Victor Wembanyama had 33 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three blocks and the San Antonio Spurs held Oklahoma City to its second-lowest postseason total, beating the Thunder 103-82 in Game 4 on Sunday night to tie the NBA Western Conference finals.
De’Aaron Fox had 12 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for San Antonio, which has not lost three consecutive games all season. Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell added 13 points each.
Game 5 is Tuesday in Oklahoma City, followed by Game 6 on Thursday in San Antonio.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 19 points on 6-for-15 shooting for the Thunder.
Wembanyama took Oklahoma City’s 123-108 victory Friday in Game 3 personally. The 7-foot-4 star from France said he needed to be better to make his teammates better. He was monumentally better Sunday night — and so was San Antonio.
The Spurs limited the Thunder to 33% shooting from the field, including 6 for 33 on 3-pointers (18%).
After being outscored 76-23 in bench points in Game 3, San Antonio’s reserves scored 30 points while limiting Oklahoma City to 34.
The Spurs had another hot start in Game 4 after opening the previous game on a 15-0 run. Unlike Friday’s lopsided loss, the Spurs never relinquished that lead.
After blocking Jared McCain’s layup under the rim, Vassell tossed an alley-oop pass to Wembanyama for a dunk as part of 16-0 run that gave the Spurs a 23-8 lead with 4:19 remaining.
San Antonio had an assist on all 10 field goals in the first quarter.
San Antonio held Oklahoma City to 38 points in the first half, tied for its second-lowest half in the past four regular and postseasons. The Thunder are 2-9 when they score less than 40 points in any half over the last five seasons.
Oklahoma City’s franchise low is 65 points in a playoff loss to Memphis on May 3, 2014, and its second-fewest points had been 85 against San Antonio on May 21, 2014.
Victor Wembanyama had 33 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three blocks and the San Antonio Spurs held Oklahoma City to its second-lowest postseason total, beating the Thunder 103-82 in Game 4 on Sunday night to tie the NBA Western Conference finals.
De’Aaron Fox had 12 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for San Antonio, which has not lost three consecutive games all season. Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell added 13 points each.
Game 5 is Tuesday in Oklahoma City, followed by Game 6 on Thursday in San Antonio.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 19 points on 6-for-15 shooting for the Thunder.
Wembanyama took Oklahoma City’s 123-108 victory Friday in Game 3 personally. The 7-foot-4 star from France said he needed to be better to make his teammates better. He was monumentally better Sunday night — and so was San Antonio.
The Spurs limited the Thunder to 33% shooting from the field, including 6 for 33 on 3-pointers (18%).
After being outscored 76-23 in bench points in Game 3, San Antonio’s reserves scored 30 points while limiting Oklahoma City to 34.
The Spurs had another hot start in Game 4 after opening the previous game on a 15-0 run. Unlike Friday’s lopsided loss, the Spurs never relinquished that lead.
After blocking Jared McCain’s layup under the rim, Vassell tossed an alley-oop pass to Wembanyama for a dunk as part of 16-0 run that gave the Spurs a 23-8 lead with 4:19 remaining.
San Antonio had an assist on all 10 field goals in the first quarter.
San Antonio held Oklahoma City to 38 points in the first half, tied for its second-lowest half in the past four regular and postseasons. The Thunder are 2-9 when they score less than 40 points in any half over the last five seasons.
Oklahoma City’s franchise low is 65 points in a playoff loss to Memphis on May 3, 2014, and its second-fewest points had been 85 against San Antonio on May 21, 2014.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 14: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the first half of a game against the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena on March 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Luka is joined by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokić, Victor Wembanyama and Cade Cunningham on the First Team.
Jaylen Brown, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson made the Second Team. Jalen Duren, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Johnson, Tyrese Maxey and Jamal Murray were on the Third Team.
Luka received 91 First Team votes and nine Second Team votes.
A global media panel of 100 voters selected the 2025-26 Kia All-NBA Team.
With LeBron James and Austin Reaves both failing to reach the 65-game threshold to be eligible, no other Lakers received All-NBA honors. Last year, the roles were reversed as LeBron was an All-NBA player and Luka was ineligible due to injury.
Luka had an incredible season that deserves to be celebrated. He made the All-Star team, representing the Lakers in the game for the first time in his career. He was the NBA’s scoring champion, averaging 33.5 points per game. He was also the only player to earn Western Conference Player of the Month honors multiple times this season, those coming in Januaryand March.
Only 10 players in NBA history have accomplished that feat. And that list includes players such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan and Jerry West.
Now, Luka adds another All-NBA selection to his resume, making him just one of the 50-plus players to make the team six or more times.
Lakers superstar Luka Doncic made the All-NBA team Sunday, earning a spot on the first team. Corey Sipkin for NY Post
The recognition marked the sixth time in Doncic’s eight-year career that he was named to an All-NBA team.
He was named All-NBA First Team in five consecutive seasons (2020-24).
The 2025-26 All-NBA teams are:
First Team: Doncic, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Spurs center Victor Wembanyama and Pistons guard Cade Cunningham;
Second Team: Celtics wing Jaylen Brown, Clippers wing Kawhi Leonard, Rockets forward Kevin Durant, Knicks guard Jalen Brunson and Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell;
Third Team: 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey, Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, Hawks forward Jalen Johnson, Pistons center Jalen Duren and Thunder center Chet Holmgren.
Doncic received 91 first-team and nine second-team All-NBA votes, landing on all 100 of the media ballots.
Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, Wembanyama, Doncic and Brown were the lone players to be on every ballot.
Doncic is the fifth player in league history to earn six All-NBA first-team honors by age 27 or younger, according to the Lakers. He and Jokic were the 22nd and 23rd players in NBA history to receive six or more career first-team selections.
The lone seasons Doncic hasn’t been named to an All-NBA team were his first season in the league, when he was named the 2019 Rookie of the Year, and after the 2024-25 season, when he was limited to 50 regular-season games.
Doncic, 27, won the scoring title for the second time in the last three seasons.
He led the league with a scoring average of 33.5 points to go with 8.3 assists, 7.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals. His 254 made 3-pointers were the most in Lakers history for a season and the third most in the league for 2025-26.
Lakers stars LeBron James and Luka Doncic are no strangers to All-NBA teams. Doncic made his sixth, and James has earned the honor 21 times. AP
Doncic played in 64 qualified games before suffering a regular-season-ending Grade 2 left hamstring strain during the Lakers’ loss to the Thunder on April 2. He missed two games in December because of the birth of his daughter in Europe, which qualified as an extraordinary circumstance according to the announcement.
His 2025-26 regular season was filled with historic achievements and accolades, as he reestablished himself as one of the league’s best players after a 2024-25 season that featured a lengthy absence because of a calf injury and the shocking trade to the Lakers in February 2025.
Doncic scored at least 40 points in the first three games he played to start the season. Wilt Chamberlain is the only other player in league history to reach the 40-point mark in their first three games of a season.
Despite LeBron James being sidelined for the first 14 games of the season because of sciatica, Doncic, along with fellow star guard Austin Reaves, led the Lakers to a 15-4 record through the season’s first six weeks. Doncic averaged a league-high 35.1 points in that stretch.
Doncic’s best stretch of the season came after he returned from a left hamstring injury after the All-Star break.
He averaged 35.8 points, 7.8 assists and 7.7 rebounds in the 21 games he played from Feb. 20-March 31. The Lakers went 16-5 in the games Doncic played during that stretch, including 14-2 in March.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MAY 22: An overall photo of the Frost Bank Center during the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Three of the 2026 NBA Western Conference Finals on MAY 22, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 (Photos by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much. The rule against trolling also applies to members of this site that visit other fan sites.
Tonight’s game is almost a must-win game for the Silver and Black, as they need a victory tonight to avoid a trip to Oklahoma City on Tuesday night with elimination on the line. If anyone would have told me early in the season that the Spurs would be in the conference finals at the end of may with a chance to even up the series 2-2, I would have been ecstatic. But after watching the playoff run so far with the Spurs, I don’t want this to end yet. The Spurs need to keep extending the series until they can take it all the way to the Finals to meet a well-rested Knicks squad, who are murderizing the Cavs on the other side of the bracket.
Game 3 started out well for the home team, as the Spurs rushed out to a 15-0 lead, but unfortunately for the home team, the game isn’t over after the first 5 minutes, and they were thoroughly outplayed after the initial run and lost the game by 15. It was the first game where the Spurs weren’t just outschemed by a more experienced coach, but were neutralized by superior play of the opponent. I have been pretty critical of the physical play style of OKC, but that was not the reason the Spurs lost Game 3. The Thunder played with more energy and got an excellent effort up and down the roster as every player who hit the court made a significant contribution. For the Spurs, Wembanyama had a good but not great game, and the Spurs elite guard trio, struggling with injuries, couldn’t be dominant enough to make up for the lack of production from the San Antonio bench, who were bleeding points every minute they were on the court. If the Spurs want to avoid facing elimination on Tuesday, players like Keldon Johnson, Luke Kornet, and Carter Bryant will need to step up, and Julian Champagnie will need to hit some shots to relieve some of the defensive pressure on Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox.
The Spurs aren’t listing any players on the injury report, but both Fox and Harper have been dinged up, and won’t be at full speed tonight. They are going to go, and maybe that will inspire some of their teammates to help them to a win. Ajay Mitchell is out tonight, and Jalen Williams (hamstring) is listed as questionable. I doubt that JDub will play tonight, but if he does, he won’t be at full speed. With all that’s gone wrong in this series, the Silver and Black have a great opportunity for a win tonight to even up the series, and guarantee at another home game on Thursday in the Frost Arena. Let’s see the Spurs conquer adversity tonight, and give the fans another chance to cheer on their team. The Spurs have not lost three games in a row all season, and you definitely don’t want that to happen for the first time in the playoffs. LETS GO SPURS!
Game Prediction:
Carter Bryant has a breakout game and hits six three point shots as the Thunder are busy triple teaming Wembanyama.
San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma Thunder, Conference Championship Round, Game 4 May 24, 2026 | 7:00 PM CT Streaming: Peacock TV: NBC Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
CLEVELAND — Jalen Brunson needed just three words to answer.
How long has he thought about reaching the Finals with the Knicks?
“Since,” he said Sunday, “I signed.”
It went from a thought to a mandate.
This year, it was always the requirement.
Anything else would have been considered a failure.
From the moment the Knicks fired Tom Thibodeau, despite reaching the conference finals, going one step further and reaching the Finals became the unambiguous expectation.
Jalen Brunson (11) dribbles the ball against the Cleveland Cavaliers during Game 3 of the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals on May 23, 2026 at Rocket Arena. NBAE via Getty Images
But that doesn’t make this moment any less special.
The Knicks are in the midst of a magical and historic run.
With a win in Game 4 of these Eastern Conference finals Monday, they can secure back-to-back overpowering series sweeps.
It would extend their incredible winning streak to 11 games.
And it would fulfill that Finals-or-bust mandate.
“Going through this process, one of the things that I’m trying really hard to do and trying really hard to make sure our team does from the top down is to stay present,” coach Mike Brown said Sunday. “And what I mean by that is, we don’t wanna get ahead of ourselves, because as soon as we start getting ahead of ourselves, that’s when disaster always occurs, it seems.
“So for us, starting with me, making sure everybody in the organization on down understands it’s about the next game. And really, it’s about the next possession. And I try to block out everything else as best I can and not think about ‘what ifs,’ because I know for me, it would distract me 100 percent at this time of the year.”
New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown reacts during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Rocket Arena. David Richard-Imagn Images
From an outside perspective, though, it’s hard not to let the mind wander and think about what is now possible for these Knicks.
They are within touching distance of their first Finals berth since 1999, a feat that would surely whip New York City into an even wilder frenzy than it’s been in the last few weeks.
And with the way they are playing — setting more and more records with each passing game — it feels entirely within their capability to topple whichever team comes out of the West and bring home a championship.
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Their nightly dominance is eliciting the best types of dreams.
“I don’t want to consider us peaking at this moment,” Brunson said. “I still think we have a lot of work to do. Us as a team, I’ve said this all year, we just want to get better every single day. That includes the times that we’re in the playoffs because there’s still time to learn, still time to get better. That’s how I’ve always thought about it. I haven’t really had the time to really kind of wonder where we are as a team. All I focus on is how can we get better from the day before?”
That focus is entirely forward-looking.
Thinking of Knicks history and how long it’s been since they reached the Finals “doesn’t really cross my mind at all right now,” Brunson said.
The drought is a recurring topic in media and fan discourse.
But it doesn’t mean much to this group.
“I don’t think we’re stuck on it,” OG Anunoby said Sunday. “Our goal is just to win each and every game. However long it was, six years or two years or 20 years, it doesn’t matter.”
A Finals berth, a second straight sweep, a winning streak and a place in Knicks history are all attainable for the Knicks on Monday.
For them, it’s just Game 4.
“No matter what is at stake, it’s a chance for us to come together, be better than we were the game before, continue to learn,” Brunson said. “And try to be the best team we can be.”
HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 24: Rui Hachimura #28 and Deandre Ayton #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrate during the game against the Houston Rockets during Round One Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 24, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. 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 Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
This week, we’ll be kicking off our season recap series with each player on the roster. To set things off right, and because everyone loves discussing player grades so much, let’s give some grades based on the season as a whole.
In many ways, this felt like multiple seasons packed into one. The Lakers not only endured being without LeBron James at the start of the season, but excelled. His return, and an injury to Austin Reaves, led to some growing pains in the ensuing months but the Lakers figured everything out in March, leading to one of the best stretches of basketball the franchise has seen in multiple seasons.
The ending was bittersweet as a shorthanded team did all they could in the postseason before succumbing to the defending champions in the second round. It was a season full of brilliance, surprises and disappointments.
So, let’s look back on the season. Similar to the regular season version, grades will be based on the player’s expectations coming into the year. A “B” grade represents the average performance, or meeting expectations, for that player.
After his first season featured flashes of his MVP form, a refocused Luka came into this year and returned to his top form. He carried the Lakers through so many games this year and, once the team got right, looked like the league’s best in March.
Injuries were the only downside, but those are hard to avoid and hard to knock him for given how much he focused on his body in the offseason.
Reaves’ constant ascension reached yet another level this season. We learned right away what kind of season he was going to have, as without Luka and LeBron, Austin showed he was up to the task of carrying a team.
Austin did well to ease many of the concerns about his viability alongside Luka. The biggest knock on him was how little the two shared the court. Hopefully, he spends the summer getting on the Luka plan for his body.
It took a while for LeBron to get things going this season and find his groove. It was a new role with new expectations and LeBron had to adjust.
For portions of the season, it felt like the LeBron era in LA was going to come to an end. But his play in March changed the outlook on things and he showed in the playoffs that he can still carry a team when needed.
After two injury-riddled seasons, Smart proved he could still be a reliable contributor on a contending team. When the team was at it’s best in March, Smart was a valuable member of the starting lineup, contributing on both ends of the court.
His ability and willingness to do the little things and the dirty work made him an important piece of the team and may have earned him a longer contract this summer.
In the delineation between 82-game and 16-game players, Rui definitely falls closer to the latter side of that spectrum. The regular season was solid as he jumped between roles, including moving to the bench once everyone was healthy.
But his postseason performance certainly made up for however underwhelming his regular season was.
The Lakers signed Ayton with the hopes of him being a long-term solution to their center position.
He certainly was not that. In a different role than he’s had before in his career, Ayton’s production fluctuated throughout the year, including in the playoffs.
In the end, the only certainty about his season is he is not the long-term answer.
The only player to play more than 72 games, LaRavia featured in 82 games, indicating how important he was during the regular season as an innings eater.
His energy and length defensively were valuable, but his offensive shortcomings eventually made him unplayable when it mattered. Still, given how small his contract is, he still was productive this year.
Considering who he was replacing, the bar was on the floor for Kennard to be an improvement at the trade deadline. He was every bit of that and then more, including having an out-of-body experience in the postseason to help the team win a series.
While it may have looked different in certain spots and at certain times, Hayes was ultimately still the same player he has always been. He had his most efficient season, but still was closer to unplayable than valuable in the playoffs.
All those videos of Vando shooting corner threes last summer amounted to yet another poor shooting season. Vando was on the edge of the rotation most of the season and often made the decision relatively easy with how ineffective he was offensively.
After spending most of the season on a two-way deal, Smith Jr. signed a standard deal late in the season. After helping the Lakers to a huge win in Portland early in the year, it was a relatively uneventful season with the parent Lakers.
Whatever ideas there were of Kleber being a useful on-court option this season were extinguished. In spurts, he was valuable and was a notable contributor in a couple of wins. But he was never able to string together a run of games.
It’s incredible how far Knecht has fallen. After a rough summer, Knecht did not bounce back and Redick stopped giving him chances. And rightfully so. It wouldn’t be a surprise if this was his last year in LA.
Imagine telling someone in November of 2024, as Knecht was leading the Lakers to wins that, by the postseason in 2026, Bronny would be the rookie getting playoff minutes. It’s a testament to the work he’s done, mostly in the G League.
Injuries largely upended Thiero’s rookie season. He got a late start to the campaign due to injury, then suffered another one midseason that lingered.
Still, he was able to show flashes of what he could be, including in the playoffs.
Grade: C-
Drew Timme, Chris Mañon
The pair of two-way players at season’s end had different kinds of seasons. Drew Timme briefly became a rotation player and had a case for the final standard contract at season’s end. Mañon, meanwhile, made next to no impact on the parent team.
JJ Redick
Redick’s 50-win rookie season felt hollow after a terrible showing in the playoffs. He cleared the 50-win benchmark again this season and followed it up with a much more encouraging postseason showing.
He again navigated injuries and kept adapting admirably to the circumstances. It looks set to be a fruitful future with Redick and Luka at the helm.
The Knicks have impressed Kenny Atkinson during their dominant playoff run.
CLEVELAND — These aren’t the regular-season Knicks — at least not since they trailed the Hawks in the first round of the playoffs.
They haven’t lost in a month, reeling off a franchise record 10 consecutive wins in the postseason, mostly in dominant fashion.
Take it from someone who would know.
“Teams that make that next step, it’s the balance that’s impressed me the most,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said after practice Sunday, the eve of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals series that could end Monday night at Rocket Arena with one more Knicks victory. “They have so many contributors right now, and I think that is what’s different from the regular season.
“We all know they had ups and downs, they had periods where they weren’t playing well. The sustainability of it, you’re expecting a letdown. We haven’t seen a letdown from them yet.”
During this 10-game winning streak, the Knicks have won by an average of 22.5 points.
Kenny Atkinson reacts during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals May 23. Charles Wenzelberg
Only two games were really undecided late: The second game of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the 76ers, which the Knicks won by six, and Game 1 of this series, when they rallied from 22 points down in the fourth quarter.
Otherwise, it has been a parade of blowouts.
In the postseason, the Knicks are outscoring the opposition by 18.5 points per 100 possessions, by far the best in the league.
OG Anunoby and Josh Hart celebrate after the Knicks won Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals May 23. Charles Wenzelberg
They are second in offensive rating and first in defensive rating.
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The entire starting five of Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart are averaging double figures in the postseason, and Anunoby, Towns and Bridges are all shooting better than 55 percent from the field.
“It comes down to performing better, individually. Bridges is 27 of 38 [in this series]. [Landry] Shamet is 7-for-8 from 3 in this series. They’re getting stellar performances across the board,” Atkinson said. “Josh Hart in Game 2 had an incredible game. Jalen’s great and Towns is great, but we’ve kind of done a decent job on those guys, you can argue. … OG’s two wing 3s [in Game 3], like the jab, jab 3, are you kidding me? …
“The goal was to slow down their momentum, and that mojo they got, and we haven’t been able to do that. That’s the frustrating thing for me. Part of that is them playing great. We haven’t found a formula to slow their mojo down.”
I don’t think Jalen Williams will be playing, and it'll be De’Aaron Fox’s second game back, removing some injury friction in their starting lineup — which I also like for San Antonio.
The Thunder may be up 2-1, but they're living dangerously by heavily relying on their role players — such as Jared McCain, Alex Caruso, and even Jaylin Williams.
The Spurs have the length and defensive pieces to make life miserable for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Oklahoma City's supporting cast is due for some serious regression.
Jason Logan's expert pick: Luguentz Dort Over 1.5 assists
Price: +145 at bet365
With Jalen Williams hurting and Ajay Mitchell out, OKC is running short on playmakers. Luguentz Dort hasn’t logged more than 23 minutes in the series, but he’s needed in a thinning OKC backcourt in Game 4.
In the past two games, Dort has dished out six total dimes on 10 potential assists. His assist total has jumped from 0.5 to 1.5, but we’re seeing a solid return from a player with a likely uptick in minutes and involvement in the offense.
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Over 219.5
Price: -110 at bet365
After a slower opener, this series has completely shifted to a faster tempo, with Games 2 and 3 producing 235 and 231 combined points.
San Antonio naturally prefers to push the pace, but the up-and-down style has benefited Oklahoma City as well, with the Thunder erupting offensively over the last two games.
The Spurs have now gone Over the total in eight straight playoff games, while OKC enters tonight leading all postseason teams in both points per game and offensive rating.
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The San Antonio Spurs’ dramatic double-OT win in Game 1 feels like a distant memory after dropping two straight.
Now trailing 2-1, San Antonio's lack of depth and heavy legs will be tested tonight.
Our top Thunder vs. Spurs predictions and same-game parlay jumps on the visiting team to capitalize on that fatigue and cruise to a third straight win on Sunday, May 24.
Our best Thunder vs Spurs SGP for Game 4
SGP leg #1: Thunder moneyline
The disparity in bench numbers has been jarring, as the Oklahoma City Thunder have gotten 61 points and 121.6 minutes per game from their reserves, compared to just 21.3 points and 60.4 minutes for the San Antonio Spurs.
Victor Wembanyama has averaged 41.7 minutes, and giving him a break isn’t viable. The Spurs are +21 with him on the floor and -38 when he’s on the bench.
With Dylan Harper and De’Aaron Fox nursing injuries, and Wemby forced into big minutes, fatigue will be critical. I priced this line at -140, so I’m thrilled to get it early at +110.
SGP leg #1: Victor Wembanyama Under 1.5 3-pointers
After an aggressive Game 1 performance where he logged 25 shots and just two three-pointers, Wemby has been pushed to the perimeter, settling for 31 total shots and 12 triples in Games 2 and 3.
To salvage the series, San Antonio must adjust their game plan to feed Wemby down low. Increasing his paint touches allows the Spurs to maximize his towering size, force defensive collapses, and open up clean kickout opportunities for their shooters.
Backing the Spurs to make this crucial tactical adjustment makes this prop a highly lucrative, high-value play at plus-money tonight.
SGP leg #1: Keldon Johnson Over 8.5 points
The newly crowned Sixth Man of the Year was highly efficient during the regular season, averaging an impressive 20.4 points per 36 minutes while stretching the floor at a 36.3% clip from beyond the arc.
With the Spurs needing a reliable offensive spark plug to take the pressure off their starters, expect Keldon Johnson to see an expanded role and a significant uptick in volume tonight.
Given his proven scoring efficiency when he gets the opportunity, I will gladly bet this line all the way up to 9.5 points.
Get Zak Hanshew's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his Thunder vs. Spurs predictions for Game 4.
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May 22, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard De'aaron Fox (4) shoots over Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) in the second half during game three of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
Today is Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals. The Oklahoma City Thunder are at San Antonio Spurs. 8:30 p.m. ET watch it on NBC (WRC-TV) or Peacock. OKC leads 2-1.
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Heading into Game 4, the Oklahoma City Thunder hold a 2-1 lead over the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Western Conference Finals.
Despite being down early thanks to the Spurs racing out to a historic 15-0 lead in the opening three minutes, Oklahoma City’s bench ended up outscoring San Antonio’s bench 76–23, marking the highest reserve scoring output in a conference finals game in modern NBA history.
League MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 26 points and 12 assists to guide OKC out of their early 15-point hole. Despite the loss, Victor Wembanyama chipped in a team-high 26 points for the Spurs.
NBA Western conference finals: what to know
What: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs
When: May 24, 8 p.m. ET
Where: Frost Bank Center (San Antonio, Texas)
Channel: NBC
Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)
The series continues on Tuesday, May 25, with Game 5 in Oklahoma City where, depending on the result of tonight’s game, a Western Conference champion could be crowned.
Thunder vs. Spurs start time:
Game 4 between the Spurs and the Thunder is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET tonight, May 24.
DIRECTV is our top pick for watching basketball live for free — its five-day free trial includes NBC (plus nearly every other channel you’ll need for the rest of the NBA postseason). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $44.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.
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Sling TV is another affordable way to watch TV live and stream NBA games; its Select plan includes NBC and starts at $19.99/month.
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
Victor Wembanyama had 33 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three blocks and the San Antonio Spurs held Oklahoma City to its second-lowest postseason total, beating the Thunder 103-82 in Game 4 on Sunday night to tie the NBA Western Conference finals.
De’Aaron Fox had 12 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for San Antonio, which has not lost three consecutive games all season. Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell added 13 points each.
Game 5 is Tuesday in Oklahoma City, followed by Game 6 on Thursday in San Antonio.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 19 points on 6-for-15 shooting for the Thunder.
Wembanyama took Oklahoma City’s 123-108 victory Friday in Game 3 personally. The 7-foot-4 star from France said he needed to be better to make his teammates better. He was monumentally better Sunday night — and so was San Antonio.
The Spurs limited the Thunder to 33% shooting from the field, including 6 for 33 on 3-pointers (18%).
After being outscored 76-23 in bench points in Game 3, San Antonio’s reserves scored 30 points while limiting Oklahoma City to 34.
The Spurs had another hot start in Game 4 after opening the previous game on a 15-0 run. Unlike Friday’s lopsided loss, the Spurs never relinquished that lead.
After blocking Jared McCain’s layup under the rim, Vassell tossed an alley-oop pass to Wembanyama for a dunk as part of 16-0 run that gave the Spurs a 23-8 lead with 4:19 remaining.
San Antonio had an assist on all 10 field goals in the first quarter.
San Antonio held Oklahoma City to 38 points in the first half, tied for its second-lowest half in the past four regular and postseasons. The Thunder are 2-9 when they score less than 40 points in any half over the last five seasons.
Oklahoma City’s franchise low is 65 points in a playoff loss to Memphis on May 3, 2014, and its second-fewest points had been 85 against San Antonio on May 21, 2014.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 23: Landry Shamet #44 of the New York Knicks celebrates a basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first quarter in Game Three of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena on May 23, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Everyone loves an underdog. Everyone loves a good story.
The most satisfying thing about sports is when someone comes out of nowhere and becomes a folk legend.
Linsanity. David Freese for the 2011 Cardinals. Travis Ishikawa for the 2014 Giants. Miguel Rojas for the 2025 Dodgers. Big Shot Bob Horry for multiple NBA championship teams. Alec Martinez for the 2014 LA Kings (sigh).
Maybe Landry Shamet isn’t on their level… yet, but what I will promise is that he will go down in Knicks history, regardless of how this season inevitably ends. That’s something that would’ve sounded unfathomable when he first put pen to paper two years ago.
After all, this was a journeyman. In six seasons, he played for five teams, bouncing from Philly to the Clippers to Brooklyn to Phoenix to Washington. While he carved out a nice bench role on multiple playoff teams, including the 2021 Suns team that made the NBA Finals, he was banished to the lowly Wizards in 2023 as part of the Bradley Beal trade.
As many players do, his performance suffered after joining a destitute Washington squad. The longtime three-point maestro shot a career-low 33.8% from deep in 46 games, and he was dangerously close to teetering on the line of being out of the NBA. After all, there are only so many spots for veterans in a league that caters to young players with upside towards the bottom of rosters.
He stayed unsigned for several months that offseason until the Knicks came calling, looking to fill the final roster spot ahead of the 2024-25 season. At the time, it was assumed that Villanova alum and OAKAAK Ryan Arcidiacono would be given the 15th roster spot to complete the Nova Quintet, but Leon Rose elected to sign Shamet along with Marcus Morris Sr. and Chuma Okeke in mid-September to compete for the final spot.
Then came the mega trade. Karl-Anthony Towns was in, Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle were out. Due to the complicated financials of the trade, the Knicks needed to clear space and elected to temporarily waive Morris instead of Shamet. That move showed early who the team entrusted more, but the Knicks planned to re-sign Morris after the trade became official in early October.
The only problem was that Morris wanted a guaranteed spot, so he opted not to re-sign in a move that was probably a bit shortsighted, considering he hasn’t been signed to any NBA contract since. His loss was Shamet’s gain, as the 27-year-old now had significantly less competition to make the roster.
Tom Thibodeau liked what he saw in Shamet’s shooting ability and defensive capability, and all signs pointed to him beating out Okeke and bubble legend TJ Warren for the final roster spot ahead of the team’s second-to-last preseason game against the Charlotte Hornets on October 15.
Shamet dislocated his right shoulder on a basic swipe of the ball on Moussa Diabate, putting him on the shelf for a number of months. With the cash-strapped and hard-capped Knicks stuck, they decided to waive Shamet to save whatever little bits of money they could instead of rostering a player that would miss the next several months with injury and paying him as such.
But they didn’t want to lose him. The organization believed that his injury would not keep him out for as long as Julius Randle’s had a few months earlier, and still wanted him in the fold. How could they do this when he isn’t two-way eligible? The G-League Draft, of course!
The Westchester Knicks made a pair of savvy moves, one that included trading away former second-rounder Trevor Keels, to get the No. 1 and No. 2 picks in the draft. This allowed them to select Shamet and Matt Ryan, keeping both in the organization. For Shamet in particular, he’d be able to practice and later rehab in Westchester, similar to an MLB rehab assignment. A team could poach him, but they’d need to give him a standard contract while he was rehabbing, which was never happening.
All told, it took just over two months for Shamet to make his debut in the orange and blue, signing a standard contract in late December and slowly working his way into the Knicks’ rotation in early January. The rust was evident on his jumper early, as he went just 4-for-20 from deep in his first 14 games. But as he found a more consistent role, his play dramatically improved.
He shot 43% from three over his last 19 games. In April alone, he made at least four on four different occasions, including seven in the season finale against the Nets. While Thibs’ rotations promised his role would decrease come playoff time, he seemed to have an inside track to a good role.
That didn’t happen. After playing 10 minutes in Game 1, Shamet was limited to just six total minutes in the next three games before being glued to the bench for the last two games of the Detroit series. Throughout the six-game Boston series and the first two games against Indiana, he played 11 garbage-time minutes. The rotation was reduced to the starting five along with Deuce McBride, Mitchell Robinson, and small stints for Cam Payne when Brunson sat.
But after the Pacers stole both games at the World’s Most Famous Arena to start the Eastern Conference Finals, the usually stubborn Thibodeau was forced to overhaul his process. Robinson replaced Josh Hart in the starting five, while he leaned more on the likes of Delon Wright and Shamet off the bench. At least in the short term, it gave them a spark. He was plus-12 in the comeback Game 3 win that gave us a bit of hope.
Shamet combining physical post defense with a flop. It's one of the best ways to combat a mismatch. Shamet applies a lot of force. Toppin responds in turn…flop. Turnover.
The adjustments would ultimately prove to be futile, as the Pacers closed out the Knicks in six games. Shamet was once again an unrestricted free agent, and it was clear that he wasn’t a priority for the Knicks in the offseason. They filled two roster spots with Guerschon Yabusele and Jordan Clarkson, and with just enough space to add one more player on a vet min, the Knicks took their time in considering options.
Shamet ultimately got another training camp invite in September after waiting for the Knicks to call him back, but with a new coaching staff in tow, he’d have no favoritism in a camp battle that included as many as six men, but was mostly between himself, Garrison Matthews, and Malcolm Brogdon.
Matthews was a taller version of Shamet, someone who could shoot the lights out and would add size to a smaller roster. Brogdon was a veteran presence with playoff experience that could serve as a traditional backup point guard on a team with only one suitable ballhandler. Tyler Kolek wasn’t going to be entrusted with a big role, so they needed someone to stabilize the offense in the non-Brunson minutes.
It always seemed like Brogdon had the edge because of it, with Shamet being close behind. They maybe could’ve figured something out to keep both, but the decision was made much easier when Brogdon up and retired after looking a step slow during the preseason.
Just in: After nine NBA seasons, New York Knicks guard Malcolm Brogdon has decided to retire from basketball, he tells ESPN. Brogdon became the 2017 Rookie of the Year and 2023 Sixth Man of the Year after being drafted No. 36 in 2016. pic.twitter.com/nablWsQ9mu
That gave Shamet a roster spot, but it sure sounded like Mike Brown liked him even better than Thibs did. Early season injuries to Hart and McBride gave Shamet an increased role, which he took advantage of with some brilliant performances along the way.
But then came a late November game in Orlando, where he tried to fight over a Wendell Carter Jr. screen, banging up his right shoulder again and leaving the game in a similar fashion to the preseason game 13 months prior. Not again, not now.
This time, he showed enough importance that waiving his non-guaranteed contract was never considered by the Knicks’ brass. It also helped that he wouldn’t need surgery after an MRI revealed just a strain, rather than a dislocation. He’d miss two months, but would return towards the end of the three-week stretch of hell and would make an immediate impact upon return.
The Year is 2054.
My grandson bounces on my knee.
“But pop-pop, how did the Knicks rebound from a 2-9 January stretch to win their first championship in 50+ years?”
Whether starting in place of a banged-up Hart or Anunoby or coming off the bench, he would consistently come up big. For the second straight year, he went into the playoffs expected to be a key part of the bench.
And for the second straight year, things didn’t go as expected. He struggled in Game 1 and was part of some brutal lineups in Game 2 that helped blow the game. A small stint in Game 3 was all he got, as he was soon replaced in the rotation by Jose Alvarado. Just like that, he was once again on the outside looking in. But all Shamet knew in this moment was to stay ready, just like he had done throughout the season.
Landry Shamet, who's fallen out of Knicks playoff rotation, on the court running sprints postgame as Josh Hart appears on NBC pic.twitter.com/K8dyZd9AI6
His number would eventually be called again, but his impact wouldn’t truly be shown until Game 3 in Philadelphia. Against the team that brought him into the league out of Wichita State, he sucked the life out of a desperate Sixers crowd in Game 3 before helping bury them under an avalanche of threes in Game 4.
— Role Player Performances (@BenchHighlights) May 9, 2026
He didn’t play much in the first three quarters of Game 1 in Cleveland, but Mike Brown sent him out there to use a rare 5-out lineup with Hart struggling as the Knicks fell behind by as many as 22 points with under eight minutes to go. Suddenly, the game turned. Shamet was disrupting Donovan Mitchell’s rhythm. He made a three early that cut the lead a smidge before Brunson’s big run.
Then, after the captain brought them all the way back, Shamet finished it off with a game-tying corner three.
In overtime, with the stunned Cavs on the ropes, he hit the effective dagger to send MSG ablaze.
Two timely triples from Landry Shamet 🔥
Shamet (3-3 3PM) delivered in big moments for the Knicks to help them complete their largest postseason comeback in franchise history!
After being a gigantic part of saving the Knicks in Game 1, he was very quiet the following night after Hart went ballistic. Going into Game 3, the Knicks needed all hands on deck to take a stranglehold of this series, and they got that with more clutch shooting from Shamet.
Four more triples and a plus-five in 27 minutes further cemented himself in Knicks lore for his heroics. A guy that didn’t have a guaranteed roster spot during the preseason was now a big part of a team that’s one win away from the NBA Finals, for a franchise that’s gone 27 years without such an appearance.
Landry Shamet will go down in Knicks folklore, the only question now is just how rooted will he be.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 24: The sneakers worn by VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the game against the Boston Celtics during Round One Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 24, 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
Spurs -2.5
Luguentz Dort Over 1.5 assists
