Did someone leak the “script” for the NBA’s Eastern Conference finals?
In a mistake sure to motivate the Pistons and provide fodder for conspiracy theorists who believe sports are fixed, ABC affiliates from Alabama to California, South Carolina and Nebraska aired a commercial promoting the Knicks-Cavaliers conference finals series, according to Awful Announcing.
The only problem is that the Pistons beat the Cavaliers, 115-94, in Game 6 of their conference semifinals series Friday night, setting up a winner-take-all Game 7 at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday.
ABC wants to get you hyped up for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Knicks and the… Cavaliers? pic.twitter.com/YLj9NvDXTA
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 16, 2026
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson reacts after scoring during the first quarter during Game 4 against the 76ers. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The Pistons are a 4.5-point favorite at FanDuel.
ABC and ESPN will air the entire Eastern Conference finals.
“The Cavs eye another upset,” the commercial began, showing video of the Cavaliers with an advantage over the Pistons, “while the Knicks carry the dreams of all of New York.”
The tease then showed a promo for Cavaliers at Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, when it would have been the standalone game.
All that would have been the case if the Cavaliers had finished off the Pistons in Game 6 at home Friday night, but Detroit rebounded from a tough home overtime loss in Game 5 to force Game 7.
The promo that aired … for a game that won’t happen. @awfulannouncing/XCleveland Cavaliers’ James Harden (1) shoots between Detroit Pistons’ Jalen Duren (0) and Daniss Jenkins (24) in the second half of Game 6 of a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Friday, May 15, 2026, in Cleveland. AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki
Star Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 21 points in a balanced effort, while Donovan Mitchell had a rough night for the Cavaliers with a minus-25 rating despite scoring 18 points.
Instead, the series will start Tuesday night — either with the Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden or with the Knicks visiting the Pistons in a rematch from last year’s first-round series.
So, the network has plenty of time between Sunday night’s Game 7 in Detroit and Tuesday night to promote the correct two teams squaring off without getting button-happy.
It's looking more and more likely that OG Anunoby will be ready to return when the Knicks start the Eastern Conference Finals next week after going through another full round of practice Saturday.
Anunoby, who has missed the final two games of the 76ers series due to a right hamstring injury sustained late in the Knicks' Game 2 win, got through a full practice on consecutive days and told the media afterwards, including the Associated Press' Brian Mahoney, that he feels good.
“It didn’t feel as bad as the past when it happened,” Anunoby said. “So knowing that, just trying to improve it day by day.”
Anunoby isn't a stranger to injuries, but this particular strain seemed less severe from the start. SNY's Ian Begley reported last week that the strain was "minor" and there was optimism Anunoby would be back sooner rather than later.
The Knicks listed Anunoby as questionable for both Game 3 and 4, but the forward's services were not needed as New York handled their business in completing the four-game sweep of the Sixers. Now, with the series between the Cavaliers and Pistons going the distance, wrapping up on Sunday, Anunoby and the Knicks will have until Tuesday before Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals begins.
“I think everyone’s excited for the games to start, so just letting the other series play out,” Anunoby said. “So if it was tomorrow — it’s going to be Tuesday now — just be ready whenever it is.”
“He’s been back and he looks good to me,” Mikal Bridges said. “So I think maybe the crowd, maybe the fans and media worried a little bit more, but I know how OG works and how his body is, so I think he’ll be all right.”
Anunoby is averaging 21.4 points in the postseason while shooting 61.9 percent, including 53.8 percent from three-point range. He's also been the team's best defender and overall best player through the first two rounds of the postseason. They'll need Anunoby's production and defense to go up against either Cleveland or Detroit if they hope to make it to the NBA Finals for the first time in almost three decades.
LeBron James should retire from the NBA, according to one Hall of Famer.
But his reasoning has nothing to do with James’ current skillset.
Paul Pierce said James should hang up his sneakers because he believes critics are harsh on him as a 41-year-old in the NBA.
Pierce added the believed some of the NBA’s greatest players in James’ class did not receive the same treatment in the twilight years of their respective careers.
Paul Pierce says he thinks LeBron James should retire:
“Just like for the simple fact that at the age that he still receives the criticism that he still does. The greats wasn’t getting this criticism late. Nobody was criticizing Kobe when he wasn’t going to the playoffs in his… pic.twitter.com/1gzMrMvQwi
“Yeah, I think he should, man,” Pierce said on former Celtics and Nets teammate Kevin Garnett’s “KG: Certified” podcast. “Just like for the simple fact that at the age that he still receives the criticism that he still does. The greats wasn’t getting this criticism late. Nobody was criticizing Kobe [Bryant] when he wasn’t going to the playoffs in his last year. They was just enjoying his moments. Like, the same with [Michael] Jordan in Washington.”
The Lakers’ season ended in the second round of the playoffs earlier this week when they were swept in four games by the defending champion Thunder.
Following the loss, James said he wasn’t sure what his future in the game held.
Sources told The California Post the same message, that James was unsure and had not yet decided what his next steps were.
“Obviously, we’re still fresh from losing — I don’t know what the future holds for me as it stands right now,” James said. ”I got a lot of time. I’ll sit back, like I said last year after we lost to Minnesota, I [will] go back and recalibrate with my family, talk with them and spend some time with them. And then when the time comes, obviously, you guys will know what I decide to do.”
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers slams the ball during the first half at Barclays Center, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Brooklyn, NY. Corey Sipkin for NY Post
The four-time league MVP and 22-time All-Star still played at a high level for Los Angeles this year with 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game.
In the Game 4 loss to OKC, he recorded a 24-point, 12-rebound double-double.
Pierce added that he believes the critics who have harped on any of James’ issues have not put his age into the right perspective.
“For the simple fact that the man is 41, and we still critiquing him like he 25 and should be winning championships still,” Pierce said. “Just the criticism he gets still. He still gets criticism.”
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 30: The sneakers worn by Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 30, 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The highlights speak for themselves; if this was any other year Caleb Wilson could very well go #1 overall in the NBA Draft. This year just so happens to be stacked with NBA ready talent. This draft in particular has been touted as a “Big 3” draft between Cam Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, and Darryn Peterson, but I’m here to tell you that Caleb Wilson belongs in that same class.
Wilson dealt with some injury issues during his time at North Carolina but what he displayed in 24 games can’t be denied: nearly 20 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and nearly 3 stock (steals + blocks) a night. His shooting splits aren’t something that will be heralded but what he lacks in 3 point shooting he more than makes up for everywhere else.
What We Know
The NBA Draft Combine was a few days ago and what we know for sure are the measurables:
6’9.25” barefoot
210 lbs
7’ wingspan
9’ standing reach
39.5” max vertical
34.5” standing vertical
11.17 second in the lane agility drill
3.11 seconds in the shuttle run
3.23 second in the 3/4 Court Sprint
All of this information only confirms what we know: he’s a long, athletic, agile PF with huge defensive upside. It seems like there are a lot of pretty easy comparisons that I could make, and it looks like I’m not the only one.
“The bar seems like Kevin Garnett, the ceiling seems more like Giannis.”👀
Now with Kevin Garnett being my favorite player of all-time and THE reason that I even like the NBA at all I would make the argument that Giannis should be the bar and Kevin Garnett should be the ceiling, but I digress. Regardless of which Hall of Fame player you could compare him to, he has all of the tools to potentially live up to the hype. Now I have a personal rule that I’ll never judge a player that’s on his Rookie contract; there’s just so much that goes into evaluating a player that it would be unfair to judge a 22-23 year old and say that he’s capped out as a player. I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t see major upside in his potential selection. He also brings the right attitude to the game.
Caleb Wilson:
“I will change your franchise, your culture, your program, your city. I did that at North Carolina.”
Even more than that he seems to show up when the lights are the brightest. In his limited play at UNC he was able to go up against two of the top 3 aforementioned players and he certainly didn’t disappoint.
24 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, 9/11 FG against Darryn Peterson and Kansas
23 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 stocks against Cam Boozer and Duke
So, just to recap, we have a kid with a great wingspan, he’s a great athlete, he passes the eye test with his highlight reel, he’s already drawing comparisons to two former MVP and Hall of Fame caliber players, he has a great mentality when it comes to the game of basketball, AND he shows up when it matters most. I guess the only question we have to answer now is this; Why would we draft Caleb Wilson over two of the “Big 3”?
Why We Should
If everything I’ve said so far isn’t reason enough, maybe this will be enough to sway you: he’s by far the most versatile defender in this entire class. He finished his season at UNC with a 97.8 defensive rating, he can guard 1-4, he’s strong enough to hold his own against more bruising players in the league, he’s got the wingspan to alter any shot, and while other people might think that Kevin Garnett is his floor, I’m more of a realist and think that Evan Mobley is his floor, which in case we forgot is a former Defensive Player of the Year.
I understand why people, especially after this playoff series against the Pistons, would be skeptical of drafting an elite defensive prospect who needs some work on the offensive end. I hear you, and I understand you, but Caleb Wilson and Evan Mobley are not the same kind of animal on the offensive side of the ball. Now, I want to be as clear as I can about my position on Evan Mobley. I am in no way saying that averaging 18/9/3.6 and nearly 2 blocks a game is a bad thing, but the way that Evan gets his shots are not the same as the way Wilson does. These two players are fundamentally different.
I’m no psychologist but there’s something between the ears that separates the two. I believe that Evan had “it” at one point but after playing with Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, and now James Harden, I think that his drive to be this offensive force has died down quite a bit. I will refer you back to the video at the top of this article and ask you the simple question: does that look like someone who doesn’t have that drive to be a force on both sides of the ball?
Their shot diets are similar, yes, but between his transition game, his faceup game, his catch and shoot ability (despite the percentages), the fact that he shoots 72% at the rim and 44% from midrange (which would be comparable to what Anthony Edwards, Devin Booker, and Jamal Murray shoot from that range), AND his shooting mechanics which are as sound as they come, there’s a real chance that Wilson could become a dominant two-way force in this league if given the time to develop.
Speaking of time to develop, I think we could offer that to him here in Utah. After the acquisition of Jaren Jackson Jr. at the trade deadline, our forward/center rotation will be filled with veteran players who are ready to contribute right away. If we were to select Caleb Wilson #2 overall we could give him a chance to develop behind a former Defensive Player of the Year AND a phenomenal rebounder and shot blocker in Walker Kessler (assuming everyone comes back). He wouldn’t need to help us win a championship immediately, and he could be a valuable piece off our bench for the first part of his career. Not to mention the fact that if I know anything about Trader Danny it’s that if he thinks we can get better without someone he won’t hesitate to pick up the phone. Maybe he starts to develop a little more quickly than expected and he’s able to outperform Jaren Jackson Jr. We could get younger in the process, insert a defensive demon in his place, and potentially get even more draft capital in return without missing a beat. If that doesn’t sound like a Danny Ainge masterplan, I don’t know what does.
Why We Shouldn’t
Having that impressive frontcourt I just mentioned does complicate things a little bit. I’m not one that believes we need to draft for fit this high in the draft, but the more natural selection we would make would be either Darryn Peterson or AJ Dybantsa; whoever is available at the time. A Keyonte George/Darryn Peterson backcourt is enough to make my mouth water, and we could very easily slide Ace Bailey in at the shooting guard slot and run AJ Dybantsa at the 3. Drafting a player like Caleb Wilson at No. 2 when we already have JJJ and Walker Kessler on the roster wouldn’t exactly be maximizing our roster, and after the years of strategically tanking it seems like we’re ready to make a playoff push, and I think that Peterson or Dybantsa would help us more in that effort.
Something else that will be in question is his three point shooting ability. We’ve seen players be successful in the league without really making 3’s, but it is now becoming more and more of a requirement to be able to stretch the floor. There are rare exceptions, like what we’re seeing in Detroit with Ausar Thompson. Suffice it to say he is NOT a threat from deep (25% this year on VERY limited volume), but he’s able to be impactful on offense by living in the dunkers spot, slashing towards the rim, and getting active on the offensive glass. His athleticism helps him in that effort, and while I think that Caleb Wilson is indeed a great athlete, he’s not a 0.1% athlete like Ausar is. Wilson will be a good athlete in the NBA but he will undoubtedly need to add dimensions to his game if he wants to be great in this league, and without solid proof (other than open gym shooting drill videos) there is some level of skepticism to have about his offensive game.
If you couldn’t tell by this 1500 word article, I do think that Caleb Wilson will be great in this league for a long time, there is a part of me that isn’t sure that he’ll be great in this league while in Utah. I did an instant reaction mock draft after the Draft Lottery order was announced, and I have him slated to go No. 4 overall to the Chicago Bulls. That has not changed in the past week, and unless there is some MASSIVE news that drops between now and the NBA Draft, I don’t expect that to change. I still think that we’ll end up taking either Peterson or Dybantsa, but if we did select Wilson I certainly wouldn’t mind.
Who do you think we’ll take in the NBA Draft? Do you want Peterson, Dybantsa, or someone else entirely? Sound off in the comments!
As it is by now no secret, I enjoy watching Steven Adams play (also, his dog is cute) but that will not spare him from this article. With his production and injury, Adams, in retrospect, turned out to be one of the most important players for the Rockets this season, but unfortunately, on January 18, he suffered an ankle injury, and just 10 days later, it was announced that he would miss the entire season after surgery. After his injury, the Rockets were left with only Jeff Green and Clint Capela in the backup center’s arsenal.
In the offensive department, he enabled the Rockets, especially in offensive rebounding, since, outside of Kevin Durant, most of the players struggled with shooting, and sometimes it turned out that the best offensive play was to hope that the balls were repelled and the rebound was returned by Adams to another Rocket. As a result of all this, according to StatMuse, the Rockets had a strong net rating with their old man in the lineup. However, their great achievement also extended beyond the box score, as he was able to create second chance opportunities with elite offensive rebounding, protect the paint and be the tough guy on the court, which are not awlays fully calculated in a score.
Defensively, Adams helped make the game easier for Houston’s younger players. He played quarterback on the floor, always talking coverages and getting teammates in the right places. His ability to protect the post without having a ton of help defense gave Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. the freedom to play more aggressively on the perimeter. That defense was a huge reason Houston ascended the standings early in the year.
Perhaps the most overlooked aspect of Adams’ season was his chemistry with Alperen Sengun. On paper, many fans and media members wondered if two classic big men could prosper together in today’s NBA. The pairing often worked because the two players complemented each other’s skill sets. Adams focused on rebounding, screening and interior defense, while Şengün handled playmaking and scoring. The “double big” lineups in Houston physically wore out smaller teams and helped dictate the tempo of games. Houston was able to run some double big lineups with Clint Capela and Sengun, but those lineups were not as effective since truly nobody could replace Big Kiwi.
If you were to ask me for a grade for Adams’s season I would either lean a C, or incomplete since we only saw Adams be avalaible for 40 of the 82 games during the regular season. It was clear Houston missed him when he was off the court, but Adams needs to work on staying healthy, as the ankle is his second season injury in the past five years.
Houston Rockets post season reviews will continue on with Fred Vanvleet and Reed Sheppard, so be sure to check pack at The Dream Shake for most season reviews.
After the home team ran through the first four games of this series, the visitors picked up wins in Games 5 and 6.
I’m backing the pendulum to swing back — with the Detroit Pistons, led by a motivated Jalen Duren, to eliminate the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight.
My Cavaliers vs. Pistons predictions andNBA picks go deeper below for this win-or-go-home showdown on Sunday, May 17.
UPDATE: Added a prediction for who will win.
Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 7 prediction today
Who will win Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 7?
Pistons: After a series-changing rally in Game 5, I picked the Cleveland Cavaliers to win Game 6 and close out the series. Instead, the home team shot 39% from the floor, committed 20 turnovers, and lost the game by 21 points.
Momentum is back on the Detroit Pistons' side after Cleveland’s monumental stumble, and the Pistons have a clear home-court advantage. Home teams are 115-40 straight up in Game 7s all-time, and with a perfect 5-0 record, the Pistons have never lost a Game 7 at home.
Cavaliers vs Pistons best bet: Jalen Duren Over 21.5 points + rebounds + assists (-115)
Who doesn’t love a good redemption story?
After getting benched for the entire fourth quarter and overtime of the Detroit Pistons narrow Game 5 loss, Jalen Duren responded with 15 points and 11 rebounds in Game 6.
The Cleveland Cavaliers' interior defense has been exploitable on the road in these playoffs, sporting the second-lowest defensive rebound percentage (63.5).
Among players with at least 30 minutes per game this postseason, Duren ranks fourth in offensive rebounds (3.7) and second in offensive rebound percentage (12.4).
COVERS INTEL:Jalen Duren has averaged 4.7 free throws at home compared to just 1.8 on the road this postseason. The Pistons are 6-2 in the postseason when he’s attempted at least four free throws.
Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 7 same-game parlay
Cade Cunningham has dished 9+ dimes in four of seven home games, and the Pistons are 3-1 in those contests.
Cunningham ranks third in potential assists (15) this postseason. His team has also shot more efficiently at home, which should lead to a bump in helpers.
The Pistons nearly won Game 5 before dominating in Game 6, and they’ve got momentum on their side. Detroit is 5-2 straight up at home this postseason with an 8.1 Net Rating, and Cleveland is just 1-5 on the road with a -8.2 Net Rating.
Cavaliers vs Pistons SGP
Jalen Duren Over 21.5 points + rebounds + assists
Cade Cunningham Over 8.5 assists
Pistons moneyline
Our "from downtown" SGP: Roll Players Role
Detroit’s role players stepped up in Games 5 and 6. The Pistons have been more efficient from downtown (37.4%) at home than on the road, and the team has piled up more rebounds and steals there.
“B-ball” Paul Reed has gone Over his number in four straight. Duncan Robinson has hit multiple triples in 10 of 12 games this postseason and all six home appearances, and Daniss Jenkins has done the same in three of his last four at Little Caesars Arena.
Ausar Thompson has racked up four blocks and steals per game this postseason, reaching 3+ nine times.
Over/Under: Over 205.5 (-110) | Under 205.5 (-110)
Cavaliers vs Pistons betting trend to know
Detroit has hit the 2H moneyline in 32 of its last 45 games (+12.22 Units / 14% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Pistons.
How to watch Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 7
Location
Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
Date
Sunday, May 17, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
Cavaliers vs Pistons latest injuries
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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 20: Andre Drummond #1 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half against the Phoenix Suns at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 20, 2026 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. (Photo by Arwen Clemans/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We’ve arrived at the final stop on our tour through the unrestricted free agent market this offseason. There are plenty of names available, still, not every positional need has to be addressed by the Phoenix Suns. You could argue the primary focus should be power forward and center if Phoenix decides to use unrestricted free agency to supplement the roster.
It’s an interesting spot the Suns find themselves in. Over the past few years, unrestricted free agency has been one of the primary ways they’ve filled out the roster. With the current emphasis on continuity and development, that approach might shift a bit this summer.
Major roster decisions are looming, and one of the biggest centers on fifth-year center Mark Williams. His restricted free agency situation could end up being one of the defining decisions of the offseason, as his qualifying offer is $9.6 million. It’s a great deal for the Suns, but it does come with repercussions in the larger picture of cap gynastics and tax implications.
If Phoenix prioritizes bringing Williams back alongside guards Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin, that money starts pushing the Suns back into luxury tax territory. More importantly, repeater tax territory. You become a repeater tax team once you’re over the tax in three out of four seasons. Even though Phoenix dipped below it this past year, when you’ve carried the highest payroll in NBA history across multiple seasons, you’re operating in dangerous financial territory regardless.
That’s the balancing act facing this front office. Do you go back into the luxury tax knowing the repeater penalties become even harsher, or do you start reshaping parts of the roster in an effort to avoid it?
As John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports recently noted, there are really three paths the Phoenix Suns can take with Mark Williams.
3 options for Mark. 1. They do like him and if they can get him on a good contract (which is what we have always said) they will have him back. 2. If his price is too high then sign and trade is an option. 3. Can just let him walk and rely more on Maluach next season. Those are… https://t.co/D1lSyALdC5
Option one: bring him back on something around that $9.6 million qualifying offer, depending on where the market settles. Option two: execute a sign and trade if another team values him higher than Phoenix does. Option three: simply let him walk.
That third option is what makes this conversation interesting.
If the Suns decide to move on from Williams, and the organizational focus shifts toward accelerating the development timeline of second-year lottery pick Khaman Maluach, there are veteran names available in unrestricted free agency that could probably be added on minimum deals to provide depth at center.
And those names are?
Player
Age
YOE
Prev Team
Prev AAV
Type
Nikola Vucevic
35.5
14
BOS
$20,000,000
UFA / Bird
Jusuf Nurkic
31.7
11
UTA
$17,500,000
UFA / Bird
Zach Collins
28.4
8
CHI
$17,410,848
UFA / Bird
Mitchell Robinson
28.1
7
NYK
$15,000,000
UFA / Bird
Robert Williams III
28.5
7
POR
$12,000,000
UFA / Bird
Moritz Wagner
29
7
ORL
$11,000,000
UFA / Bird
Andre Drummond
32.8
13
PHI
$5,000,000
UFA / Early Bird
Nick Richards
28.4
5
CHI
$5,000,000
UFA / Bird
Kevin Love
37.7
17
UTA
$4,000,000
UFA / Bird
Dwight Powell
34.8
11
DAL
$4,000,000
UFA / Bird
Bismack Biyombo
33.7
14
SAS
$3,634,153
UFA / Early Bird
DeAndre Jordan
37.8
17
NOP
$3,571,495
UFA / Non-Bird
Jaxson Hayes
25.9
6
LAL
$3,449,323
UFA / Bird
Thomas Bryant
28.8
8
CLE
$3,287,409
UFA / Non-Bird
Drew Eubanks
29.2
7
SAC
$3,080,921
UFA / Non-Bird
Jock Landale
30.5
4
ATL
$2,461,463
UFA / Non-Bird
Xavier Tillman
27.3
5
CHA
$2,392,183
UFA / Bird
Mason Plumlee
36.2
12
SAS
$939,867
UFA / Non-Bird
Tony Bradley
28.3
7
ATL
$17,706
UFA / Non-Bird
Charles Bassey
25.5
4
GSW
$14,146
UFA / Non-Bird
Again, if the Phoenix Suns bring back Mark Williams, then none of these names really matter. If Phoenix lets him walk in unrestricted free agency, or signs and trades him in an effort to recoup draft capital or another player on a cheaper contract who fills a positional need, then this list becomes more interesting. At that point, you’re looking for depth behind Khaman Maluach.
The name that jumps off the page for me is Andre Drummond. Yes, the Philadelphia 76ers hold Early Bird rights on him, still, we saw flashes this postseason of what he can still provide. He’ll be 33 when next season starts. He’s not someone I’d want starting 82 games. As a depth piece though, I’ve always found Drummond intriguing.
Another option would be Thomas Bryant, who has barely seen the floor during the postseason for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Again, strictly through the lens of depth, he’s not a terrible backup center option. Then, of course, there is always Nick Richards…
And don’t hate me for this one, I wouldn’t mind seeing Jock Landale back in Phoenix. Yes, he’s undersized for the position. If he’s your backup center, you know exactly what you’re getting. Energy. Physicality. Chaos in the best possible way. But you are also undersized, which is practically the franchise’s tagline for its puny history.
So let’s play the hypothetical out. The Suns decide they want to avoid becoming a repeater tax team next season, which leads to them moving on from Mark Williams. Looking at this list, who interests you? Is there someone you’d want as a starter? Or are you fully committed to giving Maluach the runway and simply looking for depth behind him?
Kerr and general manager Mike Dunleavy already have admitted Golden State must get younger entering next season, after their previous campaign was marred by inconsistent player availability.
However, the Warriors also have shown interest in bringing back several veterans, including Kristaps Porziņģis and Al Horford, who will be 31 and 40 years old, respectively, by the start of the 2026-27 NBA season. Both Kerr and Dunleavy were asked Friday about what’s ahead for both big men.
“Yeah, those are guys that we definitely would love to have back,” Dunleavy told reporters. “They had some really good performances for this year with us. They add an element to our team that we haven’t had in the past. Al specifically with his size, his shooting, his leadership. KP is just a unique, unique player on both ends of the court. I think for us to have that talent back is something we want.
“And so those guys — you know, Al has an option. I think frankly his option is two-fold: One, do you want to keep playing? Two, do you want to be back with the Warriors? Then KP is unrestricted, so we’ll start having the conversations to try and get him back in the fold, but we like what we’ve seen from him. I think next year could be a more healthy, productive year for him.”
As Dunleavy mentioned, Horford has a player option for next season at just under $6 million, though retirement still appears to be on the table for the 19-year NBA veteran. Porziņģis, meanwhile, is an unrestricted free agent, but his injury history remains a question mark.
While the general manager underscored the on-court fit of the skilled centers, Kerr said both players enjoyed their first seasons with Golden State.
“I had an exit meeting with Al a couple of days after the season ended,” Kerr detailed. “Obviously we want him back. It’s his option with the player option. I know he really enjoys it here. I know his family loves it here. I’m hoping he’s back.
“Kristaps, actually we did not have an exit meeting. I gave him a pass on the exit meeting because he had to fly somewhere, like, the next day after our season ended. I do that frequently with veteran players. There’s only so much you need to discuss. He’s obviously unrestricted. I’d love to have him back. I know he enjoyed it here, and he’s a really talented player. I thought showed an awful lot for our team. I’d love to have them both back, but we have to see how it plays out.”
Horford and Porziņģis obviously both fill an important need for the Warriors with their size and versatility. But they also combined to play in just 77 total games last season, which fits a broader, concerning trend on the roster.
So — especially if Horford doesn’t pick up his player option — it will be interesting to see how Dunleavy and the Golden State front office moves forward in the frontcourt.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 5: Bob Myers attends a game between the Denver Nuggets and the Philadelphia 76ers on January 5, 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The calls for Daryl Morey’s ouster got louder and louder in the 48 hours between Philadelphia’s elimination from the NBA playoffs last Sunday and his official firing on Tuesday.
In the span of just over one week, the Sixers managed to come from 3-1 down against the Boston Celtics on the heels of their star power to looking like a team that was out of gas against the New York Knicks. Perhaps only the Sixers are capable of such an emotional 180, but they pulled it off. Morey’s affinity for stars appeared to finally be paying dividends during the comeback against the Celtics, only for Philadelphia’s lack of depth to be greatly exposed by the Knicks.
As the embarrassments against the Knicks piled up with each loss, it seemed like it was becoming harder for Morey to survive and he was ultimately let go. So often in sports, fans will shout to the heavens for a coach or executive to be fired without any real succession plan. Many simply believe that the next guy simply can’t be as bad as the current guy. But whoever replaces Morey still has to deal with the mistakes he made. Firing Morey doesn’t also undo the Joel Embiid and Paul George contracts. It also doesn’t bring Jared McCain back to Philadelphia. This isn’t to say firing Morey was incorrect, but it is to suggest that if you thought the team was in such bad shape prior to firing Morey, you shouldn’t instantly think the franchise is in better shape now.
Having said all of this, there are some things to like about the state of the Sixers at the moment. In true Sixers fashion, Embiid’s presence on the roster is both a pro and a con and we saw both sides of the spectrum in the playoffs. Embiid was the best player for either team in the Celtics series and didn’t even play for the first three games of the first round. He’s still a dominant offensive player when healthy and rested. But almost instantly in the Knicks series, Embiid looked like a shell of himself and we were already starting to see his body break down. Will the new president of basketball operations decide to dump Embiid at 25 cents on the dollar and deal with the fact that such a move likely makes the Sixers a worse team in 2026-27?
George might be easier for a new executive to trade simply because he has one less year remaining on his contract than Embiid. His mostly good play since returning from the 25-game suspension may have been enough to get his trade value back to neutral after it had been a negative for a long time. Whoever is making these decisions for the Sixers has to decide if it’s possible to build a deep enough roster during the next two seasons to load manage Embiid and George throughout the regular season, and weather their playoff lulls as well. Those are very difficult questions to answer and it’s entirely possible that a new executive comes in and knows full well that the team can’t win a championship with Embiid and George on the roster at their current costs and has to just deal with two years of stagnation.
On top of a new President potentially viewing the short-term salary cap situation as unsolvable in the next two years, that new person is not going to have their own head coach on the sideline. That’s never an attractive situation for someone holding the president title for a sports team. For what it’s worth, Nick Nurse strikes me as a pretty good coach and I wouldn’t consider being “stuck” with him as a problem for the new president.
Of course, all of these things are known by any candidate that interviews with Bob Myers and Josh Harris. So maybe there’s a candidate that either has a strong enough plan for the Sixers to become a serious contender as early as next year. At the same time, there could be a candidate that likes the upside of where the Sixers can go in 2028 and beyond that can sell themselves hard on how they would build out the roster with more financial freedom.
It’s that upside that does make the attractiveness of the Sixers’ president of basketball operations job a difficult thing to gauge. Philly has at least one first-round pick in every draft for the rest of the 2020s. The Sixers could have two firsts in the 2028 draft if their first-rounder that season falls in the top eight. Before you scoff at the idea of the Sixers being that bad in two years, remember the new lottery rules will make the top 10 picks much more random. The unprotected first-rounder from the Clippers in 2028 is a very nice asset to hold as are the swap rights with Los Angeles in the first round in 2029. While the Sixers do not have a second-round pick in next month’s draft, they do have an abundance of second-rounders in future drafts. For the first time in a while, Philly has ample draft capital to either draft prospects or make trades.
Remember, Morey’s staff that has also been responsible for a lot of his strong drafting while running the Sixers is all still employed by the franchise. If George plays out his entire contract with the Sixers, that would mean the new president will lead the team through three drafts before George is gone and Embiid has one more year left. A few strong drafts, and potentially a good trade or two with some of that draft capital could have the Sixers looking very exciting in a mere two years. The 2028-29 season will be Tyrese Maxey’s age-28 season and VJ Edgecombe’s age 23-season. Any confident executive that takes the Sixers president job will look at the draft picks and how young Maxey and Edgecombe are and tell themselves they can have this team contending in two years even if George and Embiid play out the full duration of their contracts with the Sixers.
Does a new executive have the patience to wait two years before they can really move the Sixers into the upper echelon of NBA contenders while working with a coach they didn’t hire? Does the new executive possibly believe they can elevate the Sixers out of the second round in the next two years while Embiid and George are likely still on the roster? If the answer to the second question is yes, then this job is wildly attractive to that kind of candidate. If the answer to the second question is no, then the new hire is going to have to really like the upside for the franchise starting in the summer of 2028.
The other component to all of this is the role Myers will have in the organization once the hire is made. Myers made it clear he will remain involved and have an ongoing dialogue with whomever he hires.
“They’ll have a lot of authority here, which they should,” Myers said of the person he hires. “I won’t be on a day-to-day level, but on the high-level decision-making, which is being here at the draft, being here leading up to the trade deadline, being available for free-agency discussions, free-agency meetings, things like that. I’m going to be involved at that level, and I can tell you that I imagine — and I’m not saying this lightly — I’ll be communicating with that person daily, if not five out of seven days a week.”
It’s easy to feel confident about Myers overseeing basketball operations both on an interim basis right now and having a heavy role in decisions moving forward. But don’t forget he inherited Steph Curry and Klay Thompson by the time he was promoted to general manager in Golden State. This isn’t to say Myers can’t steady the ship for Philadelphia, but his presence in the organization also might not be a fast track to the conference finals.
How attractive is the title of president of basketball operations for the Philadelphia 76ers? We can answer that with another question — if you’re interviewing for this job, are you a glass half-full or glass half-empty person?
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 15: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves during Round Two Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 15, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Guess who just got back to the WCF? Those crazy cats down in San Antone. Making sure Game 6 is all they need, Stephon Castle responded to the Timberwolves’ defensive switch-up and scored a game-high 32 points along with 11 rebounds. De’Aaron Fox chipped in 21 points with 9 assists while Victor Wembanyama “casually” scored 19 points with 3 blocks.
These lobs between Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama look so organic. Occasionally, Wembanyama will add some spice like dunk the ball from the side or with his back facing the rim. Next, I expect him to bounce one off his face like a seal and then flush it through.
Castle in the sky for this exclamated dunk. I know “exclamated” isn’t a word, but have you seen Howl’s Moving Castle? If you’re a fan of Hayao Miyazaki, I would highly recommend watching it.
Dylan Harper out here making going left look like going right. It’s legitimately bonkers how bonkers Harper is playing in the playoffs right now. Explosive plays? Sure. Clamped down defense? Of course. Composure beyond his years as a rookie? Indubitably. Meme-able reactions that go viral on the internet? More on that below.
Look, I get nervous when Wembanyama catches a lob with his back to the basket and quickly spins around for a dunk for fear of him hitting his head on the rim if he misjudged his jump and location. Luckily, that doesn’t happen as often as I fear. On this play, De’Aaron Fox puts up a pretty full-court pass on the dot to our favorite sci-fi enthusiast who immediately pirouettes into a dunk off of one pivot of the foot.
Just in case you forgot that the Spurs have a young, budding wing like Castle, they draft Dylan Harper who they bring along patiently and then unleash in the playoffs. Just in case you forgot they have young, promising wings in Castle and Harper, here comes Carter Bryant flying in and soaking in every minute of the 10-13 minutes per game that Mitch Johnson puts him in for. I can’t wait to see Bryant’s increased role next season but am enjoying the burst of energy and effective defense he brings off the bench. What a fun team.
This post is a Julian Champagnie appreciation post. Rock solid is usually the description used to describe Champagnie, but if he was on any other team, you’d see regular highlights like below. Good thing he isn’t on another team because he fits right in with this crew.
You can almost see the light of enlightenment shine on Champagnie when he was about to pull up for an open three and realized his buddy Wembanyama is even more open down by the basket. Just ignore that little love tap Wemby gave out just like the (redacted)s ignored the other love taps give out on Wemby throughout these playoffs (wink).
There’s a lot of work left for these Spurs, but it’s just amazing to see their journey this season. It hits extra hard to our hearts to see a new band of lovable, fun players bring us basketball joy. Especially after that 2014 team, I myself did not think I would ever find that kind of sports joy again, but these guys make it a lot easier.
There’s so much homerism and bias in that paragraph that it almost makes you forget you’re reading it on a San Antonio Spurs site. Almost.
Wow! With all that adrenaline from Friday night’s big series finishing win, winding it down and sending everyone out with some comfort sitcom music, starring Dylan Harper with the most “The Office” face ever:
Oklahoma City's Jalen Williams, who has missed the last six Thunder playoff games — including the entire sweep of the Lakers in the second round — says he is healthy and will be back for the Western Conference Finals against San Antonio.
"I haven't had to rush back from my hamstring stuff at all. I'm actually taking extra days now then what was even originally planned because we were up 3-0 [against the Lakers], so there was no point in going into this series and possibly hurting myself before we have to play the Timberwolves or the Spurs. I'm about to go into another series healthy."
Health has been elusive for Williams this season. He missed time at the start of the season recovering from off-season wrist surgery, then suffered a hamstring strain during the season, resulting in him playing in a career-low 33 games. When he did play, he averaged 17.1 points, 5.5 assists and 4.6 rebounds a game, while shooting just 29.9% from 3-point range, all numbers well off his previous, All-NBA season.
Not that the Thunder missed a beat. In the last round against the Lakers, Ajay Mitchell started in his place and averaged 22.5 points and six assists per game, and OKC swept LeBron James and the shorthanded Lakers out of the playoffs.
More than scoring, a return of Williams gives Oklahoma City another high-level defender with good positional size (6'5" as a wing), something needed against the young and athletic Spurs. That said, with the way Mitchell is playing, look for him to get a lot of minutes — Williams isn't returning and playing 40 minutes a night. Still, the Thunder just got deeper and better for the biggest series of the postseason.
Over the past decade-plus, Steve Kerr has coached some memorable games.
From Golden State’s run to its first NBA championship in 40 years during the 2014-15 season to that unforgettable 2022-23 campaign when everyone had counted them out — there’s no shortage of magical moments for Kerr to refer to.
And even despite the Warriors’ rocky 2025-26 season with injuries and inconsistencies, Kerr shared that the team’s electric NBA play-in win over the Los Angeles Clippers was a top-10 game for him.
“Well, first of all, it’s one of my all-time favorite games,” Kerr said Friday on “The TK Show.” “We’ve had so many amazing games, it’s probably a top-10 game in the 12 years we’ve had, and that’s saying something. It was just the first play-in game, we didn’t even qualify for the playoffs, but that’s how much the game meant to me and to those guys, probably because of the way this season went.
“The fact that Steph [Curry] missed 27 straight games, the fact that we were on life support, basically, going into that game, it just was so special. It was such a great win, and ultimately, this is what we do it for, that the players do it to feel that moment. The coaches work every day to achieve that level of play, and it hadn’t worked all year. We just couldn’t reach that level, and then to dig deep and to find it was so meaningful.
“It was probably a good metaphor for, like, you can’t get this anywhere else in life — you just can’t. And there’s a reason coaches get addicted to this work, it’s exhilarating. The camaraderie, the companionship, collaboration, it’s beautiful. And that was a wonderful moment.”
With their season on the line, the Warriors rallied from a 13-point, fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Clippers 126-121 at the Intuit Dome. Curry led the comeback with 35 points — 27 in the second half — and Al Horford hit four 3-pointers in the final frame to secure the victory.
Draymond Green also displayed a defensive masterclass against Kawhi Leonard.
And even though the magic expired two days later with a crushing loss to the Phoenix Suns, that special win in Los Angeles will forever be one of Kerr’s favorites.
With the Knicks set to tip off the Eastern Conference finals on Tuesday, legendary center Patrick Ewing takes a shot at some playoff Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby.
Q: What would you tell these Knicks if you were standing in the locker room about the opportunity that is in front of them right now?
A: What I would tell them is they have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. No one knows if it’s going to come back around. When we got there in ’94, I definitely thought that we were going to have another opportunity in ’95 — take advantage of this opportunity. Continue to do the things that they’ve been doing. Continue to play as a team. The five guys on the floor got to do their part, the bench has to do their part. So remember that it’s about team, this is not tennis with one person against another person, all five have to be locked in, be unselfish, be selfish when you need to be selfish, and just play a team game,
Q: Why do you believe these Knicks can win an NBA championship?
A: Anything is possible. These guys have been putting in the work, the coaches have been putting them in great positions to accomplish that. That’s everybody’s goal at the beginning of the year to win a championship, and we’re all hoping that happens.
Q: How do they do it?
A: They have to continue to do what they’ve been doing. We’ve been definitely hot in these last two rounds. We have to continue to do the same thing that we’ve been doing — playing as a team, both offensively and defensively taking care of business, no turnovers, just all the things that they’ve been doing.
Q: Could you paint the picture for me of what the city would be like if the Knicks won it all?
A: Hey … You see the way that the fans have been acting during these first two rounds. You saw the way the fans did when the Rangers won it or the Yankees won it. The whole city, the whole state would be so happy to be so proud to … I think the whole city would go wild.
Q: Why would Patrick Ewing have liked playing with Jalen Brunson?
A: Jalen is one of the most talented players that I’ve seen play. He not only can pass the ball, but he also can take a game over. I wasn’t fortunate enough to play with a talent like that. I think that having an opportunity to play with him would have only made my job that much easier.
Patrick Ewing sits on celebrity row during the first quarter of a playoff game against the Hawks.
Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Q: What do you think of Karl-Anthony Towns as an occasional hub of the offense?
A: Everybody has to learn how to play off each other. They’ve both been doing an outstanding job of learning each other. KAT has to continue to do all the things that he’s been doing, he’s been a facilitator and looking to score when he has an opportunity. I think both of them have to continue to do their part if we’re going to win.
Q: What makes OG Anunoby so invaluable?
A: To me, the last two series he’s been our best player. He’s been scoring, he’s been playing great defense. … I think all of them, you look at the team as a whole, it’s been all of them, all of those guys have been doing their part to help the team to get to where it’s gotten to. You can’t just say it’s Jalen or it’s KAT or it’s OG, I think that everybody has been doing their part — the whole entire team. When guys have had the opportunity to come in off the bench, they’ve been doing their part.
Q: From an intangible standpoint, does Josh Hart remind you of John Starks?
A: He definitely does. His heart and soul … John was a better shooter, but Josh wears his emotions on his sleeve, and I think that everybody on that team knows what he brings to the team and knows what he means to the team and he definitely has to continue to do all that.
Jose Alvarado #5 of the Knicks and Patrick Ewing hug before the game against the Atlanta Hawks during Round One Game Four on April 25, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NBAE via Getty Images
Q: How has Mitchell Robinson evolved?
A: I think [assistant] Mark Bryant has done an outstanding job of tutoring him, of teaching him. When I look at the talent that he has, I think he still has a lot more that he has to learn. But his energy, his effort … he’s looking more comfortable shooting his free throws.
Q: What do you think of Mikal Bridges lately?
A: He is hitting his stride right now, and he’s only going to get better as the next series goes on an and hopefully into the next one.
Q: What have you learned about Mike Brown coaching this team this season?
A: Mike has been doing an outstanding job. He’s a great coach. His record proves for itself everywhere that he’s been.
Q: What are your three all-time favorite Knicks moments?
A: To beat Indiana to get to the [1994] Finals, finally. That was definitely one of them. … I was hurt, but Larry Johnson’s four-point play [vs. the Pacers in 1999]. It’s funny, when I look at pictures of that, my son was a ballboy on that team, and they have a picture from the other end down by Larry shooting the shot, you could see our bench and my son jumped so high celebrating that play. So definitely that. I’ve had so many great memories that I really can’t put them into order.
Q: How would you describe your emotions when you stood on the scorer’s table with your arms raised to the rafters after winning Game 7 against the Pacers to get to the 1994 Finals?
A: I think that what I was feeling right then and there is all the raw emotion of finally getting there. We had not reached the pinnacle or the goal, but this was the first step, and I just wanted to embrace the city and the city to embrace me, because it was a journey to get to that point. And we just finished a hard-fought series against a talented Indiana team.
Q: If these Knicks were to win it all, would you stand on the scorer’s table and reenact that pose with your arms raised high?
A: I don’t think I’ll stand on a scorer’s table, but I’ll be right in the huddle with them, because I think that Leon [Rose) and Wes [William Wesley, aka World Wide Wes] and Mr. [James] Dolan have done an outstanding job of bringing a majority of us back to make us feel like we are a part of this. So I would definitely be in there celebrating with them. Because I do feel like I’m a part of it.
Q: How would you describe your on-court mentality?
A: I was focused, I was locked in, I had my game face. … I was tunnel-visioned.
Q: Why didn’t New York scare Patrick Ewing?
A: Hey look, there’s nothing to be afraid of. New York is a big city, biggest media market. Like I said, I was tunnel-visioned, I tried to block out the noise, block out the media, block out everybody and just concentrate on my teammates, my coaches and try to be the best version of myself that I could be.
Patrick Ewing looks to drive around a defending Pacers Rik Smits during a playoff series. New York Post
Q: When I think of Patrick Ewing, I think a lot of people use the word warrior. How proud are you of that?
A: I’m very proud of it. I’m very proud of it. Because that’s how I perceive myself. People who play sports, we always talk about that we’re going to war. … It’s not literally, you’re not out there killing people, but we are competing against others. Our job or our goal is to try to dominate the next person. So that’s how I perceive myself, I had my game face on, I try to mentally prepare myself to try to dominate that next person. I’m very proud of it.
Q: What was the worst pain you ever played in?
A: I played in a lot of pain. What’s the worst? I tore my Achilles against Indiana … it was in Indiana. I went back in, I taped it up and I told Jeff [Van Gundy, coach], “I can’t move. I’m going to do my best to get every rebound. I’m not sure if I’ll be effective on the offensive end.” I was able to finish that game and then we flew back to New York. I didn’t know that it was torn. I got an MRI [exam], said I had obviously torn my Achilles. … Spraining my ankle in Game 6 against the Bulls, hobbling around, finished the game, we were able to beat them and go to Chicago where unfortunately we lost Game 7.
Q: What drove you?
A: To win, to try to be the best version of myself that I could be. I always wanted to win. I wanted to be able to bring a championship to New York. I thought it was going to be a lot easier when I was in college to win a championship than I found out that it really was. Growing up in Boston and learning about Bill Russell and those 11 championships that he won, I’m like, “I’m going to get me a few championships.” That’s what drove me, to try to be the best player I could possibly be, and to also bring a championship to New York.
Q: How difficult was it early on for you to be expected to be the savior?
A: That’s just part of the sport. In high school I was the best player on my team, and at Georgetown I was one of the best, I’m not going to say I was the best. I was the most famous. I was fortunate enough to play with some great talent — Reggie Williams, David Wingate, Michael Jackson, Bill Martin, some great teammates. They helped me to be the player that I also became. Then coming to the Knicks, us losing Bernard [King] the year before I got there and then losing him for the next year and a half, that didn’t help. And then when he came back I got hurt. So I didn’t look at it as me being the savior, I just was out there trying to do the best I could to help us to win.
Q: What was the biggest obstacle you had to overcome?
A: The biggest obstacle I guess was Michael Jordan (laugh). The biggest obstacle was definitely Michael Jordan.
Jes Kersey listens to Patrick Ewing plead his case as Michael Jordan looks on in the fourth quarter of the Eastern Conference semifinals in 1996. WA Funches Jr./ New York Post
Q: If there was no Jordan, how many championships do you think you might have won?
A: Hey look, he was out for two years and we had an opportunity. We got to the Finals, unfortunately we didn’t get it done. Great players want to be able to play great players. I consider myself a great player, so I want to definitely go against Michael, I definitely want to go against Hakeem [Olajuwon], I want to go against Shaq [Shaquille O’Neal]. I think those players make you perform at a high level, so I never looked at it as, “OK, Michael is here or not here, this is my opportunity,” or, “If he wasn’t here I would have won X amount of championships.” I just think that you go out there and perform at your best every time you play. One thing about me is that I have the love for the game, so it didn’t make a difference who was there, I was going to go out and try to perform at my best, and I think that I showed it night in and night out.
Q: What do you remember about the plane flight home from Houston after losing Game 7 or the 1994 Finals?
A: Now you’re bringing up bad memories (laugh). I really don’t remember too much about the flight. I just remember after the game walking off the floor depressed, down. … I think I left the arena with Alonzo Mourning because he came to the game to support me. … People just talk trash to us on the way out. So it was a bad feeling.
Q: Did your 1993-94 Knicks pride yourselves on intimidation?
A: I think we prided ourselves on being a great team. We weren’t trying to intimidate people, we weren’t going to back down from anybody, we weren’t going to take crap from anybody, but we also thought that we were a talented team and had a great opportunity to hopefully win a championship, and we got there but just fell short.
Patrick Ewing of the Knicks posts up against Hakeem Olajuwon of the Rockets during Game 1 of the NBA Finals played on June 8, 1994 at The Summit in Houston, Texas. NBAE via Getty Images
Q: How would the ’94 Knicks do against these current Knicks?
A: You know what, I’m not even going to go there. This team is a talented team, they’re in their era, my team was in my era, we played different brands of basketball. I think that Jalen is a special player, KAT’s a special player and the rest of the guys are special.
Q: What was the best motivational ploy coach Pat Riley used?
A: Pat had a lot of lot of different ploys, but I thought that we were self-motivated, I was self-motivated. Pat was a great coach, he’s won multiple championships, all you can do is take your hat off to him. Wish we could have been with him winning a championship in New York. He told a lot of different stories … but I was self-motivated.
Q: When you think about the ’99 Knicks, what do you think about?
A: The [lockout]-shortened season. I thought we had some talented guys on the team. We had Spree [Latrell Sprewell], we had Allan [Houston], Larry, Marcus [Camby], Kurt [Thomas], Charlie [Ward]. That’s the year I tore my Achilles and I couldn’t finish the year, but the guys did an outstanding job. Larry made that four-point play to help to propel us to the championship. When you talk about the biggest hurt, I would say that was the biggest hurt. Me physically not being able to play. I remember one game, we lost that game, and I went on the bus by myself and I broke down. I started crying, because I was so hurt that I was not able to play and help my team.
New York Knicks alumni John Starks (l) and Patrick Ewing (c) during the first quarter of a playoff game against the 76ers. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Q: If you could go back in time and test your skills against any big man in NBA history, who would it be?
A: I felt like I played in an era where there were some great big men. You got Hakeem, you got Shaq, you got David [Robinson], Robert Parish when I was younger, Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar] was at the end when I played against him but he was still kicking butt. I think that the guys I played against were fierce enough to play against, so I don’t think I need to go any further. … My idol was Bill Russell, watching him and Wilt [Chamberlain] battle it. But I’m going to say the guys I played against.
Q: Which was more rewarding, winning the 1984 national championship at Georgetown or coaching Georgetown to the 2021 Big East Conference Tournament championship?
A: Of course winning the national championship, that’s the pinnacle right there! But winning the Big East title was very rewarding. To be back at Georgetown coaching, I came full circle. … We went on a run at the right time, guys stepped up. I thought that Coach [John] Thompson was definitely looking down upon us, and we made him proud.
Q: Would you like to coach again?
A: Yes I would.
Q: Would you dream of coaching the Knicks one day?
A: That one I’m not going to answer. The Knicks have a great coach in Mike Brown, and I’m just happy to be there to support him and the team in any way that we can.
Q: Describe the 1980s St. John’s rivalry and Chris Mullin in particular?
A: We’re playing against one of the best or one of the greatest shooters to play this game in my opinion in Chris Mullin. Going against St. John’s … when people talk about rivalry, right, they always equate us with Syracuse. But I think of St. John’s as well. St. John’s had Chris and we both came into college together, we left together, we played with each other on both Olympic teams. … We hated each other back then, we didn’t become good friends until ’84 when we played in the Olympics and actually were around each other. But to compete against him, Walter Berry, Willie Glass, all those guys, those were some great memories.
Q: Whatever comes to mind: John Thompson.
A: Father figure. One of the best people that I ever got the opportunity to work with, or work for.
Q: Mike Jarvis.
A: The same. One of the best people I got to play for and build a relationship and a friendship with.
Q: Mark Jackson.
A: One of the best passers and teammates in the game.
Q: Rick Pitino.
A: One of the greatest coaches in college and NBA history in my opinion.
Knicks alumni Carmelo Anthony (l) and Patrick Ewing (r) sit on celebrity row during the third quarter for a game against the Thunder. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Q: Jeff Van Gundy.
A: One of the greatest minds in basketball. Great coach, a great friend.
Q: Him hanging on to Alonzo Mourning’s leg during a 1998 brawl?
A: (Laugh) Yes. He needs to learn that he’s small and can’t fight.
Q: Alonzo Mourning.
A: A great friend. One of the best players in the game. Great competitor, but a great role model. But I would say the best thing is a great friend.
Q: Three dinner guests?
A: Martin Luther King [Jr.], Malcolm X, Jesus.
Q: What are you most proud of?
A: I think that from where I came from in Kingston, Jamaica, to where I ended up today, I’m proud of the journey. I’m proud of my mom and my dad working hard, scraping up their money to bring their family to a new country, and me falling in love with the game of basketball and what basketball was able to accomplish for us.
ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 27: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks arrives to the arena before the game against the Atlanta Hawks on December 27, 2025 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
We’ve reached a point where you can say the Cavs and the Pistons are doing this on purpose to prevent Knicks fans from enjoying New York basketball.
But hey, seven games on their legs? Can’t complain!
We’re the latest four days and a few hours from the ECF Game 1 tip-off. Finally.
OG Anunoby fully participated in Knicks practice today
On OG Anunoby returning as a full participant in practice:
“He practiced today in full. Everything we did today, he did. Anytime anybody is able to do anything like that, it’s always encouraging.”
On leaving the final decision about Anunoby’s availability to the medical staff:
“At the end of the day, I’m a wait and let the medical group tell me each day what he can do. We’ll see if they tell me something different tomorrow. But it’s definitely encouraging to see somebody be able to go out there and practice a full practice like OG did.”
On maintaining consistency after a long layoff:
“If we expect to be who we think we’re capable of being, we’ll find a way to stay consistent with what we’re doing. Whether it’s the energy level, the effort level, or embracing/focusing on the details that we have to be able to understand in order to go out and get a win.”
On ignoring outside noise and focusing on a championship goal:
“I don’t look at it like that. I literally do this to try to compete to try to win a championship. That’s what my focus is throughout the course of the year. Throughout the course of the year, there’s going to be noise out there. When [ex-San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich] was at his height, people talked about him. When [Golden State Warriors head coach] Steve Kerr was at his height, people talked about him. People can talk about Mike Brown for sure, but it’s my job to ignore the noise. It’s easy to do that because the pressure that I put on myself and the team puts on itself to be great or try to be the best team in the league, doesn’t even match up to what everyone else says.”
On weighing player suggestions before making adjustments:
“You can’t act upon everything. Because if you act upon everything, you’re going to be driving yourself crazy and everybody else crazy. It was just something where we were struggling to score [at the time] and I had been thinking about it for awhile and it finally came to me at that point. … I take suggestions from everybody. At the end of the day, it’s up to me to make the decision of yea or nay. The tough part about it is, sometimes when you have suggestions, and there are a lot of good ones out there, a suggestion is one thing, but trying to actually put the suggestion into something that can be real for the group and fit the group, not just that one person, that’s the tricky part. I’ve always been a guy that if you come to me with a suggestion, a lot of times, especially as a coach, you gotta have something to back it up. Some video, some analytics. Tell me how.”
On tailoring his system to the personnel he has:
“We kind of figured it out along the way. [KAT and Sabonis] do a lot of stuff that are similar. You have an idea [coming into a new job with a new team] of what you want to do offensively [and] defensively, but then it’s your job as a coach to try to figure out, ‘Does this really fit the group that you have in front of you?’”
On the challenges of implementing changes in Year 1:
“That’s why it’s always tough to do things in Year 1, because it takes some time to get used to the group, not just what their strengths are as skill players, but their personalities and other things that make them tick. Trying to put a guy like Sabonis at his strength, trying to put a guy like KAT at his strength is something that, as a head coach, it’s my job to think constantly about, as long as it enhances everybody else.”
On embracing collaboration while retaining final authority:
“I take suggestions from everybody. And at the end of the day it’s up for me to make the decision of yay or nay. I’ve always been a guy who if you come to me with suggestions especially as a coach. You have to have something to back it up. Some video or analytics. At the end of the day, I have to say this makes sense let’s do it, but this is how we’re going to do it.”
"I believe luck is not given, it's earned. I've earned my luck. I've put the work in outside of the basketball court…that keeps me healthy and feeling good. I've earned the right to have luck in my situation because I put the work in."
On watching potential Eastern Conference Finals opponents with his fiancée:
“My fiancee [Jordyn Woods], she loves watching basketball a lot. It’s always something, even when I’m not thinking about it, maybe I’m thinking of talking to my family, my niece, my nephew, [Jordyn] has the game on. She’s constantly updating me on what’s happening. She knows ball now, after all these years together. She’s talking about flex screens, UCLA cuts and stuff like that.”
On staying connected with his former Minnesota teammates:
“I definitely am tuned in. I watch the games, especially on the days that we’re not playing, and the Wolves are playing. I’m always tapped in, I’m watching, I’m texting Ant [Edwards], I’m texting Rudy [Gobert], I’m texting those guys and just watching them play.”
On approaching the coaching staff about changing his role:
“You’re down 2-1, obviously it’s not the end of the world but you guys understand the importance of the next game. … You go in there and say how you feel, your feelings, your idea and see if it’s received. And it was received.”
On embracing a facilitator role:
“I’ve always loved this role. I’ve always wanted this role, so [I’m] happy we got to this point.”
On whether he feels vindicated by the adjustment:
“I’ve always said since the beginning, I’ll do whatever it takes to impact winning. I’m glad I’ve been able to do that with this changing role and be able to help our team win. That’s the most important thing. And utilize my talent.”
On entering Year 1 under Mike Brown without expectations:
“I really didn’t have any expectations. I didn’t know what to expect.”
On crediting Brown for the team’s current position:
“He’s done a great job of adjusting our team to give us the best chance to win. The spot we’re in now is because of his courage and trust to change what we were doing and putting us in a better position.”
On Mitchell Robinson’s impact:
“[Robinson’s] one of the most impactful players on our team. I think all of y’all know how important he is to us.”
"Both great opponents, we respect both of them. We'll be ready to go."
On how the offense naturally evolved through Towns late in possessions:
“Using KAT sometimes at the end of the [shot] clock, we started using him more [in that role]. And then we kind of naturally started getting into it. Obviously, our coaches are taking notice. It’s kind of what we’ve been doing all year, but I think the more it started happening when, at the end of the clock, guys were [playing] off of him and then we started using it, guys playing off the ball, and then we kind of just started making it a point of emphasis. I felt like it was something [Towns] was always capable of.”
On believing Towns could handle the expanded responsibility:
“I felt like it was always something he was capable of. You don’t get a lot of practice time. I always feel like it’s tough to figure it out — but again — that’s what the regular season is for.”
On Mitchell Robinson’s continued growth and value:
“It feels like every year Mitch just continues to get better. He’s so important to our team. And when it’s time for him to show up, he shows up. … It’s huge for us creating opportunities at the offensive end. And obviously being at the rim and helping us in so many ways is huge.”
“He’s always wanted to have open dialogue since day one. And obviously he’s still the coach and he’s going to make the decisions and everything. But I mean, we give our opinions, and whether they’re good or bad opinions, they’re talked about and they’re decided on later.”
“Sweep is great right… but dog. 7 days? No games? That’s torture. I’m over here doing nothing… We’re in a good rhythm right now. JB’s passing the ball, KAT’s passing the ball, not yelling at the refs, Kal hooping, Mike Brown… pic.twitter.com/lW0vBkfFbG
On revisiting his postgame comments about Philadelphia:
“I was wrong in part of my post-game interview. I said Philly wasn’t a sports town. I thought it was, but it’s no longer is. It’s not a sports town. They’re diehard and they love the Eagles. What’s the definition of a sports town? You can’t be a sports town if another team fan base takes over your arena. You cannot be a sports town if that happens. Boston? Sports town. You won’t see anyone take over their arena. So yes. (Los Angeles) is more of a sports town than Philly. Because the Rams, they just got back. So I mean, it’s going to take a little bit of time to kind of, you know, cultivate that environment, but they’re almost there. But we’ve taken over Philly. We’re down the street from Boston. Have we ever taken over TD Garden? No. And you will never see Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum sitting there saying, fans, we need y’all to come out because if y’all don’t, the Knicks are going to [take over], they’re never going to say that because they don’t have to.”
“It’s just been amazing, like, ‘Who are these guys?’ ”
On the similarities to the 1970s championship teams:
“They remind me so much of Frazier-to-Bradley-to-Barnett-to-Reed-to-DeBusschere. The way the ball is moving around the court. The way they hit the open man.”
On how stagnant the offense once looked:
“I kept hoping. A lot of times they were stagnant, too much dribbling. And sometimes when Jalen was playing so well, it was like the other guys would stand transfixed, and they weren’t moving like they are now, all of them realizing how equally important they all are. And then KAT happened.”
On Towns’ creativity as a passer:
“Some of the passes are really just very impressive. You know, Globetrotter-like, extraordinary where he has the ball in one hand, behind his back, but that’s the other thing that’s fascinated me is the moving and grooving. How does that happen all of a sudden? Bridges is going back door? OG’s going back door. All these guys, it doesn’t matter, the second unit. They’re all moving the ball.”
On adapting alongside Earl Monroe during the 1973 title run:
“He had to play more defense here than he did in Baltimore. And I had to make sure he shot the ball enough because he didn’t want to come across like a ball hog. We figured it out.”
On his excitement about this Knicks team winning the title:
“Yeah, man, let’s go. Let’s go Knicks!”
"The humble warrior. He just wants to play basketball. … He definitely just wants to win."
“The humble warrior. He just wants to play basketball; he definitely just wants to win. He definitely just wants to win. [Brunson] definitely is a guy that’s going to take over when he needs to. But he knows he needs his team. He knows everybody in that locker room, so he’s going to do whatever he’s got to do and say whatever he’s got to say for everybody to be together.”
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