NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2026-06-13 02:13:47
NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2026-06-13 02:13:47
Will Spurs rebound to force Game 6, avoid a Knicks coronation in San Antonio?
This is either the most hopeful or depressing statistic for Spurs fans watching the NBA Finals: Through four games, the point differential is Knicks +8.
It may be a little of both. This has been an intense, close NBA Finals, with three of the four games decided by four points or less. Yet San Antonio finds itself down 3-1 and on the verge of its season ending due to a combination of the Knicks' grit and maturity in the clutch versus the Spurs' self-inflicted wounds and mistakes of youth.
"There's no avoiding what's happened," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. "There's no avoiding all four games have been winnable games. There's no avoiding we're down 3-1. There's no avoiding ways that we could be better. There's nobody that's going to be harder on ourselves and accountable to ourselves than the people in the locker room and each other. That's what helped us get to where we are, and how the group is built. There's no circumstance that will change that."
Will the NBA Finals end Saturday night in San Antonio, where the party from 7th Ave. in Manhattan would overtake the Riverwalk — there are going to be a lot of Knicks fans at the game — or can the Spurs finally win a game at home? There are two key things to watch in Game 5.
Can Spurs rebound emotionally?
I have a theory about NBA playoff series: There comes a point in nearly every series when one team realizes they are beaten, usually long before Game 6 or 7. They don't have the answers to the questions the other team is posing. The players and coaches never say it out loud — players don't make it to this level without being fierce competitors — but you can see it in body language and their eyes. They know.
The Spurs had that look after Game 4, a gut-punch loss in which they blew a 29-point lead (and, more disturbingly, a 20-point lead with 9:30 left in the game).
Usually, after a loss like that, the end comes pretty quickly, as it could for the Spurs in Game 5 on their home court. However, these young Spurs have shown a genuine resilience this postseason — they won Game 7 on the road in Oklahoma City. They won a game in Madison Square Garden. If you told me these Spurs showed that resilience on Saturday night and bounced back with a double-digit win, it would not be shocking. If San Antonio lost by double digits, that's not shocking either.
I've seen one team turn things around after having that defeated look: LeBron James and the Cavaliers against the Warriors in 2016. The Spurs are saying all the right things, exactly what you expect them to say, about following in the Cavs' footsteps and forging their own epic comeback.
"Absolutely. Everybody thinks, everybody knows, we're going to do it," Victor Wembanyama said, almost as if he was trying to manifest the outcome.
"One game at a time. Just one game at a time..." Devin Vassell said. "So we need to go 1-0, and whatever we need to do for that to happen, we've got to do that."
Saying the right thing is one thing, doing it on the court — especially when adversity hits, as it inevitably will — is something else entirely. These Spurs have shown toughness and resilience throughout the playoffs, but can they do it when the Knicks smell blood in the water?
Because these Knicks have the feel of a team of destiny, a team on a historic run. On the other side of that coin, can the Knicks avoid human nature, which is to relax a little after a win, especially knowing they can head home for a potential coronation in Game 6? Like the Spurs, they are saying all the right things.
"The biggest thing is everybody has to stay present," coach Mike Brown said. "You have to be present. You can't think about the outcome. It's about the process, the next play, the next play, the next play."
We'll see which team shows more emotional maturity on Saturday night.
Touching the paint
There has been one defining factor in all four games: The team driving the lane, touching the paint or getting it inside to their big men, then scoring (and drawing fouls) or spraying the ball out to shooters is the team that takes control.
There was no better example than Game 4, when the Spurs scored 24 points in the paint in the first half on their way to a 27-point lead. Then they became less aggressive in the second half, settled for far too many 3-pointers and pull-up jumpers, Wembanyama became tentative after picking up a flagrant foul on Towns (leaving him one flagrant from a suspension), and the Spurs scored just four points in the paint in the second half. Meanwhile, it was the Knicks behind Jalen Brunson who got downhill and into the paint in the second half, sparking their comeback win.
By Game 5 of a series, there are not a lot of technical adjustments left to be made. Both teams know their opponent, the game plan and what they need to do. It's just that doing it against an elite defense in a very physical series is something else entirely. Both teams will execute their game plan for stretches, then not for others.
"I think what you can do when you do move the ball and allow the IQ to flow and the ball to flow is you allow great shots to happen, especially when you're touching the paint or having movement on the offense and allowing the defense to make a mistake, instead of us having to make a tough shot or a great shot," Karl-Anthony Towns said.
Which team touches the paint, moves the ball and plays to their strengths on Saturday night will determine whether the Finals head to another game in New York or whether the Knicks' destiny can wait no longer.
17-year-old beaten into coma near MSG after Game 4 of NBA Finals, NYPD says
A 17-year-old boy is in stable condition after he was beaten into a coma near Madison Square Garden after Game 4 of the NBA Finals Wednesday, June 10, according to the New York Police Department.
After the New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs, 107-106, in the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history, the crowd outside Madison Square Garden in New York turned unruly, refused to disperse and injured multiple police officers, the NYPD told USA TODAY Sports.
But the most serious incident that occurred near the arena involved the 17-year-old boy, according to the NYPD. At about 11:45 p.m., the boy was approached by a group of unidentified individuals and a verbal dispute ensued about the Knicks’ game, the NYPD told USA TODAY Sports.
The dispute escalated into a physical confrontation, leading to the victim being punched and kicked and causing the victim to suffer a seizure and subsequently go into a coma, according to the NYPD.
Unidentified individuals left the scene and there has been no arrest. But the NYPD has released a photo of the suspect.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 17-year-old beaten into coma near MSG after Knicks win in NBA Finals
Report: Detroit has “expressed interest” in Trey Murphy III
So it begins.
Marc Stein released an article today on The Stein Line surrounding the most recent trade talks across the league. Give that a read for all the details, but Stein did have some news regarding the Detroit Pistons.
It’s no secret that this Pistons front office has connections to Trey Murphy III. Remember, Trajan Langdon traded up for Trey back in 2021 when he was General Manager of the New Orleans Pelicans. It’s also no secret that the Pelicans front office, specifically their Senior VP of Basketball Operations Troy Weaver, was responsible for drafting multiple of Detroit’s young players.
If there’s ever a match made in heaven, this seems to be it.
Stein reported:
This is the first time their (Pelicans) new front office regime headed by Joe Dumars has been truly willing to field offers for Murphy. … Two teams known to have expressed interest in the 25-year-old sharpshooter, I’m told, are Detroit and Indiana.
If Stein’s reporting this, you know Detroit’s interest in TMIII must be real.
He also went on to say that Detroit and Minnesota are known teams with interest in Kyrie Irving. Yet, with Masai Ujiri newly at the head of the Mavericks front office, he has expressed excitement about keeping Irving in Dallas.
We’re about a week and a half away from the NBA Draft and two-and-a-half weeks away from the start of free agency. Things are starting to ramp up and Detroit has the capital to entice New Orleans to make a deal like this if Trajan wants to take a swing.
I enjoyed how Stein ended his piece:
That’s two shooters by the way, for those of you scoring at home, who have been connected to the Pistons in this piece. After a 60-win season that end in the second round of the playoffs, Detroit clearly know what it needs.
Thank goodness, Marc.
Go Stones.
Yaxel Lendeborg says it would be ‘amazing’ to play with Steph Curry
In today’s Dub Hub:
- Yaxel Lendeborg says it would be “amazing” to play with Steph Curry following his pre-draft workout with the Warriors.
- Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor has the Warriors selecting Tennessee forward Nate Ament in his latest NBA mock draft.
- Victor Wembanyama remains confident as the Spurs stare down a 3-1 NBA Finals deficit against the Knicks.
Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg worked out for the Golden State Warriors on Thursday as part of the team’s pre-draft process. Following the workout, Lendeborg spoke with reporters and was asked what it would be like to play alongside Warriors superstar Steph Curry if Golden State were to select him later this month.
As expected, the projected lottery pick didn’t hide his excitement.
It’s easy to understand why the idea appeals to Lendeborg. Curry’s constant movement and ability to draw multiple defenders have created countless easy opportunities for teammates throughout his career. For a versatile forward like Lendeborg, who thrives as a connective piece on both ends of the floor, those extra pockets of space could help elevate his game even further at the next level.
Meanwhile, the Warriors, who currently hold the No. 11 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft, remain focused on balancing competing in the present with building for the future. Because of this, the 23-year-old Lendeborg has emerged as one of the prospects most frequently connected to Golden State in recent mock drafts.
Lendeborg’s NBA-ready skill set makes him one of the more intriguing options in this draft, and if his comments on Thursday are any indication, the opportunity to play alongside Curry on the Warriors is one he would gladly embrace.
For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Friday, June 12th:
Warriors News:
Plug and play? NBA draft prospect Yaxel Lendeborg already can see Warriors fit | NBC Sports Bay Area
Already, Lendeborg can see his fit on the Warriors and how he would make an impact from Day 1 if they were to take him with the No. 11 pick. His answer wasn’t about himself. More so, it was about how he can help everybody else.
“I would say, like five assists a game maybe to start off,” Lendeborg said Thursday after his Warriors workout. “A lot of defense, fastbreak opportunities for me. Depending on if I’m here or anywhere else, my role will be a lot different. But if I was here, I’ll be more like a secondary ball-handler. Whenever Steph [Curry] is taken out of the game, I’ll be there to assist, maybe provide a little more offense or instant offense.”
NBA Mock Draft 8.0: The latest projections for all 60 picks, including a new landing spot for Cameron Boozer | Yahoo Sports
Players who can handle, shoot off the dribble, and stand at 6-10 don’t grow on trees. This physical foundation kept Ament in lottery consideration even after a dreadful start to his freshman season when he struggled to score efficiently and make an impact defensively. But over the second half of the year for Tennessee, he flipped a switch and shots began to fall. He averaged 23.8 points over a six-game stretch in January and February that reminded everyone why he was a top recruit in the country. Then he dealt with an ankle injury that ruined his momentum entering March and severely struggled during the tournament. Steve Kerr re-signed for a two-year deal and would probably rather have a pro-ready player, but maybe Ament will be the young guy who exceeds expectations and turns into a star.
Draymond Green explains why he calls Jonathan Kuminga his biggest draft miss
NBA News:
Wembanyama issued flagrant, one point away from suspension | ESPN
Having now collected three flagrant foul points this postseason, Wembanyama is only one point away from an automatic suspension. He committed the latest transgression, a flagrant foul 1, with 9:27 left in the third quarter of Game 4 when he elbowed Karl-Anthony Towns in the chin as the two were tied up near the 3-point line.
Victor Wembanyama confident in the Spurs heading into Game 5: ‘Everybody knows we’re gonna do it’
In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:
Warriors ‘legitimately interested’ in adding LeBron James to their veteran core, per report
Whether this latest report ultimately leads anywhere remains to be seen. But if Golden State is indeed entering the final chapter of Curry’s championship window, there may be no more fascinating way to end it than by pairing Curry with the very player who once stood as the dynasty’s greatest rival.
A post to end the week:
Follow @unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.
Kyrie Irving may not be on the trading block despite Mavs’ rebuild
Earlier this month, we touched on the possibility of the Dallas Mavericks moving veterans Daniel Gafford and Kyrie Irving this offseason as the team looks to rebuild for the future with Cooper Flagg as its centerpiece. In many ways, those deals make a lot of sense. Dallas is starved for picks after this upcoming draft and veterans of this caliber could likely restock those tapped reserves.
In respect of moving Kyrie Irving in particular, there is a valid counterpoint that retaining him is the smarter choice. Irving has won a championship, brings veteran leadership (which a rebuilding team could benefit mightily from) and is an enticing pair for Flagg. Pragmatically, his trade value is also arguably at a low point given he just missed an entire season, lending more credence to him sticking around. According to Marc Stein (subscription required), Irving is set to do just that.
Stein says the Mavericks have received inquiries from other teams regarding Irving’s availability in a trade. Intuitively, we all have basically known this for some time. However, he goes on to indicate that the Mavs have thus far shut down any such conversations as they indicate to teams that Irving is not on the trading block. This echoes Mavs’ President Masai Ujiri’s comments in a recent press conference, where he spoke highly of Irving and touched on his excitement to see him and Flagg share the court.
That said, even a well-respected and well-connected guy like Stein gets it wrong sometimes (who doesn’t?), but let’s assume this report is spot on. If Irving is firmly in the fold, that is one less trade piece Dallas has in play. That, in turn, seemingly increases the odds of another vet (or more) heading toward the door. Stein further suggests that Gafford, P.J. Washington and Klay Thompson are the most likely Mavs to be moved. Further, it means another starting spot in the rotation is covered alongside Flagg, which may influence how Dallas goes about their draft choices in a few weeks. It’s certainly not unreasonable to think the #9 pick will be a starting caliber player, but with Irving running point, does that influence who Dallas intends to select in this draft rife with guard talent? There are many options here – select a guard and start him next to Irving, select a guard and bring him off the bench, don’t select a guard at all… There has been significant focus on Dallas acquiring a young backcourt player to usher in the future with Flagg, but it’s really anyone’s guess what Dallas will do now. Whatever the case, if Stein is correct, whomever they pick in a few weeks can expect to team up with both Flagg and Irving.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
ESPN's coverage of 2026 NBA Finals is setting ratings records for ABC
The stunning victory by the New York Knickerbockers over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday gave ABC the most-watched NBA Finals Game 4 since 1998, the year of Michael Jordan’s last championship with the Chicago Bulls.
Nielsen data showed an average of 20.9 million viewers watched the Knicks overcome a 29-point halftime deficit to top Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs 107-106 at Madison Square Garden, the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history. The Knicks have a 3-1 lead in the series and will play Game 5 on Saturday in San Antonio, attempting to win their first NBA championship in 53 years.
Through the first four games, the NBA Finals are averaging 19.6 million viewers, also the highest since the Bulls-Utah Jazz faced off on NBC in 1998. The series is on track to become the most-watched since the NBA Finals moved to ABC and ESPN in 2002.
“The match-up is ideal from a media business standpoint, featuring the nation’s largest media market with New York, teams with robust followings and multiple all-stars, especially Wemby, the compelling new face of the NBA,” said Lee Berke, president of LHB Sports Entertainment & Media, Inc.
The Knicks-Spurs series is up 116% over the first four games of last year’s match-up between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers. But the most encouraging numbers for ABC and ESPN is the growth among younger viewers, who have become harder to reach in the age of social media and streaming. Ratings among teens aged 12 to 17 are up 138% while the 18 to 24 age group is up 147%.
Read more:2026 Super Bowl scores 124.9 million viewers, second-largest audience in history
ABC is also seeing spikes in viewing among women, up 121%, and the Latino audience due to its large populations in the markets of New York and San Antonio, according to Flora Kelly, ESPN’s senior vice president for audience research.
Viewing in the New York market alone is accounting for 15% of the national audience. The average price for a 30-second commercial on the telecasts topped $1 million each, according to people familiar with the figures who were not authorized to comment publicly. Some spots have gone for as much as $2.3 million.
In addition to delivering highly competitive games, the NBA Finals also had President Trump and pop superstar Taylor Swift in attendance at Madison Square Garden. Both are capable of turning a live TV event into a full-blown spectacle.
“What we’re seeing is that this Spurs-Knicks series is a tremendous cultural moment,” Kelly said.
Trump attended Game 3, making him the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals. While Trump was a fixture at Knicks games before he entered the national political scene, some commentators, such as ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, believed the president’s insistence on attending Monday’s contest became a distraction that disrupted the home team’s momentum. (The Knicks lost the game 115-111, ending the team’s streak of 13 consecutive wins.)
Swift showed up for Game 4, joining “Law & Order: SVU” star Mariska Hargitay and the other celebrities who regularly show up courtside at Madison Square Garden.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Lakers fans want LeBron James back
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Lakers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Los Angeles bringing back LeBron James is more complicated this offseason than at any other time during his Lakers tenure. Given that he is an unrestricted free agent, he can go wherever he wants and the Lakers can’t just pay James what he is actually worth.
The franchise has to pay Austin Reaves, who is also an unrestricted free agent. Considering he reportedly wants over $40 milllion and other teams are reportedly interested in signing him, LA might have to pay a hefty price to secure their backcourt star.
So, the Lakers have to figure out how to do that and still pay LeBron to keep their three stars together. That’s going to be a challenge for this front office, but perhaps the first question they have to ask is if they should even bring James back to begin with?
He is still a top player in the NBA, but his decline has begun. LeBron averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2
assists per game. That was the lowest points average for LeBron since his 2003-04 rookie campaign.
Father Time might not be winning, but the clock is now on its side.
This is part of the reason LeBron became the third option for the Lakers this season. LeBron taking such a role is something he has never had to do, and it certainly was never the best course of action for a team he was on before.
But with Luka as No. 1 option and Reaves as another ball-dominant player, this was the way to optimize LA.
So, for our SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we asked Lakers fans if they want LeBron back next season and the results indicated they do.
It was a close poll, but in the end, LeBron is still wanted because he remains an elite player. We saw that in the first round, when he dominated the Rockets without Luka Dončić and with Austin Reaves missing most of the games.
He is still an All-Star player and a fantastic starter. Walking away from LeBron wouldn’t make the Lakers better. In fact, they’d have to bring in a couple of players to try to match LeBron’s production. And even if they do that, those players are likely to cost more than LeBron’s deal will end up being and it’s unlikely they’ll be as good.
So, the best course of action for LA to win now still includes LeBron. The question is: can they figure out a dollar amount that satisfies everyone?
It’s in the Lakers’ best interest to do so.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
CSR Weekend Warriors: 6/12-6/14
Greetings, Panthers fans. Welcome to the weekend.
Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-football sports, you name it. As long as it’s allowed by the site’s ToS, it’s fair game here.
You know the drill.
This is now an open thread
Spurs’ Luke Kornet (illness) listed as questionable for Game 5 against Knicks
The Spurs could be without their backup center for a must-win Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Knicks. Luke Kornet has been listed as questionable in the injury report due to illness.
Kornet has not had a good playoffs and has only averaged a shade under eight minutes per game in the Finals. He’s only scored three total points in the series and pulled down nine total rebounds. San Antonio has been outscored by a total of 19 points when he’s been on the floor. It’s a horrible matchup for Kornet, who is not quick enough to guard Karl-Anthony Towns on the perimeter or switch effectively and struggles on the defensive boards against Mitchell Robinson. On paper, his potential absence shouldn’t have a big effect on the Spurs’ chances of forcing a Game 6.
The problem is, the Silver and Black don’t really have other viable big men to spare Victor Wembanyama, who is already averaging 40 minutes a game and at times has looked fatigued. While Kornet has not been effective, Kelly Olynyk, Bismack Biyombo, and Mason Plumlee still probably represent a downgrade. Mitch Johnson will likely go small instead if his backup big man misses the game, with Carter Bryant potentially getting minutes at center, as he has in the past. Bryant has not been good in his limited playing time, but he could be the best alternative.
The Spurs are down 3-1 in the Finals and are facing elimination. Game 5 will tip off at 7:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, June 13.