2026 NBA Draft rumors: AJ Dybantsa not a lock at No. 1, center Aday Mara climbing fast

We are a little over a month away from the NBA Draft, and rumors are starting to fly around. Here are some of the latest — and also check out the latest NBC Sports Mock Draft.

AJ Dybantsa not lock to go No. 1

AJ Dybantsa helped his cause at the NBA Draft Combine — he was everything teams expected, and his 42-inch vertical leap solidified him as one of the best pure athletes in the draft. Which is why most teams have the BYU wing on top of their draft boards, projected to go No. 1.

But it's not a lock that Dybantsa goes first, reports Jeremy Woo at ESPN.

Rival teams don't view Dybantsa as a lock to go first, however, as there has been no true consensus No. 1 among scouts all season. Darryn Peterson, Cam Boozer and Caleb Wilson are all expected to receive consideration as the Wizards go through their process.

With all due respect to Boozer and Wilson, if it's not Dybantsa at No. 1, it will be Darryn Peterson out of Kansas — he was the guy on top of draft boards before the season, and scouts have told NBC Sports he still has the highest ceiling of the group. What has dropped Peterson's stock in the eyes of most teams is health concerns in a season where he yo-yoed in and out of the Jayhawks' lineup due to cramping and other injuries. Scouts and front office people have told NBC Sports they want to see Peterson's medical reports, and ESPN's Woo echoes that, also reporting Peterson did well in his combine interviews with teams.

NBA teams are still awaiting the results of Peterson's medical evaluation, which is viewed around the league as the most important off-court piece after he dealt with serious cramping concerns, which he attributed to high dosages of creatine. According to team sources, Peterson came across as quiet but serious in interviews last week and handled that part of the process well, addressing questions about his strange season.

One thing is clear out of the Combine: Those top four — Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer and Wilson — are considered by teams in their own tier, something Woo and others at the combine report.

Other draft notes

• Aday Mara climbing. One of the winners of the draft combine, Michigan center Aday Mara is climbing draft boards, and it's not out of the question that he could be the surprise pick that disrupts the run on point guards expected in picks 5-8 (Brooklyn at No. 6 reportedly is taking a look). The Spanish native had physical measurements at the combine similar to Zach Edey — 7'3" with a 9'9" standing reach — and he showed during the season (and reminded everyone at the combine) that he moves well for a man his size.
• Don't expect Jazz to trade up for Dybantsa. It's easy to see why the speculation started: Dybantsa went to prep school in Utah, then attended BYU for college — a place that owner Ryan Smith, as well as team president Danny Ainge and GM Austin Ainge, all have ties. And, it would be a hit with the fan base. However, multiple reports — including Sarah Todd of The Deseret News — say the same thing: Don't expect the Jazz to move up to No. 1. The price to swap picks with Washington to go No. 1 and ensure the Jazz get Dybantsa is likely a quality young player — the Wizards reportedly really liked Ace Baley a year ago — and another first-round pick. Unless the Jazz rate Dybantsa on his own tier and well above anyone else in the draft — and as noted above, that's not how anybody sees it — then the price is far too steep to play that game.
• Kings eye Darius Acuff Jr. The lottery gods were not kind to the Sacramento Kings — again — but they could still land a difference maker at No. 7. Sacramento reportedly is interested in Arkansas' Darius Acuff, reports Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports. There is a real logic to this: the Kings need someone to inspire the fan base (and help them win games), and all you need to know about Acuff is that Allen Iverson says Acuff reminds him of him. He's just fun to watch. Acuff is a dynamic scorer who can play on or off the ball and is averaging 22.2 points and 6.4 assists per game.
• Bucks acting like a team about to get another pick. Milwaukee has one pick in the first round, No. 10, but they are acting like a team that is going to make multiple picks in this draft, reports ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. If, as widely expected, Milwaukee trades Giannis Antetokounmpo before the draft, that will very likely come with a pick this season from whichever team lands the two-time MVP. Consider it another sign that the Bucks are serious about making a deal this time around.

These Cavaliers aren’t the same team Knicks bullied in 2023 playoffs

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson drives between Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade and center Jarrett Allen.
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives between Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade (32) and center Jarrett Allen (31).

It became an instant meme.

After Jarrett Allen and the Cavaliers were bullied and eliminated by the Knicks in five games in the first round of the 2023 playoffs, his brutal honesty made for an unforgettable quote.

“The lights were brighter than expected,” Allen said at the time.

Ever since, those words have been used to describe players who underperform in big moments.

But now, Allen has a chance for redemption. Here he is, three seasons later — again facing the Knicks, again playing under those bright Madison Square Garden lights. This time around, it’s in the Eastern Conference finals.

“That comment was that comment,” Allen said when asked by The Post at Cavaliers shootaround Tuesday morning ahead of Game 1. “What I said is what it is. For me personally now, I’ve grown, evolved, had a lot more playoff series under my belt, a lot more games under my belt, experience. What I said then was what I said then.”

Both teams are certainly in different spots now. They were both upstarts three years ago, coming off a season (and in the Cavaliers’ case, four seasons) in which they missed the playoffs.

“Everybody’s evolved, everybody’s grown, everybody’s come into their own skin,” Allen said. “Everybody’s just a different person coming here. So it’s good to see how everybody’s grown.”

The Knicks core is now way different — Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges have been added to the mix. Julius Randle, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin and Isaiah Hartenstein are all long gone.

Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives between Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade (32) and center Jarrett Allen (31). Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

The main Cavaliers figures, though, are the same — Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Allen. They acquired James Harden midseason in exchange for Darius Garland in a move they envisioned to take that core to the next level.

Dean Wade and Sam Merrill were both on the team in 2022-23. But Wade played just 11 minutes in that first round against the Knicks. Merrill did not play at all. Now, they are both key bench pieces for the Cavaliers.

“For most of the team, the core that was there, it was their first time in the playoffs,” Mitchell said Tuesday morning. “We’ve had a few series under our belts [since then]. We didn’t like how it went, obviously. This is different. We’re not here to rehash the past. This is a different scenario. This is something that, even last season, we came into it like, ‘This is our goal, to get to this point, to get to the Finals.’ Not really looking at it like, ‘Man, what happened [three] years ago?’ It’s just the opportunity in front of us.”

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Entering the season, this conference finals matchup was one that many could see coming. The NBA seemed to, at least.

They were scheduled against each other for the NBA’s opening-night game and a marquee Christmas Day game. And they had the two best preseason odds to win the East.

For most of the year, though, it felt more far-fetched. The Cavaliers got off to a rough start, and the Knicks went through their own lulls.

“I think for us, we weren’t saying, ‘It’s gonna be us vs. New York.’ We were really just focusing on ourselves,” Mitchell said. “Especially how we started the year, it was a long road. I think now, it’s more so like we gotta steal the first one. And if we don’t steal the first one, steal the second one. That’s the mentality. It’s just like ‘hey, we’re here, we haven’t come this far just to be excited to be here.’ I think that’s the biggest feeling around the group — that we’re not just like, ‘We did it.’ Now, it’s more so that this is an opportunity for us to play and get to the Finals, and we have to get through these guys to get there.”

Cavaliers vs Knicks Same-Game Parlay for Tonight's NBA Playoffs Game 1

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New York Knicks fans have been waiting a while for the Eastern Conference Finals to begin, and our Cavaliers vs. Knicks predictions and same-game parlay believe it will be a Garden party on Tuesday, May 19.

However, that doesn't mean Donovan Mitchell won't make an impact in Game 1.

Our best Cavaliers vs Knicks SGP for Game 1

SGP leg #1: Jalen Brunson Over 2.5 3-pointers

Jalen Brunson has knocked down 40.9% of his 66 3-point attempts in the postseason, good for fourth-best among players with at least 60 3-point shots. Brunson has hit 3+ triples in seven of 10 playoff games, including four of five at MSG.

Opponents have burned the Cavaliers from downtown in these playoffs, especially in the semifinals. Detroit shot just 35.6% from deep in the regular season, and 32.7% in the first round before Cleveland allowed them to hit at a 39% clip in their seven-game series.

SGP leg #1: Knicks moneyline

If not for a pair of one-point losses to the Hawks in the first round, the Knicks would be undefeated in the postseason.

The Knicks have rattled off seven straight victories by an average of 26.4 points. New York has played four fewer games than Cleveland, and its combination of fresh legs, home-court advantage, and stellar play on both ends of the floor will lead it to victory tonight.

SGP leg #1: Donovan Mitchell Over 3.5 assists

Donovan Mitchell’s assists have dropped from 5.7 in the regular season to just 2.9 in the playoffs. However, the Knicks present an easier matchup for him, ranking ninth-worst in assists allowed per game to shooting guards.

Mitchell's playmaking has translated to wins. In 63 total games with at least four assists, Cleveland went 44-19 straight up, including 4-0 in the playoffs.

If Cleveland wants to stay competitive in Game 1, they'll have to try and funnel the offense through Mitchell.


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See our full Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 1 preview

Get Zak Hanshew's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his Cavaliers vs Knicks predictions for Game 1.

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The Brooklyn Podcast: How to find a ‘homegrown star’ at #6 with Corey Tulaba

Dec 20, 2025; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr. (5) tries to drive past Houston Cougars guard Kingston Flemings (4) during the first half at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images

TIMBER! The Brooklyn Nets fell back in the NBA draft lottery AGAIN last week, leaving them at pick number six. However, with the draft almost a month away, there’s no time to sulk. The Nets can still get a homegrown star, and Corey Tulaba of No Ceilings is here to point out who that player is…

In this episode of The Brooklyn with Pooch & Collin, we touch on:

  • Darius Acuff vs Mikel Brown Jr.
  • Who the steals and reaches are at pick six
  • Some Egor Dëmin development

You can also check out this episode on Apple Music or Spotify. Follow us on XInstagram, and Tik Tok.

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Will OG Anunoby Play Tonight vs Cavaliers? NBA Playoffs Injury Update for Game 1

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OG Anunoby was playing some of the best basketball of his career before suffering a right hamstring strain in Game 2 against the 76ers, but a long layoff ahead of the Eastern Conference Finals has given him extra time to recover.

He's been a full participant in practice three days in a row and is probable to play in tonight's Game 1 against the Cavaliers.

Keep reading for a full slate of OG Anunoby odds and Cavaliers vs. Knicks predictions should he suit up, and more on his status tonight.

Will OG Anunoby play tonight?

OG Anunoby was listed as probable for tonight's Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers after being a full participant during Monday's practice.

Barring a major setback during pre-game shootaround, expect to see him in uniform tonight.

Latest Cavaliers vs Knicks odds

OG Anunoby player props tonight

Sportsbooks have posted player props for OG Anunoby for Game 1, marking his first game in 13 days.

Marketbet365
Over 15.5 points-115
Over 1.5 assists+120
Over 5.5 rebounds-115
Over 2.5 threes+135
Over 1.5 steals+132

Anunoby is not known for being a prolific passer, but he did log multiple assists in two of his last three games before going down with the hamstring strain.

He may be more eager to keep the ball moving and make the extra pass if he's struggling to find his scoring touch in his first game back. The +120 price makes this even more appetizing. 

Pick: OG Anunoby Over 1.5 assists (+120 at bet365)

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NBA Playoff Tuesday discussion

May 17, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) reacts during the second half against the Detroit Pistons during game seven of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Today is Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Here’s the game:

  • Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks — 8:00 PM ET (ESPN)

That’s the only playoff game tonight — Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Trail Blazers layoff 70 employees in another cheap move by new owner

PORTLAND, OREGON - APRIL 02: Tom Dundon, Portland Trail Blazers owner, speaks during a press conference at Moda Center on April 02, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. 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 Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Tom Dundon purchased the Portland Trail Blazers from the estate of Paul Allen in March of 2026. Dundon has been a successful owner in the NHL with the Carolina Hurricanes, but his cost-cutting methods have been shocking since taking control of a beloved NBA team.

Dundon low-balled head coach Tiago Splitter after he guided the team to the playoffs for the first time in five years, and has reportedly been offering perspective head coaches a starting salary around $1 million, far below NBA norms. He wouldn’t let players on two-way contracts travel for the playoffs. Now, Dundon is doing mass layoffs on the business side for the Trail Blazers that will reportedly cut about 70 jobs.

Sean Highkin covers the Trail Blazers as well as anyone at his newsletter, The Rose Garden Report. Highkin previously broke the news of two-way players being unable to travel for the postseason, and now he’s reported the layoffs on the business side.

Layoffs in pro sports don’t happen all that often. Some of the employees impacted after been with the team for decades, including insider Casey Holdahl, who started in 2007. If you’ve consumed NBA coverage on the internet over the last 20 years, you have probably come across Holdahl’s byline.

On Tuesday, he announced he was among the affected by the layoffs.

More names will be announced in the coming days.

Dundon’s Carolina Hurricanes are currently in the Eastern Conference Finals of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. He’s unquestionably built a successful hockey team, and will reportedly make a deep investment in winning once he sees proof of concept. Dundon is quickly learning there’s a much higher degree of scrutiny in the NBA, and his methods are already being judged. Perhaps Dundon will be able to find a successful head coach for half the cost of the lowest-paid coach elsewhere in the league. Maybe he’ll eventually get the Blazers to championship contention like he did with the Hurricanes.

For now, there will be healthy skepticism about his brazen cost-cutting moves. This is clearly a trend in the early days of Dundon’s Blazers ownership, and I wouldn’t expect it to stop here. Follow our legendary Trail Blazers community Blazer’s Edge for more coverage of the team and Dundon’s ongoing cheapness.

How to watch Cavaliers vs. Knicks NBA Playoffs Game 1 for free: Start time, livestream

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An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Donovan Mitchell shoots a free throw during an NBA game, Image 2 shows New York Knicks' Jalen Brunson (11) gestures after making a three-point shot

The battle for the East officially begins tonight as the Cleveland Cavaliers travel to Madison Square Garden to face the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference finals.

The Knicks are entering the series well-rested as their last game, a 144-14 rout of the Philadelphia 76ers to sweep them in the second round, was over a week ago on May 10. OG Anunoby, who got injured early in the series with the Sixers, is likely to play tonight after sitting out the last two games.

The Cavaliers, on the other hand, played just two days ago in Sunday’s Game 7 against Detroit. Both of the Cavs’ playoff series so far have gone to seven games.

The Knicks haven’t advanced to the NBA Finals since 1999 and haven’t won it all since 1973. The Cavaliers are in the Eastern Conference finals for the first time without LeBron James since 1992 and have never made the Finals without James on their roster.

NBA Eastern Conference Finals: what to know
  • What: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks, Game 1
  • When: May 19, 8 p.m. ET
  • Where: Madison Square Garden (New York, New York)
  • Channel: ESPN
  • Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)

Game 2 in the series is scheduled for Thursday, May 21, at 8 p.m. ET.

Cavaliers vs. Knicks start time:

Game 1 between the Cavaliers vs. Knicks Eastern Conference Final is scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m. ET tonight, May 19.

How to watch Cavaliers vs. Knicks for free:

If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the game for free.

DIRECTV is our top pick for watching basketball live for free — its five-day free trial includes ESPN (plus nearly every other channel you’ll need for the rest of the NBA postseason). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $44.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.

TRY DIRECTV FOR FREE

If you aren’t ready to commit to a full-on subscription, you can try a Sling Orange Day Pass. Priced at $4.99, you’ll get 24 hours of access to all Sling TV Orange has to offer, including ESPN. Sling also offers weekend and week-long passes for its Orange plan, which offer between three and seven days of access.

Knicks-Cavaliers second round playoff schedule

  • Game 1: Tuesday, May 19 (8 ET, ESPN)
  • Game 2: Thursday, May 21 (8 ET, ESPN)
  • Game 3: Saturday, May 23 (8 ET, ESPN)
  • Game 4: Monday, May 25 (8 ET, ESPN)
  • Game 5: Wednesday, May 27 (8 ET, ESPN)*
  • Game 6: Friday, May 29 (8 ET, ESPN)*
  • Game 7: Sunday, May 31 (8 ET, ESPN)*

* if necessary

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Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post

This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.


Boston Celtics Daily Links 5/19/26

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 9: The sneakers worn by Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks during the game against the Boston Celtics on April 9, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

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The historic stat that predicts a Spurs series win

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 18: Victor Wembanyama #1 and Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs react during the second quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game One of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 18, 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

Game 1 of the 2026 Western Conference Finals between the Spurs and Thunder will go down as one of the most epic playoff games for both the Spurs and NBA — something this rivalry has had a knack for generating over the last 15 years. The young Spurs led most of the time against the defending champions despite no De’Aaron Fox but still found themselves having to overcome their own mistakes to pull it out in double-overtime.

They were able to do so with a series of insanely clutch plays and historic stat lines, all while reaching many milestones both in franchise and NBA Playoff history, and we’re about to go through all if them that I could find (many courtesy of Spurs stat guru Jordan Howenstine). But first, we’ll start with the one that may matter the most when looking at the long-term outlook of this series, courtesy of Michael C. Wright of ESPN:

The Spurs are the fifth team in NBA history to win five of their first six games against the team that owned the best record in the NBA that season. The previous four all won a playoff series against the team that had the best record.

In other words, no team has beaten an opponent in 5 of their first 6 match-ups in a season and gone on to lose a playoff series to them. Of course, there is the added quirk of one of those five games being the NBA Cup Semi-finals, so it’s not like the Spurs swept the Thunder in the regular season or are up 2-0 to start the series, but history is still on their side.

Now we move on to stat milestones specific to Game 1. Without Fox, the Spurs trotted out the youngest starting lineup in Conference Finals history, averaging just under 23 years old. That beat out the Portland Trail Blazers 1977 championship team’s starting lineup by 279 days.

This was also the Spurs’ first road win in Game 1 of the Conference Finals since 2005, when they beat the Suns in Phoenix Game 1. (We all know how that turned out!)

Next up is Victor Wembanyama, who finished with 41 points on 14-25 shooting, 24 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks in a career-high 49 minutes of action. He had already become the first player since Chris Webber in 2002 to have double-double at halftime in his first ever conference Conference Finals game with 14 points and 10 rebounds (and the first Spur since Tim Duncan against OKC in 2012), and by the end he was the youngest player to post a 40/20 game in playoffs history, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, as well as the second Spur after David Robinson.

But it didn’t end there. He’s also the first player since Dirk Nowitzki in 2003 to have 25+ points and 15+ rebounds in his first Conference Finals game (which was against the Spurs, and some may forget he missed most of that series). He was also only the second player 22 or younger to post 30+ and 20+ in playoff game since the 1976 merger, along with Moses Malone in 1977, and the first to do it in his first Conference Finals game since Wilt Chamberlain in 1960.

Then we have Dylan Harper, whose rookie star keeps shining brighter the deeper we get into the playoffs. He got the start with Fox out, posting 24 points on 8-20 shooting (albeit 0-7 from three), 11 rebounds, 6 assists and 7 steals. (And perhaps just as importantly, just 1 turnover to help mitigate Stephon Castle’s 11 on the night. If Fox sits again for Game 2 — which may be a strategic move since it’s no longer a must-win game, although I personally take every game extremely seriously — the ball needs to be in Harper’s hands more.)

His 7 steals beat out Dejounte Murray, who had 5 against the Warriors in Game 4 in 2017, for the Spurs rookie record for a playoff game. He also joined some elite Spurs company with Alvin Robertson, Avery Johnson, Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard as the only Spurs with 6+ steals in a playoff game.

At the NBA level, he became just the second rookie to record 20/10/5/5 (steals) in a playoff game, with the other being Magic Johnson, and the first to post 20/10/5/7. But it wasn’t just a historic rookie stat line: since steals began being recorded in 1973-74, he joins Larry Bird and Julius Irving as the only players to post that stat line in the playoffs AT ALL!

The Spurs could hardly have asked for a better start to the series. Of course, nothing is set in stone, and they must remain focused and not get too high or confident while working for three more wins because it won’t be easy. Thunder fans will point to how Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could have been much better on offense, and they would be right. At the same time, the Spurs certainly could have been better themselves (especially from three, where they shot just 13-43), likely won’t be giving up 21 turnovers again (especially if Fox is back), and it would be a stretch to think the Thunder get 31 points and 8 threes from Alex Caruso again, who is a very erratic shooter.

Regardless, this is just the start of what should be an amazing series. Game 1 has already gone down in Spurs history as one of the best performances we’ve seen (which is saying a lot), but it will only carry so much weight into the future if the Spurs don’t take this series. We can all revel in it today, and then tomorrow, it’s back to work.

Make sure to add any more milestones I may have missed in the comments below! (It’s quite the rabbit hole to go down and almost impossible catch them all.)

Carmelo Anthony invites Jeremy Lin on podcast to address years-long Knicks beef

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin and Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony looks on against the Atlanta Hawks in the second quarter of their NBA basketball game at Madison Square Garden in New York, February 22, 2012, Image 2 shows Man in blue sweatshirt with glasses gestures with his hands
Carmelo Anthony said he wants to "clear the air" with his former Knicks teammate Jeremy Lin more than a decade after "Linsanity" took over New York in 2012.

Carmelo Anthony said he wants to “clear the air” with his former Knicks teammate Jeremy Lin more than a decade after “Linsanity” took over New York in 2012.

During Monday’s installment of the “7PM In Brooklyn” podcast, Anthony invited Lin to come on his podcast to “speak the truth” — but Anthony offered no other explanation.

“Jeremy Lin, I’m giving you my invite to come sit on the couch,” Anthony said.

“Let’s have a conversation, let’s clear the air on a lot of bullshit that’s out there please. And I love what you’re doing right now, man … Come speak the truth.”

Knicks faithful know that rumblings of a reported feud came about during Lin’s rise to fame during the 2011-12 season.

At the time, Lin led the Knicks to 10 wins in 13 games when he averaged over 22 points and nine assists after the Knicks called him up.

Anthony was dealing with a groin injury at the time.

After that season, Anthony made waves when he called Lin’s Houston Rockets contract offer — three years and $25 million — “ridiculous,” which led to reports that he was jealous of Lin’s fast success and it was disrupting what he was trying to build in New York.

New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin and Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony looks on against the Atlanta Hawks in the second quarter of their NBA basketball game at Madison Square Garden in New York, February 22, 2012. REUTERS

Anthony has discussed the matter on multiple occasions.

During a May 2024 installment of his podcast, Anthony and Baron Davis, who was a member of the 2012 Knicks team, said they were supportive of Lin’s fame behind closed doors.

“People always talk about … nobody liked the Linsanity … personally me, you get what I’m saying? They throw that out there,” Anthony said. 

Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony #7 and Houston Rockets point guard Jeremy Lin #7 during the first half on November 14, 2013. Anthony J. Causi

“But people don’t know that, behind the scenes, we were very supportive of this.

“… Linsanity could have been a $100 million business easy and I’m trying to get this through to him,” Anthony recalled. “He was like, ‘Nah, I’m not brought up on that, my parents. But I respected that. I hear that, matter of fact, bring your parents in here, let us talk to them… It was [happening] so fast.”

Davis added, “Yeah, he wasn’t trying to hear that s–t from nobody.”

New York Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony, right, holds Jeremy Lin’s hand as he leaves the game after fouling out during the fourth quarter of an against the New Jersey Nets on February 20, 2012, at Madison Square Garden in New York. AP

Lin acknowledged “the theory” that Anthony being jealous played a part in his Knicks exit — but declined to “feed the speculation train” in a 2022 interview with the Daily Beast.

“I know, and I’m saying this truthfully, that there were multiple points of opposition completely outside of Melo within what was going on, and once [head coach Mike] D’Antoni resigned, there was already opposition within the organization — whether it was the coaching staff that took over or certain members of the front office,” Lin said.

“But there was definitely, from what I’ve heard or gathered in the few years after, it wasn’t all as rosy as people thought it was. I don’t know who to attribute it to, but I know there were multiple points of opposition.”

Lin had stints with the Warriors, Rockets, Lakers, Hornets, Nets, Hawks and Raptors after going undrafted out of Harvard.

He was part of the 2019 Raptors team that won the franchise’s first championship. 

Lin later went on to play for the Beijing Ducks.

Jeremy Lin of Beijing Ducks prepares for free throw during a preseason game against Jilin Northeast Tigers in Beijing, China on October 1, 2019. ZUMA24.com

He most recently played for the New Taipei Kings of the P. League+ in Taiwan, alongside his brother Joseph Lin.

Lin announced his retirement from professional basketball in an Instagram post last August.

Rest vs. Rust: Are the Knicks at a disadvantage with their long layoff?

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 10: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks smiles during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round Two Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 10, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

At long last, the Knicks will play basketball tonight.

Nine days after they finished off the Sixers in a dominant four-game sweep, the Eastern Conference Finals will finally begin, as the Cleveland Cavaliers will travel to the World’s Most Famous Arena for Game 1 tonight at 8pm.

It’ll be a truly massive difference in terms of rest between the Knicks and whoever survives tonight’s game at Little Caesars Arena. Eight days of rest versus just one. It’s a stark enough difference, especially in a playoff setting, that makes you wonder about the age-old debate.

Rest vs. rust. Is it better to get the long layoff, or will the all-around cohesion we saw in the last seven games dissipate with the amount of time off?

The concern is very valid, especially when you look at other sports. In MLB, teams with a bye to the LDS have struggled considerably against fresh teams in the Wild Card Round over the last few years. In the NHL, there’s been a startling trend of teams that sweep series and get a long layoff struggling against teams that have played these prolonged series.

But those are different sports. Baseball is a game of repetition, and these guys play every single day. Hockey can be an issue with the physicality and the goaltenders getting too much time off. Basketball is different than both of those stylistically as a sport.

So what does the data say? Do teams with extra rest come out sloppy in Game 1?

The overall verdict? Not really.

Since 2000, there have been exactly 20 instances of a sweep in the second round or later. I decided to exclude first-round sweeps because it may skew the sample size with top seeds who were obvious massive favorites, making it closer to this exact situation.

In those 20 instances, the team coming off a sweep is 12-8, but 8-1 since 2016. Each situation also has entirely different context to one another, so we have to dive deeper.

Teams on 8+ days of rest

Looking back to the sample since 2000, there have been 12 instances in which a team had at least eight days of rest ahead of a conference final or NBA Finals matchup, and those teams are 7-5. What occurred in those losses, you might ask?

2003 New Jersey Nets: 10 days of rest, lost in six games to the Spurs (5 days rest)
2005 Miami Heat: 8 days of rest, lost in seven games to the Pistons (5 days rest)
2009 Cleveland Cavaliers: 8 days rest, lost in seven games to the Magic (2 days rest)
2013 San Antonio Spurs: 9 days rest, lost in seven games to the Heat (2 days rest)
2019 Golden State Warriors: 9 days rest, lost in six games to the Raptors (4 days rest)

Of these five occurrences, only one has happened in the last 12 years, and that deserves a big asterisk. The 2019 Warriors were bruised and battered and lost both Klay Thompson to an ACL tear and Kevin Durant to an Achilles tear during the series. Could this theoretically happen to the Knicks, too? Sure, but it deserves to be pointed out as an outlier.

Some recent series victories include the 2024 Celtics (vs DAL), 2017 Cavaliers (vs BOS), and the 2011 Mavericks (vs OKC). But let’s go even deeper to find the series that truly match up.

Big Rest vs Little Rest

To narrow the parameters, we’re going to break down series where one team has a rest advantage of at least six days. The Knicks currently have a seven-day rest advantage, so this will give us the proper comparison we need.

This gives us seven examples since 2001, in which the team with a rest advantage is 5-2. Four of the wins came in just five games, while both losses took at least six games. Let’s look at the full context of these series and evaluate from there:

2001 NBA Finals (Lakers/Sixers)
Rest advantage: Lakers +7 (9 to 2)
Winner: Lakers, 4-1

After completing a sweep of the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals, the Shaq & Kobe Lakers advanced to the NBA Finals in 2001, where they awaited the winner of a seven-game series in the ECF, in which Allen Iverson’s Sixers prevailed over Ray Allen’s Bucks. A quick turnaround for a very AI-centric Sixers squad doomed them from the start against a dynasty in the making.

It probably didn’t help that Philly had played two consecutive seven-game series leading into this (sound familiar?), but this was actually a potential warning for the Knicks as they enter Game 1 tonight. The Sixers actually won Game 1 in Los Angeles against a rusty Lakers squad, but the fatigue caught up to them to win the next four.

If the Knicks lose tonight, this series can be used as an example to stay off the ledge.

2009 Eastern Conference Finals (Cavaliers/Magic)
Rest advantage: Cavs +6 (8 to 2)
Winner: Magic, 4-2

LeBron James didn’t have much help in his first stint in Cleveland, but it was fairly disappointing when they lost an opportunity to square off with Kobe and the Lakers in 2009, as Dwight Howard led the Magic to the heights of a young Shaq in the 90s.

This might be a case of a lack of adversity dooming a team. The Cavs started their postseason 8-0 and most of those wins were by double figures, while the Magic gritted out a seven-game series against the Celtics in the second round.

As such, guess what happened when Orlando dragged Cleveland into one-possession games early in the series? The Magic stole Game 1 on a late Rashard Lewis 3-ball and took a 3-1 lead in Game 4 after narrowly surviving LeBron’s heroics late. It all culminated in a six-game series victory where Orlando went 3-0 at home.

2011 Western Conference Finals (Mavericks-Thunder)
Rest advantage: Mavericks +7 (8 to 1)
Winner: Mavericks, 4-1

Dirk Nowitzki’s redemption for 2006 finally came five years later, when he took advantage of a young and inexperienced Thunder team (that included a certain James Harden) in the WCF to continue a run that would result in a shocking upset over the Heat in the Finals.

A young Damian Lillard battled Dallas to six in the first round before a sweep of the defending back-to-back champion Lakers set up this titanic clash. OKC defeated Denver in five in the first round, but was pushed to seven games by the Grit-and-Grind Grizzlies and entered this series at a tremendous rest disadvantage.

OKC lost Game 1 by nine, but turned around and stole Game 2 in Dallas to even the series and put pressure on the veteran-laden squad. The Mavericks won each of the next three games by just 17 combined points, using their experience to overwhelm a Thunder team that wasn’t quite ready yet.

2013 NBA Finals (Spurs-Heat)
Rest advantage: Spurs +7 (9 to 2)
Winner: Heat, 4-3

Regardless of the connotation of the superteam Heatles in the early 2010s, these were two stacked rosters that went toe-to-toe in an instant classic of an NBA Finals. A 58-win team against a 66-win team with scores of future Hall of Famers and two of the greatest coaches of all time.

San Antonio had gone 12-2 in a rampage over the Western Conference, only being challenged by the plucky Mark Jackson-coached Warriors in the second round before sweeping the Grizzlies in the WCF. Meanwhile, Miami went 8-1 in the first two rounds before being pushed to seven by Paul George and the Pacers in the ECF, prompting a massive rest differential.

The rested Spurs stole Game 1 in Miami, but this series was back-and-forth the whole way through. It seemed like the Spurs were going to topple the reigning champions in six games, but Ray Allen’s heroics saved the day for Miami and forced a Game 7 that the Heat would ultimately take at home.

2016 Eastern Conference Finals (Cavaliers-Raptors)
Rest advantage: Cavs +7 (8 to 1)
Winner: Cavaliers, 4-2

Another series involving LeBron, who knew? In the midst of his legacy-sealing 2016 championship run with the Cavs, he faced an extremely similar situation to 2009, where his team was 8-0 entering the conference finals as considerable favorites against a Raptors team that would always be the bridesmaid in the East until acquiring Kawhi Leonard.

Cleveland swept their way here and showed no ill effects of a seven-day layoff prior to the second-round matchup against the Hawks. Toronto gritted through two seven-game series and had a quick turnaround after playing 7 games in 14 days against the Heat in Round 2 (sound familiar?)

The first two games saw the rested team demolishing the fatigued team, as the Cavs won by 50 points combined to take a 2-0 series lead. Toronto was able to pick itself up off the mat to win both north of the border, but got similarly pummeled in the next two games. In Cleveland’s four wins, they outscored their opponents by an average of 26 points a night.

2017 Eastern Conference Finals (Cavaliers-Celtics)
Rest advantage: Cavs +8 (9 to 1)
Winner: Cavaliers, 4-1

Oh, hey, it’s LeBron again. In their ultimately futile quest to repeat as champions in 2017, Cleveland squared off with an Isaiah Thomas-led Celtics team that featured a rookie Jaylen Brown and didn’t yet have Jayson Tatum. This was an infant version of the perennial contenders we know today.

As usual, a LeBron-led team strolled into the conference finals with back-to-back sweeps over Indiana and Toronto, while the Celtics won a six-game series against the Bulls before a highly entertaining seven-game series against John Wall and the Wizards led to them limping into a matchup with a man who had made the Finals in six consecutive seasons.

Boston did have home-court advantage, but it didn’t matter. Cleveland won by 57 points combined in the first two games in Boston, showing no ill effects from a nine-day layoff. The Celtics stole Game 3 at Quicken Loans Arena without IT thanks to an Avery Bradley buzzer-beater, but the toll came due to a 10-point win in Game 4 and another 30-point blowout in Game 5 to clinch the series for Cleveland.

2023 NBA Finals (Nuggets-Heat)
Rest advantage: Nuggets +7 (9 to 2)
Winner: Nuggets, 4-1

There are a lot of interesting wrinkles in this series. Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets are getting their era-defining championship against the No. 8-seeded Heat, who were basically Jimmy Butler and a dream at this point. Gotta give credit to Erik Spoelstra for seemingly doing this over and over again.

Denver took down the Timberwolves and Suns in the first two rounds before sweeping the Lakers in the WCF in a relatively competitive series for its length. Miami stunned the top-seeded Bucks in five games before defeating a young Knicks team in six to face Boston in the ECF. It looked like the Heat would stroll to the Finals like Denver, but the Celtics rallied back down 3-0 to force a Game 7 before ultimately falling short.

The quick turnaround didn’t necessarily faze the Heat, who split the first two games in Denver, but the fatigue slowly set in as their offense crumbled to dust around Butler’s brilliance in a series that ended in five games

What’s the verdict? There are obviously different circumstances with every case, but history suggests that rust is not an excuse for teams at this stage in the postseason. You got that extra rest after how dominant you were last round; now you get a chance to prove it.

Cavaliers vs Knicks — Game 1 ECF — predictions: Odds, recent stats, trends, best bets on May 19

The New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers meet at Madison Square Garden for the Eastern Conference Finals. This is the second straight season the Knicks have made the Eastern Conference Finals, while the Cavaliers are here for the first time since 2017-18.

New York averaged 124.3 points per game against Philadelphia and shot 54.5% in the series, plus 44.8% from three. The Knicks are on fire and are the hottest team in the NBA with seven straight wins and six of them coming by double digits. The Knicks are 2-1 against the Cavaliers this season with eight and two-point wins.

Cleveland is coming off a seven-game series win over the No. 1 seed Detroit Pistons. Cleveland is 2-5 on the road this postseason, but won the last two in Games 5 and 7 at Detroit. The Cavaliers have won four of the last five games and averages 112.8 points per game in that span. The midseason acquisition for James Harden has paid off. The last time Cleveland made an Eastern Conference Finals was the same year that Harden did with Houston.

Let’s take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

After 24 years, the NBA is back on NBC and Peacock, combining the nostalgia of an iconic era with the innovative future of basketball coverage. The NBA on NBC YouTube channel delivers fans must-see highlights, analysis, and exclusive and unique content. 

Game Details and How to Watch Live: Cavaliers vs. Knicks

  • Date: Tuesday, May 19, 2026
  • Time: 8:10 PM EST
  • Site: Madison Square Garden
  • City: New York, NY
  • Network/Streaming: ESPN

Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest NBA Player News for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Game Odds: Cavaliers vs. Knicks

The latest odds as of Tuesday courtesy of DraftKings:

  • Moneyline: New York Knicks (-250), Cleveland Cavaliers (+205)
  • Spread: Knicks -6.5
  • Total: 217.5 points

This game opened Knicks -6.5 with the Total set at 216.5.

Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!

Expected Starting Lineups: Cavaliers vs. Knicks

Cleveland Cavaliers

  • PG James Harden
  • SG Donovan Mitchell
  • SF Dean Wade
  • PF Evan Mobley
  • Jarrett Allen

New York Knicks

  • PG Jalen Brunson
  • SG Josh Hart
  • SF Mikal Bridges
  • PF OG Anunoby (probable)
  • Karl-Anthony Towns

Injury Report: Knicks vs. Cavaliers

Cleveland Cavaliers

  • None

New York Knicks

  • OG Anunoby (hamstring strain) is listed as QUESTIONABLE for Game 1. Anunoby missed Games 3 and 4 vs the 76ers.

Important stats, trends and insights: Cavaliers vs. Knicks

  • New York is 51-42 ATS and an NBA-best 30-15 ATS as a home favorite
  • New York is 50-43 to the Under and 24-21 at home
  • New York is 21-20 ATS as a home favorite
  • New York is 24-21 to the Under at home and 16-15 to the Over as a home favorite
  • Cleveland has the second worst ATS record at 39-56
  • Cleveland is 10-7 ATS as a road underdog and 8-9 on the ML
  • Cleveland is 27-21 to the Over on the road
  • Cleveland is 9-8 as an away underdog
  • Cleveland is 48-48 to the Under on the season

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday’s Cavaliers and Knicks’ game:

  • Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Knicks’ Moneyline
  • Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Knicks -6.5 ATS
  • Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 217.5

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
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Victor Wembanyama’s clutch three vs. Thunder draws comparisons to Steph Curry

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 20: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs and Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors greet each other at center court right before they battle each other for the tip-off of the game at Chase Center on October 20, 2023 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images

In today’s Dub Hub:

The Golden State Warriors’ season may be over, but Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs gave fans a moment that felt all too familiar to Dub Nation on Monday night.

Late in overtime during San Antonio’s 122-115 Game 1 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals, Wembanyama pulled up from deep near the exact same spot where Steph Curry buried his iconic “double bang” three against OKC back in 2016.

The similarities were impossible to ignore. Same arena. Same opponent. Same fearless audacity to pull up from well beyond the three-point line with the game hanging in the balance.

Only this time, it was a 7-foot-4 basketball alien doing it.

Wembanyama finished with 41 points and 24 rebounds in the thrilling double-overtime victory, but his deep three quickly became the defining highlight of the night.

And much like Curry’s legendary performance against the Thunder nearly a decade ago, the shot felt like a statement to the rest of the NBA. If there were still any questions about whether Wembanyama had truly arrived, there shouldn’t be anymore.

For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Tuesday, May 19th:

Warriors News:

How Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama showed he’s NBA’s Steph Curry 2.0 | NBC Sports Bay Area

The Spurs have their young Steph. The NBA has its new Steph. Someone who captivates fans, motivates teammates, dominates opponents and whose unprecedented impact makes him the envy of every franchise in the league. Someone whose presence ensures generous national-television exposure, year after year.

And Wemby is polishing his star five years before Curry, who turned 27 a month before the 2015 postseason.

From a marketing and promotions viewpoint, Wemby is Steph 2.0 – a foot taller, possessing gifts that can dominate on offense and defense.

2026 NBA mock draft: Projecting all 60 picks post-combine | ESPN

Steve Kerr’s decision to return to the Warriors is a fair indicator that Golden State doesn’t plan to rebuild in the near future, but this pick gives it a chance to get younger and deeper. Long-term injuries to Jimmy Butler III and Moses Moody mean the Warriors will be extremely light on the perimeter to open next season, which could be a consideration here. GM Mike Dunleavy also told reporters this week that Golden State would consider moving around in the draft.

Burries is drawing looks inside the top 10 but could also end up being the guard who falls. He would be a solid fit for the Warriors in this scenario. His dimensions will play up better on the ball than at the two, but his sturdy build should also help him defend wings. The fact he’s a year older than some of the other freshmen and somewhat caught between positions based on tools makes him more of a back-half lottery option.

Warriors very impressed by guard prospect Darius Acuff Jr., per Arkansas reporter Kevin McPherson

NBA News:

Alex Caruso took on an impossible challenge for the Thunder. He almost succeeded | The Athletic

Caruso kept shooting and hitting, often enough that it warranted Wembanyama gradually inching closer to him on the perimeter. He tried to weaponize the 22-year-old’s own overzealous tendencies.

“He’s a good player defensively, so he’s trying to make all the plays, and rightfully so. He can make them,” Caruso said of Wembanyama. “So part of that is just being smart about how you attack him. You watch the first couple series that they played, and there’s times where they’re just trying to shoot layups over him, and that’s not how you should play against him, right?

“I’m not gonna give you our game plan, but there’s times to be aggressive, and there’s times to manipulate the defense and get better shots.”

Pelicans hire Jamahl Mosley as their new head coach, per ESPN’s Shams Charania

In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:

NBA 2K, Boys & Girls Club SF unveil new Excelsior basketball court

And somehow, that atmosphere was sitting right here in our own backyard Wednesday afternoon at the Boys & Girls Club Excelsior Clubhouse in San Francisco, where 2K Foundations (the philanthrophic arm of the legendary 2K video game franchise) unveiled a newly refurbished basketball court designed for the hundreds of kids who use the facility every week.

I was invited out to cover the unveiling, which featured appearances from Ronnie 2K, Golden State Warriors guard Will Richard, and GSW champion Festus Ezeli. But as cool as the event itself was, what stuck with me most happened before the ribbon cutting.

Follow @unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.

Jalen Brunson Picks, Predictions & Best Bets for Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 1 on May 19

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Jalen Brunson may be an undersized point guard, but the New York Knicks’ lefthander keys NY in nearly every matchup. How he fares in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers may determine the series.

These Jalen Brunson picks expect him to start the Eastern Conference Finals aggressively, the last round putting plenty of material on film for him to study.

Jalen Brunson prop pick for Game 1

Jalen Brunson best bet: Over 6.5 assists (+110 at bet365)

Jalen Brunson and Cade Cunningham look like completely different players. The New York Knicks’ point guard is listed at 6-foot-2, charitably, while Cunningham is an athletic 6-foot-6.

But both their offenses rotate around them. Brunson’s usage rate of 30.3% this season barely trailed Cunningham’s 30.5%. Brunson shoots and scores more while Cunningham moves the ball a bit more often, but the ball is in their hands one way or another at rates that near the top of the league.

Cunningham regularly got inside the Cleveland Cavaliers’ defense last round. That is the defensive cost of a starting backcourt of James Harden and Donovan Mitchell. Cunningham then frequently moved the ball. That is the defensive perk of a starting frontcourt of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.

Brunson should see similar assists opportunities in this series.

Jalen Brunson same-game parlay

Cunningham also chucked quite a bit against the Cavaliers. He averaged nine 3-point attempts per game in the final three games and seven attempts per game through the seven-game series.

Compared to his regular-season rate of 5.7 3-point attempts per game, those numbers stood out.

Now realize, Jalen Brunson attempted 7.1 threes per game this season and has hit 40.9% of his attempts in the playoffs.

This Cleveland defense should provide Brunson looks anywhere but the rim, and he will gladly take those.

He will stray from the rim on both ends of the court, though, given the Cavaliers’ quality post presences and, quite frankly, James Harden’s physical advantages on the glass compared to Brunson’s.

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