Category: NBA

The NBA Finals will be filled with fresh faces. Both the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks are made up of players who haven’t appeared on this stage before. It’s an exciting time for the league, as the Spurs look to begin a new dynasty with Victor Wembanyama at the helm, and the Knicks look to win their first NBA Championship since 1994.

Right now, the Spurs are -198 favorites to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy on FanDuel. Which team ends up doing that will come down to the performances of their best players. These teams are loaded with talent. But which players rise to the top? Let’s break down the top-10 players in the NBA Finals.

1. Victor Wembanyama

The Western Conference Finals MVP will headline these NBA Finals. The 22-year-old Frenchman has been dominant. Over the course of the playoffs, Wembanyama is averaging 23.2 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 51% from the field and 37% from three. He’s proven that even in his first playoff run, he may be the best player in the league. His biggest impact in this series will likely come on the defensive end, as the Knicks feast in the paint and on the boards. If Wembanyama can own the paint, he’ll give the Spurs a major advantage.

2. Jalen Brunson

Brunson is writing himself into New York lore. He’s the best modern Knick, and may go down as one of the best New York athletes in history if he can bring home an NBA Championship. He’s scoring 26.9 points per game on 48.6% shooting from the field and 35.2% from three. That last stat is perhaps the most important. Brunson will be able to hurt the Spurs with his pull-up three-point shooting. It’s a shot that they’ve been prone to giving up in their drop pick-and-roll coverage. Brunson’s pull-up shooting from three and in the mid-range is a major factor in this series.

3. Karl-Anthony Towns

Towns is the type of player who can create big problems for the Spurs. He’s big, strong, and can shoot the three. Towns is averaging 16.9 points and 10.6 rebounds (2.6 of them offensive) while shooting 48.9% from three in the playoffs. The Knicks have used him as a hub for their offense and have thrived as a result. Towns has to stay out of foul trouble and hold up defensively against a physical Spurs team. If Wembanyama guards him, Towns will likely try to pull him out of the paint. If Stephon Castle guards him, as he did in the regular season, Towns will have a chance to bully the Spurs inside. How the Spurs decide to guard KAT is one of the more interesting strategic decisions in the Finals.

4. OG Anunoby

This was the first tough decision on the list. It’s very close between Anunoby and Castle for the fourth-best player in the series. The edge goes to Anunoby, who has been one of the Knicks’ best scorers this postseason, averaging 19.7 points on 57.7% shooting from the field and 48.3% from three. He’s accomplished that all while being their best perimeter defender. Anunoby may also find himself guarding Wembanyama a bit, as he did in the regular season. He’s a big, strong, agile wing who can hold his own against bigger players. Anunoby is an X-factor in this series just based on his defensive prowess. If he also continues to score the ball at a high level, he gives the Knicks a significant advantage.

5. Stephon Castle

After a run of three-straight Knicks, we finally have a Spur rounding out the top-five players in the series. Wembanyama has a huge gap between him and Brunson, but the margin between Castle and Anunoby is slim. Castle has emerged as the Spurs’ second-best player in the postseason with his lockdown defense and aggressive driving. He’s averaging 19.2 points and 6.7 assists while shooting 36.3% from deep in the postseason. The keys for him in this series are to keep spacing the floor with his shooting, reduce his turnovers (averaging 3.7 in the playoffs), and guard without fouling. He will likely be asked to take on several different tough defensive matchups against New York, switching between banging with Towns inside and chasing Brunson around screens on the perimeter.

6. De’Aaron Fox

Which version of Fox will we see in the NBA Finals? If it’s the Fox we saw explode for big scoring nights against the Portland Trail Blazers, he should be higher on this list. If his ankle injury still restricts him, as it did against the Oklahoma City Thunder, then he could actually be too high. Fox will be key to the Spurs’ offensive attack. He’s going to face tough matchups like Josh Hart or Mikal Bridges, who will have the length and speed to keep up with his quick attacks to the basket and contest his mid-range shots. Even if Fox’s scoring doesn’t return to his heights from the first round, he still has a role to play as a steadying hand for San Antonio. They’ll need him to be a leader against a tough Knicks defense.

7. Mikal Bridges

Bridges has been up and down for the Knicks in the postseason. He started the playoffs ice-cold from the field, but he has caught fire lately. He’s averaging 14.6 points on 58.6% shooting from the field and 34.1% from deep. New York needs him to hit threes in this series. He’ll likely have some open opportunities as the Spurs send a lot of defensive attention at Towns, Brunson, and Anunoby. Bridges is an ace-in-the-hole defensively for the Knicks. He provides some matchup issues for the Spurs with his length and athleticism. He’ll likely guard the Spurs guards, who will try to get their bodies into Bridges to counter his length.

8. Dylan Harper

Harper is the only non-starter in the top-10, and for good reason. He’s looked years ahead of where he should be as a 20-year-old guard in his first postseason. Harper is averaging 13.1 points off the bench while shooting 52.5% from the field and 36.4% from deep. He’s competing defensively and has been a force on the glass. Harper struggled through an adductor injury in the WCF, but now looks to be back to near full health. He should create some issues for the Knicks’ smaller bench backcourt. With rebounding being so critical in this series, Harper’s ability to crash the offensive glass should help the Spurs make up for their size disadvantage against New York.

9. Devin Vassell

You need great glue guys to win a championship. The last two players on this list fit the bill. Vassell was excellent in the WCF, knocking down big shots while making clutch defensive plays. Vassell’s defensive effort has been the biggest development for the Spurs this postseason. He’s had tough defensive assignments, like Anthony Edwards and Chet Holmgren, and risen to the occasion every single time. He’s been active in the passing lanes (1.4 steals per game) and made some highlight blocks. He’ll once again have to take on a difficult defensive assignment in the Finals, trying to guard players like Anunoby and Brunson. San Antonio needs him to hit shots and continue defending his tail off if they want to take home a championship.

10. Josh Hart

Hart isn’t going to wow anyone with his box score stats, but he does a lot of the little things that make a team great. He rebounds the ball, hustles on defense, and is a high-level passer. Whatever the Knicks need him to do, he does with intensity. The Spurs will force him to make three-pointers in the Finals. Hart is shooting just 30.3% in the postseason. If he makes open threes, the Spurs’ defensive scheme becomes even more difficult to execute. If he doesn’t, San Antonio can treat him like they did non-shooters in other series, leaving him open while Wembanyama roams the paint to block shots.

As anybody who has stayed up night after night through the NBA postseason knows, the human body wasn’t built for the late hours of playoff basketball. 

Our circadian rhythm typically optimizes for peak performance in the late afternoon and early evening, and it’s not just mental acuity that varies by time of day.

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“It’s mainly physical—for example, your muscle strength has a very strong circadian rhythm,” said Steven Lockley, a consultant to athletes and teams around the world as well as the co-founder and chief scientist for Timeshifter, an app that helps people mitigate jet lag.

That lends Western Conference teams an edge, including in the NBA Finals. 

During the season, West Coast players are more often playing at 4 p.m. biological clock time (East Coast away games) or 7 p.m. (home), rather than the 7 p.m. (home) and 10 p.m. (away) tips East Coast players are managing.

In other sports, circadian rhythms have been credited with helping swimmers break more records in afternoon plunges and giving Pacific time NFL teams a leg up in Monday Night Football contests.

The wider the time-zone differential, the larger the impact. Since the 1999-00 season, Eastern time zone NBA teams have won 39% of their road games in other time zones when starting before 8:30 ET. That drops to 36% for tipoffs between 8:30-10:29 p.m. ET … and falls further from there. 

To maximize TV audience, the Finals maintain a consistent 5:30 p.m. PT/8:30 p.m. ET start time (games started after 9 p.m. ET as recently as 2022). 

“The West Coast teams definitely have an advantage on average over the East Coast,” Lockley said.

With only a one-hour difference between San Antonio and New York, the Knicks won’t face as big a disadvantage as past Eastern champions. The typical body can handle a one-hour shift within a day of landing. Still, the Spurs could find a small edge. If they remain rooted on San Antonio time, Game 3 and 4 in New York will feel like 7:30 p.m. tipoffs rather than 8:30 starts.

The Knicks, then, might be wise to try living on Texas time. However, maintaining an artificial schedule for the home portion of a series, with players surrounded by families and other obligations, is trickier than when stars are largely sequestered in a team hotel, as the Spurs will be in NYC.

A 2022 study of 11,481 NBA games from Australia’s Monash University found that the eastward jet-lag effect impaired returning home teams more than visiting away teams, amplifying the league’s geographic imbalance. 

Thanks to dynastic Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors runs, 13 of the last 25 Eastern Conference champions have had to handle cross-country flights in the Finals (not counting the COVID Bubble Finals). Pacific time teams are 9-4 in those matchups.

Of course, having Kobe Bryant and Steph Curry probably factors in, too. The aforementioned time-based winning percentage numbers do not take into account team quality. Over the last 25 years, the Lakers and Warriors have generally presented stiffer tests than the New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies, regardless of what time the games are played. Utah and Denver have unique altitude edges as well. 

That said, some western teams have pressed their advantage by keeping their body clocks on hometown time when traveling east, i.e.,staying up late on the road, this time on coach’s orders, before adjusting slowly. 

In college hoops, Cal reportedly did exactly that after hearing from a former NASA consultant, as it figured out how to handle playing in the ACC against many teams located on the East Coast.

There are two potential benefits: keeping games in earlier biological clock time windows and—with proper adjustments to light exposure and meal planning—limiting the effect of jet lag. For those forced to shift their clocks, travel-related sleep disruption has been found to impair everything from shooting percentage to defensive rating. 

The result of all these temporal challenges? Since 1999-00, seven of the 10 teams with the smallest home court advantages—measured in terms of average point differential at home versus away—play in the Eastern time zone, and none of those 10 are on Pacific or Mountain time. New York is 26th in home court advantage over that span. 

Following a growing acceptance of sleep science, NBA teams have adjusted their flight and practice times to navigate player clocks, Lockley said, leaving plenty of time for rest. Certain stars have also mastered the art of the pregame nap.

Victor Wembanyama, in particular, has put an emphasis on ZZZ’s. Entering the draft, he already aimed for 10 hours of sleep per night, with afternoon time set aside for additional snoozes. He’s been known to put his phone on airplane mode after 9 p.m. ET, while staffers are told not to contact him after 9:30. 

“That’s when he reads for an hour,” Spurs director of basketball communications Jordan Howenstine told The Athletic in 2024. “Then he goes to sleep.”

After games, Spurs vet De’Aaron Fox recently shared, Wemby has returned to the locker room wearing blue light-blocking glasses, counting down the time until he can rest.

While travel is disruptive for everyone, preparation for the unique challenges of NBA play in June—from later-than-normal starts to there-and-back-again time zone hops—could prove decisive. 

Getting nine hours a night throughout the playoffs? Whether you’re on the court or just watching from home, there’s nothing more alien than that.

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Breen has been the Knicks’ play-by-play voice on MSG Networks since 1998 — but this is the first time during that stretch that he’ll announce the Knicks in the Finals.

“It’s kind of a bucket list thing,” Breen said. “Twenty-one Finals is impossible to comprehend for me, and I always thought it’d be pretty cool to have the Knicks in one. And to see the growth of the team the last couple of years and to see what this team has done for the fan base of New York — I’ve lived in New York my whole life. It’s really energized the city like nothing I’ve ever seen, so I’m really looking forward to it.”

Breen will be on the call with analysts Richard Jefferson and Tim Legler when the Knicks end their 27-year Finals drought and tip off Game 1 against the Spurs on Wednesday, June 3.

Breen announced the Knicks’ 1994 Finals series loss to the Rockets on the radio for New York’s WFAN. In 1999, when the Knicks made it back to the Finals, Marv Albert was on the call instead of Breen.  

Now, Breen is getting a second chance. This year’s Knicks-Spurs championship series is a rematch of the 1999 Finals, when the Knicks became the first 8-seed to make the Finals at the conclusion of the lockout-shortened NBA season. But with Patrick Ewing out injured and Larry Johnson banged up, New York couldn’t finish the job and the Spurs won the first of coach Gregg Popovich’s five NBA titles.

“That’s when you started to realize Tim Duncan was going to be one of the greatest players of all time,” Breen recalled. “It was actually a great year for both teams, even though the Knicks fell short. But San Antonio, you started thinking, OK, this could be a team that’s going to win a lot of titles in a row.”

More: The Knicks are back in the Finals and the whole city is coming along

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Getting into the notoriously expensive 2026 NBA Finals finally got a little cheaper.

Just one day after our team reported that ticket prices for Game 1 at the San Antonio Spurs’ Frost Bank Center started at $1,000 including fees on SeatGeek, prices have plummeted.

At the time of publication, seats now start at $767 including fees to see Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, De’Aaron Fox, Julian Champaigne and Dylan Harper in the Alamo City.

While still quite pricey, a $233 discount simply for waiting 24 hours to pull the trigger on tickets is not a bad deal at all.

Throw in the fact that you can score an additional $10 off if you use promo code NYPOST10 for purchases over $250 at checkout and you’ll practically be gaming the system (Editor’s Note: this discount is only valid for users’ first purchase on SeatGeek).

Should you attend a game at the New York Knicks’ Madison Square Garden, you’ll be ponying up quite a bit more moolah.

Over the past week, prices have steadily risen to catch Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and co. on their home court.

On May 26, we found seats going for $3,543 including fees (for Game 4).

And that was the best deal.

Now, the lowest price we can find on tickets is a whopping $4,112 including fees.

For those without a calculator on hand, that’s a $569 (!) jump in just seven days.

Demand is high — tickets cost roughly the same what it’ll run you to get into the Super Bowl — but might be worth the eye-popping price tag.

“Nothing compares to Knicks playoff energy,” Post social media guru and Knicks diehard Olivia Silio told us.

“The roar of the crowd, the fans jumping up and down after every shot, the celebrities hyping up the crowd, the MSG organist leading the chants, the announcer after every point. MSG makes you feel like you’re a part of history.”

Want to save and go to a game in the House that Duncan Built or witness the 1999 NBA Finals rematch in the Big Apple?

We’re here to help, hoops-heads.

Our team has everything you need to know about seeing the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs in the 2026 NBA Finals live below.

San Antonio Spurs NBA Finals home game tickets

All Spurs playoff home game dates at the Frost Bank Center and the cheapest tickets available (versus what they cost on June 1) can be found here:

New York Knicks NBA Finals home game tickets

A complete calendar, including all announced Knicks NBA Finals home game dates and the best prices on tickets are listed below.

Knicks playoff home game giveaways

Silio also let us know that there are some additional perks to attending games at MSG.

“The first home game of the series, you’ll go home with a souvenir t-shirt, commemorating the game,” she said.

“Other games have ‘Always Knicks’ towels for fans to keep as well as interactive arena bracelets, used for light shows and hyping up the crowd. Another bonus is you may see your favorite actor, singer or athlete, rooting alongside you.”

About Knicks-Spurs

The Knicks and Spurs played three times over the course of the 2025-26 season.

In their first contest, the stakes were high. New York and San Antonio met in the championship game of the 2025 NBA Cup on Dec. 16. OG Anunoby dropped 28 points while Brunson netted 25 and ended up winning MVP for the in-season tourney.

“This is great and we’re going to enjoy this,” Brunson said. “But once we leave tomorrow, we’re moving on.”

Game number two — just a good, old-fashioned regular season showdown — saw Julian Champagnie score 36 and lead San Antonio to a surprise, come-from-behind 134-132 victory on New Year’s Eve.

When the elite clubs played a third time, New York stomped on the Spurs and walked away with a commanding 114-89 blowout. Mikal Bridges scored 25 while Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart chipped in double-doubles.

Notable storylines swirling around the Finals are center Mitchell Robinson’s broken left pinky finger, whether Anunoby and/or Hart will be able to stop Wemby, New York’s week of rest versus San Antonio’s non-stop schedule following their seven-game bloodbath with the Oklahoma City Thunder and NYC local ties for Spurs players Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle.

Clearly, there’s a lot to sift through.

If you want to dig deeper, you can find all New York Post Knicks stories here.

Huge concerts at MSG in 2026

Not sure what to do once the final buzzer sounds on the 2025-26 NBA season?

MSG has you covered.

The legendary venue has booked a number of exciting acts to entertain audiences all summer long.

Here are just five of our favorites you won’t want to miss live.

• Bon Jovi (July 7-9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23, 26)

• Earth, Wind, and Fire with Lionel Richie (July 11)

• Phish (July 22, 24, 25, 27, 29)

• RUSH (July 28, 30, Aug. 1, 3)

• J. Cole (Aug. 2, 4)

Want to see who else is Big Apple-bound? Check out this list of all the upcoming events at Madison Square Garden to find the show for you.

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Knicks forward OG Anunoby gifted Emmy-winning TV host Martha Stewart a pair of his shoes after she posted about them on Instagram.

The shoes were size 15.5 and included a “very nice message” and autograph, Stewart said on her Instagram.

The footwear flirtation started when Stewart commented on Instagram recently: “OG Anunoby wears my favorite Skechers while playing for the Knicks tonight at the Garden!!!!!“ 

Anunoby responded: “i’m glad you like them martha.”

Stewart has appeeared at a couple of games this postseason at MSG as the Knicks have made a run to the NBA Finals — most recently at Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Cavaliers.

Stewart, who was convicted of five felony charges related to the ImClone stock trading case, spent five months in federal prison for fraud. She was released in March 2005.

The media entrepreneur returned to professional life after her release, becoming Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia’s chairwoman again in 2015.

Her company has since been acquired by Sequential Brands Group and then sold for $175 million.

Stewart became the oldest woman to appear on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue at age 81 in 2023.

Anunoby, who sent Stewart a pair of Skechers, signed with the company in May 2025 during the Knicks’ previous playoff run.

The former Indiana Hoosier joined Joel Embiid, Julius Randle and Josh Green on the Sketchers team.

Anunoby is averaging 19.7 points per game, 6.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and one block per game this postseason spanning 12 games.

Many of his numbers are up from the regular season, when he averaged 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 0.7 blocks per game.

Anunoby missed part of the second-round 76ers series after suffering a hamstring injury in Game 2. He also missed nine games during the regular season with a similar injury.

The forward and his Knicks teammates face the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals on Wednesday night.

Anunoby averaged 16.3 points per game against the Spurs this season, with a high of 28 in December.

He also added 6.3 rebounds, two assists and one turnover per game.

After calling Knicks fans “annoying” during the conference semifinals, Charles Barkley has changed his tune.

Barkley raved about the “energy” of New York fans on Adam Schein’s “Mad Dog Sports Radio” show on Monday morning — while still having a little dig for the orange and blue faithful.

“I’m not gonna lie, last year in the Conference Finals, we traveled, and man, it’s a different thing being in New York,” Barkley told Schein, according to Awful Announcing. “I know New Yorkers are annoying. But man, they’re right. When the Knicks are doing good, it’s a different energy in that city.”

“It was one of the most amazing things those three games we went to in New York,” Barkley said, referring to the Knicks’ Conference Finals matchup against the Pacers last year. “And then now you’re gonna put it on steroids going to the Finals.”

With “Inside the NBA” serving as the NBA Finals’ primary studio show for the first time in the show’s 38-year history, Barkley is especially looking forward to the series.

“For me, being able to do the Finals for the first time, to get the New York Knicks in the Finals…I’m so glad we’re gonna get to do the games,” Barkley said. “But for Adam Silver, this is a dream matchup to get the Knicks against Victor (Wembanyama).”

Barkley hasn’t always sided with New York, though, as he complained about the “annoying” Knicks fans during the first round series against Atlanta.

He claimed that Knicks fans who were staying in the same hotel as him questioned coach Mike Brown and suggested the team trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo when the Knicks fell 2-1 down in the series.

The Knicks, though, have won 11 straight games since and are on the doorstep of their first title since 1973.

Game 1 tips off on Wednesday night in San Antonio.

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New Yorkers, we’ve been waiting a long time for this — we have to show up in style.

Our New York Knicks are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.

The finals start today, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late to get all of your watch party gear set, whether you’re watching from a bar, your couch or with 18,000 other fans at Madison Square Garden.

An Amazon Prime membership unlocks all kinds of benefits for users, but the best — and most relevant, as Knicks fans on a bit of a time crunch — is the ultra-fast shipping. If you aren’t already a member, you can take advantage of a 30-day free trial (which will also run through this year’s annual Prime Day) and get your Knicks gear in less than 24 hours.

NBA Court Classic Adult Short Sleeve Knicks T-Shirt

This classic tee with a vintage vibe is a perfect fit — especially since it’ll be on your doorstep in time for your next watch party.

Subscribe to Sports+ for unlimited access to Knicks coverage

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LeBron James is still in the business of keep receipts.

On an episode of his “Mind the Game” podcast with Steve Nash, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar took a pointed shot at former Lakers champion Ron Harper while discussing Harper’s son, San Antonio Spurs rookie Dylan Harper.

“Yeah, Dylan’s great. I mean, his daddy ain’t s–t, but he’s good,” James said. “I’ll see him when I see him.”

The comment seemed to be a direct response to remarks Ron Harper made during NBA All-Star Weekend earlier this year. When asked whether he always envisioned both of his sons, Dylan Harper and Ron Harper Jr., reaching the NBA, the five-time NBA champion took an apparent swipe at James.

“I’m not LeBron James,” Harper said. “I’m not going to tell my kids what they have to do. I just want them to play and enjoy the game and whatever they can get back out of the ball game, we will take it.”

Harper later doubled down during an appearance on the “It Is What It Is” podcast, ranking Scottie Pippen ahead of James on his all-time small forward list while criticizing LeBron’s defensive style.

James’ latest comment came while praising Dylan Harper, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The former Rutgers star has quickly become one of the league’s most promising young players and is helping fuel a Spurs team that beat the odds by making the 2026 NBA Finals, beating out the favored Oklahoma City Thunder.

For now, the exchange adds another chapter to an unexpected feud between two former NBA champions. And judging by LeBron’s response, it’s clear he hasn’t forgotten Harper’s comments anytime soon.

The Thunder “believe in Chet Holmgren” — even if some others don’t.

On Monday’s segment of “NBA Today”, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon made his thoughts on Holmgren clear: He’s a building block for the Thunder moving forward, even after his disastrous Game 7 and overall series against the Spurs.

“The Oklahoma City Thunder believe in Chet Holmgren,” MacMahon said. “They believe in his talent. They believe in his character. They believe in his work ethic.”

After Holmgren’s dud in the Western Conference finals against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs, the big man has his fair share of critics.

In the Thunder’s 111-103 Game 7 loss to San Antonio on Saturday, Holmgren took just two shots and scored a playoff-low four points in roughly 33 minutes.

Ogwumike said that while Holmgren was open for shots, he chose not to take them as Wembanyama disrupted his entire flow.

“It’s not like Chet has an issue in the NBA. He has a Victor Wembanyama issue, more specifically ” ESPN’s Chiney Ogwumike added. “If I’m Chet Holmgren, I’m turning off the TV, getting some rest, and then I’m locking myself in the gym. Because it was more so a mindset thing than it was a talent thing.”

Holmgren’s woes against San Antonio in Game 7 weren’t anything new.

In 11 games against the Spurs this season, including the playoffs, Holmgren averaged just 10.6 points per game, shot 46 percent from the field and 24 percent from 3.

Against all other teams this season, Holmgren averaged 17.6 points per game, shot 57 percent from the field and 37 percent from downtown.

“I like to give people some grace, but he (Holmgren) has to figure it out soon,” Ogwumike said. “Because there’s (Nikola) Jokic in the West. There’s Wemby in the West. There’s (Rudy) Gobert in the West.”

Even with trade rumors swirling, MacMahon doesn’t think Oklahoma City has any plans to move its 24-year-old star.

“This idea that it’s time to pull the plug on Chet Holmgren in Oklahoma City — I can promise you this, (Thunder general manager) Sam Presti will not be taking that advice,” MacMahon said.

The Thunder have key decisions to make this offseason, but trading Holmgren may not be one of them.

Eleven consecutive wins. A string of dominant blowouts. For the first time in 53 years, the New York Knicks are just four wins away from an NBA championship, and the entire city is at a boiling point.

But the mania isn’t just contained to the hardwood at Madison Square Garden. When massive, legacy-defining moments happen on the court, they trigger a massive secondary market reaction. According to new data released by eBay, the Knicks’ historic postseason run has sent Knicks basketball cards and memorabilia into the stratosphere.

The Jalen Brunson Effect

No one embodies this gritty, dominant New York run more than Jalen Brunson. The Knicks captain, and last 2025’s clutch player of the year, has officially transcended standard stardom.

On May 26, the day after the Knicks officially clinched the Eastern Conference Finals, “Jalen Brunson” was searched more than 1,500 times per hour globally on eBay.

While Brunson is leading the charge, the true story of this Knicks run has been their sheer depth and tough, cohesive play. That balanced dominance has caused search spikes for nearly every key piece of the roster. Comparing search data from the week leading up to Game 1 of the ECF (May 12–18) against the previous week’s baseline, the hobby’s obsession with New York is obvious:

• Landry Shamet: up over 1,700%

• New York Knicks (Team Gear/Cards): up over 440%

• Jalen Brunson: up over 360%

• Josh Hart: up over 260%

• Mikal Bridges: up over 230%

• Karl-Anthony Towns: up over 200%

• OG Anunoby: up over 160%

Wemby’s Historic Performance

While New York owns the Eastern narrative, San Antonio’s phenom is generating Shohei Ohtani level hype.

On May 18, Victor Wembanyama became just the fourth player since 2000 to record a monstrous 40-point, 20-rebound playoff game. The historic masterpiece against the Oklahoma City Thunder sent shockwaves through the collecting community. On the night of the performance, global eBay users searched for Wembanyama more than 5,300 times per hour.

The following day (May 19), the scramble to secure his cards intensified, with specific searches for “Victor Wembanyama cards” surging over 300% compared to his mid-May baseline.

Sellers are moving quickly to cash in on the generational hype, too. Total eBay listings for Wembanyama items increased 40% in April 2026 compared to the opening weeks of the NBA season back in October 2025.

Capitalizing on the Moment

The hobby acceleration isn’t just happening on the secondary market, either, the manufacturers are already finding historic ways to capitalize on the upcoming Finals momentum.

Fanatics and Topps announced a massive, first-of-its-kind integration for the 2026 NBA Finals. As part of the league’s season-long celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, every single player taking the court during the Finals will wear a USA 250 patch on their jersey. These patches will be physically removed from the jerseys after each game. Select game-worn patches will then be embedded directly inside ultra-rare Topps trading cards.

It’s a brilliant play that perfectly aligns with the modern market’s obsession with scarcity and game-worn history. Instead of waiting months for products to catch up to the hype, collectors are being given a direct narrative link to the exact games crowning this year’s champion.

The Takeaway

As the NBA Finals approach and the NBA Draft looms, the modern sports card market continues to act as a real-time ledger for fan attention. In 2026, the equation is simple: if you win on the court in May and June, you win the hobby.

Who are you collecting ahead of the NBA Finals? Let us know on Mantel.

The sentencing of Aspiration co-founder Joseph Sanberg to 14 years in federal prison on Monday brings the NBA a step closer to concluding its nine-month investigation into the Clippers allegedly circumventing the salary cap.

Sanberg pleaded guilty in October to federal charges of conspiring to bilk investors out of $248 million for portraying the now-defunct Aspiration as a “socially-conscious and sustainable banking services and investment products” firm.

The NBA has declined to comment on the status of the probe centered on $60 million invested in Aspiration by Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and the $28-million contract Clippers star Kawhi Leonard signed with Aspiration for endorsement and marketing work that he never delivered.

Players are allowed to have separate endorsement and other business deals, but at issue is whether the Clippers participated in arranging the side deal beyond simply introducing Aspiration executives to Leonard. Doing so would be a violation of Article 13 of the NBA collective bargaining agreement, punishable by a $4.5-million fine, the loss of a first-round draft pick and the voiding of Leonard’s contract.

The NBA Draft takes place June 23-24 and the Clippers have three picks, including the fifth overall selection. The league is not expected to release its findings until after the NBA Finals, which begin Wednesday between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs.

Read more:Steve Ballmer blasts Aspiration co-founder Joe Sanberg's bid for leniency ahead of sentencing

Clippers officials haven’t commented on the investigation. But Leonard, who has one year left on a three-year, $149.5 million contract that will pay him $50.3 million next season, told The Athletic after the Clippers’ season-ending game April 15 that “I think we’re going to be in the clear. I’m not stressing.”

Otherwise, among the few public comments about the investigation were letters submitted to federal court judge Stephen V. Wilson ahead of Sanberg’s sentencing by Ballmer and the law firm conducting the probe on behalf of the NBA.

The letter from Dave Anders of Wachtell Lipton stated that Sanberg provided documentation and information helpful to the NBA investigation during two in-person interviews.

“In all our dealings with Mr. Sanberg, both directly and through his counsel, he provided information that was consistent with our review of contemporaneous documents and other evidence,” Anders wrote. “Mr. Sanberg’s cooperation substantially assisted our investigation, including our ability to develop a more complete understanding of key events.”

Ballmer countered by asking Wilson for a stiff sentence in a five-page Victim Impact Statement posted on social media by his lawyer, David N. Kelley.

Read more:Questions over Kawhi Leonard payments put focus on NBA salary cap

“Sanberg continues to exploit his fraud of Mr. Ballmer for his benefit, providing information to the NBA in return for a sentencing letter that the league submitted on his behalf,” Kelley wrote. “The reliability of Sanberg’s information is suspect given that he has pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges, and the government has made its own determination that he is not credible.”

Before handing down the sentence, Wilson made it clear that Sanberg’s credibility was questionable.

“He portrays himself as a do-gooder who was in business to help the world, but he did personally gain from his fraud,” Wilson said, later adding, “I would put the grade of his fraud at the zenith.”

Ballmer, a former longtime CEO of Microsoft who has owned the Clippers since 2014, accused Sanberg of targeting him for his well-known interest in environmental sustainability and exaggerating their relationship to convince others to invest in the fraudulent company. He said he met Sanberg only once.

Ballmer invested $50 million in Aspiration in September 2021. A month later, the Clippers announced a $300 million sponsorship deal with the company. Ballmer nearly granted Aspiration naming rights to the team’s new $2 billion venue as well, but instead chose financial services firm Intuit. Ballmer made an additional $10 million investment in Aspiration on March 9, 2023.

Read more:Clippers considered naming dome after bankrupt firm at center of Kawhi Leonard allegations

Ballmer was added in November as a defendant in a civil lawsuit against Sanberg and several others associated with Aspiration. Ballmer and the other defendants are accused by 11 investors in Aspiration of fraud and aiding and abetting fraud, with the plaintiffs seeking at least $50 million in damages.

Kelly contended that Ballmer was added as a defendant because of his “visibility and resources,” and portrayed the Clippers owner as a victim, saying “Mr. Ballmer’s losses are not measured solely, or even primarily, on a balance sheet. They are measured in the reputational damage that will take years to remediate, and in the chilling effect on future endeavors intended to do good.”

The lone public comment about the investigation from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver came during All-Star Weekend in February at the Intuit Dome when he described the issue as “enormously complex.”

“You have a company in bankruptcy, you have thousands of documents, multiple witnesses that needed to be interviewed,” Silver said.

The investigation was triggered by reports from podcaster Pablo Torre that Leonard’s sponsorship deal with Aspiration was to circumvent the salary cap. Torre and the staff of “Pablo Torre Finds Out” won a Pulitzer Prize for Audio Reporting for their efforts.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Jalen Brunson’s popularity among New Yorkers is soaring into Billy Joel and Spider-Man territory as he leads the New York Knicks into battle against the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals tonight.

The hopes of Big Apple basketball fans rest with the explosive guard, and my Knicks vs. Spurs predictions for Game 1 call for Brunson to do damage from deep.

My NBA picks like him to knock down at least three triples on Wednesday, June 3.

Don't miss tip-off at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

Knicks vs Spurs Game 1 prediction

Who will win Knicks vs Spurs Game 1?

Knicks: The Knicks saw the bad side of extended rest in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals and needed a historic comeback to avoid a loss. New York will be much more cautious of that layoff in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. I like the Knicks’ defensive rotation against Wembanyama and believe New York’s ability to hit from outside will expose the Spurs’ soft perimeter defense in a way the shorthanded Thunder couldn’t. Add in a possible letdown spot from San Antonio after Game 7 with OKC, and I like New York’s chances to steal the opener in Texas.

Knicks vs Spurs best bet: Jalen Brunson Over 2.5 made threes (+135)

The San Antonio Spurs did a great job bottling up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander but face a different can of worms in New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson.

Where an attacking SGA would avoid the arc like an ex-girlfriend, Brunson is a pull-up threat the second he crosses half.

With Victor Wembanyama lurking in the key, the Knicks need to stretch a Spurs defense that doesn’t have much length beyond Wemby. That means smaller defenders and cleaner looks for Brunson.

Projections lean toward a trio of triples from Brunson with an underdog game script giving Over 2.5 threes a shot in the arm at plus-money.

COVERS INTEL: San Antonio didn’t have a defender within at least four feet on 93% of OKC’s 3-point attempts in the WCF. Brunson laps up those looks and went a collective 10 for 24 from distance in three meetings with the Spurs this season.

Knicks vs Spurs Game 1 same-game parlay

“Rest vs. Rust” is on everyone’s mind but New York’s extended break has the Knicks at nearly 100% health (save for Mitchell Robinson’s pinkie). That means OG Anunoby is recovered from a hamstring injury and leads the charge in frustrating Victor Wembanyama. New York has better defensive options than the Spurs, which makes them a dangerous Three-and-D foe.

I like the Knicks to keep it closer than bookies expect.

Jalen Brunson’s 3-point attempts prop sits at 6.5 O/U for Game 1, but if San Antonio plays the perimeter as passive as it did versus the Thunder, Brunson will make the most of that space.

He’s had to deal with longer defenders closing out in the first three rounds, but San Antonio doesn’t have that same size in the backcourt. Brunson’s projections and game script, with New York playing from behind, all give life to three or more makes from long range.

Karl-Anthony Towns has thrived as a “point forward” for New York in the playoffs, doubling his assist output from the regular season to almost six dimes per game.

With Wembanyama defending Josh Hart, in order to stay close to the key, KAT will get picked up by much smaller forwards. That creates space for cuts and screens underneath and the taller Towns can pass over the top to those waiting hands.

He can also drive from the top of the key or post up smaller defenders, collapsing the Spurs defense and kicking out to open shooters.

His Game 1 models aren’t as bullish on his assists (3.5), but KAT has recorded five or more dimes in nine of his last 11 playoff games. This matchup with San Antonio allows him to exploit his size edge as a passer again, something he didn't have against the bigger Cavaliers. 

Knicks vs Spurs SGP

• Knicks +4.5
• Jalen Brunson Over 2.5 threes
• Karl-Anthony Towns Over 4.5 assists

Our "from downtown" SGP: City slicker

The Spurs may be ripe for a letdown spot after an emotional Game 7 win in the Western Conference Finals.

The Knicks have had 10 days to rest and scheme for slowing down San Antonio. If the regular season is any indicator — and it was for the Spurs vs. OKC — New York has gotten the better of their Finals foe in two of their three meetings.

Brunson anchors that opening victory by knocking down open threes, taking in a trio of rebounds, and swiping at least one steal from a San Antonio backcourt that’s been sloppy at times in the playoffs.

Knicks vs Spurs SGP

• Knicks moneyline
• Jalen Brunson Over 2.5 threes
• Jalen Brunson Over 2.5 rebounds
• Jalen Brunson Over 0.5 steals

Knicks vs Spurs odds for Game 1

• Spread: Knicks +4.5 | Spurs -4.5
• Moneyline: Knicks +155 | Spurs -185
• Over/Under: Over 218.5 | Under 218.5

Knicks vs Spurs betting trend to know

The Knicks are 31-11 SU when Jalen Brunson makes three or more 3-pointers. Find more NBA betting trends for Spurs vs. Knicks.

How to watch Knicks vs Spurs Game 1

Knicks vs Spurs latest injuries

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Despite the San Antonio Spurs dethroning the reigning league champions and looking like the team to beat heading into the best-of-seven NBA Finals, bettors are finding plenty of value with the underdog New York Knicks. 

Key Takeaways

• FanDuel and DraftKings both reported that more than 60% of the money is on underdog New York to win the NBA title. 
  
  
• Caesars has taken more Knicks tickets, but the handle is leaning toward the favored Spurs. 
  
  
• Several big bets with large payouts were made at opportune times. 

Three U.S. sportsbooks told Covers this week that the Eastern Conference champs are taking more action than the Victor Wembanyama-led Spurs to win the series at around 2-to-1 odds before Wednesday’s Game 1.  

“Early action has seen this series pretty evenly bet to this point,” David Lieberman, Caesars Sportsbook’s pro basketball lead, said. “As far as tickets, there are more on the Knicks so far by about 2:1, while the Spurs have taken slightly more money.” 

FanDuel reported that the Knicks, who are currently +162 in the NBA Finals odds, are getting 56% of the bets and 65% of the handle. DraftKings said 63% of the money is backing New York, leaving the Spurs with 37% of the handle.  

Bigger liability

Since the NBA championship market opened last summer, BetMGM has seen the Knicks take 14.1% of the total wagers, with San Antonio second at 12.2%. However, the Spurs, who took a smaller percentage of the money, are a bigger threat to the operator.  

“The Spurs have the best player and the better overall team, making them clear favorites in the NBA Finals,” BetMGM sports trader Anthony Parenti said. “The sportsbook will be cheering for the Knicks as San Antonio is the biggest remaining liability on the futures book.” 

The Spurs are a 4.5-point favorite at home in Game 1, and DraftKings reported early Wednesday that 55% of the handle and 54% of the bets have come in on the underdog Knicks to cover the spread. 

Spurs’ odds to get here

The Spurs started with the longer championship odds, opening at +2,500 in BetMGM’s odds last summer and ballooning to +6,600 when the season began with Wembanyama dealing with a calf issue. 

By Christmas, San Antonio’s odds shortened to +2,200 and then down to +1,200 a week later. After winning 62 regular-season games and claiming the second seed in the Western Conference, the Spurs entered the playoffs at +450 to win it all at BetMGM. San Antonio was still +300 before they shocked the +140 favorite to win it all before the playoffs began in the conference finals in seven games. 

Knicks’ odds to get here

New York opened with much lighter +700 odds to win the NBA title, but the Knicks lengthened to around +1,000 when the season began. Their odds spiked as high as +2,000 late in the regular season, when they won 53 games to take the third seed in the East. 

New York’s chances grew dimmer when it was tied 2-2 in the first round against the Atlanta Hawks. Still, the Knicks enter the final series winning 12 consecutive games over the Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, and Cleveland Cavaliers, going from +900 at the start of the second round to win it all to under +200 heading into the final series. 

Big payouts

Caesars reported multiple futures wagers that could result in significant payouts. A Kentucky bettor placed a $5,000 bet at the beginning of the regular season on the Spurs when they were +2,500 for a potential $125,000 win. A New York customer is looking to cash in for $120K on a $10K bet placed in February on the Spurs at +1,200. 

A bettor in New Jersey found great value on the Knicks in April, getting $5K down to win $100K. A Colorado customer foresaw this exact matchup in October, betting $500 on a Knicks over Spurs final that would pay $95K. In February, a New York bettor took the Knicks over the Spurs for $1,000 with odds of +10,000, while a Caesars customer in Massachusetts did the same in early May, which would produce a $90K win on a $2K bet. 

BetMGM said it took a $50,000 wager on the Spurs at +650 and a $22,000 futures bet on the Knicks at +2,200. 

A bettor at @BetMGM wagered $20,000 on @nyknicks +2200 to win the NBA Championship

Knicks +170 to upset the Spurs in the NBA Finals

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER pic.twitter.com/KwG93Iwju0

— John Ewing (@johnewing) June 1, 2026

Stars lead MVP betting

The top talents in the series are unsurprisingly getting the most betting action for NBA Finals MVP odds at multiple sportsbooks. 

Wembanyama, who started the playoffs at +600 to win the award, is now -190 at BetMGM, while New York star guard Jalen Brunson has gone from +2,800 to +200 to take home series MVP. 

Brunson is BetMGM’s biggest liability in the futures market with 16.5% of the tickets, with Wembanyama second at 14.4%. DraftKings said the Spurs’ second-year center is the most-bet player by handle. Brunson is second, with Karl-Anthony Towns third. 

The Knicks’ center is getting the third-most tickets at BetMGM. Caesars said it has seen significant interest in Knicks forward OG Anunoby (+3,500) and Spurs guard Dylan Harper (+15,000). 

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.