Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 26 points and 12 assists, and the Oklahoma City Thunder climbed out of a 15-point hole minutes into the game to beat the San Antonio Spurs 123-108 on Friday night and take a 2-1 lead in their series.
Jared McCain had 24 points and Jaylin Williams added 18 for Oklahoma City. The Thunder were without Jalen Williams, who sat out with left hamstring soreness.
Oklahoma City’s bench outscored San Antonio’s 76-23, including 15 points by Alex Caruso.
Victor Wembanyama had 24 points for San Antonio. Devin Vassell added 20 and De’Aaron Fox had 15 in his series debut.
The Thunder have won two straight after the Spurs’ double-overtime victory in Game 1. Game 4 is Sunday. Fox (sprained right ankle) and Dylan Harper (right adductor soreness) were cleared to play 45 minutes prior to tipoff.
Fox’s return sparked a historic start.
The Spurs raced to a 15-0 lead, the longest run to open a game in the conference finals since the play-by-play era began in 1997.
Fox opened the run by wrapping in a driving layup and Wembanyama followed by crossing over Isaiah Hartenstein to drill a 3-pointer. Vassell’s 3-pointer put the Spurs up 10-0, leading to an early timeout by Thunder coach Mark Daigneault.
Hartenstein broke the drought with a runner over Wembanyama, but the center was immediately greeted with thunderous boos after his physical play against the Spurs in Game 2.
The Thunder went on a 13-2 run when Wembanyama went to the bench and closed the first quarter trailing 31-26.
It was a pattern the Spurs could not overcome.
The series continued to be chippy with emotions boiling over early in the second half. Stephon Castle hit the court on back-to-back dunk attempts. The second resulted in a flagrant 1 foul against Ajay Mitchell and technical fouls on Mitchell and Vassell after the two exchanged words following the foul.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams extended Oklahoma City’s first lead to 35-31.
Kendrick Perkins thinks this is all a LeBron James charade.
As rumors swirl about what the future holds for James, Perkins said on ESPN’s “sports talk show “First Take,” that the 41-year-old Lakers star already knows what his next move will be.
“Look I’ve been knowing LeBron all my life. He moves like the president,” said Perkins, who teamed briefly with James on the Cavaliers in 2015.
Kendrick Perkins shared his thoughts on LeBron James’ free agency. NBAE via Getty Images
“He already has a plan in place. He knows what he’s doing. He knows what his next move is.”
As the NBA Finals approach, one of the biggest topics of the offseason has been whether or not James will retire, play for another team or sign up for another season in Los Angeles.
James hasn’t shown many signs of slowing down after averaging 21 points and 6.1 rebounds as the Lakers were swept out of the second round of the playoffs by the Thunder.
James, himself, said on his “Mind the Game” podcast this week that his decision is coming sooner than later following a family vacation scheduled to begin this Memorial Day weekend.
LeBron James is mulling his NBA future AP
"We took the bait. He threw his fishing pole out there… He caught the attention that he wanted." @KendrickPerkins on LeBron James talking about his future in the NBA pic.twitter.com/3goY2eI23L
Perkins however, thinks the decision has long been made.
“He already knows that,” Perkins said. “Like this right here, was just throwing the bait out to get more national media attention real quick, to get people talking about it. And here we are talking about it again. He’s already got his plan.”
Derrick White reaches in to try to steal the ball from Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham during a game at TD Garden. | Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
Derrick White is officially a member of the All-Defensive first team for the first time in his career.
The Celtics guard, who made the second team in 2022-23 and 2023-24, joined Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, Ausar Thompson and Rudy Gobert on this year’s top squad.
He received 58 first-team votes and 30 second-team votes, edging out Toronto’s Scottie Barnes by 18 points to claim the final spot.
White, 31, led all guards in the NBA with 1.3 blocks per game, racking up the most in a season (98) since Dwyane Wade in 2008-09. The 6-foot-4-inch White also added 1.1 steals per night and stabilized a unit that allowed the fewest points per game (107.2) in the NBA.
A global media panel of 100 voters selected the 2025-26 Kia NBA All-Defensive Team.
With Jayson Tatum out for most of the season, and Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet all heading elsewhere, White embraced even more responsibility and handled the additional spotlight well.
Neemias Queta received one first-place vote and six second-place votes to finish 19th overall with 8 points. Jaylen Brown was right behind him with two first-place votes and three second-place votes for 7 points.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 21: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the third quarter in Game Two of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden on May 21, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hello Shakers, I’ve put this here to so people can discuss the Conference Finals games without having to hunt down which post people are chatting on.
So far it’s been a lot of fun. Two games, three overtimes. (And one less interesting game.)
Game one of OKC vs San Antonio also saw a comeback, and Victor Wembanyama at his most alien. It ended up being a thrilling double overtime victory for the Spurs, with a three point make from Wemby late that is annoyingly iconic.
We saw an amazing comeback from the Knicks, who looked rusty after their time off, but turned on the jets late and blew the knickers off the Cavs. That same game was also a 22 point fourth quarter collapse by the Cavaliers which felt painfully familiar. I don’t think anyone, including the Cavs, thought they’d win in overtime, and they didn’t.
Game two with OKC and San Antonio was literally a slugfest, with OKC doing an astonishing amount of pushing, grabbing and straight up hugging of Wemby. I’m not sure how any of that fits in with the NBA’s “freedom of movement” guidelines, but OKC seems to get away with a lot of stuff that would be a foul from most other teams. They really do feel like a modernized version of the Jerry Sloan Jazz, right down to being from a place most people prefer not to live. “Can’t call ‘em all.” teams are incredibly cynical and tedious, and as much as it would pain me, I’d like OKC to go away more than the Spurs.
Game three of Knicks and Cavs just looked like the Knicks were better, though it took an odd offensive explosion from Josh Hart to make it happen. The Knicks have enough good defenders to stifle Harden and Mitchell and dare someone, anyone, else on the Cavs to beat them. Also, no guard on the Cavs can do much of anything about Jalen Brunson. We’ll see what Saturday brings in The Land.
Tonight’s game is in San Antonio, and we’ll see what sort of shenanigans are allowed from OKC. Possibly not as much in the vital win for OKC in game 2.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - MARCH 21: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers controls the ball against Jamal Cain #8 of the Orlando Magic during a game at Kia Center on March 21, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. 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 Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While Luka Dončić ended the season sidelined with a hamstring strain, the majority of his first full season as a Laker was a success.
With the season over, Luka discussed his relationship with the franchise during his exit interview.
“I feel very comfortable,” Dončić said. “I like living here. I like playing for the Lakers. It’s one of the best organizations in the world. Just being a Laker, it means a lot to me. Like I said, I feel very good here.”
It’s not hard to love living in Los Angeles, but it‘s reassuring to hear that Luka is enjoying it.
As the franchise player, Luka’s happiness with the team is the most important thing the Lakers must maintain. So, it should be a relief to fans that all of Dončić’s words and actions indicate he is happy in LA.
Throughout his year and a half with the franchise, Luka has done things big and small to support his teammates and the community he plays in.
Last summer, when he had the option to either stay under his contract or extend and commit to the Lakers, he chose the latter. And this year, he’s been in regular contact with new majority owner Mark Walter as the team continues to build around Luka.
Many aspects of the Lakers’ roster need to be adjusted to turn them from pretenders to contenders. But the great news is that they have their superstar in place, and he’s happy to call LA his home and the Lakers his team.
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — San Antonio Spurs guards De'Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper will play in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals on Friday, but the Oklahoma City Thunder's Jalen Williams was ruled out.
All three were listed as questionable but their status was updated 45 minutes before the scheduled start of Game 3 with the series tied.
Williams played in Game 1 after missing the previous six postseason contests with a hamstring injury. The 6-foot-6 wing exited Game 2 with tightness in his left hamstring.
Recurring hamstring injuries in both legs limited Williams to 33 games during the regular season.
Fox missed the first two games of the series after his right leg was rolled on by Minnesota guard Ayo Dosunmu in San Antonio's semifinal-clinching victory May 15. Fox finished that game but did not play Monday or Wednesday due to an injury Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said will likely linger as long as they are in the postseason.
Harper made his first two postseason starts in place of Fox but exited Game 2 shortly after landing awkwardly and grabbing his hamstring with 4:50 left in the third quarter. His injury was diagnosed as right adductor soreness.
“I can tell you there’s games that people are playing right now that wouldn’t be playing in the regular season, and, so, that’s what I mean by different,” Johnson said. “I think there are levels of competitiveness and urgency and as of right now we’re at the height of that. So, you just try to make sure you keep some of these guys from themselves and their own competitiveness and desire to be out there because, again, their well-being is still the priority.”
NEW YORK (AP) — Victor Wembanyama was the unanimous pick as Defensive Player of the Year this season, and the only unanimous All-Defensive team selection as well.
The San Antonio star — as expected, given how the DPOY voting went — appeared on all 100 first-team ballots and made first-team All-Defense for the second time in his three NBA seasons. The team was announced Friday night.
Oklahoma City's Chet Holmgren, Detroit's Ausar Thompson, Minnesota's Rudy Gobert and Boston's Derrick White rounded out the first team. Gobert is now a nine-time All-Defensive team pick, while Holmgren, Thompson and White were all first-time selections to the first team.
The second team was Toronto's Scottie Barnes, Oklahoma City's Cason Wallace, Miami's Bam Adebayo, New York's OG Anunoby and Atlanta's Dyson Daniels.
Gobert and Daniels are the only players that have made the All-Defensive team in each of the last two seasons.
The NBA announced its All-Defensive teams for the 2025-26 season, and Knicks forward OG Anunoby made the cut.
Anunoby was named to the Second Team All-Defense after finishing ninth in total voting. His 67 total points (11 first-place votes, 45 second-place votes) beat out Atlanta's Dyson Daniels (50 points), while Scottie Barnes of the Raptors (130), Cason Wallace of the Thunder (94) and Bam Adebayo of the Heat (71) joined Anunoby on the second team.
The Spurs' Victor Wembanyama (200) -- who was the unanimous Defensive Player of the Year -- the Thunder's Chet Holmgren (190), the Pistons' Ausar Thompson (166), Rudy Gobert of Minnesota (151) and Boston's Derrick White (146) were named to the first team.
This is the second time in Anunoby's career he's been named to an All-Defensive team. He was named to the second team in the 2022-23 season as a member of the Raptors.
Anunoby had his best defensive season as a Knick and arguably the best of his nine-year career.
He averaged 1.6 steals and 0.7 blocks, but a lot of what Anunoby does not show up on the stat sheet. If you look at the advanced statistics, Anunoby is great. He had a 3.2 Defensive Win Share (DWS), which estimates the number of wins contributed due to defense, his highest since his 3.7 DWS during the 2021-22 season.
"It's bulls--t, and I can say that with a straight face 'cause he's a great defender and he does a lot of different things that people don't see on that end of the floor for us and for other teams he played for," Brown said. "But more importantly, his versatility is just off the charts and you can do a lot of things with your defense because of him. In my opinion, he deserves First Team All-Defense this year -- and hopefully the powers that be will see it that way, too."
Just an hour before they take the court for Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals, Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren received another honor.
Both were named to the First Team NBA All-Defense.
Wembanyama was the only player to be unanimously named to the first team, which is not exactly a shock, he was the first-ever unanimous Defensive Player of the Year. Holmgren was the runner-up for the award (and it's the same group of 100 media voters), and he had 93 First Team votes.
Here is how the NBA's All-Defensive Teams shook out.
NBA All-Defensive Team
First Team
Victor Wembanyama (Spurs) Chet Holmgren (Thunder) Ausar Thompson (Pistons) Rudy Gobert (Timberwolves) Derrick White (Celtics)
• Two players just missed out on making the second team: Stephon Castle (Spurs) and Amen Thompson (Rockets). Castle and Thompson had the same number of total votes as Daniels (41), but the Hawks' wing had more first-team votes, so he finished with five more points in the NBA system. • The next two players with at least 24 votes are Draymond Green (Warriors) and Toumani Camara (Trail Blazers) • Adebayo didn't just make an All-Defensive Team, he was named the 2025-26 NBA Social Justice Champion and will receive the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Trophy. • Don't be too shocked to see Boston's White on First Team, he was one of two players with 80+ steals and 80+ blocks (Scottie Barnes was the other), and the first Celtic to get to 75+ of each of those since Kevin Garnett in 2008 (the year he won DPOY). • This is Gobert's eighth First Team All-Defense nod (he's won four Defensive Player of the Year awards)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 20: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs blocks a shot from Alex Caruso #9 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the third quarter in Game Two of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 20, 2026 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. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NBA has announced the Kia All-Defensive Teams for the 2025-26 season, and to no one’s surprise, that includes the youngest and first ever unanimous Defensive Player of the Year, Victor Wembanyama, on the First Team. This is the second time Wemby has earned the honor after making First Team his rookie season in 2o24. He likely would have made it last season had he met the 65-game threshold, but his season was cut short by deep vein thrombosis. He received all 1oo first place votes as the only unanimous player and is joined by Chet Holmgren, Ausar Thompson, Rudy Gobert and former Spur Derrick White.
Wemby led the NBA in blocks with 197 (just over three per game) while totaling 66 steals in the regular season, and he finished second in the league in defensive rating (110.4) and defensive rebounds (9.5). He also became the unofficial inventor of the “nope”, i.e. when a player drives but decides to turnaround or not even attempt a shot that many would consider open or close to it due to his presence.
The second team includes Bam Adebayo, Cason Wallace, OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes and Dyson Daniels (listed in order of votes received). Just missing by two points was Spurs guard Stephon Castle, who finished tied for 11th place win Amen Thompson with 48 points. Both received 5 first-team votes and 36 second-team votes. Castle is widely considered one of the top defense guards in the league with 112.6 defensive rating, 1.1 steals per game, and the Spurs allowed 4.7 fewer points with him on the floor per 100 possessions, which ranked among the top 10 guards in the league.
While it didn’t happen this year, Castle is bound to make it soon. If he and Wemby make it in the same season, they would be the first Spurs duo to accomplish the feat since the 2016-17 season, when Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green made First and Second Team, respectively. The last time they had two players make the First team in the same season was Tim Duncan and Bruce Bowen in the 2007-08 season, so those are some goals for the two members of the Spurs’ young core to strive for.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 20: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs looks to pass the ball during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game Two of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 20, 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
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.
After the incredible high of the first game, the griminess and grittiness of the second game was a big letdown. The Spurs were able to persevere in Game 1 despite giving the Thunder beaucoup turnovers, and it was just too much to ask them to overcome another 20+ turnover game on the road. Castle is an incredible second year player, but the defensive intensity of OKC is testing his ability to hold onto the ball and make crisp passes. If Castle has a weakness in his game, it’s that his handle is a little loose at times when he’s the primary ball handler, and Mark Daigneault knows that as he has his elite defenders go at him full speed for every minute he’s on the floor. Steph has been asked to play a lot of minutes in both games so far, due to the absence of De’Aaron Fox, who is once again listed as questionable tonight on the injury report. Dylan Harper is also listed as questionable, having gotten an adductor issue in Wednesday’s game. It looked like he might have hurt a hamstring when he left the court, so the adductor is relatively good news, as those tend to be less lingering than hammies. Speaking of hammies, Jalen Williams (JDub) re-aggravated his hamstring strain in Game 2, and although he’s listed as questionable on the injury report, I would be surprised to see him back tonight, or even on Sunday.
The Spurs are going to have to strategize a way to keep Hartenstein from mauling Wembanyama every time his gets close, and maybe Mitch needs to make sure that the refs see the fouling, although that didn’t make much difference in Game 2, where a referee was looking directly at IHart yanking on Steph Castle’s hair and didn’t even blow his whistle. Steph will need to find a way to tighten up his handle without limiting his agressiveness on offense, which is one the Spurs best assets other than that tall French dude. The betting line tonight has San Antonio favored to win, which I really don’t understand. The Thunder took back the momentum of the series on Game 2, and the Silver and Black will need to take it back tonight. Hopefully Fox will be back, but if he isn’t, next man up. Let’s go JorMac and LWIII. Role players are usually better and home, and maybe Julian will hit a ton of three point shots tonight. LETS GO SPURS!
Game Prediction:
Isaiah Hartenstein will be ejected when he pulls a pair of nunchucks out of his shorts during a scramble for a loose ball.
San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma Thunder, Conference Championship Round, Game 3 May 22, 2026 | 7:30 PM CT Streaming: Peacock TV: NBC Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
May 20, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) looks to pass as San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) defends during the fourth quarter during game two of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Game 3 of the NBA’s Western Conference Finals is tonight. The Oklahoma City Thunder are at San Antonio Spurs. Watch at 8:30 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)
The Phoenix Suns have numerous decisions ahead of them this upcoming offseason, including multiple restricted free agents, unrestricted free agents, and players with trade value. The following series will examine those decisions as our writing team presents both a point and a counterpoint for each.
It’s a tough decision for the Suns to consider: trading Grayson Allen. He has truly proved to be a winning player throughout his tenure in the Valley. He came to the Suns as part of the deal that sent Deandre Ayton to Portland and Damian Lillard to Milwaukee. Even if he was not the biggest name involved, you could argue that his impact has been greater than what the Suns sent out.
Allen arrived in Phoenix and immediately put on a show in year one, shooting a career best 46.1% from three-point land. This allowed him to secure the 4-year, $70 million contract he is currently on and win the fans’ hearts here. That being said, he has played fewer games each year he has been here and has a sizable contract to trade.
Even though I value Allen for what he brings to the team and have learned a lot this year with his offensive game, now may be the time to move on from him. Though he only suited up in 51 games this year, he was still valuable to this team. He had a career night, erupting for 42 points and breaking a Suns franchise record with 10 threes in a game. He can still shoot the hell out of the rock, make scrappy plays on the defensive end, and even create a lot driving to the basket.
42 PTS 🔥 10/15 3PT 🔥 27 MIN
An ABSURD shooting performance from Grayson Allen! The @suns guard scored a career-high and drained a franchise record in threes vs. the Pelicans. #GLeagueAlumpic.twitter.com/suAxlLRD8x
That is why it would make sense for the Suns to keep him and continue running with the veteran. However, there are signs the Suns are finally moving on from him.
To start, his contract is a very tradable asset. Coming in at a bit above $18 million this year is nice, as it could fit into multiple teams’ books without handicapping too much. With him still a solid scorer on offense and a quality bench player for a contender, it could be worth the swing for some teams. This could come in handy for the Suns, as they are dealing with some key free agents—one of them being Collin Gillespie, who has potentially taken that offensive bench crown from Allen.
You also have Koby Brea, the two-way sniper, whom the Suns took in the draft last year from Kentucky. I personally thought his shot would be bigger this year, but going into the next one, he is also competing with Gillespie and Allen for the offensive three-point bench player role. This could lead the Suns to realize that the youth movement they preached should begin.
This could also help the Suns shed money, making it easier on their books. As we know, the team is paying $20+ million in dead cap each season as they stretched and waived Nassir Little and Bradley Beal over two offseasons. This already limits how much they can spend, so saving money is always key for future offseasons.
With Allen gone, you then have to wonder what the Suns could get in return for him. Well, there are a bunch of options; it just depends on what the team would rather have: a player who can fit a role they are missing or some draft capital. Since the Suns traded their future picks away to acquire additional capital, whether it be a first-round pick or multiple seconds, could help the team in multiple ways.
The team could also consider using the contract to secure a piece that would help the team. As we know, the clamoring has continued for a power forward to come to Phoenix, where fans have clung to every name mentioned to fill that role. Well, with Allen not only being a solid contract and player, but also someone the team could net in return.
Names like Obi Toppin, PJ Washington, and Santi Aldama could all be obtained while using Allen’s contract. Those could be guys who, yes, are not screaming star players, but could fill a role better fit for the team’s direction, adding some size to the front court. All while freeing up space for the young guards and wings to continue to grow. Personally, I’d explore the option of bringing in a power forward for Allen.
There is a reality where this exercise does not matter. The Suns could say that we value GA more than anyone else and want to keep him. He is part of the core and has been a great piece, so let’s not disrupt this. Mat Ishbia preached continuity at the end-of-season press conference to make sense. The front office should consider this as his deal nears its end; it could be the best the Suns get for him after such a great year.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 26 points and 12 assists, and the Oklahoma City Thunder climbed out of a 15-point hole minutes into the game to beat the San Antonio Spurs 123-108 on Friday night and take a 2-1 lead in their series.
Jared McCain had 24 points and Jaylin Williams added 18 for Oklahoma City. The Thunder were without Jalen Williams, who sat out with left hamstring soreness.
Oklahoma City’s bench outscored San Antonio’s 76-23, including 15 points by Alex Caruso.
Victor Wembanyama had 24 points for San Antonio. Devin Vassell added 20 and De’Aaron Fox had 15 in his series debut.
The Thunder have won two straight after the Spurs’ double-overtime victory in Game 1. Game 4 is Sunday. Fox (sprained right ankle) and Dylan Harper (right adductor soreness) were cleared to play 45 minutes prior to tipoff.
Fox’s return sparked a historic start.
The Spurs raced to a 15-0 lead, the longest run to open a game in the conference finals since the play-by-play era began in 1997.
Fox opened the run by wrapping in a driving layup and Wembanyama followed by crossing over Isaiah Hartenstein to drill a 3-pointer. Vassell’s 3-pointer put the Spurs up 10-0, leading to an early timeout by Thunder coach Mark Daigneault.
Hartenstein broke the drought with a runner over Wembanyama, but the center was immediately greeted with thunderous boos after his physical play against the Spurs in Game 2.
The Thunder went on a 13-2 run when Wembanyama went to the bench and closed the first quarter trailing 31-26.
It was a pattern the Spurs could not overcome.
The series continued to be chippy with emotions boiling over early in the second half. Stephon Castle hit the court on back-to-back dunk attempts. The second resulted in a flagrant 1 foul against Ajay Mitchell and technical fouls on Mitchell and Vassell after the two exchanged words following the foul.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams extended Oklahoma City’s first lead to 35-31.
It's essentially a basketball-themed version of Operation, a children's and family board game produced by Hasbro and Milton Bradley where players act as "doctors and surgeons" using tweezers to carefully remove ailments and add correct organs to the patient on the board without triggering the buzzer.
However, Brooks' version with Underdog, Unethical Hoops, takes aim at Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The name of the game is to steal basketballs from the back-to-back MVP, using tweezers, but the catch is you can't make contact with him, if you do, you're whistled for a foul and it's the next player's turn.
Similar to guarding Gilgeous-Alexander, or the modern NBA player, the board game features a bunch of foul-baiting tactics to look out for when defending the offensive player. Board game tactics favoring the ballhandler includes the head snap, shoulder bump, push off, lean in, hook and cook, rip through, don't reach, phantom contact and leg kick.
"Head snap. A lot of people do that. Hook, was James Harden's move. Push off, try this. You know I don't foul," Brooks said as he demonstrated how to play the game in a video released by Underdog.
Brooks on the next steal attempt, set off the official and was called for a foul.
"Foul. Next player's turn," Brooks said. "Get yours ... play your game with your friends and family, and get reacquainted with the new foul-baiting from The Villain".
As part of Underdog's promotion, there were 100 board games made, according to their website. To have a chance to win, you must download the Underdog app, which will direct users how to apply for the game. Winners will be announced May 29.
"Shai has made hoops all about foul baiting and now you're stuck guarding him in Underdog's new board game," their website said. "Don't get baited. Steal the ball without getting whistled."
