Category: NBA

The San Antonio Spurs will try to even the Western Conference finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4. Oklahoma City leads the series 2-1 after winning Games 2 and 3. The San Antonio Spurs are favored by 2.5 points in Game 4. Thunder guatf Ajay Mitchell has been ruled out for Game 4 due to a calf injury.

How to watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs

• Date: Sunday, May 24

• Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT

• Where: Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, Texas

• TV Channels: NBC, Peacock

• Live Stream:NBA League Pass | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Odds

• Spread: San Antonio Spurs -2.5

• Moneyline: San Antonio Spurs -135 (55.1%) / Oklahoma City Thunder +114 (44.9%)

• Over/Under: 218.5

Series schedule, results

Game 1:Spurs 122, Thunder 115 (2OT)
Game 2:Thunder 122, Spurs 113
Game 3:Thunder 123, Spurs 108
Game 4: Oklahoma City at San Antonio (Sunday May 24, 8 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)
Game 5: San Antonio at Oklahoma City (Tuesday May 26, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)
Game 6: Oklahoma City at San Antonio (Thursday May 28, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)*
Game 7: San Antonio at Oklahoma City (Saturday May 30, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)*

* if necessary

Only one win stands between the Knicks and the NBA Finals. After Saturday night’s Game 3 121-108 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York is up 3-0 with a chance to close out the Eastern Conference Finals on Monday night in Cleveland.

New York got out to run early and often. Six Knicks scored in double figures, led by Jalen Brunson’s 30 points. The Knicks have continued to be impressive. New York has won 10 consecutive playoff games, including five straight road wins, all by double figures. 

New York hasn’t advanced to the NBA Finals since 1999. So a win in Game 4 would be a momentous occasion for the franchise. These are the keys to closing out the series on Monday. 

Pushing the pace

Game 3 saw the Knicks make a concerted effort to get easy looks by pushing off turnovers and misses. They also ran off of Cleveland’s makes. In the first quarter, New York scored several easy baskets in transition that set the tone for the rest of the game. 

The Knicks had the advantage, outscoring Cleveland 17-4 in fastbreak points. The Cavaliers play two big men in their starting lineup, and it’s safe to say James Harden isn’t the most agile guard in the NBA. The Knicks took advantage of that on Saturday.

Transition has been a large piece of New York’s success in the postseason: 13.8 percent of New York’s points come from the fastbreak per NBA Stats. That’s the fourth-highest mark among all 16 playoff teams. The Knicks lead all teams in fastbreak points per 100 possessions (17.0). They also prevent the opposition from leak-outs, giving up just 9.8 fastbreak points per 100 possessions, the third-lowest figure in the playoffs.

If New York keeps pushing the ball on Monday, there’s a good chance they will be representing the East in the NBA Finals.

Elite shot-making 

One of the Knicks’ best transition weapons is Mikal Bridges. The starting wing was everywhere on Saturday, making cuts off the ball, pulling up as a shooter and hounding Harden all night. Those were just a few of the tasks Bridges was occupied with during the night. 

Bridges finished the game with a full stat sheet, recording  22 points, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks. During the conference finals, Bridges is averaging 19.7 points and 4.7 rebounds. His scoring efficiency is off the charts. Bridges shot 11-for-15 from the field (73.3 percent) in Game 3. He’s a scorching 27-for-38 from the field (71 percent) in the conference finals.

Bridges, who was my X-Factor for this series, has been a marvel to watch. He covers so much ground sprinting from end-to-end. Bridges has also taken on the task of defending Harden, after checking Tyrese Maxey in the second round.

Sham-wow

Landry Shamet’s season has been a year of ups and downs. He began the year winning the last roster spot in preseason after veteran Malcolm Brogdon suddenly retired. Shamet became a crucial part of the Knicks roster during the regular season.

He fell out of the rotation early in New York’s first round series against the Atlanta Hawks. Shamet later worked his way back to consistent minutes in the second round. 

Now, Shamet is stepping up at the most important time of the year. First, the 6-foot-5 guard knocked down a clutch three to send the game into overtime in New York’s series opening win on Tuesday. He followed that up with 14 points on Saturday, knocking down four three-pointers. Three of the long distance field goals came in the fourth quarter as Shamet helped New York keep a potential Cleveland rally at bay.

The Knicks have needed Shamet's two-way skills off the bench in the conference finals. He spaces the floor with a quick release. His scoring numbers in the series are modest (7.7 points), but his outside shooting earns respect from opposing defenses. Shamet’s also been up to the task of defending Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell.

Shamet has earned his minutes going forward, and his solid two-way play should continue to impact the series in Game 4. 

It’s been 27 years since the New York Knicks were in the NBA Finals, so we thought it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane to look at what life was like since the franchise was last on basketball’s greatest stage.

1. The number one song on the charts was “If You Had My Love” by Jennifer Lopez.
2. The number one movie in the box office was Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace.
3. The number one TV show was “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” hosted by New York’s own Regis Philbin.
4. The reigning Super Bowl MVP was Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway, who retired following Super Bowl XXXIII.
5. The New York Yankees were fresh off their 24th World Series title and were on their way to winning number 25 in 1999. They have since won two more in 2000 and 2009.
6. The Dallas Stars won their first and only Stanley Cup after beating the Buffalo Sabres in six games.
7. Latrell Sprewell was the Knicks’ leading scorer during their playoff run, while Jalen Brunson’s dad, Rick, was a point guard for the team as well.
8. Jalen Brunson was two years old.
9. Trey Jemison, Deuce McBride, Kevin McCullar Jr., Tyler Kolek, Dillon Jones, Ariel Hukporti, Jeremy Sochan, Mohamed Diawara and Pacome Dadiet were not born yet.
10. Bill Clinton was the President of the United States. Since then, we have had five different administrations in the Oval Office.

Posting & Toasting community, what were you doing back in 1999 when the Knicks last made it to the NBA Finals? Spark the conversation in the comments below.

Oklahoma City guard Jared McCain had a great game against San Antonio Friday night, finishing with 24 points and 4 rebounds (he has always been an underrated rebounder).

He also had a big individual moment, taking the ball in on 7-4 Victor Wembanyama, then muscling through him to score an unlikely layup.

It’s gone viral since, of course, and has caused a lot of chuckles.

It’s also led to a pretty funny AI video.

Spurs great Tim Duncan comes into the locker room and confronts Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama (check out Castle’s sweatshirt. It’s the details that count).

After Duncan berates Castle, he turns on Wemby and screams at him for letting McCain hit that layup, and for not getting more rebounds than the former Duke star, despite being 13 inches taller.

After that, McCain enters the locker room, gets put in his place by Duncan, then launches into one of his Tik Tok dance routines, smiling all the while.

It’s a short, well-conceived bit of AI fun, and it kind of captures something about McCain’s tough-minded resilience, as well as the spot the Spurs are in.

This is insane.

(🎥 via: @thedangerousai on YT) pic.twitter.com/rMVxRVhThA

— SpursRΞPORTΞR (@SpursReporter) May 23, 2026

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Lack of draft picks, limited cap space issues, and not enough top-end talent are a few of the main issues preventing the Phoenix Suns from building a roster that can hoist the franchise’s first-ever Larry O’Brien trophy…but those are things that, for the most part, the team can control, and they positioned themselves to be in. What they can’t control is what is budding in the Western Conference: a true rivalry.

As the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs continue to battle in the Western Conference Finals, every Victor Wembanyama block, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander mid-range, and Dylan Harper assist is a reminder to the rest of the conference of how difficult it is going to be to compete with both teams. With both squads having top-end talent, youth, and a litany of assets, both teams have quickly asserted themselves as the best in the West, with the Thunder already winning the Finals last year.

Unless Khaman Maluach becomes Joel Embiid or the Suns find the next Nikola Jokić during a Taco Bell commercial in the second round, Phoenix is staring at not being a challenger to win the conference for the foreseeable future.

While the Dallas Mavericks have Cooper Flagg, the Utah Jazz have a top-two pick, and teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets either already have top-end talent or the ability to add some if they haven’t already, the Suns roster outside of Devin Booker looks to be more limited in the future, and that’s not even accounting for the fact that Booker has been an All-NBA player just once in the past four seasons. Many teams are much better suited to capitalize if the Thunder or Spurs have major injuries or a down season.

Perhaps if the Suns were in the Eastern Conference, or at least in a conference that didn’t employ five of the last six NBA MVPs, their long-term outlook would be different. Yes, both the East’s finalists, the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks have a litany of All-Stars, including Jalen Brunson, Donavan Mitchell, Karl-Anthony Towns and Evan Mobley, both rosters are older than the Thunder and Spurs’ are and most importantly, don’t employ players who have averaged 30 points per game or more in the past four years or a player that is so dominant, his nickname is “The Alien.”

No matter what era, whether there are eight or 30 teams in the league, winning requires teams to be well-rounded and to have an array of top-end talent. In this era of the Western Conference, where some of the youngest teams are already the best and are becoming the most experienced, the Phoenix Suns need to look themselves in the mirror and know that for them to be true contenders, something miraculous needs to happen to them.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are down in the hole, facing elimination after dropping Game 3 to the New York Knicks.

All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Donovan Mitchell

23 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists, 3 steals, 5 turnovers

The Cavs need more from Mitchell. It’s felt that way for most of the postseason. But as the Cavs have gone further, we keep waiting for him to elevate and meet the moment. Aside from the first three quarters of Game 1, it just hasn’t happened.

An inefficient scoring night that isn’t being bolstered by quality decision-making or defensive prowess is hard to justify. Mitchell finished with 5 runovers and just 4 assists, ending the game as a team-worst minus-22.

Grade: D

James Harden

19 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 5 turnovers

Harden was keeping the Cavs in the fight throughout the first half with his isolation scoring. That’s also been a trend this postseason. He’s had moments where his scoring was enough to raise Cleveland’s floor. But no one else has come to save the day, and the wear and tear of playing every other day for a month is making it impossible for this to be sustainable.

Harden’s impact dwindled in the second half as the Cavs struggled to get stops, and he no longer had enough energy to keep the offense alive. He shot 1-7 from downtown and turned it over five times.

Grade: C-

Evan Mobley

24 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 5 turnovers

Mobley’s three-point shot abandoned him (1-6 from downtown), and he had an uncharacteristically bad game taking care of the ball (6 turnovers). Those two aspects make it hard to grade Mobley much higher.

Still, Mobley’s defense isn’t an issue, and he’s been dominant in the paint. We’ve seen limitations, like his inability to post up or create offense for himself, but it’s hard to blame him too much for what’s happened in this series so far.

Grade: B-

Jarrett Allen

17 points, 7 rebounds

Unlike 2023, the bigs are not the problem here.

Allen had a strong 17 points and 7 rebounds, four of which were offensive. He’s won the physical battle and taken care of the opportunities given to him. If the Cavs were converting outside shots and allowing him to operate with more space inside, he’d be even more effective. But there aren’t many more ways for Allen to impact the game than what he’s already doing.

Grade: B–

Dean Wade

0 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist

Wade played 16 minutes, took one shot (missed it), and apparently grabbed 2 rebounds. I don’t remember any of it. This was the definition of a Cardio Dean game, and it’s not going to cut it if he’s going to remain in the starting lineup.

Grade: F

Max Strus

13 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal

Strus left it all out there tonight. He certainly didn’t have it falling from downtown, only finishing 4-11 from deep after hitting a pair of triples in garbage time. But he was hustling harder than anyone, playing this game with the urgency that it commanded. He added 7 rebounds and 6 assists, serving as one of the only Cavaliers who tried to impact the game in other ways outside of their role.

Grade: B

Dennis Schroder

3 points, 2 assists

Schroder only played 9 minutes tonight. I’m not sure if this matchup has much for him. They shouldn’t need his ball-handling in this series in the way they did against the Pistons or Raptors, but they’ve continued to roll with him even in small-ball lineups that have been crushed.

Grade: D

Sam Merrill

6 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist

Merrill continues to shoot below what you’d expect from him. He’s had some great looks in the last two games and just can’t find his groove. He shot 2-4, which is obviously good, but he’s missed some of the most open opportunities he’s had all year. This could have easily been a 4-4 type of night from Sam, and that would have helped quite a bit.

Grade: C–

Jaylon Tyson

3 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist

Tyson received one stint in the first half and looked like he was ready to deliver. His and-one finish drew one of the loudest cheers of the night, and he was staying in his role defensively. I’m not sure why he didn’t get any more minutes the rest of the way.

Grade: B+

Alperen Sengun had an opportunity to prove that his 2024-2025 All-Star campaign wasn’t a fluke, and that Raphael Stone and Ime Udoka were right to hand him the keys to the franchise when they traded away Jalen Green and brought in a 37-year-old Kevin Durant. The result? I guess you could say he did that? He did average 20.4 points, almost 9 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game, and he was technically an All-Star, albeit as an injury replacement.

Sengun had a good season. He is a good player, but something just doesn’t feel right with him. I’ve come to the conclusion that Alpi just isn’t the kind of guy that is going to put a team on his back. Perhaps it’s been silly for anyone to expect him to do that, but after the Rockets anemic performance against an injury-riddled Lakers team, one that proceeded to get swept in the Conference Semi-Finals by a true contender, it’s hard to argue to the contrary.

When Kevin Durant got here, the plan was not that he would carry this team on his back. At least I hope that wasn’t the plan, because if it was, we have to have a whole other discussion about holding Rafael Stone to the fire. I don’t believe it was the plan. Kevin Durant was supposed to be the compliment to Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson, the guy who could reliably knock down shots, contribute on defense with his length and athleticism, and on occasion be counted upon to go get you a clutch bucket. What happened was that the offense was far too reliant on Kevin Durant all season long.

Alperen Sengun was one of the main characters in the “let me try to give the ball to KD before I do anything else… and if I can’t I’ll just go iso and try and score myself” storyline. Against mediocre and bad teams, that worked out just fine. But other than a fluky first few weeks of the season where the Rockets were hitting threes like crazy and had the number one offense in the league, this team just never felt like a true contender, and unfortunately Alperen Sengun just never felt like that number one guy that you look at and you say “That guy is gonna win a championship.”

It’s not that I don’t think he can win. I believe Alperen Sengun is the kind of player championship teams need. At times he shows real toughness in the paint finishing through contact, a good rebounder, excellent passer, good teammate… and if the Rockets were ever to acquire one of two things… extreme depth like the OKC Thunder, or a bonafide superstar like the Spurs have in Victor Wembanyama, then Alperen Sengun could be a key cog in a championship wheel.

In my review of Jabri Smith Jr., I talked about how some players step there game up when it matters most. In the big regular season games and in the playoffs. Yes, if you look at his stat line, Alperen Sengun’s production had a slight uptick in the playoffs. However, if you watched the Rockets in the playoffs then you know there were key stretches where he was just plain bad. None more so than in Game 3 where yes, he scored 33 points and had 16 rebounds, but also contributed mightily to what is the worst collapse in recent Rockets postseason history, with bad turnovers, stagnant offensive possessions, and honestly looking lost at times. Alperen Sengun had a chance to show the world he’s a star, and in my humble opinion, he squandered that opportunity.

Now all that being said, I am NOT in the camp that believes Sengun should be traded. I believe that Raphael Stone needs to build a better roster that includes him. The redundant amount of wing players with the exact same skill-set and weaknesses, while having no guards on the team at all, has to change. The Rockets need more creators and more shooters. Give a passing big-man like Sengun that, and he could easily average close to a triple-double. Whatever happens, the Rockets can’t keep slamming their head into the wall they slammed into all season and never broke through. Otherwise, they will squander away Alperen Sengun as he begins to enter his prime.

In anticipation of Memorial Day, Sean Elliott — the Memorial Day Miracle Man himself — made a surprise appearance at the McCreless H-E-B near South New Braunfels Avenue and I-37.

Elliott treated shoppers to free groceries. And a few patrons walked away with Spurs playoff tickets.

Elliott spoke about the community and how Spurs fans are everywhere supporting the team.

“People got emotional over us paying their groceries, and it was great too,” stated the Spurs color analyst. “You know a lot of people are out there struggling right now, it’s not easy. For us to take that burden off of them just for a day or two, or for the week, or for the month means a lot.”

Fans also received tickets to Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals, the first time the Spurs had hosted at home since 2017.

“People bond over the Spurs, we’ve seen it over the years,” Elliott mused. “When our teams were making deep runs in the playoffs and winning championships, how it galvanizes the city.”

The store was full of fans decked out in Spurs gear. many stopped and talked basketball with Elliott during his stint at the store.

Spurs are back in action tonight as they host the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4.

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CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers are a vastly different team now than they were three years ago. Yet, here they are in a similar spot they were then: Losing to the New York Knicks in the playoffs in humiliating fashion. Just this time, it’s in the Eastern Conference Finals instead of the first round.

And somehow, the gap feels wider now. Or at least it has through three games.

The Knicks outclassed the Cavs in nearly every area, as they came away with a 121-108 Game 3 victory in a contest they never trailed in. They now have a 3-0 lead with a chance of ending Cleveland’s season on Monday.

It’s clear who’s been better through three games. The Knicks are just a complete basketball team in a way that the Cavs aren’t.

Offensively, they have a better understanding of how they want to attack their opponent. They’re lethal at all three levels. That variety means they aren’t overly reliant on the three-ball or getting to the free-throw line.

Each starter can pass, dribble, and shoot at an average level or better. If you sell out to stop one, there’s someone behind them capable of making you pay for it.

They aren’t without deficiencies defensively. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns are both below-average defenders for their position, but the team compensates for that well.

The Knicks know how to keep both from being on an island defensively. The player they’re trying to hide is comfortable hedging and then recovering back to his man, while the more adept defender fights through the screen. That’s something you need to be proficient at if you know your opponent is going to try to single someone out.

But more than that, they have principles that guide them defensively. They’ve relentlessly tagged the roller and have sold out to stop interior passes and easy looks around the rim. That can make them susceptible to outside shots, but hasn’t thus far this postseason.

This stands in stark contrast with the Cavs.

Cleveland doesn’t have those same guiding principles on either end. They’re too willing to take the path of least resistance. That has allowed the Knicks to bait the Cavs into taking the shots they want them to offensively (threes) and attacking the guys they want to defensively (James Harden).

The Knicks are surrendering open threes, and the Cavs still can’t make them pay.

Before the game, both coaches talked about the open three-point looks the Cavs generated through the first two games.

Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson preached wanting his team to stick to the process. “Keep taking them,” Atkinson said after mentioning the three-point looks his team took in Game 2 were in the 93rd percentile.

Meanwhile, Knicks head coach Mike Brown said that his team needed to “do a better job” of contesting open looks. “We’ve gotten a little lucky. They’ve missed some shots.”

That luck continued. The Cavs overall went just 12-41 (29.3%) from three. On the series, they’ve now missed 89 triples and are shooting below 30%.

It’d be one thing if this were a normal defensive game plan, but the Knicks are simply daring the Cavs best shooters to beat them, and they inexplicably aren’t. That includes Harden and Donovan Mitchell who combined to go 4-17 from beyond the arc.

“We gotta make shots,” Harden said. “We haven’t really made a shot since the first quarters in Game 1.”

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Fatigue may have something to do with the missed shots. The Cavs haven’t had consecutive off days for three-and-a-half weeks now. Tired legs inevitably make it more difficult to shoot. But that isn’t an excuse that you could really use, considering what came before.

Cleveland had golden opportunities to win Games 4 and 6 against the Toronto Raptors, and didn’t come out with the force needed in Game 6 against the Detroit Pistons. Taking care of a few of those winnable games would’ve given them more rest, so this wouldn’t have been an issue.

“We did it to ourselves, we can’t be mad now,” Mitchell said.

You pay for every mistake that you make in the playoffs, either in the moment or in the future. Cleveland’s previous errors are catching up to them now against a team they need to be playing at or near the top of their game to beat.

You aren’t going to win many playoff games when your best player has the worst plus/minus in the game.

The Cavs lost the minutes Mitchell played by 22. This is the fourth time he’s been a -10 or worse this postseason, and they’ve lost each of those games.

The holes in Mitchell’s games are showing through in this postseason, but particularly in this series. When the outside shot isn’t falling, his only counter is to get to the basket. That has allowed him to still put up respectable scoring numbers. Although the impact on the game isn’t what it needs to be.

There’s more to basketball than just scoring. He hasn’t made consistent enough efforts at defending, rebounding, or playmaking for others to be a positive contributor in those areas. That’s part of why he hasn’t been able to carry lineups without Harden (-7.3 net rating, 23rd percentile).

Mitchell is being outplayed by Brunson for the third time in the postseason dating back to their time in the Western Conference. Both are similar from a talent perspective as undersized scoring guards. But Brunson is better at all the little things that show through in the postseason.

Brunson’s ability to set up his teammates (14 assists in Game 2), compete defensively, and attack in the midrange are all things that Mitchell doesn’t consistently have in his game. That versatility has allowed him to elevate his groups on days he doesn’t have it going as a scorer.

It was easy to see where the Cavs went wrong when they fell on their face three years ago. That group was inexperienced and didn’t have enough outside shooting to be functional in the postseason.

This team is considerably better. You don’t luck your way into being a conference finalist. However, figuring out the next step forward is more difficult, especially for the most expensive roster in the league that doesn’t have many additional levers to pull.

There’s no simple solution to this. LeBron James deciding to come back home and signing for far below market value would help, but it doesn’t necessarily fix everything given he’ll be 42 at this time next year. There would still be holes defensively, and the offense wouldn’t be smooth with multiple ball-dominant players.

Pivoting further by moving more integral pieces is easier said than done. Would you really want to trade Evan Mobley, one of the few Cavaliers who’s elevated his game in the playoffs? Does it make sense to further break up the nucleus of one of the most successful eras in franchise?

At the same time, it’s dangerous to continue betting on a group that has shown the same flaws in multiple postseason runs. That includes deciding whether or not to give Mitchell a further extension this summer.

Firing Atkinson would be the simplist solution. It’s easier to get rid of the coach than it is the team. But I’m not sure this is a coaching issue when we saw this group go seven games with the previous fall guy.

The gap between who the Cavs are and who they want to be is wider than it’s been since Mitchell was traded over. And there’s no easy answer for any of this.

The Cavaliers are one loss away from what could be an unpredictable summer.

LeBron James will be an unrestricted free agent beginning this July.

He will have his say in where he wants to play during the 2026-27 NBA season, if he chooses to play another year, which would be his 24th, extending his NBA record.

James provided a timeline on which a decision could be made, but speculations are leaning that he'll play another season.

ESPN senior insider Shams Charania joined the Rich Eisen Show and shared what he knew about James' potential decision.

"Lebron is 41 years old, just finished his 23rd season, (and is) gonna take the next few weeks to figure out exactly how he wants potentially his final year to play out," Charania said. "All the indications I've gotten over the course of year is that he's going to play one more season."

So, say James does opt for a 24th and final NBA season, or maybe beyond 24, there's expected to be a number of teams clamoring for his services.

"The one thing I do know is that multiple contenders are already kind of sort of circling here," Charania said. "If LeBron is really going to hit the open market and decide and have a true free agency, he's not going to have a shortage of teams that feel like, 'Listen, we'll go get LeBron, we'll plug him in as their starting power forward or small forward, and, like, "Let's go try to win a ring.'"

Here are potential contenders and landing spots for James if he leans towards that decision in the upcoming months:

This is the Brand Risk 14 live blog for Michael Beasley vs. Lance Stephenson, the influencer MMA fight on Saturday night at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas.

Drafted second overall in the 2008 NBA draft, Beasley is a longtime professional basketball player, playing 11 years in the NBA, and several more years in international leagues. Beasley last played in 2022 for the Shanghai Sharks, and now turns his attention to the combat sports world, taking on a former NBA rival in the process. The two have some history, competing against each other in Big3 basketball and playing a game of 1-on-1 against each other for $100,000 last year.

Chosen in the second round of the 2010 NBA draft, Stephenson followed a similar career path to Beasley, playing over 10 years in the league, bouncing among different teams, with some international stints as well. Known for his chaotic and pestering playstyle, Stephenson looks to bring that same sort of energy to his first MMA fight.

Check out the live blog for Michael Beasley vs. Lance Stephenson below.

Preamble

This event sure has been something. A lot of weirdness, and Ray J even acting real weird after losing his fight, like they were trying to do something.

Anyway, let’s watch some former NBA players fight.

Pre Fight

If nothing else, at least both Stephenson and Beasley are former professional athletes and in good shape. That has not been the case for many of the bouts tonight. And both men look like they’re ready to actually get into a fight. But we will see.

Round 1

Beasley looks much taller but already the difference can be seen between these two. Beasley is feinting a lot and then lands a sharp left hand at range. But Stephenson charges in gets a body lock, lifts and takes Beasely down. Beasley going for a guillotine choke but he definitely doesn’t know how to do that.

Stephenson breaks free and Beasley rolls and Stephenson to the back as Beasley rolls! He grabs the rear-naked choke! Stephenson doesn’t have any sort of control here, but Beasley has no clue what he’s doing and Stephenson has a choke in! He squeezes and there’s the tap!!

Official Decision

Lance Stephenson def. Michael Beasley via submission (rear-naked choke) — 1:26, Round 1.

Post Fight

“Practicing getting choked and getting choked ain’t the same!” – Michael Beasley.

Beasley then says he’ll box but he’s not playing with “that choking shit” again.

Stephenson then says he’s from the hood, and they joke around with Beasley fake punching him.

Then Stephenson says Beasley beat him in 1-on-1, he won the fight, so “next time we’ll do something he wants to do.”

That was silly but kinda fun.

After stealing home court advantage with a thrilling victory in Game One, the San Antonio Spurs had it taken away from them in a Game Three loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Now the stakes are even higher in Game Four, as the Spurs try to avoid going down 3-1 in the Western Conference Finals.

So far, the Thunder have made the most impactful adjustments in the series. They’ve put a big man on Victor Wembanyama to keep him from dominating the paint, played with a lot of physicality on both ends, and relied on their bench scorers to hit open shots when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander faced double teams. Now, after losing two games in a row, the Spurs will need to counter OKC’s counters to even up the series.

They’ll try to do it at seemingly full health. De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper avoided the injury report for Game Four, but remain hobbled as they both deal with lower-body injuries. Meanwhile, the Thunder will be without Ajay Mitchell and potentially Jalen Williams, removing two important ball-handlers who support SGA.

Only 15 teams have come back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Playoffs (including two this year). Tying the series at 2-2 significantly increases the Spurs’ odds of making the NBA Finals. They’ll need all hands on deck to do that in front of their home crowd.

San Antonio Spurs (1-2) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (2-1)

May 24th, 2026 | 7 PM CT

Watch: NBC / Peacock | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)

Spurs Injuries: No injuries to report.

Thunder Injuries: Thomas Sorber – Out (knee), Ajay Mitchell – Out (calf), Jalen Williams – Questionable (hamstring)

What to watch for:

Bench scoring

The Thunder’s bench outscored the Spurs’ bench by 53 points in Game Three. San Antonio’s bench unit has been largely ineffective in the series so far. Keldon Johnson has struggled to score for the majority of the playoffs. Harper is dealing with an injury. Luke Kornet is constantly attacked at the rim. No one else has stepped up to provide a spark when the starters sit. For most of the season, the Spurs were seen as a deep team. Their depth is getting exposed against OKC. The Spurs’ bench doesn’t have to outscore the Thunder’s backups to win the series, but they can’t be completely played off the floor. Just a slight improvement in their play would go a long way toward tying the series.

Guarding SGA

So far, the Spurs’ strategy for guarding the Thunder’s star guard has been to get the ball out of his hands and make someone else beat them. That strategy backfired in Game Three, as Gilgeous-Alexander made the Spurs pay by swinging the ball to shooters for open threes. The Thunder shot 17-38 (45%) from three in Game Three, and most of those were lightly contested. Perhaps the adjustment for Game Four is making SGA beat the Spurs with one-on-one scoring. San Antonio can use multiple defenders to guard him one-on-one to avoid foul trouble, but they don’t need to send multiple bodies at him every time he crosses half-court. It’s a simple adjustment, but it could help them avoid the three-point barrage they saw in Game Three.

Playing fast

San Antonio has been at its best this postseason when they are getting out in transition or pushing the ball ahead after a miss. Their offense has slowed down majorly against the Thunder. They aren’t turning OKC. over, and are getting bogged down in a half-court game that better suits the Thunder. Even if they aren’t able to get steals to get easy buckets in transition, the Spurs have to speed up the game to give themselves a better chance. That means pushing the ball quickly after misses and makes, looking to attack the rim before the Thunder get set.

CLEVELAND - A few notes from the Knicks’ Game 3 win over the Cavaliers...

BALANCING ACT

All five starters in double figures. The top two scorers on the other team turning it over 11 times. Twenty-seven assists on 43 made field goals. Starters combining for 11 steals. 

The Knicks’ 10th straight win was a true team effort, and it featured strong contributions from the players Leon Rose and the front office acquired during the Jalen Brunson era. 

Brunson, obviously the biggest move, had 30 points on 19 shots. Josh Hart – traded for a first-round pick and Cam Reddish – had 12 points, nine rebounds, five assists and four steals. Karl-Anthony Towns – traded for Julius Randle, Donte Divincenzo and a first-round pick – had a game-high seven assists and 0 turnovers in 36 minutes. OG Anunoby – acquired for a package that included RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and a second-round pick – had 21 points, seven rebounds and four assists. 

But arguably the biggest contribution came from the player acquired in the most controversial trade of the Rose era. 

Mikal Bridges had 22 points, six rebounds, two assists, three steals and two blocks in Game 3. 

Bridges’ play is one of the driving forces behind the Knicks’ 10-game playoff win streak, and it's one of the biggest reasons they are one win away from their first NBA Finals appearance in 26 years. 

“He’s all about winning. Everything else doesn’t matter for him. I think that’s why he’s playing well right now,” Hart said late Saturday night. “Because he’s not focused on shots, touches, those kinds of things. He’s focused on how can I help this team win? I’m not surprised. Because that’s the player he is. I’ve seen him since he was 17. That’s the kind of person that he is.”

Bridges has been uneven in his first two regular seasons with the Knicks, but he had great moments in the postseason last year (big defensive plays against Boston and timely scoring in New York’s two comeback road wins to open the series). And he’s followed up with another stellar postseason this spring. 

After struggling on offense in the first three games against Atlanta, Bridges has been on a tear. In the nine wins prior to Game 3, Bridges was averaging 16 points on 67 percent shooting (49 percent from beyond the arc). 

In the Cleveland series, he’s played excellent team defense and has done a remarkable job defending James Harden. 

“It's a lot of reps. A lot of time,” Bridges said of his experience guarding Harden. “And I'm grateful he was in the West when I was in the West so I got to line up against him a lot of times.”

At least for the next few days, you won’t hear many Knick fans complain about the five first-round picks the club sent to Brooklyn to acquire Bridges. The veteran wing has solidified his status as a playoff riser, and he’s not concerned about the outside expectations that surround his play. 

“There’s nothing he can do about it. He didn’t call Leon and say, ‘Yo this is the trade package’, you know what I mean? He got put into this situation and he hit the ground running,” Hart said. “We wouldn’t be here without him. Last year, you can look – how many games has he won for us in terms of getting stops, down the stretch, steals, blocks, big shots, he’s won games in every single way for us and that’s why we want him, that’s why he’s here.”

RUNNING PLAY

The Knicks put pressure on a tired Cavs team by pushing the ball in transition. They also were the more physical team again in the series. Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson knows the Knicks are executing a gameplan by doing so. 

“Listen, there’s no big mystery,” Atkinson said after Game 3. “Our guys have played 50 percent more minutes than them. If I’m the opposing coach, I’m like, “Man, get these guys, run these guys, wear them out, be super physical.” It’s a good strategy. But we were not sharp in transition. We weren’t sprinting back like we should tonight.”

BEEN HERE BEFORE

Many of the 2024-25 Knicks are still with the team. That continuity has proved valuable in the postseason.

“Just knowing what it takes, especially losing it, too.  Learning from that,” Bridges said. “That always sticks with you. It helps you know you got to be real grateful to be in these moments, don't take it for granted, and take every possession by possession. And don't skip a possession, don't skip a play. Go out there and give all you got. Because it's not easy to get here, and you're not going to get here all the time.”

The New York Knicks swept aside the Cleveland Cavaliers to move within one win of their first NBA Finals since 1999.

The 121-108 victory at Rocket Arena means they lead the Eastern Conference finals 3-0 and can wrap up the series at the same venue on Monday (01:00 BST, Tuesday).

No NBA team has overcome a 3-0 deficit in a play-off series in NBA history.

The Knicks are on a franchise-record run of 10 straight play-off victories, winning by an average margin of 22.5 points.

Jalen Brunson scored 30 points and Mikal Bridges 22 for the third seeds, who never trailed against the Cavaliers.

"We feel - and we always have felt - the sky is the limit with this team," said Karl-Anthony Towns, who finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.

Evan Mobley scored 24 points, Donovan Mitchell 23 and James Harden 19 for the Cavaliers.

The winners will meet the San Antonio Spurs or the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals, starting on 4 June.

The Thunder lead 2-1 in the Western Conference finals before game four in San Antonio on Sunday (01:00 BST, Monday).

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