OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 18: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder passes the ball during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Game One of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 18, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Game one of the NBA Western Conference finals is in the books and it was an instant classic. The San Antonio Spurs stole game one against the Oklahoma City Thunder, in double overtime, 122-115 behind a 41-point, 24-rebound performance from Victor Wembanyama.
OWembanyama’s performance will forever be talked about but what will be overlooked is the 14 critical minutes that rookie Carter Bryant played.
To most people, the former Arizona Wildcat’s stats aren’t eye opening, but it’s the stuff that doesn’t show up on the statsheet that he gave. The constant pressure that Bryant applied on NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander forced tough shots and did not allow him to find an offensive rhythm.
Bryant finished the game with just three points, two rebounds, and one assist but every single play came in crucial moments. That’s been his story all postseason.
When Wembanyama was unavailable for Game 3 of the first round series against the Portland Trailblazers, Bryant became the de facto backup center. He played 23 minutes and again only scored three points, but secured six rebounds with four assists and three blocks.
Bryant’s stats are not flashy but the effort and energy that he brings onto the court is what makes the difference. His career high at Arizona was 14 points on two separate occasions and his current career high with the Spurs is 17.
For most players in the association, those career highs would not suffice. However, being with an organization like the Spurs gives him an abundant amount of time to develop where he can eventually earn a larger role in what they are trying to accomplish.
All San Antonio is asking of him right now is to make plays where he can and limit the mistakes, which again is very similar to what Tommy Lloyd asked him to do at Arizona. Up to this point he has done that.
Moving forward, Bryant will still be a key to San Antonio’s current championship hopes. His development will need to show and the experience he will gain will only help that development continue.
BROOKLYN, NY - JUNE 26: Overall view of Barclays Center during the 2025 NBA Draft - Round Two on June 26, 2025 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In the last two drafts, Phoenix has selected Ryan Dunn and Khaman Maluach in the first round, and could be looking to make their third-straight first round selection. With a thin, young core and a scarcity of future draft picks, it will likely take a significant offer for the team to reach the first round and make a selection on June 23rd. The class is considered strong, according to people in the NBA.
The Suns are starting to feel some of the consequences of sacrificing major draft capital that they needed to acquire both Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant without having any hardware to show for it, and teams that were viewed as a few years away from contention are already taking the league by storm, like the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.
While they had an unexpected playoff campaign this season, team president Brian Gregory has been tasked with building the team through free agency and player development around Devin Booker, juxtaposed with doing so mostly through the draft.
The team was able to acquire the rights to draft Khaman Maluach in the first round and Rasheer Fleming in the second of the 2025 NBA Draft when they traded Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets last offseason. However, outside of them, Oso Ighodaro and Ryan Dunn appear to be the only young players the team could be keeping long-term. If the Suns do end up trading into the first round, it’s not a guarantee that all four of them will be kept if the team wants to acquire one. The team has only one unprotected first round pick they can trade, their 2033 first, which they can’t deal until draft day.
If Phoenix does acquire a first, potentially Grayson Allen or Royce O’Neale, could also be on the move. Both experienced veterans with years of playoff experience, the two had the best years of their careers this past regular season and have both been starters on teams that were the one seed. Both have two years left on their deals.
For the Suns to acquire a first in this loaded draft, they’re likely going to have to be at peace with dealing someone who made an impact for them during their surprising year, or someone who could help them in the future as they retool around Booker.
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK - MAY 08: A general view outside the arena prior to the season opener between the New York Liberty and the Connecticut Sun at Barclays Center on May 08, 2026 in the Brooklyn borough of 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 Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As The Athletic continues to roll out data from its annual anonymous player poll, the Brooklyn Nets continue to make waves in it — sized somewhere between tidal and ripple.
Last week, Nets head coach Jordi Fernández and forward Michael Porter Jr. each were each top-of-mind among anonymous players voting in the survey conducted by the New York Times subsidiary. Today, it’s the fans and the city many of them call home.
The Barclays Center
Early in the survey, The Athletic asked players which arena has the most passionate and obnoxious fans. The word choice sure is interesting, as I’m sure most New York natives would describe any rambunctious Knick fan behavior as “passionate,” while someone in Beantown would prefer “obnoxious.” If you switch roles, you’ll get the same thing.
Nevertheless, the Barclays Center crowd wasn’t a top vote getter for either category, but it was mentioned to have received votes in each. The Brooklyn crowd earned 0.06% of the total votes casted for “obnoxious” and “passionate.” The TD Garden and MSG crowds were both top three in both categories.
Giannis & Trade Interest
The only question where Brooklyn polled as a top answer asked players what would be the first team on their hypothetical no-trade list. The Nets accumulated the fifth most votes (5%), trailing the Memphis Grizzlies (35.8%), Washington Wizards (11.7%), Sacramento Kings (10.8%), New Orleans Pelicans (6.7%). The Utah Jazz also earned 5% of the votes.
With those teams being six of the bottom-seven finishers this past season, it’s clear NBA players just want to be somewhere they can win and/or getter better tans or avoid taxes. There wasn’t any breakdown of reasons why.
At the same time, we can’t pretend like the poll wasn’t the greatest look for New York City. Even with the Knicks now in the Eastern Conference Finals, they were only a few pegs down from Brooklyn as a top-10 finisher, securing 3.3% of the votes.
The Nets and Knicks also received some attention when the survey asked players about Giannis Antetokounmpo’s next home. Most voters expect the Greek Freak to say in Milwaukee, which 45.7% of the votes. Miami came in second place with 23.2% of the votes, followed by New York at 16.6%. The Nets were again mentioned to have received votes, even if not a large percentage, which calculated to 0.07% this time.
The poll got responses between 120 and 161 players, around a quarter of the players on NBA rosters.
The Knicks learned their lesson after dropping Games 1 and 2 to the Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals last year.
The full journey back to this stage is complete.
Last year’s moment on this stage was immediately cemented in the worst parts of Knicks lore.
Once this season began, though, it more or less moved to the back of players’ and fans’ minds.
But now, it’s impossible not to think back to the crushing collapse in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals last year to the Pacers.
Here the Knicks are, getting set for Game 1 of this year’s conference finals — against the Cavaliers on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden — with a chance to right that wrong.
Blowing a 17-point fourth-quarter lead, allowing the Pacers to reel off 23 points in the final 3:14 of regulation, the infamous Tyrese Haliburton jumper to tie the game in the final seconds of regulation and squandering another lead in overtime all taught these Knicks a valuable lesson.
One that is no longer on the back burner.
Jalen Brunson reacts after hitting a shot during the Knicks’ May 10 game against the 76ers. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
It is now front of mind.
“I think experience always is able to teach you a lot of lessons [for] this time around,” Jalen Brunson said after practice Monday. “Obviously we know what we have to do. It’s obviously not gonna be easy at all. But I think to be able to close games and close quarters is gonna be really important for us. Obviously, last year with Game 1, we didn’t do that. And Game 2, obviously losing that as well, it changed a lot. So for us, we’ve just gotta be prepared and understand what we have to do for the entire 48 minutes and just be locked in and win or lose, just have short-term memory.”
That Game 1 meltdown completely set the tone for the rest of the series.
After the Knicks entered the series as favorites, the mood around the two teams immediately changed.
It seemed the Knicks’ confidence did, too.
Tyrese Haliburton reacts after hitting a shot during Game 1 between the Pacers and the Knicks in May 2025. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
It took until Game 3 before they even recovered, and they already trailed 2-0 in the series by that point.
That Game 1 became the defining memory of their entire season.
“In the playoffs you never want to give away games that you should win,” Josh Hart said Monday. “You can never relax, especially the style that the NBA is played now. You see 10-, 15-, 20-point leads dwindle in four, five minutes. So it’s just that mentality of it’s never over. Play until there are zeroes on the clock. You can’t give games away.”
It became lost as the Knicks steamrolled their way to seven straight playoff wins, but it’s something that they struggled with again early in this postseason.
After leading by 18 points late in Game 1 of the first round against the Hawks, they let Atlanta score 11 straight points to make it interesting.
Then in Game 2, they blew a 12-point fourth-quarter lead and lost.
Like the choke against the Pacers, it spilled into the next game as the Knicks dropped Game 3 and all of a sudden trailed in the series.
Jalen Brunson reacts after the Knicks lost Game 2 to the Pacers in May 2025. Charles Wenzelberg
Since then, the Knicks have shown no signs of that trait.
They’ve largely bludgeoned their opponents and haven’t let up until the other teams wave their white flag.
Perhaps it served as a reminder of that all-important lesson.
“I think it happened this year as well when we played Atlanta,” Brunson said. “We let our foot off the gas, even in Game 1 [when] we won. But also Game 2, obviously we lost. It’s something that we need to continue to get better at and I think we have, but we can’t be satisfied.”
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The Knicks, like last year, are again favorites to reach the Finals.
That dynamic changed in a hurry last year, however.
Now comes another — and vital — chance to get out on the front foot and impose themselves like favorites are supposed to.
“You always wanna hit first, second, third and obviously last,” coach Mike Brown — who was not involved in last year’s team — said Monday. “So, trying to do that is gonna be big. We’ve talked about it before with the starts of our games and our guys, to their credit, have done a better job in the playoffs than what we did toward the end of the regular season.”
This stage — Game 1 of the conference finals — carries the worst of memories for Knicks fans.
Finally, it’s time to create new ones.
“I’ve thought about it, but like every journey, every year is different,” Brunson said. “You’ve got to kind of restart and reset. Yes, you learn from it. You’re very disappointed in the result. But you move forward.”
A chance to move forward further than they’ve ever been this century.
Mike Brown and Kenny Atkinson will coach against each other in the Knicks-Cavaliers series.
Kenny Atkinson is four wins from reaching the NBA Finals for the first time as a head coach.
The man standing in his way has already been there with him.
It was only four years ago that Atkinson and current Knicks head coach Mike Brown — who square off Tuesday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals at Madison Square Garden — were both assistants on Steve Kerr’s staff, winning a ring together during the Golden State Warriors’ most recent championship run.
“We know each other well from our time in Golden State together,” Brown said after Monday’s practice. “He’s a great person and obviously a really good coach.”
Though both coaches spent multiple years at Golden State, the title run was their only season working together, providing only a modicum of insight into each other’s game plans.
“We probably gained more knowledge of how we’re coaching our teams based on the times we played against each other this year more than in the past,” said Brown, who also spent six years as the head coach of the Cavaliers.
Kenny Atkinson and Mike Brown are pictured during a May 2022 playoff game. NBAE via Getty Images
Before the 2022-23 season, Brown left Golden State for Sacramento, where he was named the NBA Coach of the Year after leading the Kings to their first playoff appearance in 18 years.
Atkinson — a Long Island native who spent four years as an assistant with the Knicks — remained at Golden State until last season, when he took over in Cleveland and was named the NBA Coach of the Year after leading the team to 64 wins.
Mike Brown addresses reporters during his May 18 press conference. Charles Wenzelberg
Then, those top-seeded Cavs were upset by the Pacers in the second round, preventing them from getting revenge against the Knicks from their 2023 playoff encounter.
This season, Cleveland often looked like it was still suffering from the hangover of that stunning exit — opening 17-16, before finishing fourth in the conference — but has ultimately demonstrated far more resolve by reaching the conference finals for the first time in eight years.
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“Kenny’s done a phenomenal job,” Brown said. “He’s got those guys playing at a high level. To sit back and watch those guys take both their series to seven games and find the resiliency to win just shows how experienced that team is when it comes to the playoffs. There’s no panic in them, starting with Kenny on down.”
Over in the Western Conference finals, there was another concert conflict. A Carín León concert originally scheduled for Sunday, May 24 at San Antonio's Frost Bank Center was pushed back to Thursday, July 16 because Game 4 between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder set to be played also on Sunday, May 24 took precedence.
Star point guard De’Aaron Fox, a two-time All-Star, has landed on the injury report with a right ankle issue that he has been playing through in recent weeks. Now, his status ahead of Game 1 of the Western Conference finals is in doubt.
The injury even forced him briefly out of San Antonio’s series-clinching Game 6 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the conference semis, though he eventually returned to the floor.
Fox, who has been averaging 18.8 points, 5.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game in the postseason, is an integral part to San Antonio’s operation.
If he’s forced to sit out the game, it would come as a significant blow to San Antonio, which went 4-1 in the regular season against the Thunder.
For one, he’s excellent in the clutch. For another, his speed helps the Spurs get out in transition and can destabilize an opposing defense, especially if it’s not set.
No. In the injury report that published Monday, May 18 at 7:45 p.m. ET, he was officially listed as out. This came after he had been listed as questionable with the right ankle soreness designation in the leadup to tipoff.
Rookie guard Dylan Harper, who has had a tremendous postseason, will start in Fox’s place.
De’Aaron Fox stats
In 72 games this season, Fox averaged 18.6 points, 6.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - FEBRUARY 4: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs boxes out during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on February 4, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much. The rule against trolling also applies to members of this site that visit other fan sites, especially sites of the opposing team. Be polite and don’t insult your hosts.
Except for a few minutes during Game 4 of the conference semifinals, this matchup felt inevitable. The defending champs vs the young upstarts who are bursting into contention a few years ahead of schedule. The consensus earlier this season is that the Spurs weren’t ready to take the mantle, but with a 4-1 advantage in the regular season over OKC and an impressive run in the first two rounds over tough opponents, the Silver and Black aren’t looking to wait their turn. They’re ready now, and even though they’re nowhere near their peak yet, they are not waiting. Tonight they’re in Oklahoma City and looking to prove that they belong, by taking home court advantage from the team with the best record in the league with a victory against an experienced team in a hostile arena.
The Thunder are well rested, having hardly broken a sweat in the first two rounds of the playoffs, sweeping the Suns and the short-handed Lakers. They have had time to prepare for Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, and De’Aaron Fox, but they’ll get tested tonight. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has just one the league’s MVP award, and he’s up against the player who got the third most votes tonight. Can Victor prove the MVP voters wrong? Let’s watch and find out. LETS GO SPURS!
Game Prediction:
Reggie Miller tries really hard during the broadcast to pronounce Victor Wembanyama’s name correctly, but fails repeatedly. Eventually, he just reverts to calling him Victor, or ‘that tall guy on the Spurs.’
San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma Thunder, Conference Championship Round, Game 1 May 18, 2026 | 7:30 PM CT Streaming: Peacock TV: NBC Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 10: The Dallas Mavericks receive the ninth pick during the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery on May 10, 2026 at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
1200 comments! You fellas and ladies love to talk and I love that for you. Here’s the last MMB Lounge in case you need to carry over arguments. I have also decided to do these for each round of the playoffs but you knew that by now.
My brain is very draft-focused right now and I am having a hard time NOT thinking about Mikel Brown Jr. I am so damn mad at the Mavs for boofing the tank at the very end. They aren’t going to be in a position to draft him unless things get really weird.
If you haven’t checked out our draft stuff, you know where to look. Remember to be nice and let me know if things get out of hand.
May 15, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) talks with Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) after game six of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
Here are the NBA playoff games for Monday, May 18, 2026. We’ll have the Western Conference Finals!
San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder — 8:30 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)
In addition, the Washington Mystics play the Dallas Wings at 8 p.m. ET tonight on Monumental Sports Network.
The most anticipated series of the season tips off tonight, as the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs — the two best teams in the NBA — play Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.
We've polled our basketball experts for their favorite NBA picks for tonight's game, where, despite two elite defenses, we should see plenty of offense in OKC.
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Jon Metler's expert pick: De'Aaron Fox Over 15.5 points
Price: -125 at bet365
All season long, I’ve been looking for schedule spots where De'Aaron Fox should see elevated minutes and a usage spike in crunch time. It’s harder than you think, because the San Antonio Spurs blow out so many teams, but the Western Conference Finals are the perfect series to target Fox’s props. Every game should be highly competitive, which is massive for Fox, who is one of the most clutch scorers in the NBA and a former Clutch Player of the Year Award winner. I know the Thunder boast an elite defense, but Fox shouldn’t be trading as low as 15.5 — his scoring output was down this season simply because San Antonio didn't need him in the 4th quarter. In this series, they will, and Fox will get to his spots in the mid-range. I'd price the over on 15.5 points closer to -185.
Jason Logan's expert pick: Chet Holmgren Over 1.5 assists
Price: -115 at bet365
Chet Holmgren was in attack mode against a smaller Lakers lineup in Round 2, but he meets his match now as Victor Wembanyama can counter his size, speed, and shooting. In their head-to-head meetings this season, Holmgren's scoring numbers — and usage — plummeted. Holmgren will play away from the rim to draw Wemby out of the paint and open the interior for his teammates. The 7-footer will be used as more of a conduit for the Oklahoma City Thunder offense, finding cutters, connecting with shooters off screen actions and kickouts, or dump-downs to Isaiah Hartenstein. His assists projections all sit north of the 1.5 O/U total, ranging from 1.6 to as high as 2.3 dimes for tonight.
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Over 221.5
Price: -110 at bet365
Expect a fast pace and sharpshooting from deep in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. OKC now shifts from facing two of the league’s slowest-paced teams, the Suns and Lakers, to a Spurs squad playing at the second-fastest pace this postseason. That pace has led to San Antonio allowing the most shot attempts per game in the playoffs, which should create plenty of opportunities for a Thunder offense averaging a postseason-best 121.3 points per game. The Spurs haven't been far off on the road, where they're averaging 119.4 PPG. Both teams are also shooting a better percentage from three in the playoffs than they did during the regular season.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Cleveland Cavaliers won a Game 7 in each of their first two series of the playoffs to advance to their first Conference Finals since 2018. The New York Knicks are back there for a second straight season, and they’ll look to finally get over the hump and punch their ticket to the NBA Finals.
My Cavaliers vs. Knicks predictions for Game 1 expect star point guard Jalen Brunson to stay hot from beyond the arc in a favorable matchup with Cleveland’s questionable perimeter defense.
Cavaliers vs Knicks best bet: Jalen Brunson Over 2.5 3-pointers (+100)
Jalen Brunson has knocked down 40.9% of his 66 3-point attempts, good for fourth-best among players with at least 60 3-point shots in the playoffs. He’s shooting a torrid 46.7% at home, over 10% better than the road.
Brunson has hit 3+ treys in seven of 10 playoff games, including four of five at home.
Opponents have found success against the Cleveland Cavaliers from downtown, especially in the semifinals. Detroit shot just 35.6% from three in the regular season, and 32.7% in the first round before Cleveland allowed them to hit 39% in their seven-game series.
Over their seven-game win streak, the New York Knicks rank first in Offensive Rating (130.5) and second in Defensive Rating (103). New York’s 27.5 Net Rating is nearly 11 points higher than second-place San Antonio (16.7).
Donovan Mitchell’s assists dropped from 5.7 in the regular season to just 2.9 in the playoffs, but his playmaking has translated to wins. In 63 total games with at least four assists, Mitchell and Cleveland went 44-19 straight up, including 4-0 in the playoffs.
If Cleveland wants to stay competitive in Game 1, Mitchell will need to get his teammates involved.
Cavaliers vs Knicks SGP
Jalen Brunson Over 2.5 3-pointers
Knicks moneyline
Donovan Mitchell Over 3.5 assists
Cavaliers vs Knicks odds for Game 1
Spread: Cleveland +7 (-110) | New York -7 (-110)
Moneyline: Cleveland +220 | New York -270
Over/Under: Over 216.5 (-110) | Under 216.5 (-110)
Cavaliers vs Knicks betting trend to know
The Knicks have hit the moneyline in 33 of their last 45 games (+14.85 Units / 8% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Knicks.
How to watch Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 1
Location
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Date
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
Cavaliers vs Knicks latest injuries
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Steve Kerr is returning to the Golden State Warriors, but he made one thing very clear while discussing his decision to stay.
Speaking with reporters on Friday, Kerr openly admitted that the Warriors are no longer the championship-caliber team they once were and that he, personally, needs to be better as a coach after the team finished the season with a record of 37-45 and missed the playoffs.
Steve Kerr gets detailed on what must change as part of his decision to return
“I know I have to be better. I didn’t have a great coaching year.”
“I know I have to be better,” Kerr said in his first media availability since agreeing to return on a multi-year contract with Golden State. “I didn’t have a great coaching year.”
The most pressing issue that both Kerr and general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. specifically want to improve are turnovers. The Warriors finished the regular season tied with the Washington Wizards for the third-most turnovers per game in the NBA at 15.7. For comparison, the Oklahoma City Thunder had the fewest in the Western Conference averaging just 12.6 turnovers per game. Kerr emphasized that cleaning up those mistakes will be a major focus heading into next season.
Kerr is self-reflective in his first comments since new deal. "I gotta tighten the ship up next year."
Both Kerr and Dunleavy made note of the fact they want the Warriors to fix their turnover problems that have plagued the organization for years.
While it may have been easy to blame last season entirely on injuries or roster limitations, Kerr instead chose to take accountability for it himself. Now, the challenge becomes whether he and the Warriors front office can successfully address those issues and help guide the Warriors back toward contention while maximizing what remains of the Stephen Curry era.
For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Monday, May 18th:
“I think the last couple of years, frankly, have been difficult with the age, the collective age of our team – the injuries,” Kerr said. “I think we had like six guys this year who either couldn’t play back-to-backs or were on minutes restrictions, often at the same time.
“I think I really, frankly, gave everyone too much leeway this year. It just felt like we were constantly resting everybody and just trying to survive to the next game and have enough healthy bodies.”
“I think we have had discussions where we want him to finish his career (as) a Warrior,” Dunleavy said Friday. “He kind of feels the same way. I would expect him to be back, but it’s his call on that.”
Green has a player option for just over $27 million next season that he can exercise to remain with the franchise, though the Warriors could ask Green to decline the option and work out a longer-term contract with a lower annual salary. If the Warriors want to acquire a star in a trade, they would likely need to use Green’s contract to match salaries. But it remains to be seen how the next few months unfold.
Their 125-94 victory in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday finally allowed Mitchell to claim his seat in a long-coveted conference final.
The Cavs hadn’t reached a conference final without LeBron James since 1992. Mitchell has never been there, so it would be disingenuous to look past the impact of this night. It meant so much to an organization that has been haunted by James’ ghost and to Mitchell, who has been haunted by his own failures. No longer.
“A breath of fresh air,” Mitchell acknowledged after the game. “It’s been almost a decade and I’m running into the same issue. I, personally, and as a team, we can breathe a little bit … but we can only breathe for about 12 hours.”
Thursday, Wright Thompson’s feature on Kerr for ESPN revealed that a few seasons ago, the coach had starting working the lyrics from “All Too Well” by Taylor Swift into his postgame comments to the media. Kerr crossed off lyrics when he had used them and eventually his son, Matthew, who is on the writing staff for “Rooster,” edited all the Swiftie moments into one video that made it look like Kerr was reciting the whole song.
Follow@unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.
DETROIT, MI - MAY 17: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the game against the Detroit Pistons during Round Two Game Seven of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 17, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
DETROIT — Over the past seven months, Donovan Mitchell made sure to remind every reporter he could that this season wasn’t the same as the previous.
“We got to let last year go,” Mitchell said back in November. “This is a whole different season. Everybody around us got better. It’s a different season. I think we have to drop this whole, ‘Well, last year was this.’ It’s not the same.”
Everything that seemingly could go right during the 2024-25 regular season did. They had three double-digit win streaks, won 41 games by 10 or more points, and didn’t face any adversity as they cruised to 64 wins.
Their good fortune reversed in the postseason. Injuries and an inability to close games led to them being a second-round exit in five games.
This regular season was the opposite.
The Cavs couldn’t establish any real momentum. Consistent injuries, underperforming role players, and two drastic trades led to 12 fewer wins. And far more ways for this team to fracture — except it didn’t.
“He kept this thing together,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said about Mitchell after the Game 7 win over the Detroit Pistons. “When things weren’t going great, he was the beacon, the light. His leadership carried us on the court.”
The Cavs never established any kind of rhythm or looked like a title-contending team throughout the season, but Mitchell’s steady hand on and off the court kept things on the rails. His consistent effort, seen mostly through his scoring, allowed the Cavs to tread water through turbulent times in the first half of the season. That bought the group time to figure out who they were.
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It’s not uncommon for a team that enters the year with championship aspirations to blow up before getting after the ground. Most recently, it was last season’s Philadelphia 76ers that fell flat due to injuries after trading for Paul George the summer before. The same could’ve happened in Cleveland.
Significant injuries to Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, Sam Merrill, and Max Strus, coupled with disappointing seasons from De’Andre Hunter and Lonzo Ball, could’ve easily derailed this year.
Mitchell stepped up every time he needed to. This included putting up 35+ point nights to get past tanking teams like the Brooklyn Nets, Indiana Pacers, and Washington Wizards on a somewhat consistent basis. That isn’t ideal, but it allowed the Cavs to keep pace with the rest of the conference contenders.
For as good as he was on the court, it’s how he approached things off the court that allowed this team to keep going.
“When things weren’t going great, he was the person everyone looked to,” Atkinson said. “I would’ve said this if we lost. I was going to say the same thing. We could have splintered. If your leader splintered, if he goes another direction, which he very well could have, things weren’t going great. But he stayed positive, he supported the young guys, he never got down on the group. Kudos to him.”
That spirit was seen throughout the playoffs, even when things weren’t going his way.
Mitchell struggled in the final five games of the first round series against the Toronto Raptors. In the second round, his disappointing showing in Game 6 cost them their best chance to secure a spot in the conference finals. The flaws that have plagued him throughout his career were on full display.
Instead of doubling down on trying to pull the team over the finish line himself in Game 7, he trusted his teammates to get the job done. He hit the “singles” Atkinson has been asking him to look for all postseason and finished with eight assists. Three more than he’s had in any other playoff game this year.
“That’s huge,” Jarrett Allen said. “For the leading scorer of our team to come out with the mindset not to score the ball, but to get everybody else going. I think that really set the tone for the game for us offensively. Donovan knows he can get a bucket at any time. We all believe that. But he got everybody else going. He got me a quick six points. Everybody was scoring. Sam [Merrill] was scoring, Max [Strus] was getting [clean looks] all because Don was attacking downhill and distributing the ball.”
The perseverance that Mitchell has shown throughout the season, including the postseason, has now taken this team somewhere they haven’t been with this group. They’ve taken a meaningful step forward and are now four wins away from winning the conference, a feat this franchise hasn’t done without LeBron James.
That’s worth celebrating, even if they have eyes on more.
“Even last year, we lost to Indiana, we had our goals set on getting to the Finals,” Mitchell said. “And we’re one step closer, but it’s been almost a decade of running into the same issue. I personally, and as a team, we can breathe a little bit, but in the same token, we can only breathe for about 12 hours, and then get right back at it.”
Things won’t get any easier for the Cavs.
The New York Knicks have stood in this core’s way since the very beginning. Losing to them in the humiliating fashion that they did in 2023 has set the narrative for this core. They’ve done a lot to shake those preconceived notions over the last month. This isn’t the team that we saw last year or in any of the previous playoff runs.
However, if they’re going to rewrite history, they’ll need more star performances from Mitchell. Fortunately, he has a lot of practice coming up big for this group this year.
“It’s incredible,” Allen said of Mitchell’s leadership.
“I hope Don knows this. I’ll follow him into war. I’ll trust every single decision that he makes, every single shot that he takes, every single word that he speaks in the locker room. It speaks volumes to how he is as a person. He goes out there and does follow his own message.
“It’s easy for the team, easy for myself to follow somebody that goes out there and gives 110% no matter what and is a high-level character guy as well. That makes it easier for not only the guys who’ve been in the league who’ve seen guys who don’t lead in a certain way, but especially for the young guys as well, to follow that lead. It’s been incredible for him to keep us together during those times.”
CLEVELAND, OHIO - FEBRUARY 24: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks drives to the basket around James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second quarter at Rocket Arena on February 24, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
These two teams couldn’t be coming into this series from more opposite perspectives.
The Cavs have played two physically demanding series that have gone seven games. This has left them without consecutive days off since Game 5 against the Toronto Raptors on April 29.
Meanwhile, the Knicks haven’t played since May 10. They’ll have nine days between their last playoff game and the opening of the conference finals. And their last series against a lifeless Philadelphia 76ers team was anything but physically demanding.
This game will be a matchup between a tired, but sharp team and a well-rested, but potentially rusty team. We’ll see which one will prevail on Tuesday.
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE. The link to the 2016 championship shirt HERE.
Fox o15.5 points
Holmgren o1.5 assists
COVERS INTEL: In 26 home playoff games with the Knicks, 
