

Erasing a 29-point lead in Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals to take a commanding 3-1 series lead, the Knicks' comeback story is one that will be told for years to come. You'll remember where you were, what the weather was like, what you ate for dinner and maybe the first call or text you made in the immediate aftermath of the OG Anunoby shot heard around the sports world.

Whether the comeback is the greatest in sports history is up for debate. At the very least, Game 4 of the NBA Finals went from being a game Knicks fans couldn't wait to turn off to being a game they can't relive enough.

Anatomy of a stunning comeback: How Knicks pulled off improbable win

Now on the doorstep of their first NBA title since 1973, the job isn't finished. In the meantime, let's put the comeback into context.

Here's a look at how the Knicks' comeback compares to the New England Patriots' famous 28-3 comeback against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl 51, by the numbers.

The New York Knicks are on the cusp of their first NBA championship in 53 years after the greatest comeback in the history of the NBA Finals. What was looking destined to be a tied series with the San Antonio Spurs through four games is now a commanding 3-1 Knicks lead, with the first of three title-clinching opportunities set for Saturday night in San Antonio.

Unlike the Spurs, whose core pieces have come through the draft, the Knicks are the polar opposite. Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, and Game 4 hero OG Anunoby were all acquired via trade, while Jalen Brunson was the bargain of a free agent signing who got this era of Knicks basketball rolling. But there was another piece added at February’s trade deadline who had a massive role in New York’s epic 29-point rally.

Jose Alvarado, a fan favorite with the New Orleans Pelicans, was dealt to his hometown team for Dalen Terry, cash, and a couple of second-round picks. Aside from his high effort and pesky defense, Alvarado gave the Knicks with another ball-handling guard who could initiate offense and create rim pressure with Jalen Brunson off the court. During the regular season, Brunson and Alvarado played all of 114 minutes together through 20 games. In the postseason, that number dropped all the way to zero.

That is, until Knicks head coach Mike Brown made maybe one of the most impactful coaching adjustments we’ll ever see in a Finals game.

As had been the theme all playoffs, Brunson and Alvarado’s minutes were separate in the disastrous first half of Game 4. Alvarado played a shade over three minutes, fouled twice (perhaps fortunate to avoid a flagrant foul while grabbing Victor Wembanyama’s leg), and his turnover was a “bad pass” that sure looked like an uncalled goaltend against Luke Kornet.

Down by 19 points at the 5:33 mark of the third quarter, Brown sat the largely ineffective Mikal Bridges and paired Brunson and Alvarado together. Brunson was in for all but two defensive possessions (10 total seconds) in the second half, while Alvarado was in for 12 of the game’s final 17 minutes. It was the most Alvarado had played all postseason. The result was something the Spurs had no answers for.

In 9:40 of fourth quarter action, Alvarado scored 8 points on 3/3 shooting (including a critical 3 in clutch time), along with 2 rebounds and 3 assists, which was one fewer than the entire Spurs team had in the second half. The Knicks were a +19 overall in the Brunson-Alvarado minutes, and Alvarado had double the points of the rest of the bench, which combined to shoot 2/16.

“I know a lot of you guys can’t [clap] because you’re in the media and you’ve got to be neutral, but I’m gonna f—king clap for Jose,” Mike Brown said in his post-game press conference. “Sorry, Mom.

“Jose was unbelievable tonight. He changed the game. His speed, his ability to touch the paint. You give San Antonio a lot of credit for trying to throw a lot of different things at us defensively—kind of a match-up man/zone. If you don’t close out to Jose as hard as he works on his shot, he’s going to make you pay. If you close out to him, he’s quick enough to go by you. He made some great basketball plays offensively tonight, and then he was great defensively.”

Alvarado provided a much-needed release valve and screen-setter for Brunson in the face of Spurs double teams and constant on-ball pressuring up near half court. Brunson could work a little bit more off-ball while Alvarado spaced the floor in a way that, say, Josh Hart really cannot as a secondary ball-handler in a half-court offense.

“Jose’s been good in the pick-and-roll,” Brown said. “Jose’s been good touching the paint. And if Jalen wanted to get off the ball for a few possessions, Jose could handle it. And he could touch the paint and make the game easier for others. If Jalen was on the ball and the ball got sprayed and it found Jose, Jose can then touch the paint with his speed.

“So that’s all I was trying to do, is see if we could touch the paint a little bit more with the two guards out there, while the floor was spaced the right way, see if we can get some easy looks, especially from the three-point line, while trying to play faster.”

Mike Brown was in desperate search of something to crack the Spurs defense. Nothing was working in the first half and Karl-Anthony Towns’ early foul trouble created a cascading effect where he went seven-deep in his rotation. Much like in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals when Brown sat Josh Hart for the three-point shooting of Landry Shamet in New York’s other improbable 20+ point comeback, Brown unstuck the offense by finding his solution off the bench—an antithetical to what’s regularly felled his predecessor, Tom Thibodeau.

On an unforgettable, still scarcely believable night at Madison Square Garden, the decision to call on the New York City native to play the role of backcourt super sub alongside the Knicks’ superhero could end up as a championship-winning coaching masterstroke.

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Courtside tickets for the NBA Finals were selling for as much as $200,000 in New York. 

It only cost Karl-Anthony Towns two quick fouls to have the best seat in the house for a half, as the New York Knicks center got into early foul trouble against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.

With the series swinging back to San Antonio, my Knicks vs. Spurs predictions take the 7-footer to find his postseason form in Game 5. Find out why in my NBA picks for June 13.

Knicks vs Spurs Game 5 prediction

Knicks vs Spurs best bet: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 17.5 points (+100)

Karl-Anthony Towns sat for most of the first half of Game 4 but was ready to roll in the second half, playing 18 of 24 minutes.

His offense, however, was understandably spotty, and much like Game 3, Towns couldn’t get into a rhythm. Mike Brown’s plan for Game 4 was to get Towns going early, but that went out the window.

I’m not backing off KAT in Game 5. He salvaged 13 points Wednesday, not too short of his total of 17.5, considering the circumstances. 

Projections sit as high as 21+ with my number at 18.7 points, which should have Over 17.5 listed at -118.

COVERS INTEL:Towns’ usage was at 23.5% in his limited time in the first half of Game 4, in which he scored six points in just eight minutes. That’s higher than his average usage of 19.9% in the first two games in San Antonio, when KAT finished with 18 and 21 points.

Knicks vs Spurs Game 5 same-game parlay

The San Antonio Spurs’ inexperience has them backed into a 3-1 hole, but that youth could also be a strength in this spot. San Antonio is just young and dumb enough to shake Game 4.

The extended two-day break also works in their favor, especially when it comes to recharging Victor Wembanyama’s draining batteries. He looked tired and passive in the second half Wednesday. 

The Spurs have had the New York Knicks by the throat several times in the series and have shown resiliency enough in the playoffs, going 7-2 SU and ATS off a loss. They might not cover a bigger number, but can stay alive in Game 5.

Towns was passive in Game 3 and then got two quick whistles to ice his offense in Game 4. Mike Brown wants to run his offense through KAT, and we’ll see that in Game 5... as long as the refs don’t get trigger-happy.

Towns looked great in San Antonio in the opening two games, and his scoring prop is providing great value, with projections calling for 21+ points on Saturday.

Much like KAT, Stephon Castle got into foul trouble and couldn’t find his stroke in Game 4, shooting just 2-for-7 from the field. He kept attacking and knocked down all eight of his free-throw attempts.

Castle finished with 13 points in just 26 minutes — tying his second-lowest action in the postseason. Game 5 models sit as high as 19 points from the Spurs guard, given his standard floor time.

Knicks vs Spurs SGP

• Spurs moneyline
• Karl-Anthony Towns Over 17.5 points
• Stephon Castle Over 16.5 points

Knicks vs Spurs odds for Game 5

• Spread: Knicks +5.5 | Spurs -5.5
• Moneyline: Knicks +170 | Spurs -205
• Over/Under: Over 216.5 | Under 216.5

Knicks vs Spurs betting trend to know

The Under is 1-3 in the 2026 NBA Finals heading into Game 5, with the total sitting at 216.5 O/U. The Under has been the correct side of the total, with finals games going 45-69 O/U since the 2005-06 season (60.5%). Find more NBA betting trends for Knicks vs. Spurs.

How to watch Knicks vs Spurs Game 5

Knicks vs Spurs latest injuries

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NEW YORK (AP) — A brutal night for Victor Wembanyama continued even after he returned to his hotel on Wednesday, as he was pelted with boos from jeering Knicks fans and nearly struck by a flying egg.

A video shared online showed at least one egg tossed in the direction of the San Antonio Spurs superstar as he entered his hotel, flanked by security, following the team's game 4 loss to the Knicks.

It was not clear who threw the egg. The video showed taunting fans swarming the hotel, a few blocks south of Madison Square Garden.

A few seconds after the egg cracks on a street sign, Wembanyama turns around and confronts a person standing near the hotel's entrance, before continuing inside.

The Spurs did not immediately respond to a request seeking clarity on whether the object struck Wembanyama.

The confrontation followed a historic collapse by the Spurs, who now find themselves on the brink of elimination after blowing a 29-point lead to the Knicks. Wembanyama missed two key free throws in the game's final minutes.

The Knicks victory prompted scenes of bedlam and jubilation across New York City, as ecstatic fans packed the streets, set off fireworks, scaled lampposts and at times clashed with police.

According to the New York Police Department, 56 people were taken into custody for charges that ranged from assault to disorderly conduct.

“Once again, there were large crowds of people who engaged in incredibly reckless and dangerous behavior last night both during and after the game,” the police department said in a statement.

An NYPD spokesperson said they had nothing on file about the egg incident.

Welcome to our annual Lakers season in review series, where we’ll look back at each player on the team’s roster this season and evaluate if they should be part of the future of the franchise. Today, we look at Marcus Smart. 

Whatever expectations the Lakers had when they signed Marcus Smart last summer were not only met but exceeded. 

Through his gritty defense, vocal leadership and contagious effort, Smart quickly earned the respect of his teammates and fans alike. The veteran was everything his reputation advertised and the team needed.

Beyond his production, Smart’s impact and connectivity next to his star teammates also served as important proof of concept as the Lakers approach a pivotal offseason. 

With the franchise expected to make significant changes this summer, Smart proved he can help contribute to whatever shape the roster takes if brought back. And if he’s not, he displayed how important having players like him can be.

How did they play?

Typically, 6’3” guards aren’t able to be defensive anchors for a team, but Smart is the exception. 

Whether it was guarding up or down, diving for loose balls or stepping in for charges, Smart injected much-needed care into the Lakers’ defense. 

It is no secret that the Lakers’ roster lacked defensive talent last season. However, there was a level of effort that Smart helped cultivate that ultimately got the most out of the group. 

Even if the results didn’t equate to an above-average defense by the end of the year, Smart’s individual efforts deserve recognition. 

Although much of his value comes from the intangible parts of his game, the numbers showcased how tangible his impact actually was.  

The Lakers were a fantastic 8.9 points better with Smart on the floor this past season and allowed 7.3 points less per 100 possessions. Both are elite indicators of a player being a meaningful difference maker.

For as good and consistent as Smart was as a defensive tone setter, his offense waxed and waned. 

Playing next to the likes of Luka Dončić , LeBron James and Austin Reaves, Smart was slotted off=ball more than ever before (72% of his makes were assisted on). 

As a result, this put more of an emphasis on Smart’s perimeter shooting, an area he has historically been just okay at, which was the case once again. When removing garbage time, Smart converted just 33% of his 3-point attempts and 30% of his above-the-break chances.

While not as effective on offense as he is on defense, Smart showed how versatile and helpful he could still be.

Despite his struggles from the perimeter, Smart still found ways to be a spark on that end. His ball-handling, playmaking and downhill ability proved critical in the playoffs once Dončić and Reaves were ruled out. His knack for crashing the offensive glass also created countless extra possessions throughout the year.

What are their contract situations moving forward?

With a player option at his disposal, Smart can either opt into the remaining $5.3 million of his deal with the Lakers or opt out and test the market. After his strong year, there are expected to be plenty of suitors he can pick from.

At 32, Smart’s decision will likely come down to playing for a contender and/or landing a more lucrative deal than the one he currently has. The Lakers are uniquely able to offer Smart both.

With ample cap space and a clear role in place, a return may benefit both parties. 

Should they be back?

If a new deal can be reached and is reasonable from both a financial and years perspective, the Lakers should absolutely bring Smart back into the fold. 

Beyond checking multiple boxes on the court, Smart was also a successful case study of the type of players who succeed around Dončić and Reaves.

The fluidity and chemistry between the trio were evident as ineups featuring Smart, Reaves and Dončić had an incredible +22.1 net rating. For context, that was the best mark among all 3-man pairings last season.

In an ideal world, the Lakers could find a younger and better version of Smart this summer, allowing him to slide into a more appropriately sized role. Not only would this add more defensive talent and depth to the roster, but it would help Smart stay sharp and healthy all year. 

Ultimately, it is not a guarantee that Smart would even want to return or prefer another opportunity elsewhere. But if he does opt to remain in Los Angeles, then the Lakers should be excited for a reunion.

All stats courtesy of Cleaning the Glass unless otherwise stated. You can follow Alex on Bluesky at @alexregla.bsky.social.

What a game. What a team. Those players and us fans wish we could have those last seconds back, or heck, even the entire fourth quarter. The roller coaster ride of emotion had a lot of peaks but the downward swirl there in the fourth makes you almost want to erase it from your memory because of the pain it brought.

That’s what we at Pounding the Rock are here for. Join us on this journey to erase the pain of that loss. We have the technology. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, it means going through the better parts (highlights, if you will) of the game and remembering that the joy of winning never comes easy nor does it come without the disappointment of losing.

So sit back, try to enjoy some of the good parts of Wednesday’s game as we try to erase from memory the second half/fourth quarter of the game. If you hear the voices of Kate Winslet, peak career Jim Carrey, early career Mark Ruffalo, Kirsten Dunst, and Elijah Wood, that’s normal. It’s completely normal.

Victor Wembanyama led the team with 24 points and pulled down 13 rebounds while Dylan Harper contributed 21 points on 8 -12 shooting off the bench.

Early on, there were some good, purposeful ball movement to find the open player in the corner for an open three. A lot of those seeing as how the team set a record for most threes in the first half. The first half being the operative word.

The Spurs swarmed early and got some easy points off of turnovers. Playing aggressive, yet loose, seems to be a winning formula they’ll hope to duplicate and maintain.

Victor Wembanyama got crafty with his footwork to get around his defender for the bucket inside. If this move was a craft beer, it’d be described as hoppy but a subtle bounce with a sweet aftertaste.

Analytically speaking, the pull-up mid-range jumper is inefficient. But aesthetically speaking, the mid-range jumper is pretty, especially when Dylan Harper is able to probe his way through the defense and make space for himself to pull up.

We know the second part of the saying “Live by the three . . .” but this is a highlights article remember, so we’ll stop there and have a moment to appreciate Carter Bryant’s early development into becoming the next great D and Three wing.

Stephon Castle showed off his court vision and extremely nice touch on a half-court lob to Bryant who showed off his hops.

This mildly chaotic scrum off a jump ball ended with a drained three for the Spurs. The most impressive part was Dylan Harper fighting (successfully) for the ball in a sea of Knicks arms.

More of that old school style play for those who are fans of the mid-range game. The spin move by Harper was particularly *chef’s kiss.

If you missed the game because you were too busy trying to duplicate the memory-erasing technology from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, here are the full-game highlights:

Next up, the Spurs will head home for Game 5 on Saturday, June 13, 2026.

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Sports bettors made a killing in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, which went straight into the history books after the New York Knicks completed the largest comeback in Finals history to beat the San Antonio Spurs.

Wednesday’s contest finished with a game-winning tip-in from OG Anunoby that capped off an incredible rally from a 29-point deficit. 

Key Takeaways

• The Knicks were as long as +3000 live underdogs at FanDuel.
  
  
• 86% of live moneyline bets at BetMGM were on the Knicks.
  
  
• FanDuel has the Spurs as -5.5 favorites in Game 5.

The Knicks were -1.5 favorites at most sportsbooks heading into Game 4. It only took them less than two quarters to fall into a 71-42 hole, drawing a round of well-earned “boos” from the fans in attendance at Madison Square Garden.

OG ANUNOBY WITH THE PUTBACK.

KNICKS COMPLETE THE 29-PT COMEBACK FOR THE WIN.

LARGEST COMEBACK IN NBA FINALS HISTORY 🤯 pic.twitter.com/ZtWVWY6JsR

— NBA (@NBA) June 11, 2026

FanDuel sportsbook told Covers that the Knicks got to as long as +3000 in live moneyline odds, giving them an implied 3.2% chance of winning the game. BetMGM and DraftKings both confirmed the Knicks’ live moneyline odds reached as long as +2200, equaling a 4.4% implied chance.

Unfortunately for the sportsbook, bettors took those numbers.

A massive 86% of bets and 67% of live-betting money wagered at BetMGM was on the Knicks’ moneyline. An additional 76% of tickets and 75% of the handle were also on the Knicks to cover the live spread, which varied throughout the matchup.

BetMGM also outlined how the Knicks’ moneyline odds evolved during the game. They entered at -130, went up to +375 after the first quarter and +1400 at halftime, and were +800 going into the fourth quarter. 

The Game 4 comeback

The Spurs’ epic collapse marked the second time in this series that they literally threw a game away.

In Game 2, with the score tied and less than 10 seconds on the clock, Victor Wembanyama tossed a pass to Stephon Castle in transition just as the latter turned his back to hustle downcourt. The ball ricocheted off of Castle’s back into the waiting hands of Jalen Brunson, who was fouled and made the game-winning free-throw. Victor Wembanyama missed a shot to win at the buzzer.

The Spurs could have almost assuredly prevented a loss in regulation in Game 4 on Wednesday, had De’Aaron Fox held his nerve.

The 10-year NBA veteran found himself ahead of the pack to collect a loose ball on the Knicks’ side of the court with less than 15 seconds remaining and his team up one, but rather than bleed the clock and wait to get fouled, he attempted — and missed — a layup.

"I just thought I'd be able to outrun [OG Anunoby]."

De'Aaron Fox explains his late game shot that was blocked by OG Anunoby.

(via @BenGolliver) pic.twitter.com/HbWQvzPZ5M

— ESPN (@espn) June 11, 2026

The Knicks rebounded the ball, and a few seconds of game time later, Anunoby put in the decisive shot to put his team one game away from a championship.

NBA Finals betting outlook

NBA teams up 3-1 in the Finals are 37-1 across all of NBA history. The only loss occurred in 2016, when the 73-9 Golden State Warriors lost three straight to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

From a broader view across all 303 best-of-seven series that stood 3-1 at one point, only 15 (5%) teams recovered from the deficit. 

FanDuel Sportsbooks isn’t completely crossing out the possibility for the Spurs, although they think it’s unlikely. Their +385 NBA Finals oddsgives them a 20.6% implied chance of winning the Finals to the Knicks’ -500 (83.3%).

The series will return to San Antonio for Game 5 on Saturday, where the Spurs are -5.5 favorites. The Knicks won Games 1 and 2 on the road as +4.5 and +6.5 underdogs, respectively. 

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

There’s a thought that keeps haunting me as I watch the NBA Finals this year. 

What if former Dallas Maverick superstar Luka Doncic  – currently Los Angeles Lakers – had the same guidance and preparation early on and before even entering the league that the San Antonio Spurs’ young superstar Victor Wembanyama did?

Would that have made his journey in the NBA easier and smoother, and perhaps helped him win a championship and an MVP award faster? 

And could it have helped him gain the recognition many believe he deserves – but isn’t getting – from the media and talking heads?

Wemby came into the league so prepared and so comfortable with who he was that it almost shocked fans and media. How could he not care that people snickered because he brought a book to read before the All-Star game?

How is he able to quote philosophers, and insist on showing his emotions – unlike most other players his age? 

Why has he not spent his whole life dunking on opponents rather than educating himself to be prepared to take on both the mental and physical challenge of being the best?

To some, this may come off as arrogance. And maybe to some extent it is, because he truly believes he can be the best, and he is confident in that and in himself – because he puts in the work. That is not very different from some of the best players to play the game of basketball. It actually sounds very similar. He came into the league, knowing who he was, who he wanted to be, and he never steered off that path. 

Imagine if someone like Luka Doncic had come into the league as prepared and well-guided as Victor Wembanyama. His first seven years in the NBA may have looked very differently. 

This is no slight to Luka Doncic at all, who has been known to trust people around him, but unfortunately has learned down the line that people are not always as good at their job as you would assume. 

When Wemby entered the league, he came almost fully formed in how to take care of his extraordinary physique, how to work on specific movements like flexibility and balance for injury prevention and efficiency. He arrived having been guided, it seems, for years on how to take care of himself and his body’s needs, and he never seems to veer off that. 

Mentally and intellectually, he has also made surprising, but intentional choices from the beginning. Staying at a Shaolin Temple in China for ten days last summer, studying Chan meditation, Shaolin Kung Fu, traditional Chinese medicine and more.

And arranging for a fans section in San Antonio, which he taught chants from Europe. Intentionality in everything he does. 

And as someone who has followed, analyzed and written about Luka Doncic for years – and even tried to bridge cultural gaps between Americans and Europeans so many times – I can’t help but wonder:

Where would Luka Doncic be if he was as prepared and well-guided, in as good of a situation and had a roster slowly and steadily built around him during his early years in the NBA?

Intentionality in everything you do seems to be a marker of success. Luka Doncic is one of the best basketball players in the world – if you know me, you know I’ve pushed for him to win MVP, especially in 2024 – and in my opinion, he is the best player in the world when he is healthy. 

But if you compare everything around that to Wemby’s approach, it’s already clear who comes out on top, despite Wemby only being in the league for a few years. 

Wembanyama clearly had better guidance coming into the league. He clearly learned to take care of himself early on at another level, too. He was clearly supported and lifted by being surrounded by people who he could trust, who have been able to make certain he ended up in the best situation possible. 

Luka Doncic had none of that early on, it seems. 

I know what you’re thinking right now. Doncic was drafted by an organization that didn’t put him in a similar development situation or roster construction effort as Wemby. And I agree with you. That is part of the point. On multiple levels Luka Doncic was not set up for success in the same way Wemby has been and still is. 

And that is the point. 

But despite lacking in all of this, Doncic still made it to where he is right now – and that’s pretty spectacular. Who knows if he still has a chance to win the MVP award and get a ring – he should and he deserves it – but he didn’t have much of the outside help that others did. 

And because of this, Wembanyama may win MVP before Luka Doncic. 

The absurdity of that sentence drives me nuts. When an acquaintance and fellow Danish journalist two years ago asked who would win it first, Luka or Wemby, I was perplexed. Luka was a superstar, among the best ever, Wemby was a rookie. 

But the reality is that Wemby was in the top three nominees for MVP this year, and Luka was not. He is leading a team in the Finals right now, and Luka is not. 

The absurdity of that situation after what Luka has done in Dallas with so little, and what he did to lead the Mavs to the Finals in 2024 haunts me. Many of us, I bet. 

But the world is full of absurdity, just look around. Sometimes we just have to laugh, because what else can we do? 

The fact remains, however. If Luka Doncic had had what Victor Wembanyama has, he would probably have reached the top already. Instead, he keeps fighting the same fight he has for five years in a cycle that just seems to repeat itself. 

Intentionality. Maybe that’s the cure against absurdity. It may be worth a shot. 

After Victor Wembanyama, the league will never be the same. The way he came into the league, almost fully ready and prepared to take care of his body and knowing exactly what he wanted, will set a precedent for future stars. And that’s a good thing for all of us. 

Find more Beyond Basketball pieces here.

Ron Swoboda. Stephane Matteau. Graeme Lloyd. David Tyree. OG Anunoby.

The pantheon of players who’ve come to New York and stamped themselves in playoff lore is short and sweet and celebrated. Anunoby’s Right Hand of God tip-follow with 1.2 seconds left completed a 30-point turnaround, the largest comeback in NBA Finals history, lifting the New York Knickerbockers to within one win of their first title since 1973. Diving catches in the World Series, a double-overtime series-winning goal, an improbable stretch of dominance, a freak play you couldn’t repeat if you tried 100 times . . . and OG may have topped them all.

Without the bitter life wouldn’t taste so sweet, but for the first 40 minutes the Knicks played like their pregame meal was grapefruit rinds. San Antonio built the biggest halftime lead for any Finals road team — 27. With just over nine minutes left, the Spurs were up 20. In an irony worthy of O. Henry, it happened despite Mike Brown’s team, having raised the issue of the free throw disparity after Game 3, quadrupling the visitor’s attempts by the break (23-6).

It was the 3-point shooting, natch, creating the division between the sides, with the visitors +30 from deep by halftime. For much of the first half, I thought, “All right, they can’t keep making 60% of their 3s,” which gave way to “They really gonna make 60% of their 3s?!” Understand: for far longer than is decent, the Spurs were on pace to score 180 points. On offense, they couldn’t miss. On defense, they made Jalen Brunson endure a triathlon just getting the ball past midcourt. Karl-Anthony Towns took two shots the whole first half, the victim of an absurd coach’s challenge in the game’s first minute. The Spur reserves outscored the Knicks’ 22-2. Pick your poison, it all pointed to the same end. Not that some of us lost sight of the big picture.

Madison Square Garden belongs to the people, and we the people all, eventually, belong to the dead. There are ghosts at 33rd and 8th. Ghosts that don’t take kindly to 22-year-olds throwing cheap shots, reveling in their protected status at the league office and mouthing off about being in someone’s head when they’re down in the series and there’s most of the game left to contest. The Knicks needed to look within. They needed the crowd. But they also needed the ghosts.

When San Antonio’s lead was at its peak, 29, Victor Wembanyama — bet your bottom dollar the league overturns it — was whistled for a flagrant foul for swinging a ‘bow into KAT’s face. Obviously the ghost of J.R. Smith briefly possessed Wemby, making him go one step too far with the aggression while making amends for the 2013 elbow on Jason Terry, the one that sent a promising oasis of a season down the tubes (Mixed metaphors, I know. I’m a goof). The rest of the way it was 55-25 Knicks.

The last time the Knicks came this close to a title, a small sparkplug guard who played harder than anybody, whose superpower was his effort, couldn’t hit a basket in Game 7. The ghost of John Starks was with Jose Alvarado last night. The Puerto Rican demigod played only three minutes in the first half but 12 in the second, giving the Knicks a critical second ball-handler to give Brunson a chance to be Brunson. 10 of those minutes were in the fourth, when he hit all three of his shots for eight points, including an essential bomb with three minutes left to make it a four-point game.

By his lofty standards, Patrick Ewing struggled in the one Finals he played in. The scoring touch just wasn’t there. So what did The Big Fella do? Just haul in a Finals-leading 12.4 rebounds while setting the record for blocks in a Finals. The ghost of Aloysius was with Towns last night. KAT had a team-high 10 rebounds and broke his fourth-quarter scoreless streak. Most importantly, KAT was there. Playing. Present. Even when he wasn’t looking to shoot, the threat Towns presents kept Wembanyama out guarding him away from the basket, opening up some precious real estate for the other Knicks to do their thing.

Early on, my nightmare scenario was coming true: with KAT in early foul trouble and Mitch Hack-a-Mitch’d, Mike Brown had to turn to Ariel Hukporti and Jeremy Sochan for first-half minutes at the 5. I like them both, but no. After only eight first-half minutes, Towns staying out of foul trouble the rest of the way let him play 18 in the second. He wasn’t much of a scorer, but he grabbed seven rebounds post-intermission and dished a couple of dimes. He did whatever they needed from him to win this game. All the players did.

And the coach, and while some people continue to debate the relative worth of Mike Brown, I say any coach who in the biggest spot looks more Red than Riley is worth his weight in gold. The ghost of Pat the Rat’s decision to play Starks ad nauseum when he couldn’t make a jumper, with Rolando Blackman on the bench, has haunted any Knick fan who lived through that Game 7 in Houston; Riley himself has said it’s his biggest coaching regret.

When the 1970 Knicks lost Willis Reed early in Game 5 of the Finals, Cazzie Russell and Dave Stallworth stepped up as the entire Knick squad pulled in one direction, ultimately toppling Wilt Chamberlain. There’s a difference between a total team and a top-heavy group.

Brown played 12 Knicks in the first half. Tom Thibodeau would have shrunk the rotation to four. But in order to best the Spurs’ modern-day Prometheus, it was going to take a true team effort, every last ounce every last one of them could muster. And they did. And they did it. The Spurs made 28 shots in the first half. Second half? Eight. New York closed on a 32-11 run, their eleventy billionth huge run of this postseason.

The Knicks winning the championship was never going to happen in a dull, mundane fashion. It was always gonna take something like the greatest Finals comeback in league history. And you know? There was literally no point last night when I thought they were done. That is a quality unique to this Knick of any I’ve ever watched. I was frustrated and confused as they fell behind. I was sick of all the (understandable) gushing over San Antonio’s play the first two or three or three-plus quarters. I was never without hope. I was never even without certainty.

One of the oldest ghosts at Madison Square Garden has been the fake comeback, for years the symbol of everything we loved and lashed out at with this team. The fake comeback is the epitome of team-sponsored torture — they let you down, only to build you up, only to let you down, like you *knew* they always would.

These Knicks? They never let you down. Can you believe it? We’ve waited 53 years to say that.

Quoth Mike Breen after OG’s tip-in: “It’s good! It’s good! It’s good!” It is. It really, truly is. Last night wasn’t just a comeback for the ages. It was catharsis, the breaking of one identity and the premiere of a new one. Like the 2004 Red Sox. Or a hermit crab. Or Carrie, after the prom. The “LOL Knicks,” the “Knicks for clicks,” the “not a model of intelligent management” Knicks? They’re on life support. They could be, should be the new ghosts, and sooner than later. The old Knicks are dead.

All hail the new New York Knicks.

From celebrity row at Madison Square Garden to the feud between owner James Dolan and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani over security at watch parties, Knicks fans have become a focal point of the 2026 NBA Finals. But they're not all making the best impression with the franchise in the spotlight again, just one win away from winning its first championship since 1973.

The unfortunate behavior may now include an apparent egging attempt on the Spurs' best player.

Another wave of arrests occurred during the celebrations that followed the Knicks' thrilling comeback win over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday, June 10, and video later emerged on social media of an object thrown at Spurs star Victor Wembanyama from the swarm of New York fans waiting outside the team's hotel. The caption on the original video referred to the object as an egg.

I woke up this morning.

I know, I’m as surprised as you are, but I did. I woke up. I went downstairs. I made coffee and it tasted exactly like it did yesterday. The sun was shining through the windows. My kids were playing with their Legos. Everything was fine. Perfect, actually.

It’s always striking to me how relentlessly life just marches on with so little regard for the circumstances and events that fill in the blanks. Nothing slows down, nothing speeds up. Time may be relative, sure, but it’s also consistent. Tomorrow will forever follow today.

If you’re reading this then, congratulations. You also survived. What happened in Madison Square Garden on June 10th didn’t kill you. It probably didn’t feel great either, but that’s beside the point. We’re here. We’re alive. There’s nothing to be done except pick up the pieces.

Now, we could certainly sit here and rehash the game if you’d like. The big lead. The big collapse. The missed opportunities. The OG play. Taylor Swift. I have a whole book full of notes and we can dissect it piece by piece. I’m sure we’ll find plenty of excuses and reasons for everything in there. Hidden gems that will tell us exactly when and where it all started to fall apart. If bet if we look close enough, we can pinpoint the exact second our hearts ripped in half.

For the life of me though, I can’t imagine wanting to go through that again. I’d rather figure out what we’re going to do now.

We could wallow, obviously. Lord knows there’s every reason to. But, look, we all watched Knicks fans spend the 48 hours between Games 3 and 4 having a collective existential meltdown on every podcast, show and platform they could find. We watched them take to the streets and cry to the heavens about the injustice, the indignity, of having to suffer through a 2-1 series lead. I watched a crowd of people yell obscenities at a man in a DeMar DeRozan jersey. These are not serious people.

I have no interest in doing anything like that. Frankly, it’s unbecoming.

Last night wasn’t the refs. The league doesn’t have a vendetta against us. The Illuminati didn’t convene and determine that in order for the world to prosper, the third biggest market in Texas needs to be humiliated on national television. We just lost. It was brutal and it was basically every sports fan’s worst nightmare come to life. But that’s all it was. A loss.

And we survived.

Y’all, we are so unbelievably lucky. Maybe it’s a little hokey of me to be preaching gratitude at a time like this, but like, ask a Sacramento Kings fan if they’d trade places with us. Ask a Hawks fan. A Clippers fan. Hell, go back in time four years ago and ask a fan of the Spurs team that finished 15th in the Western Conference and tied for the worst record in franchise history. Today feels pretty awful but I don’t think I’d trade it for anything.

You can’t get your heart broken if you never go to the dance.

We’re in the NBA Finals. We have one of the most talented, young rosters in the history of the league. We have a 7’4″ Shaolin monk who hits step back threes. We have five banners flying back home in our arena. We have Tim, Manu, and Pop waiting on the tarmac to help pick up the pieces. We have each other.

If you still feel bad, that’s okay. Feel it. Embrace it. Live with it. If you’re not watching sports to feel something then you’re not doing it right.

Eat, drink, and be merry.

Game 5 is Saturday.

Takeaways

• It never felt safe. Not for one single second and if you did feel safe you’ve not been paying attention. It was going too well. The shots were too clean. Everything was going to plan. That’s just…not how any of this works. It felt like a trap the entire time. A guy I was watching with made some comment about how, like, “Can you imagine paying 15K for those seats and now you’re having the worst night of your life?” and as soon I heard that question I almost turned the TV off. We tempted fate. We flew too close to the sun. They gave us all the clues.
• I’m willing to give De’Aaron Fox some grace on that last play where he tried to go to the rack in transition. I know he’s being a little defensive about it right now, trying to explain his thinking on it, and that’s okay. He allowed to do that. It all happened really fast and the moment got away from him. There were no shortage of mistakes to go around last night and I’m sure no one feels worse about it than he does. Fox is going to be heard from again in this series, I can feel it.
• At one point in the 4th quarter, I think I said something along the lines of “I’d be okay if we never shot another three the rest of the game.” I hate to be that guy, but I just wanted us to go to the rim over and over and over again. That’s all I wanted. Burn clock. Go to the rim, if you get blocked whatever, but make them work. It’s like we were just trying to re-catch lightning in a bottle and that’s simply not how lightning or bottles works. The lightning was gone. Ugh, I don’t know. Maybe that wouldn’t have worked either. That game simply felt destined to break our hearts one way or another and there isn’t really a tactic or scheme lurking around in some playbook to combat destiny.
• Maybe it will change as we get a little further away from it, but I’m pretty sure this still wasn’t as bad as the Ray Allen shot. It’s close! As close as I ever want to even remotely get ever again, but it’s not as bad as the ropes already being out for the celebration. Nothing will ever be as bad as that. And even if it is, I mean, hey, everything turned out okay in the end, right?

• Spurs in 7.

WWL Press Conference

I, uh, am not sure where to go on this one.

Yeah. Sort of hard to like, lean into the fun bits after you spent the evening watching Detective Benson, Taylor Swift and the Haim sisters dance on your grave.

Pretty undignified way to go.

It’s not what you want. It really is such a surreal experience to be living through a horrific sports trauma and then the camera cuts to Adam Sandler in a giant hoodie clapping along to your demise. I’m trying to process my grief and David Zaslav is staring at me in a backwards hat. There’s not a playbook for things like that. We weren’t trained for this.

Do you think it’d feel better if it were just random Knick fans instead?

I think the concept of whatever that was last night “feeling better” in any way, shape or form is not something I think is worth entertaining right now.

Spurs in 7 though?

Spurs in 7.

The Washington Wizards will meet with former Brigham Young star AJ Dybantsa in Washington, perhaps as soon as today, according to David Aldridge and Josh Robbins of The Athletic.

Per Aldridge and Robbins, the Wizards may meet Dybantsa as soon as today. And so you know, it’s not set in stone that the Wizards will pick him. Former Kansas star Darryn Peterson may still be in the mix. Per the piece:

The Wizards are also likely considering taking Kansas guard Darryn Peterson with the top pick. The 6-foot-5 Peterson averaged 20.2 points for the Jayhawks and shot 38 percent on 3-point attempts. His ability to create and shoot off the dribble, along with improved decision-making as a primary ballhandler and his potential as a plus defender at the pro level, make him an intriguing prospect.

Looks like the Wizards will keep us in suspense about which direction they will go until the end. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.