The league reviewed the play after San Antonio’s 115-111 win at Madison Square Garden and will not upgrade it to a flagrant foul, a person with knowledge of the decision confirmed to USA TODAY Sports' Lorenzo Reyes. This despite NBA head of officiating Monty McCutchen going on ESPN to acknowledge that the officials got it wrong.
Wembanyama shoved Brunson hard with both hands as Brunson tried to set a screen. Brunson didn’t fall all the way to the floor but he had to brace himself from the push, which drew an immediate reaction from the MSG crowd. Brunson got up and got in Wembanyama’s face before the game moved on.
No foul was called. No review was triggered at the time.
McCutchen addressed the missed call on ESPN’s "NBA Today."
“Well most certainly, I think we can all agree that a foul was missed on that play. We have a big part of our job is to, on-ball, off-ball exchanges between referees. We did a poor job of that here where we got two people on-ball and we don’t see the screening action. Lots of fighting over screens throughout the game and if we break down in our fundamentals, in even the smallest amounts, we have the opportunity to miss a clear foul, as we missed here.”
Replays appeared to show Brunson grabbing Wembanyama’s jersey before the shove, which may have factored into the league’s decision not to escalate. Still, Wembanyama’s reaction was to aggressively shove Brunson in the upper back and neck area, sending him toward the floor.
After the game, Brunson said it was obvious.
“Whatever you saw is what you saw,” Brunson said to reporters.
The ruling keeps Wembanyama at two flagrant foul points for the postseason, both from his Flagrant 2 ejection against Minnesota in the second round. Had the shove been upgraded to a Flagrant 1, he would have been at three points, one shy of an automatic suspension.
The contrast with how officials handled a similar moment later in the game was not lost on the Knicks. In the third quarter, with New York leading 71-67, Brunson closed out on Julian Champagnie on a 3-point attempt. Their feet tangled and officials upgraded the contact to a Flagrant 1 on Brunson. Champagnie completed a four-point play, the Spurs cut the deficit to one and went on to win.
San Antonio outshot New York 24-8 at the free throw line in the second half, a gap that left Knicks coach Mike Brown openly questioning the officiating.
“I never thought I would be in the NBA Finals and see a team get 24 free throw attempts in the second half to another team’s eight,” Brown said.
The Knicks lead the series 2-1. Game 4 is Wednesday at Madison Square Garden.
The NBA has ruled that Spurs star Victor Wembanyama will not be assessed a flagrant foul for his actions in Monday's Game 3 win over the Knicks.
The league determined that Wembanyama's shove of Knicks guard Jalen Brunsondid not meet their criteria for the center to be assessed a flagrant foul retroactively.
Wembanyama and the Spurs dodged what could have been a series-shifting moment. If the Spurs center were assessed a flagrant-1 foul, he would be one flagrant foul away from a mandatory one-game suspension in the NBA Finals after he was given a flagrant-2 foul after he threw an elbow on the Timberwolves' Naz Reid in the second round of the playoffs.
Karl-Anthony Towns struggles to make a move on Julian Champagnie during the Knicks' Game 3 loss to the Spurs at the Garden.
The Knicks may have overlooked the Spurs after becoming the third road team in NBA Finals history to take the first two games of the series.
At least, that’s what Karl-Anthony suggested was one issue in their Game 3 defeat.
“The details that made us special, we were too relaxed in them, and we didn’t execute them at the level that you guys are used to seeing,” Towns said Tuesday. “So doing that and also just the fundamentals of what our team is and how we play, we didn’t do that for 48 minutes. It’s something that has got us that 13-game winning streak.
Karl-Anthony Towns struggles to make a move on Julian Champagnie during the Knicks’ Game 3 loss to the Spurs at the Garden. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“Playing around with the game against a great team, you’re asking for a disaster, and that’s what we got.”
The Knicks had talked plenty after Game 2 of playing with desperation with a 2-0 series lead and treating the Finals like the series was 0-0. They had done a remarkable job of handling success and avoiding complacency throughout the franchise record playoff win streak.
But they lacked that sense of urgency in the first Finals game at MSG in 27 years.
They started each half poorly. The Spurs scored the game’s first seven points and led by double figures after just 4:26. The Knicks recovered to build a seven-point lead at halftime, only to see San Antonio start the third quarter just like the first stanza, ripping off a 15-4 burst.
“I just saw us not executing the little details that made us special,” Towns said. “The game they brought to MSG yesterday, we didn’t meet their level.”
It manifested itself in the Knicks allowing a playoff-high 115 points and producing a playoff-low 18 assists.
They also committed 13 turnovers, many of them unforced, leading to 21 Spurs points.
Team captain Jalen Brunson echoed Towns that the Knicks were lacking when it came to minor things. One of them was sending the Spurs to the free-throw line 32 times.
While coach Mike Brown was critical of the officiating — the Knicks attempted 10 fewer free throws than the Spurs — Brunson didn’t use that as an excuse Tuesday.
“There’s a way for us to do things we have to do, the things that we’ve done throughout these playoffs,” he said. “They’re just game plan discipline. I don’t think the discipline we had in those situations were good enough. We just got to be disciplined in those moments.”
Legendary basketball coach Rick Pitino has some thoughts on the officiating in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
Pitino appeared on The Post’s “Schein Time” on Tuesday, the morning after attending Game 3, which the Knicks dropped to the Spurs 115-111.
“It was unreal,” Pitino said of the fans at MSG Monday night. “The fans were up. I’d say I was on my feet for 90% of the game, and that’s the type of magic it was.”
Rick Pitino reacts during St. John’s loss to Duke in the Sweet 16 in March. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
On a less positive note, there’s been some controversy surrounding the officiating.
Postgame, Knicks head coach Mike Brown commented on the free throw disparity, as the Spurs took three times as many free throws as the Knicks did in the second half.
Pitino sees the complaints and understands them.
“Look, there were a couple of plays where I was like, OK, that’s the wrong call. And I’m a die-hard Knicks fan. … I credit San Antonio. I didn’t think the Knicks played their game.
“I got the sense watching it live that Mike Brown wanted to either shift the conversation or kind of go Phil Jackson on everyone and let the officials know for next game, hey, we want some calls at home.”
Pitino also credited the Spurs’ physicality for helping them escape with a close win in Game 3, especially in a raucous environment like that of MSG, which was hosting its first Finals game since 1999.
“I think San Antonio last night knew what to do to win that game from a coaching standpoint, strategy standpoint, that was extremely physical…It was a game like it was when I was coaching the Knicks. It was back then they allowed physicality.”
The Knicks look to win their first NBA Finals game on their home floor in 25 years tomorrow, with tipoff at 8:30 pm.
Jeremy Lin knows better than anyone how it feels to excite New York.
Before Jalen Brunson carried the Knicks within two games of winning the franchise’s first championship since 1973, Lin imbued a flailing organization with the most joy it had experienced since its playoff runs in the 1990s.
Lin went from being an undrafted, Harvard walk-on to becoming a global superstar after carrying the Knicks on a seven-game winning streak while averaging 22 points during the 2011-12 season. He brought Spike Lee back to Madison Square Garden. He inspired ticket prices to soar. He famously scored 38 points on Kobe Bryant after the Lakers superstar asked, “Who is this kid?”
Knicks alumni Jeremy Lin poses for a photo before Game 3 of the NBA Finals. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
Lin will forever be celebrated by New Yorkers, who cheered wildly when his face was shown on the jumbotron.
He arrived at MSG clad in Knicks gear, representing a franchise that will forever hold a piece of his heart even though he left after his lone season with the organization after it declined to match a three-year, $25 million offer from the Rockets in the summer of 2012.
Lin brought beleaguered New Yorkers happiness and he’s thrilled they’re experiencing it once again. Many are even calling this the greatest Knicks team of all time.
As for whether Lin agrees?
“I don’t think I know enough about the history of the older teams to fully know,” Lin told The California Post. “But forget the Knicks, this is one of the most dominant runs we’ve seen in NBA history.”
Karl-Anthony Towns (left) greets guard Jalen Brunson during the second half of the Knicks’ Game 3 loss to the Spurs. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
Lin praised Brunson for igniting the Knicks’ fanbase, saying the man known as “The King of New York” is finally showing the world what New Yorkers have known all along.
“He is starting to get [the attention] now and definitely deserves it,” Lin told The California Post. “I don’t think enough people are talking about him giving up $113 million to build a team full of players that want to win. I think that speaks volumes. That’s also historic. It’s not talked about enough. Now he’s starting to get some of the recognition he deserves as a player, but he’s the consummate teammate and professional.”
Lin went on to praise Karl-Anthony Towns, who this postseason has shed the “soft” narrative that plagued him throughout his career.
Towns has been dominant on both ends of the court against the Spurs, often getting the better of Victor Wembanyama, who’s considered the next face of the league.
“It’s huge because, one, he’s rising to the occasion,” Lin said. “Two, he’s doing it on the defensive end as well. Three, he has turned up his playmaking abilities. We’re seeing three different areas of KAT that had certain narratives already written about him, so credit to him. And from all of his interviews, he seems so centered, so grateful. It has been great to see.”
The Knicks, who have a 2-1 series lead over the Spurs and will host Game 4 on Wednesday, are so close to ending 53 years of suffering for their fanbase.
But New Yorkers shouldn’t celebrate yet.
If the Knicks allow the Spurs to become the first team in NBA history to win a Finals series after losing their first two games at home, this iteration of the blue and orange would go from being the city’s savior to its greatest flop.
Things are still precarious for the Knicks.
As Lin knows all too well, in this city things can change in the blink of an eye.
“Obviously, it’s not over until they finish the job,” Lin told The California Post. “If they don’t finish the job then that will forever be a knock. Until this point, [their run] is about as dominant as it gets.”
Players from the Knicks and Spurs denounced the fights between fans of their teams during Game 3 of the Finals.
“We can’t forget it’s a game,” Victor Wembanyama said Tuesday. “We’re just playing a game out there. I am all for passion, but to the respect of each other. It’s unacceptable.”
Multiple videos went viral of fans clashing at a Bryant Park watch party during the Knicks’ 115-111 loss to the Spurs on Monday night at Madison Square Garden.
Dozens of enraged Knicks fans surrounded a Spurs fan on the streets and tore apart his Victor Wembanyama jersey from his back after Monday night’s loss in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. X / @NICHETONOTABLE
More than 20 people were arrested for offenses including assault on a police officer, assault, criminal possession of a weapon, menacing, resisting arrest and obstructing governmental administration.
Multiple videos went viral of fans clashing at a Bryant Park watch party during the Knicks’ 115-111 loss to the Spurs on Monday night at Madison Square Garden.
“The game is built off of respect and passion,” Karl-Anthony Towns said. “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.”
Watch parties in other locations, including Bryant Park, were organized in its place.
The Bryant Park party turned chaotic, though.
Getty Images
Even some of the most famous fans were critical of it.
“Being a Knicks fan doesn’t mean being disrespectful to Spurs fans in any way,” Ben Stiller posted on X. “We get caught up during the games but we gotta show respect to our fellow humans.”
Game 1 led the way, averaging 16.93 million viewers on ABC and peaking at 19.63 million.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) is double-teamed by San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) and San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) during the second quarter of NBA Finals Game 2. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
Two days later, Game 2 followed suit, hitting 19.42 million people in the 11:15 p.m. ET quarter-hour and averaging 16.63 million viewers throughout the contest.
ESPN shared that Game 2’s thriller, a Knicks 105-104 win, was the most-watched program “across all of television” on Friday.
Viewership marks are based on Nielsen’s final same-day ratings.
The Game 1 numbers are up 90 percent from last year’s series between the Thunder and Pacers, which drew 8.91 million viewers. It is also up 3 percent from that Finals’ Game 7 viewership.
Game 2 was up 88 percent on last year’s series and marked the most-watched Game 2 since the 2018 NBA Finals between the Warriors and Cavaliers.
If the trend continues, the NBA could be in for a huge ratings boost for the entirety of the Finals.
New York Knicks fans stood in long lines and gathered in Central Park to watch the Game 3 of the NBA finals. ZUMAPRESS.com
The four Warriors-Cleveland Cavaliers Finals during the 2010s are the only other series to draw more than 16 million viewers in Games 1 and 2.
Compared to other sports, Game 1’s mark of 19.63 million outpaced the first five games of the 2025 World Series between the Dodgers and Blue Jays.
It also bests any MLB World Series Game 1 since the Chicago-Cleveland series in 2016.
A handful of Knicks fans gathered outside Madison Square Garden on Tuesday to burn cleansing sage, hoping to purge whatever bad energy was left behind from Monday’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
Maybe it’s working, because New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on X.com Tuesday evening that a watch party for Game 4 is back on outside MSG.
"We have approved a ticketed MSG watch party for Game 4. More details soon," Mamdani said. "As we prepare to watch together, let me be clear: this is a historic, joyful moment for our city. We will not allow it to be disrupted by violence. Be safe, take care, and celebrate responsibly."
ESPN’s Shams Charania had already reported Trump will not attend, citing “scheduling conflicts and obligations."
Madison Square Garden Sports in a statement, though, said it has been told "that the NYPD will once again implement the same 'frozen zone' restrictions for Game 4," even with Trump not attending.
"The complete closing of areas around MSG is going to affect not only the celebration but also all the small businesses that rely on Garden fans for their livelihood," MSG said.
Trump became the first sitting president in history to attend an NBA Finals game when he showed up at MSG on Monday at the invitation of Knicks owner James Dolan. He was booed when shown on the Jumbotron during the national anthem. His presence also forced the cancellation of the outdoor watch party outside MSG and triggered a security perimeter that had fans waiting two hours or more to get inside.
The Knicks had won 13 straight games before the Spurs snapped the streak, 115-111, and fans wasted no time blaming Trump on social media.
With the president staying away, New York City approved a permit for a ticketed watch party at Plaza 33 outside MSG on Wednesday night. Watch parties will also be held at Wollman Rink in Central Park and the Brooklyn Bowl.
It's been a while since New York has been in this position: The team coming off a playoff loss and having to adjust. It's the first time since April 23rd, 13 wins ago.
That's the Knicks reality after San Antonio came into Madison Square Garden and took Game 3 behind 32 points from Victor Wembanyama, making it a 2-1 series.
"We have a veteran group. Nobody is 'panicking' or anything like that," Knicks coach Mike Brown said. "Everybody is disappointed that we didn't go out and execute and play to what we feel our standard is. That's not taking anything away from San Antonio, but we feel like we can play a lot better than what we did."
"We learned from film today, and we'll be better tomorrow," is how Josh Hart put it.
The Spurs made some key adjustments in Game 3, both on offense — relentlessly attacking the rim even when the Knicks packed the paint — and defensively, where Victor Wembanyama spent more time on Josh Hart (even when he hit 3-pointers) and around the basket than matched up on Karl-Anthony Towns. What do the Knicks do now in a critical Game 4? Here are three things to look for on Wednesday night.
More Karl-Anthony Towns
Jalen Brunson rightfully drew praise for scoring 32 points in Game 3, a dozen of those in the fourth quarter. However, he wasn't efficient getting there — he was 11-of-25 shooting in Game 3, and that was better than he has been in these Finals. Brunson is shooting 37% from the floor through three games with as many turnovers as assists — and the Knicks are -13 for the series when he is on the court (they are +31 with Towns on through three). This is not a knock on Brunson, in the previous two rounds the Spurs turned Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Edwards into inefficient scorers (compared to their regular-season selves).
The Thunder and Timberwolves didn't have the depth to overcome that. New York is supposed to, but when Brunson came out in the second half of Game 3 overdribbling and trying to hunt mismatches — of which there are no great ones, there is no James Harden to target on the Spurs — it took the Knicks out of their flow. Brown talked about it after the game. The Spurs are doing a lot more cross-matching of wings and guards on Towns, rather than Wemby, that was a change that seemed to throw the Knicks off balance. New York needs more Karl-Anthony Towns — like the guy we saw in the first two games of the series. The Knicks wins. His quiet 11 points in Game 3 are not enough (and Towns remains scoreless in the fourth quarter for the Finals). There were actions the Knicks ran in the first two games that got Towns touches near the basket, those seemed to go away in Game 3 and need to return for Game 4.
"It's extremely important that he's getting touches, that he's involved, not just in the fourth quarter, but obviously throughout the ballgame," Knicks coach Mike Brown said.
Protect the paint
San Antonio took 40 of its 84 shot attempts in Game 3 either at or within a few feet of the rim. That included drives from Stephon Castle and more alley-oops to Wembanyama.
It was a change from the first two games of the series, when the Knicks controlled the paint.
"I'm sure we're going to change some things and switch up some schemes to protect the paint because obviously, like you said, those guys are very dynamic when they touch the paint. Obviously, Wemby, when he rolls, he brings in a crowd," Josh Hart said.
Part of that is physicality, but the bottom line is in a series with two elite defenses, the team that gets more easy buckets is going to get the win.
Spray the ball
One number from Game 3 told the story: New York had 18 assists on 40 made baskets (45% of their buckets). In the first two games of this series, the Knicks assisted on 64.5% of their baskets, nearly two-thirds.
"We've got to pick up the ball movement, for sure," Towns said of adjustments for Game 4. "We have what, 13 games in a row, 50 days of film to show what it looks like when we're at our best. So we've got good film. We'll get back to our fundamentals, what makes us great, what made us great, and get back to work."
Brown's term is to spray the ball — have a guard or Towns get the ball in the paint then, if the defense collapses, kick out to shooters. On Tuesday, Brown talked about his players making quicker decisions to move the ball, noting that there was too much isolation and too much holding on to the ball, which let the defense reset.
That's easier said than done against the long, athletic defenders of the Spurs, but the Knicks need to get those defenders in rotation and keep moving the ball until a good shot opens up. Taking contested ones against Wembanyama is generally a bad idea.
Following their nail-biting loss in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday night, Knicks fans gathered outside of Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, June 9, to cleanse the arena with sage.
President Donald Trump, a New York City native, made an appearance at Madison Square Garden on Monday for Game 3. Fans who were in attendance were forced to arrive at the area about two hours before the start of the game and had to wait in long, TSA-style security lines.
Once inside, Trump was greeted with a chorus of loud boos when he was shown on the large video screens during the national anthem. The president was saluting and smiled slightly as the boos grew. Once the feed showed Knicks players, the cheering returned.
After their 111-115 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, which snapped a 13-game win streak, Knicks fans accused Trump of placing a “curse” on the team, prompting a “cleanse” to try to change the Knicks’ fortunes ahead of a potentially series-altering Game 4 on Wednesday, June 10.
See video of the cleanse
Kazeem Famuyide, an Emmy award-winning host of several podcasts, including the Knicks podcast, Big Apple Buckets, called on Knicks fans to join him outside of the arena for a cleanse on Tuesday.
"All Knicks fans meet in front of MSG at 1:30 PM and bring your sage," he wrote on X. “We gotta clean this bih out before Wednesday."
Following that initial post, Famuyide followed up with a video, several hours later, showing him and his friends holding sage outside of Madison Square Garden.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Trump is not expected to attend Game 4 due to “scheduling conflicts and obligations.”
USA TODAY’s Mark Giannotto and Lorenzo Reyes contributed to this report.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 08: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs shoots a three point basket over Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks during the third quarter in Game Three of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 08, 2026 in New York City. 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 Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Heading into a highly anticipated Finals matchup between a hot Knicks team and a young and upcoming Spurs team, Mitchell Robinson was consistently brought up as someone who could have a big impact even in limited minutes. In the past, he’s dominated games, even series, with his elite offensive rebounding and game-changing defense. And he’s also had success slowing down Victor Wembanyama. Through three games, though, he’s been anything but a game changer.
In game one, the reserve big man had some solid minutes, scoring two points and grabbing six rebounds in 13 minutes. But since then, he’s not only been neutralized, but his presence has seemingly been detrimental to the team. He has yet to have a single game where he’s had a positive plus-minus, he’s grabbed just six offensive rebounds, has just one steal, and one block, and he’s done all that despite spending some of his minutes playing against Spurs backup, Luke Kornet, someone who many believed Robinson could, and would dominate.
Unfortunately for the Knicks, though, it’s only gotten worse as the series has gone on. His game two, despite being bad, wasn’t disastrous. He was a -10 in 14 minutes, but made three of his six free throws, scored two baskets, and was more active defensively. Last night, though, Robinson looked very bad.
It’s hard to tell if it’s the hand, the overwhelming crowd, the moment, or just a lack of concentration, but it was clear from the beginning that Robinson just wasn’t where he needed to be. With about two minutes left in the first quarter, when the aforementioned Kornet sets a screen for De’Aaron Fox, he is caught flat-footed with his arms down, allowing Fox to take a very easy two-dribble pull-up jump shot. Making this play confusing is the fact that Kornet isn’t even rolling or popping. After setting a screen, he stands there for a good second or two, making Robinson’s decision to continue dropping questionable if not downright bad.
Just seconds later, Kornet gets the ball at the top of the key, which initiates a Dylan Harper cut off of him. Robinson, instead of reading this and dropping back, watches Landry Shamet get blown up the Kornet screen, which leads to a highlight dunk for the Spurs rookie. Why is Robinson playing up on Kornet like he is Karl-Anthony Towns? Nobody knows.
But it doesn’t stop there. He had a play later on in the game where he just accepts being screened by Keldon Johnson on a delayed transition play in the third quarter. This leads to an open Wembanyama, who then drops off a pass to Johnson for a layup. There’s another play on a failed lob play where Wembanyama can’t finish the alley-oop, but comes down with it. Robinson is right there, but does little to impact the attempt. For much of the series, Robinson has failed to do the things he’s known for. He hasn’t matched the physicality, the energy, or attention to detail that the Spurs, and the stage that is the Finals calls for. And that’s a big problem for him and the Knicks.
Even in short spurts and limited minutes, Robinson’s ability to be an elite backup center and be a disruptor was supposed to be one of the key strengths for the Knicks. His doing so would give the Knicks 48 uninterrupted minutes of elite center play against one of the best bigs in the league. Instead, they’ve gotten a confusingly uninspired performance that is inexplicable for the biggest games of his life.
The Knicks are still the favorites with -180 odds to win it all on FanDuel, but last night’s loss closed the gap substantially. If New York wants to get back to their winning ways and keep the Spurs from making those odds uncomfortably close, matching San Antonio’s physicality, activity, and energy will be pivotal, and Robinson getting his head in the game would go a long way in helping them do so.
It wasn’t just the Spurs star’s stats that increased in San Antonio’s 115-111 win, but his physicality also rose sharply.
But in seeing that physical play, ex-NBAer Lou Williams went as far as to say on FanDuel TV’s “Run It Back” on Tuesday that Wembanyama was “dirty.”
Victor Wembanyama in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. NBAE via Getty Images
“Give credit where it’s due. Wemby’s starting to do a lot of dirty s–t,” Williams, the three-time Sixth Man of the Year, said.
Chandler Parsons said Wembanyama, who scored 32 points in Game 3 but made headlines for his shove of Knicks star Jalen Brunson, needs to find the right balance in his game.
“I’d rather him do this than flopping and foul baiting.” Parsons said. “He’s got to be careful, though. This type of stuff will get you tossed from a game, and then your team has zero chance.”
"Give credit where it's due. Wemby's starting to do a lot of dirty sh*t." – Lou Williams
"Y'all called him skinny and weak for 2.5 years." – Michelle Beadle
"I'd rather him do this than flopping and foul baiting." – Chandler Parsons
Many have pointed to the one play in particular when Wembanyama was guarding Brunson late in the first quarter and the San Antonio big man threw Brunson to the floor.
The referees did not call a foul live and did not review the play. During the postgame interviews, Brunson remained coy about what happened.
The Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama (1) shoves Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) in the back of the head during Game 3 of the NBA Finals on June 8, 2026. ABC
“I’m nowhere near Trae Young level, though,” he said of the former Hawks star who tormented the Knicks during the 2021 playoffs.
The Spurs dictated the physicality of Game 3 as a whole. The perimeter guards in Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox made it hard for Brunson and the Knicks to have freedom on the outside.
The Spurs were also able to shut down Karl-Anthony Towns (11 points on 4-for-10 shooting) for the first time in the series.
But still, even with the 7-foot-4 Defensive Player of the Year, the Spurs were out-rebounded (46 to 37) and conceded more points in the paint (46 to 44). But that did not hurt them in Game 3 because the guards played so well.
Jalen Brunson in Game 3 of the NBA Finals AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin
If the Spurs want to knot the series at two games apiece on Wednesday night, that could be an area of improvement. But for the Knicks, consistent play will be key.
The now all-important Game 4 tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 16: Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles past Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game at Chase Center on November 16, 2023 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. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We’re exactly two weeks away from Day 1 of the 2026 NBA Draft which, yes, is now a two-day event. A lot can change between now and then, including the Golden State Warriors attaching their first-round pick to a few other assets to land a big fish before free agency begins. But the most likely scenario is that when Adam Silver calls out the No. 11 pick on draft night, it still has the Warriors’ name attached to it, and is a player that Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Steve Kerr are excited about adding to the rotation.
One of my favorite things to do during draft season is look back on prior picks, so I can calibrate my own expectations. Of course, it’s hard to compare picks year over year — sometimes teams opt for a raw project that they hope can develop down the road, while other times they choose a player they anticipate contributing right away (such as Yaxel Lendeborg, who our Ricky O’Donnell has the Dubs selecting in his latest mock draft).
So here, to help you get a feel for what the Warriors can strive for, are the last 20 No. 11 picks in the draft.
2025: Cedric Coward (Grizzlies)
It’s also hard to compare draft picks because team situations vary so much. The Grizzlies, who swung a draft day trade for Coward, were hit by an absurd amount of injuries this year, and it opened up the door for their first-round pick to play a lot. Coward took advantage, averaging 13.6 points and 5.9 rebounds per game, and making the All-Rookie first team. Only time will tell if he’s a quality starter going forward, or if it’s an Eric Paschall situation.
2024: Matas Buzelis (Bulls)
Safe to say the Warriors would be thrilled to get a Buzelis. In his rookie season he made the All-Rookie team and earned Rookie of the Year votes, while playing well enough to help a team with playoff aspirations. And he followed it up with a sophomore leap that makes him look like he could be a player Chicago builds around for the future.
2023: Jett Howard (Magic)
Suffice to say, you can’t expect to hit a home run with every pick outside of the top 10 (or inside it, for that matter). So far, that’s been the case for the Magic with Howard. He hasn’t been a bust, but only plays a modest bench role — in his third season this year, he averaged career highs in minutes (12.6) and points (5.5).
2022: Ousmane Dieng (Thunder)
Some of the draft serve as a reminder as to how good of a player is drafted at No. 11. And some serve as a reminder as to how good of a player is available at No. 11. Dieng was unable to become a key part of OKC’s rotation during his time with the team, though he played well after a midseason trade to the Bucks this year. But most notably, the two players drafted immediately after Dieng were Jalen Williams and Jalen Duren, All-Stars who are core players on two of the best teams in the NBA.
2021: James Bouknight (Hornets)
The 2021 draft wasn’t great for the Warriors … they took Jonathan Kuminga No. 7 (one spot ahead of Franz Wagner), and Moses Moody No. 14 (two spots ahead of Alperen Şengün, and three spots ahead of Trey Murphy III). But suffice to say, it went a bit worse for the Hornets, who used their lottery pick on Bouknight. He played in just 79 games over three years (while also having legal issues) before being cut, and didn’t catch on anywhere but the G League. He now plays in Mexico.
2020: Devin Vassell (Spurs)
If the 2021 draft wasn’t great for the Warriors, the 2020 one was even worse. The infamous Covid draft saw the Dubs take James Wiseman with the second overall pick, right before LaMelo Ball. A lot of strong players fell to lower draft positions, including Vassell, who is currently a starter on a Spurs team that’s in the NBA Finals. Vassell was a quality role player as a rookie, and a player to build around by his third year.
2019: Cameron Johnson (Suns)
Johnson isn’t a spectacular player, but he’s a high-quality role player, and that’s a nice (but realistic) get at No. 11. He averaged 8.8 points as a rookie, and has averaged 12.8 for his career, peaking at 18.8 during the 2024-25 season. He’s a career 39.6% shooter from deep, and it’s safe to say Golden State would love to find that in the draft. To me, Johnson feels like the prototypical No. 11 pick. There are plenty of players drafted in this slot that are worse, but you’d still be pretty disappointed to get one of them. You aim for this level of production, and hope that you strike gold with a star. Speaking of which…
2018: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Clippers)
I probably don’t need to inform you all as to who SGA is. His rookie version would help the Dubs tremendously — he averaged 10.8 points, 3.3 assists, and 1.2 steals, while making the All-Rookie team — but what he blossomed into is the real story. I’ve long maintained that the Warriors quest for two timelines is absurd and unrealistic, but that could all change if the Dubs draft a player who will go on to win back-to-back MVPs, average 30+ points in four consecutive seasons, and lead a young team to a championship. They should do that. That’s my official stance.
Side note: SGA was part of a draft day trade that saw the Hornets trade him to the Clippers for the No. 12 pick (Miles Bridges) and two second-rounders. After his rookie year, the Clippers traded him to the Thunder, along with Danilo Gallinari, two first-round pick swaps, and five first-round draft picks, for Paul George. I can only imagine what the Charlotte and LA fanbases (and ownerships) feel every time they play the Thunder.
2017: Malik Monk (Hornets)
Monk is another player who feels very much like a No. 11 pick. You hope you get something better, you’re disappointed if you get something worse, and you expect to get something in his galaxy. He’s a high-quality role player who can help any team, and that was true from his rookie season.
2016: Domantas Sabonis (Thunder)
Yet another No. 11 pick with ties to Paul George (who sadly was drafted 10th, not 11th). Before the Thunder traded George for a No. 11 pick entering his second season, they traded a No. 11 pick entering his second season for George. Needless to say, the Dubs would be thrilled if they landed Sabonis at No. 11 this year. He was a contributor from Day 1, starting in 66 games as a rookie, and averaging double figures as a sophomore. By year four he was an All-Star who averaged a double-double. Now he’s a three-time All-Star and a three-time rebounding champ.
2015: Myles Turner (Pacers)
Turner is far from the best player on this list, but he’s still someone the Warriors would be very excited to land at No. 11. He averaged 10.3 points and 5.5 rebounds as a rookie, while starting 30 games, playing strong defense, and making the All-Rookie team. He’s averaged double figures every year of his career, is a decent shooter from distance, and has led the league in blocks twice, while drawing All-Defense and All-Star consideration a few times. If the Dubs end up with a player of Turner’s caliber, they’ll get someone who can help them win games immediately, while being a core part of the next era of Golden State hoops.
2014: Doug McDermott (Bulls)
McDermott should be proud of the career he’s put together, but he’s still an example of a player Golden State will really want to avoid, especially since they’ll likely be shopping for players on the older side. McDermott was a four-year college player and the reigning college Player of the Year when he entered the draft, but his lack of athleticism never allowed him to thrive in the NBA. He averaged just 3.0 points as a rookie, and has spent his career mostly playing sporadic minutes for bad teams. Again, it’s a career he should be proud of: despite many draft pundits saying he wouldn’t be able to survive in the NBA, he’s put together a 12-year career, made a lot of money, and scored more than 6,000 career points. Those are things to be proud of, but things the Warriors will be hoping to avoid.
2013: Michael Carter-Williams (76ers)
This is a fun hypothetical: how would you feel if the Dubs drafted Carter-Williams? As a rookie, MCW averaged 16.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.9 steals, while winning Rookie of the Year. That sure would help Golden State this season! It was also far and away the best year of his career, and by his fourth year he was down to 6.6 points, and would never average double digits again. It was a weird career, and a reminder that the Warriors could end up with a player who helps them in the short term but not the long term … or vice versa.
2012: Meyers Leonard (Blazers)
Leonard is a player who put together a pretty solid career, but would still be a disappointment if the Warriors drafted his 2026 equivalent. He contributed a little bit as a rookie, but only averaged 17.5 minutes on a bad Blazers team, and barely played as a sophomore. Eventually he became a decent contributor, but never anything special. He’s not a bust, but you hope to do better.
2011: Klay Thompson (Warriors)
Do we need to say anything about Klay? It goes without saying that the Dubs would be ecstatic at the opportunity to draft their future Hall of Famer again. Klay contributed right away for Golden State, averaging 12.5 points as a rookie, while shooting 41.4% from three-point range and making the All-Rookie team. In his fourth year he was an All-Star, and All-NBA selection, and a champion. It’s fairly obvious that if the Warriors draft one of the best players in franchise history this year, they’ll be happy.
2010: Cole Aldrich (Thunder)
Aldrich is the type of player the Warriors will be hoping to avoid in the draft. He was drafted onto a contending team and couldn’t crack the rotation, as he appeared in just 18 games as a rookie, and scored a mere 18 points. It wasn’t until his fifth year where he started to become a rotation player, and even then it was in a limited capacity. This won’t help Golden State with their short term or long term goals.
2009: Terrence Williams (Nets)
Four picks after the Dubs selected Steph Curry, the Nets grabbed Williams, who only played four seasons in the Association. Williams was decent as a rookie, which Golden State is certainly on the hunt for, but he never developed after his first year.
2008: Jerryd Bayless (Blazers)
Another player who had a lengthy career, but still is a player the Warriors will be hoping to do better than. Bayless played 11 seasons in the NBA, though he started just 99 games and often filled out the bench for mediocre teams. He’s a valuable player to have, but someone you’d rather sign to the mid-level exception, rather than draft with a lottery pick.
2007: Acie Law (Hawks)
Ahh, Law, who had two stints on the Warriors and catches a stray from Curry once a year due to Don Nelson’s propensity for playing him over the future MVP. He only had a four-year career, and probably would not have helped this version of the Warriors as a rookie, or at any point in his career.
2006: JJ Redick (Magic)
I try not to admit this in public, but once upon a time I was a huge Duke fan, and an even huger Redick fan. Those things haven’t aged incredibly well, but my desire for the Warriors to use the No. 9 pick on Redick instead of Patrick O’Bryant looks pretty smart in hindsight. It took Redick a little bit of time to really find his groove in the pros — he averaged double figures 10 straight seasons — but even as a youngster with moderate stats, he was a contributor for a good Magic team. Like many on this list, Redick is the type of player that the Warriors are probably expecting to get, but hoping to do better than.
So there’s 20 years worth of No. 11 picks. The conclusion, as always? Just draft Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Klay Thompson, obviously.
It’s becoming more apparent by the week — by the day? — that Giannis Antetokounmpo will be on the move this offseason.
Months of speculation about Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee have led to this point, with Antetokounmpo set to enter the second-to-last year of his contract. And if Antetokounmpo is indeed preferring to play elsewhere, the Bucks may opt to move him if they sense he has no interest in signing a long-term extension with the franchise.
Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam said recently that he expects resolution in the matter prior to the NBA draft, which is scheduled for June 23.
Here’s a ranking of the five best landing spots for Giannis Antetokounmpo, based on fit:
Is this a case where Cleveland would be willing to part with Evan Mobley? It seems that would be required for this deal to work, and the Cavaliers have given every indication that they want to run this group back after reaching the Eastern Conference finals.
On paper, this would present an interesting — if not forced? — pairing of stars at different points in their careers. Antetokounmpo, Donovan Mitchell and James Harden are each talented scorers. All do best when the ball is in their hands, and adding Antetokounmpo would require each to sacrifice parts of their games to make it work.
That said, it’s clear the Cavs need to tweak parts of their roster, as the Knicks blew past them in the conference finals, and Antetokounmpo certainly is a dangerous player. It might take some time, however, for it to all jell.
This was a bit of a surprise addition to the list of suitors, given that Antetokounmpo reportedly wants to play out East. The Trail Blazers were a surprise this season under interim coach Tiago Splitter, who embraced his team’s youth and athleticism.
While turnovers were an issue, Portland looked to play quickly, and Deni Avdija blossomed into a first-time All-Star. The big question here is whether Antetokounmpo would really sign a long-term extension with the franchise. If the Trail Blazers get any indication that he’s not interested in that, it doesn’t make sense for Portland — which would still be significantly behind contenders in the West like the Spurs, Thunder, Nuggets, Timberwolves, Lakers and Rockets — to take a two-year flier on Antetokounmpo.
There’s also the matter of new owner Tom Dundon, whose first few months at the helm have been marked by cost-cutting measures.
Interestingly, assuming both would remain in Portland with any trade, this deal would reunite Antetokounmpo with Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday, a pair of guards he called teammates with the Bucks for multiple seasons.
For years under Joe Mazzulla, the Celtics have opted to roll out an offense in which all five starters can space and shoot the ball. That changed this season when Boston traded away Kristaps Porziņģis and let Al Horford walk in free agency. And while Neemias Queta provided value as a rim-running big who could protect the rim, Antetokounmpo is not an accurate perimeter shooter.
Another area where this is something of an awkward fit is pace. Antetokounmpo is the premier fast break player in the NBA. With his size, strength and agility, no one in the league is better at scooping up boards and then going coast-to-coast. The Celtics, however, are far more deliberate in the half-court. Boston ranked dead last in pace this season, generating just 95.58 possessions per 48 minutes.
And while Antetokounmpo can create offense in the half-court, it’s his ability to run the floor that makes him special. The positive is that, with shooters all over the floor around him, Antetokounmpo would likely see his assists numbers climb.
This is one based on familiarity. The Magic named Spurs assistant Sean Sweeney as their next head coach after firing Jamahl Mosley. And Sweeney is intimately familiar with Antetokounmpo, after Sweeney spent four seasons in Milwaukee (from 2014-18) as an assistant coach, most of that under then-coach Jason Kidd.
Sweeney was credited with helping elevate Antetokounmpo as an offensive force and a perennial All-Star; Sweeney’s first season in Milwaukee was Antetokounmpo’s second in the NBA, and Antetokounmpo’s first two All-Star selections came in Sweeney’s final two seasons with the Bucks.
The Magic struggled at times to incorporate a cohesive offense with both Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, given that both often required to be on the ball to shine. By swapping one of them with Antetokounmpo, that should allow the remaining player to play a little more freely, given that Antetokounmpo has a very different skill set from both.
The big concern here, however, is shooting. Orlando struggled significantly from the perimeter, and Antetokounmpo only deepens that issue. Either way, if it is indeed the Magic, Sweeney will know exactly what to do with Antetokounmpo.
This is a pair that would seemingly satisfy all parties, assuming Milwaukee does have an interest in Miami’s assets. For one, this is reportedly Antetokounmpo’s preferred destination. For another, Antetokounmpo’s agent, Alex Saratsis, is also Heat captain Bam Adebayo’s agent. Presumably, the two would be in lockstep for their vision about what the pairing could look like on the floor.
The Heat also embraced pace this season, leading the league in the stat, at 104.22 possessions per 48 minutes. Antetokounmpo would give Miami the premier downhill threat in the NBA to work with.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, one of the league’s top basketball minds, would suddenly be coaching his best player since he had LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in their primes. Miami, much like Orlando, would be suited to add a perimeter shooter or two to fill out the roster.
And Antetokounmpo, who reportedly wants to be on the East Coast (given its proximity to Greece) and in a city with a vibrant community, would seemingly have no issue signing an extension with the Heat.
… 
