Category: NBA

NBA insider Marc Stein is reporting that Nikola Vucevic is not expected to return to the Celtics:

“Former All-Star center Nikola Vucevic is increasingly regarded as a certainty to switch teams this summer after a fractured right ring finger in March helped derail his brief stint as a Boston Celtic in the spring. He’ll be 36 in October but figures to draw some interest on the open market given that there is generally always a clamor for floor-spacing big men.”

Vucevic was acquired at the trade deadline from the Chicago Bulls for Anfernee Simons and the pick that ended up 38th in the draft.

Vucevic played 16 regular season games with the Celtics, averaging 9.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game while coming off the bench in 15 of the 16 games. He missed 14 games from March 8th to April 3rd due to a fractured right ring finger.

In the playoffs, Vucevic played in six games, averaging 6.2 points and 4.3 rebounds before a DNP-coach’s decision in Game 7, where the Celtics were eliminated by the 76ers. Vucevic played a big role in the Celtics Game 3 win in Philadelphia, where he played 31 minutes with 11 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists.

I was at the Barclays Center when it happened last year. As NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced the Phoenix Suns’ selection of Duke Center Khaman Maluach with the 10th pick of the 2025 NBA Draft, the Shams Charania notification came in that Phoenix was acquiring Charlotte Hornets big man Mark Williams for the 29th pick and a 2029 first-rounder. It felt like a huge moment for the Suns and the future of their center position.

It was known when Phoenix selected Maluach that he was going to be a project. He started playing basketball as a teenager, and he’s one of the youngest players in the league. Pairing him with Williams, with whom he had a prior relationship as Williams went to Duke, made sense, especially with what center lineups looked like the previous two seasons with Jusuf Nurkic and Nick Richards manning the five and producing lackluster results.

In the first year of the two together, Williams played as the starter, while Maluach played third string behind him and Oso Ighodaro. When Williams missed time at the end of the year, Ighodaro started while Maluach played the backup five.

As Maluach now enters his second season and is widely viewed as the player with the most untapped potential on the roster to pair with Devin Booker, we’ve reached an inflection point in Williams’ tenure with the Suns.

Now a restricted free agent, if Phoenix feels Williams’ presence could disrupt Maluach’s growth, there should be concerns about what his future should be with the team, even if it means Phoenix gets rid of a player that they traded multiple first-rounders for. If the goal is to build another Finals caliber roster around Devin Booker, as team owner Matt Ishbia continues to say is the plan, acquisitions and signings can’t be made that block or prohibit the development of players with high-end potential.

With Maluach’s physical gifts (He’s 7’1” with a 7’7” wingspan) and willingness to shoot the three, Phoenix needs to ensure he has opportunities to grow if they view Maluach the way that many do, and if continuing to employ Williams hurts their vision for him, then serious conversations need to be had about whether they should resign him.

Playing the most games he did in his four-year career last season in his first with the Suns, Williams averaged 12 points and eight rebounds on 64% shooting from the field. Averaging just 24 minutes a game, Phoenix was very conservative with his minutes to help him avoid injuries.

While he played the most winning basketball of his career, he had just eight games with 20 or more points and only 13 games with two or more blocks this season. In 14 fewer games played and averaging nearly 15 minutes less per appearance, Maluach had eight games with at least two or more rejections. All of them came in the final 45 days of the regular season, as Williams missed significant time with a foot issue, demonstrating the growth he made throughout the season as a rim protector, and the value that he could provide when Williams wasn’t playing.

What Phoenix gave up to acquire Williams in 2025 shouldn’t matter for how they move in 2026. To accomplish their longterm goals, they need to move in the direction that they think gives them the best opportunity to surround Booker with top-end talent. If they believe keeping Williams disrupts that goal, then they shouldn’t resign him. The idea of what Maluach could be is too precious, considering the lack of assets Phoenix possesses.

In today’s Dub Hub:

• On a recent episode of The Draymond Green Show, Draymond Green weighs in on Spurs’ 2-0 NBA Finals deficit.
• The San Francisco Standard’s Tim Kawakami outlines why a potential partnership between Lebron James and the Warriors would benefit both sides.
• Former Knicks’ star Jeremy Lin breaks down New York’s offensive success heading into Monday’s Game 3.

As a four-time NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors, Draymond Green has never been shy about sharing his perspective on what separates good teams from championship-caliber ones. So, with the San Antonio Spurs staring at a dreaded 2-0 deficit against the New York Knicks, the veteran forward shared his concerns with San Antonio’s mentality during the most recent episode of The Draymond Green Show.

The Spurs advanced to the Finals after an emotional Game 7 victory over the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Western Conference Finals MVP Victor Wembanyama was visibly overcome with emotion after the win, shedding tears following what was arguably the biggest victory of his career up to that point.

However, as Green pointed out, the inexperienced Spurs have looked a step behind to begin the Finals. They blew a fourth quarter lead in Game 1 last Wednesday, then followed that up with several critical mistakes in the final seconds of Game 2 on Friday.

The Knicks, by contrast, have looked hungry. A franchise that hasn’t won a championship since 1973, playing in front of a city that has waited over five decades, they’ve carried that urgency into every game. They’ve now won 13 straight playoff games — the second-longest streak in NBA playoff history — with no signs of slowing down either.

Green may be onto something with the Spurs’ inexperience revealing itself on the biggest stage, and if they can’t rediscover that competitive edge starting in Game 3 at Madison Square Garden on Monday night, New York could be on the verge of celebrating very soon.

For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Monday, June 8th:

Warriors News:

Richard Jefferson admits Cavs’ Finals plan vs. Steph Curry was to ‘beat him up’ | NBC Sports Bay Area

NBA on ESPN analyst Richard Jefferson, who faced Golden State in the 2016 and 2017 NBA Finals as a member of the Cavaliers, detailed Cleveland’s brutal game plan for Curry on Friday night’s broadcast. While discussing a hard foul on New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson during Game 2 of the 2026 Finals, Jefferson recalled his job against Curry a decade ago.

“When we played Steph Curry in the Finals, our job was to beat him up like that,” Jefferson said in the first quarter. “And it wasn’t anything dirty, but if you’re going to foul him, foul him in a physical nature.”

Kawakami: LeBron + Warriors? A late marriage that might never be more convenient | The San Francisco Standard

Yes, I get it. At this point, Warriors fans are bellowing: How would signing LeBron make the team younger and healthier? My answer: LeBron is old but actually remains quite durable; he registered 1,989 minutes this regular season, more than every Warrior except Brandin Podziemski. (More info: LeBron has averaged 2,195 minutes over the last five seasons.)

Warriors Window Still Open?? Jerry Stackhouse on Head Coach Job Openings, Mike Malone to UNC!

NBA News:

NBA Finals: Spurs’ chances of surviving hinge on unlocking Victor Wembanyama | Yahoo Sports

I’d argue, if you’re looking to unlock Wembanyama more, that the roll direction needs to tilt the other way more often. Second Spectrum has Wembanyama down as the empty side PnR screener nine times in this series; he’s rolled or popped to the empty side once. Surely there’s room for more, right?

Force a back-pedaling Karl-Anthony Towns (Finals MVP right now, in my opinion) or Mitchell Robinson to high-point and contest lobs consistently. See how aggressive the Knicks want to peel in their low man within that context.

Former Knicks’ star Jeremy Lin breaks down New York’s offensive success

In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:

Report: Steph Curry plans to meet with LeBron James to discuss joining Warriors

The Warriors clearest path to signing James is with the non-taxpayer mid-level exception (worth roughly $15 million per season), which would still mark a 70% pay cut for LeBron. A sign-and-trade could be a different path to paying James more, but that would require Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, or Kristaps Porzingis heading out in the deal.

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

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The San Antonio Spurs are desperate. Can their superstar turn that desperation into success against the New York Knicks in Game 3 of the NBA Finals?

TheseVictor Wembanyama picksand Spurs vs. Knicks predictions see the added day of rest as the biggest key before tip at 8:30 ET on Monday, June 8.

Victor Wembanyama prop pick for Game 3

Victor Wembanyama best bet: Over 11.5 rebounds (-110 at bet365)

The start of the Western Conference Finals was only 19 days before Game 2 of the NBA Finals, which is to say, Victor Wembanyama played nine high-stakes games in 19 days, concluding Friday night. In a very real way, that clearly had the San Antonio Spurs’ superstar worn out.

One could reasonably wonder if his game-costing gaffe resulted from mental fatigue. His attempt at a game-winner falling short almost certainly was the result of physical fatigue. And all understandably so.

But the NBA slotted an extra day between Games 2 and 3 for precisely this reason (It must be for this reason. A game in prime time on Sunday night is about as ideal as it could have gotten for television ratings).

Wemby may not be fully rested, but that added day off, combined with desperation, should give him some renewed energy.

When fatigued, his rebounds have sagged a bit, both in the postseason and the regular season.

Wembanyama has cleared this modest rebounding prop only once in his last seven games after notching it in eight of his first 12 games these playoffs — and more genuinely, that would be eight of his first 10 games once discounting a concussion and an ejection.

In the regular season, Wembanyama averaged only 10.8 rebounds on the second night of back-to-backs, 11.4 rebounds when enjoying a day off and 12.75 when getting two days off.

This may not be an aggressive bet, and it may be priced at a ho-hum -110, but given the chance to catch his breath, trusting Wembanyama on the glass in Game 3 is exceedingly logical.

Victor Wembanyama same-game parlay

While rest should help Victor Wembanyama crash the glass regardless of the venue — he averaged 11.75 rebounds at home this regular season compared to 11.25 on the road — neither he nor the Spurs should be trusted to shoot on the road.

Wembanyama has always been more reluctant to heave away from San Antonio, and with good reason. He shot 37.9% from deep at home this regular season, compared to 31.3% on the road, while taking 5.9 threes per game at home and just five per game on the road.

Those trends have held up in the last two rounds of this postseason.

Logic expects the Spurs’ role players to have similar struggles and/or reluctance, thus cutting into Wemby’s assists total.

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

The New York Knicks are back home for Games 3 and 4 of the NBA Finals with a chance to wrap up the series against the San Antonio Spurs.

Despite having a 2-0 lead in the series, Jalen Brunson and the Knicks are trying to keep their focus ahead of Game 3.

"I do my best to stay present in the moment, to do the things I can to make sure my mind is right,” Brunson said. “Being mentally and physically ready every day. Trusting my work. That's what's gotten me here."

The Knicks will have the opportunity to provide a sense of accomplishment for the franchise and fanbase with their first NBA Championship in 53 years.

Members of the Knicks and the Spurs spoke with the media during the off day on Sunday ahead of Game 3 to answer questions and provide their perspective on how the first two games of the series went.

Being back home in one of the country’s biggest media markets, the Knicks were faced with distractions, including those off-day media sessions.

Rappers Fat Joe and Jadakiss, who host a podcast together, were spotted in the back of the media room. Actor Ben Stiller was also present for the session. All three are notable Knicks fans who had also made the trip to San Antonio for the first two games of the series to support their team.

"This is a great day for me. For the first time, I got a chance to meet Ben Stiller. I got my man Fat Joe sitting in the back. This is a great day for Mike Brown!" 😭 pic.twitter.com/246KQZC8qn

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) June 7, 2026

Fat Joe stood up during the session to joke with Knicks coach Mike Brown about the shoes he wears during the games.

Mike Brown’s press conference was interrupted by an ambitious journalist @fatjoe has secured a signed pair of PF Flyers pic.twitter.com/Dx5xibkgbz

— Kris Pursiainen (@krispursiainen) June 7, 2026

While Brown was willing to embrace that moment, Brunson has tried to limit those distractions, remain focused on the task at hand, and avoid discounting his opponent.

"I think playing better with the lead that we had, the 14-point lead," Brunson told the media. "The way (the Spurs) fought back and took the lead is just a credit to how good they are."

While Brunson has played a key role in helping New York win 13 consecutive games entering Game 3 on Monday, he hasn't officially gone off yet in the finals. The Spurs have centered their defensive game plan around limiting Brunson and playing physical against him. Brunson has been limited to just 34% shooting from the field through the first two games in the series. If that trend continues, it would be the worst playoff shooting performance in his career.

Even with his shooting woes, Brunson helped establish the pace early in Game 2, scoring eight of the Knicks' first 13 points in the first quarter. Teammate OG Anunoby was responsible for scoring the other five points.

Brunson proved once again why he’d been named the Clutch Player of the Year in 2025. He swooped in during the final moments of the fourth quarter in Game 2 and stole the ball after Victor Wembanyama tossed the ball toward point guard Stephon Castle, who wasn't looking.

Brunson would collide with Wembanyama and fall out of bounds with the ball. Wembanyama was called for a foul and Brunson was sent to the line, where he would make what became the eventual game-winning free throw after the game was tied at 104.

“Those are the moments that he lives for, especially in the fourth quarter,” Spurs guard Devin Vassell said about Bruson. “He is clutch; there isn’t much we can change because we are forcing him to take difficult shots (throughout the game).”

When do Knicks and Spurs play Game 3?

• Date: Monday, June 8
• Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
• Where: Madison Square Garden (New York)
• TV: ESPN
• Stream:Fubo, YouTube TV

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jalen Brunson, Knicks fighting distractions ahead of Game 3 at MSG

Intense playoff basketball calls for heightened scrutiny on the margins.

Every rotation matters. The margins are small enough that each small schematic shift can not only swing games, but also define entire seasons.

For that reason, coaching stands out this time of year. The good coaches are usually the ones who make it to this stage, and a team rarely makes a deep playoff run without coaching playing a big part in the team’s execution.

In Mike Brown’s case, no head coach has been watched closer throughout this entire postseason than him. The Knicks controversially fired their most successful head coach in 20 years after reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years last June, and went on a highly publicized coaching search that saw them be “turned down” by five teams in their pursuit.

When they ended up with Brown, it was viewed as a desperation hire that was way down the Knicks’ list. Why fire Thibodeau if you didn’t have a plan, right?

After mixed results in the regular season and a 1-2 series deficit in the first round against the Atlanta Hawks, the sharks were circling on not just the core, but the coach. Could he be one-and-done? How would he respond?

Well, after Game 3 in Atlanta, he made a key adjustment. The same way he made a big adjustment to end the three-week stretch from hell in January.

And then, he adjusted again.

And again.

And again.

Across this postseason, one in which the Knicks have carried a 13-game winning streak to being a pair of wins from ending their 53-year title drought, Coach Brown has been integral in making a multitude of adjustments, both mid-game and mid-series, to slow down and throttle everyone in the Knicks’ path.

Let’s start with Game 3, where the shellshocked Knicks were left picking up the pieces after being punched in the mouth twice by CJ McCollum’s heroics. The house of cards was collapsing. If they didn’t immediately bounce back with multiple victories, the Grim Reaper himself would be sitting courtside at Madison Square Garden to tear down this core.

So they went to work. Three massive adjustments were made on both ends of the court to give the Hawks a different look.

They switched from a Brunson-centric offense to a KAT-centric offense, putting the ball in the big man’s hands up high and making him the facilitator. From there, he’d have options. They’d run a back screen with Brunson and Anunoby that, most of the time, would generate an open cut to the rim by Anunoby or a clean look from three by Brunson. That switch alone kicked the half-court offense up a notch.

He abandoned the full bench lineups that had gotten crushed in the first three games. For all but a few minutes of the last 13 games (notably in the third quarter of Game 2 on Friday), there has been either Brunson or Towns on the court for every single minute outside of garbage time.

But the other adjustment also neutered McCollum’s impact. Instead of playing him 1-on-1, they hedged against Atlanta’s lack of creation and shooting depth by blitzing him to get the ball out of his hands. Predictably, when guys like Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels had the ball, the Hawks’ offense cratered.

By blitzing McCollum, his efficiency nosedived. He went from averaging 27 points on 51/39 splits across the first three games to 11.3 points on 39/10 splits in the final three. The Knicks won the final three games by a combined 96 points and made those two one-point defeats feel like a pity party.

The gameplan of blitzing the ball handler was also applied to their second-round series against the Sixers, forcing the ball out of Tyrese Maxey’s hands or forcing him into bad decisions. With a hobbled Joel Embiid not able to take command of the offense, it allowed the Knicks to put the clamps on Philadelphia’s offense.

There was also the offensive gameplan of abusing Embiid in the pick-and-roll, which they did to an almost mortifying degree. It was abuse out there.

There weren’t many opportunities for adjustments in a relatively uncompetitive series, but this was where Mike Brown really started to lean on Landry Shamet off the bench. When the team fell behind 20-8 in Game 3, behind fiery play by Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, he rode bench lineups that overwhelmed the Sixers, which was especially important as Towns dealt with foul trouble.

Moving into the Cleveland series, the same plan of blitzing the ball handler was falling apart… fast. The shooting depth that the Cavs had on display was hurting them throughout Game 1. A once close game had spiraled to a near 20-point hole late in the third that ultimately ended up at 22.

In the moment of facing the most adversity since Game 3 against the Hawks, there were three more big adjustments to be made.

The first was to start playing 1-on-1. Late in the third, they stopped showing two to James Harden, who had rebounded after a miserable first half to be the best facilitator on the floor. It immediately slowed down their offense.

The second was to optimize spacing with the five-out offense. Josh Hart was badly struggling, so Brown replaced him with Shamet and rode him the rest of the way as Cleveland was unable to use ghost coverage to load up on Brunson.

And that brings us back to Brunson, who began hunting the switch onto Harden before frying him into oblivion, single-handedly making this a ballgame before clutch threes by Shamet and Mikal Bridges took it home.

That massive 22-point comeback fundamentally broke the Cavaliers. After renewed confidence in Hart resulted in a playoff career-high 26 points in Game 2, it was abundantly clear that the Knicks were at a different level, steamrolling their way to a clean sweep to formally vindicate the decision to hire Mike Brown and reach the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years.

There hasn’t been anything too noticeable in terms of adjustments thus far in the Finals against San Antonio. The opening plans of Towns sticking with Wemby and playing with physicality, and going back to a Brunson-centric offense to take advantage of their desire to deny him at all costs have mostly worked to this point, but there will likely come a time where a big adjustment has to be made, whether in the rotation or in the scheme.

But based on how this postseason has gone, you have to like where the Knicks stand in that regard.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are returning to their roots next NBA season with a new logo, new uniforms and a new court.

The team revealed their wholesale updates on Sunday, June 7, including some subtle nods to the design elements present in the team's 1989 debut.

"This franchise means something different to every generation of fans," Timberwolves CEO Matt Caldwell said in a news release. "We wanted this new look to reflect the pieces of Timberwolves basketball fans have always connected with, while also feeling true to the team and culture surrounding this franchise today."

Fittingly, Timberwolves icon Kevin Garnett (1995-2007, 2015-16) helped model the new unis. 

Ticket approved. 🎟️ pic.twitter.com/9B402DxZQu

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) June 7, 2026

The most obvious change is a return to the franchise’s original blue, green and white color palette.

While the "Wolves" part of the team nickname is prominent on the updated jerseys and on the new on-court logo at Target Center, the team is also paying homage to the "timber" portion as well − with a ribbon of pine trees lining the sleeves of the uniform and waistband of the shorts.

And finally, the franchise offers an updated look for the beloved Old Shep mascot, with a brighter, more colorful wolf logo.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Timberwolves unveil new uniforms, logo for 2026-27 NBA season

Before this NBA finals series against the New York Knicks even started, there was one little thing that had been gnawing at the back the of my mind, and that was what has made the Knicks successful against the Spurs in the regular season did not align well with a strategy that had gotten the Spurs to the Finals in the first place: double teaming the star and making the role players beat you.

It worked well against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round for a few reasons, one being that Anthony Edwards can at times be a reluctant passer and try to be the hero by himself, but more than anything it was because his best target, Donte DiVincenzo, was out with a ruptured Achilles. The results were a little more mixed against the Oklahoma City Thunder in large part because Alex Caruso decided to go nuclear from beyond the arc for a few games. (If he could have done that in college, maybe Texas A&M’s greatest achievement in men’s basketball would be something beyond a handful of Sweet 16 appearances.)

However, what brought the Spurs back from a 3-2 deficit in the Western Conference Finals was their ability to adjust. Specifically, they switched things up from “stop Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at all costs” to “stay at home on role players and make him beat us by himself”. The result was a big Game 7 performance from him, but it was for naught as he didn’t have enough help, allowing the Spurs to pull away as the game wore on.

That brings us to the Knicks. Coming into the series, I had this aching feeling the Spurs would at least start with the same approach: stop Jalen Brunson and make everyone else beat you. They’ve mostly achieved the first part (outside of crunch time) with Brunson shooting under 34%, but the problem is unlike their previous opponents, the Knicks have the shooters to punish you for leaving them open, and so far, they have done just that.

In the regular season, seven of the Knicks’ top nine rotation players hit greater than 36.8% from three on 3.5 or more attempts per game. The two that didn’t — Mohamed Diawara and Tyler Kolek — haven’t even played in this series. So that means the Knicks often have five above-average shooters on the floor at once. The only three Knicks getting minutes who aren’t on that list are Mitchell Robinson, whom you still have to stay home on down low, and of course Spurs fans know what killers Jose Alvarado and hometown kid Jordan Clarkson can be off then bench if they get hot.

The Knicks haven’t been at their best from three so far in this series (which is concerning as the series shifts to their home court), but they have been hitting them in timely fashion, and just like I have imagines implanted in my brain of Mikal Bridges nailing five open threes in their regular season blowout win over the Spurs in Madison Square Garden, I saw similar instances in Game 2 in particular, where a Spurs defender left his man open in the corner for a split second to double-team or swipe at Brunson, only for him to immediately find the open shooter before the defender could recover. And as Mike Breen would put it, bang.

I don’t know if this is the strategy the coaches have chosen up to this point or if the players are having momentary but costly lapses. Regardless of the reason, both parties need to make the adjustment back to staying at home on shooters, especially in that left hard corner. Just take a look at the Knicks shot chart in this series:

If this doesn’t scream “keep letting Brunson work in the midrange but stop leaving corner shooters open”, then I don’t know what does. (In case you’re wondering, the Spurs are also green in the left corner but on a smaller sample size of 4-9, otherwise they’re red everywhere except inside the restricted area, where they are a similar 35-55. You can check out all the stats and charts here.)

Of course, there are plenty more things the Spurs could do better besides defend one particular shot. They actually led in the final two minutes of both games before proceeding to blow it in crunch time, Game 2 in particularly painful fashion (but it still doesn’t beat Game 6 of 2013 — I don’t think anything ever could), so better decision making with the game on the line is paramount. Leaving a combined 12 points on the court via missed free throws (seven in game 2) is another thing they can go back and kick themselves over. (Speaking of which, blowing two games in which they had an optimal whistle is also costly, because how long will that last?)

Things happen in-game that no one can predict or control. What can be controlled is strategy and game plan, and the Spurs staff and players have shown throughout these playoffs that they can learn and adjust. They made the exact same adjustment of staying home on shooters and guarding the opposing star one-on-one last series, and hopefully the plan heading into Game 3 is to do that again. Brunson may be more capable of going nuclear than SGA — he has scored 60 points on the Spurs before — but guess what? The Spurs won that game.

There is nothing fun about being down 0-2, knowing you could just as easily be 1-1 or even 2-0, and facing the gauntlet of needing to win 4 of 5 games, including two on the road, to win a series — never mind a championship in an era when the Finals are a lot more difficult to reach than they were during the Spurs’ dynasty days (which is insane). However, if there is a silver lining, it’s that all pressure is on the Knicks now, and the Spurs can play free and make adjustments without fear of consequence. They’ve shown they can do it before, and now it’s time to do it again.

As much as everything seems stacked against the Spurs at this point, FanDuel Sportsbook only has them a 1.5 point underdog in Game 3. That’s how tight this series has been and should continue to be, coming down to minute details and split second decisions. However, with the correct adjustments and mindset, maybe the Spurs can force the pendulum to swing back their favor.

Welcome to our annual Lakers season in review series, where we’ll look back at each player on the team’s roster this season and evaluate if they should be part of the future of the franchise. Today, we take a look at Luke Kennard.

When Luke Kennard arrived in Los Angeles via mid-season trade with the Atlanta Hawks, he didn’t have big shoes to fill in replacing Gabe Vincent, who was underwhelmingly bad throughout his time as a Laker.

So when Kennard contributed to the table right off the bat, it was a welcome sight. The 29-year-old guard from Duke University aided the Lakers’ need for 3-point shooting and spacing, which you can never have too much of around Luka Dončić and LeBron James.

So, by that alone, acquiring Kennard was a fantastic move by Rob Pelinka that also paid dividends in the playoffs. The only caveat, however, was that the veteran was on an expiring contract when they acquired him, so even today, there’s no certainty as to whether or not he’ll be back on the purple and gold next season.

How did he play?

It’s hard to complain about Kennard’s short stint, especially since he won a handful of games for them. He also had that memorable game-winner in March against the Magic that kept the team’s win streak going. He’s an excellent fit on this team and his average of nine points per game on 44.8% 3-point shooting perfectly depicts that.

What also stood out about Kennard’s game during his time as a Laker was that he’s more than just a shooter. His ability to cut to the rim, handle the ball and move without it are some of his best qualities, not to mention his high basketball IQ, which is such an asset alongside James and Dončić. It didn’t take long for him to not only become an essential piece in head coach JJ Redick’s rotation.

Kennard will always be remembered for his performance in Game 1 against the Rockets when he put up 27 points on 5-5 shooting from three and 9-13 from the field. As the playoffs went on and the opponents’ defensive pressure intensified, he had his fair share of struggles.

Ultimately, Kennard’s time as a Laker was productive and he was a depiction of the type of role player that works well around the team’s superstars.

What is the contract situation moving forward?

Since the Lakers acquired Kennard while he was on an expiring deal, he’s set for free agency this offseason. Ideally, it would be nice to retain him for the right price.

Should he be back?

If the deal is right, then absolutely yes. Kennard is the type of player who is going to win the Lakers games, especially in the regular season. He got a feel of what it’s like to play alongside Dončić and James and bringing him back would do wonders for the team’s continuity. Re-signing Kennard addresses the Lakers’ 3-point shooting needs and adds a boost offensively.

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.

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BetMGM’s ladder bettor - who already won nearly $325,000 in the first two games of the NBA Finals - has $450,000 riding on the Knicks in Game 3 as New York looks to take a stranglehold of the series.

Key Takeaways

• The bettor is backing the Knicks from +4.5 to -2.5 in Game 3.
  
  
• One of the user’s few losses came at the hands of the Spurs in the Western Conference finals.
  
  
• BetMGM bettors are split between supporting the Knicks and Spurs in Game 3

The Knicks find themselves up 2-0 over the San Antonio Spurs ahead of the series’ Monday transition to Madison Square Garden. They were +4.5 and +6.5 underdogs in Games 1 and 2 but are 2.5-point favorites ahead of tipoff.

BetMGM’s ladder bettor backed New York in the first two contests and isn’t changing their tune now. The anonymous high-roller dropped six new five- or six-figure wagers on the Knicks, with values ranging from +4.5 (-225) to -2.5 (-105).

The bets are as follows:

• $200,000 on Knicks +4.5 (-225)
• $125,000 on Knicks +3.5 (-200)
• $50,000 on Knicks +2.5 (-175)
• $35,000 on Knicks +1.5 (-155)
• $20,000 on Knicks -1.5 (-120)
• $20,000 on Knicks -2.5 (-105)

BetMGM confirmed the wagers were accepted, meaning the user has now risked $1.05 million on the Knicks through just three games of the Finals.

Knicks have history on their side

No team has ever recovered to win the NBA Finals after dropping the first two games of the series at home. Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs are up against it, although the 7-foot-4 Frenchman isn’t feeling the pressure. 

Wemby on dealing with the pressure of being down 0-2 in the Finals:

"This is everything that I wish for, so there's no reason to really overthink it. I mean, this is what I'm built for." pic.twitter.com/TXMaDPU5cV

— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) June 7, 2026

Which team is public backing?

The Spurs are effectively playing for survival, seeing as no team has ever recovered from a 3-0 deficit in any round.

One of the bettor’s few disappointing nights in these playoffs occurred in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals when they lost $350,000 backing the Oklahoma City Thunder; Wembanyama dropped 33 points in the Spurs' dominant 21-point victory that leveled the series.

While the Knicks may have begun the series as +185 underdogs, they are now anything but overlooked. Sixty-eight percent of bets and 82% of the Game 3 handle in the spread market are on the Knicks to cover the 2.5-point line. 

That said, 59% of bets and 54% of the moneyline handle are still on the Spurs. The Knicks are also only -140 favorites in NBA championship odds, meaning they have a 58.3% implied chance - far from as dominant as the NBA’s precedent of no team ever overcoming home losses in Games 1 and 2.

“Before the NBA Finals began, the Spurs were the biggest remaining liability on the futures market,” said BetMGM senior trading manager Christian Cipollini. “The sportsbook was initially hoping for a Knicks win, but that has flipped after bettors jumped on New York following their first two wins. Now the series going seven games and the Spurs winning is the best outcome.”

Three of the most bet Spurs versus Knicks Game 3 player props involve players from the visiting Spurs. The full top five list includes:

• Dylan Harper Over 21.5 total points, rebounds, and assists (-135)
• Stephon Castle Over 11.5 total assists and rebounds (+105)
• Dylan Harper Over 13.5 points (-105)
• Josh Hart Over 12.5 total assists and rebounds (-135)
• Miles McBride Under 6.5 points (-140)

Finals MVP odds

The NBA Finals MVP odds market has seen a ton of movement throughout the playoffs and the first two games of the championship series. Jalen Brunson is the new leader, having shortened from +2,800 at the beginning of the playoffs to his current value of +110.

Karl-Anthony Towns is second in odds, down from +15,000 to +165. Wembanyama leads all Spurs players at +375, down from +600.

A whopping 20.1% of wagers and 63.1% of the money is on Brunson to win the award. Towns has 17.5% of bets and 10.7% of the pot, while Wembanyama has 12.1% of tickets and 9.9% of the handle.

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The NBA Finals swing to Madison Square Garden for Game 3 tonight, with the New York Knicks holding a commanding 2-0 series lead over the San Antonio Spurs.

Our NBA experts have you covered with a trio of NBA picks for you to get in before tip-off at 8:30 p.m. on June 8.

Spurs vs Knicks Expert Picks Tonight

Pick	Odds
Jon Metler: Jalen Brunson Over 25.5 points	-125
Jason Logan: De'Aaron Fox Over 5.5 assists	-135
Joe Osborne: Knicks -2.5	-105

Odds courtesy of bet365.

Jon Metler's expert pick: Jalen Brunson Over 26.5 points

Price: -112 at bet365

There was one takeaway from Game 2 that seemed to be universally shared by the broadcast crew and anyone watching: While playoff basketball is naturally more physical, the officials let the game get a little too far out of hand.

I expect that to be a point of emphasis heading into Game 3, and if the whistle tightens up even slightly, Jalen Brunson stands to benefit more than anyone. A few extra trips to the free-throw line could be all it takes for this prop to cash.

What stands out most to me, though, is the volume. Despite constant hand-checking and limited freedom of movement, Brunson still attempted 25 shots in Game 2.

Through two games, he has already put up 56 field-goal attempts, an elite workload that’s difficult to overlook. This handicap is far more about opportunity than efficiency. With Brunson continuing to dominate the offense, I price the Over 26.5 points closer to -155.

Jason Logan's expert pick: De'Aaron Fox Over 5.5 assists

Price: -135 at bet365

De’Aaron Fox has topped out at five assists in the first two games of the NBA Finals, despite sitting second on the San Antonio Spurs in total potential assists at 22. We’re seeing more pairings of him and Dylan Harper, with Fox taking a back seat in scoring when San Antonio goes small. 

The Spurs need to jump-start their transition attack and play a quicker pace, so we’ll see Fox running the point more with Harper and Stephon Castle playing off the ball as the team banks on his steady veteran hand in what will be an insane MSG. 

He’s shown success getting inside on the New York Knicks defense and dropping the ball into Victor Wembanyama at the rim or kicking to spot-up shooters. 

Most Game 3 projections lean toward six assists from Fox, with a ceiling at 6.2 dimes.

Joe Osborne's expert pick: Knicks -2.5

Price: -105 at bet365

I’m sticking with the Knicks in Game 3. Their historic playoff run has now reached 13 consecutive victories, and they continue to find ways to separate themselves when games are hanging in the balance.

New York was the better team in crunch time in the opening two games of the series, while San Antonio’s young core is showing its age. Now the series shifts to Madison Square Garden, where the atmosphere should only amplify the Knicks’ edge.

More Spurs vs Knicks Game 3 picks

• Spurs vs. Knicks prediction
• Spurs vs. Knicks props
• Jalen Brunson odds and props
• Victor Wembanyama odds and props
• Free NBA picks
• Best NBA betting sites

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

Tonight is one of the biggest nights in the history of Madison Square Garden.

That may sound like hyperbole. After all, we’re talking about “The World’s Most Famous Arena,” a building that has hosted Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, and just about every major cultural event imaginable over the last half-century. And yet tonight somehow feels different.

The New York Knicks return home holding a 2-0 lead over the San Antonio Spurs in the 2026 NBA Finals. Two road games. Two victories. Two punches landed directly on the jaw of a Spurs team that entered the series believing it was destined to become the NBA’s next great dynasty.

Now the Knicks stand two wins away from ending a championship drought that has lasted 53 years. Entire generations of New Yorkers have lived their entire lives without witnessing a Knicks championship. Some of the loudest fans who will be inside Madison Square Garden tonight weren’t even alive the last time New York reached this stage.

That’s why the atmosphere surrounding Game 3 feels less like a basketball game and more like a city-wide event. As someone sitting just across the river from Manhattan, I can tell you firsthand that the energy is impossible to ignore. You hear it everywhere. The Knicks have completely consumed the sports conversation throughout the New York metropolitan area.

They’re no longer just a basketball team. They’ve become a movement.

We’ve seen the ticket prices reach absurd levels. We’ve watched celebrities scramble for seats. There will be a sitting president in attendance NBA Finals game for the first time. Whether you love that fact or hate it (and let’s be honest, I think we know how most people reading this blog feel), it speaks to the scale of what is happening.

Knicks Mania has officially crossed over from sports story into cultural phenomenon.

And right in the middle of it all stands Karl-Anthony Towns. Our guy. The same player who spent nearly a decade carrying the weight of the Timberwolves franchise. The same player who endured coaching changes, roster overhauls, and endless criticism. Now he’s two wins away from becoming an NBA champion. If you’re a Wolves fan and that doesn’t stir something inside you, I don’t know what to tell you.

And so here we are.

Game 3. Madison Square Garden. A 2-0 Knicks lead. The biggest home game New York has hosted in decades.

What could possibly go wrong?

Well, if you’ve watched enough basketball, you already know the answer. Plenty.

Because as impressive as New York has been through the first two games, anybody ready to start engraving the trophy is getting way ahead of themselves. The Knicks absolutely can win this championship. In fact, after taking the first two games in San Antonio, they’re now the clear favorites.

But favorites aren’t champions. Not yet.

And the biggest reason remains standing seven-foot-whatever-he-is in a Spurs jersey: Victor Wembanyama.

For two games, the Spurs superstar has looked surprisingly mortal. That’s not to say he’s been bad, but he hasn’t looked like the unstoppable force that dismantled the Timberwolves. He hasn’t looked like the player who survived a seven-game war with Oklahoma City and emerged as the face of the Western Conference.

He’s looked uncomfortable and out of rhythm. The man nicknamed “the alien” has looked very much human.

History suggests that won’t last. The Wolves learned that lesson the hard way. In Minnesota’s second-round series against San Antonio, Wembanyama had stretches where he looked vulnerable. Then he adjusted and reminded everyone why he’s already being discussed alongside the best players in basketball despite still being at the beginning of his career.

That’s what makes Game 3 so fascinating. The Knicks are playing with house money. The Spurs are playing with desperation. This isn’t LeBron’s 2007 Cavaliers stumbling into the Finals ahead of schedule and simply being happy to participate. This Spurs team earned its place. They survived the Western Conference gauntlet. They knocked off Oklahoma City. They beat the Wolves. They have every reason to believe they’re still capable of winning this series.

Young teams may lack experience, but they don’t lack pride. That’s why tonight feels less like an opportunity for New York to celebrate and more like a test. Can they withstand the inevitable punch that’s coming? Wembanyama knows what’s at stake. The Spurs know what’s at stake. No team wants to fall behind 3-0 in the Finals because basketball history tells us exactly what happens next.

Nothing.

San Antonio is going to come out swinging, and the Knicks have to match that intensity. They have to let Madison Square Garden become the sixth man and ride the energy. Karl-Anthony Towns has to continue doing what he’s done throughout this playoff run. Play smart, physical basketball, avoid foul trouble, and make Wembanyama work.

While Wembanyama may be the future of the league, Towns is chasing something that has eluded him his entire career: validation. As someone who watched virtually every chapter of Towns’ Minnesota journey, I genuinely hope he gets there.

Tonight isn’t the finish line. Not even close. But it might be the most important non-elimination game of his life. Win tonight and the Larry O’Brien Trophy is practically within arm’s reach. Lose tonight and suddenly all the pressure shifts back.

That’s what makes this game so compelling. Everything feels enormous. Everything feels consequential. And if the first two games are any indication, we’re in for another unforgettable night.

The Garden is ready.

The city is ready.

Karl-Anthony Towns is two wins away from the promised land.

Now we’ll find out if the next step is the easiest one yet, or the hardest one of all.

Go get it, KAT.

Stacey King, a three-time NBA champion and beloved TV broadcaster with the Chicago Bulls, has died, the team announced Sunday. He was 59.

No cause of death has been disclosed.

“Stacey King was a cherished member of the Bulls family and one of the truly unique personalities in our organization’s history,” Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement. “His connection to Chicago, the Bulls and our fans spanned more than three decades — first as a player and later as the unmistakable voice that helped bring Bulls basketball into the homes of generations of fans.

“We will miss him deeply and remember the joy, energy, humor, candor and passion he brought to our organization, our broadcasts and our fans every day. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.”

Read more:Brandon Clarke, Memphis Grizzlies forward and former first-round pick, dies at age 29

Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan said in a statement he is “deeply saddened” by his former teammate’s death.

“We shared some special years together as teammates, and he was part of a group that helped define an era of Chicago Bulls basketball. My thoughts are with Stacey’s family, friends and everyone whose lives he touched.”

Born Jan. 29, 1967, the Lawton, Okla., native became a star playing at Oklahoma from 1985 to 1989, leading the Sooners to the national championship game in 1988 and back into the Sweet 16 the following year.

King ranks sixth in Oklahoma history with 2,008 career points and eighth with 825 career rebounds.

“We are heartbroken over the passing of Stacey King, a true Oklahoma legend,” current Sooners coach Porter Moser said in a statement. “Stacey was one of the most accomplished and likeable players in OU men’s basketball history, and he meant so much to our program because of his passion for the sport and the university.

“His smile, energy and spirit were his hallmarks, not to mention his silky-smooth left-handed stroke. ... Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones, and we will thoughtfully honor him throughout our upcoming season.”

Read more:Kyle Busch, two-time NASCAR Cup winner and 'a giant of the sport,' dies at 41

Selected by the Bulls at No. 6 overall in the 1989 draft, King became mainly a backup on a team that starred Jordan and Scottie Pippen and won three consecutive championships from 1991 to 1993.

During King’s rookie season, Jordan scored a career-high 69 points during a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 28, 1990.

King, who scored one point during the game, quipped afterward, “I’ll always remember this as the night that Michael Jordan and I combined to score 70 points.”

In four-plus seasons with the Bulls, King averaged 6.6 points and 3.3 rebounds.

“Sad to hear about the passing of Stacey King,” Pippen wrote on X. “A champion, a great teammate, and a true ambassador for the game. His impact on the Bulls organization and the city of Chicago will be remembered for generations. Rest in peace, King.”

Read more:Claude Lemieux, feisty four-time Stanley Cup champion, dies at 60

King rounded out his eight-year career with stints in Minnesota, Miami, Boston and Dallas, then spent some time as a coach in the Continental Basketball Assn. and the NBA’s G League. He started appearing on Bulls broadcasts in 2006 and became the full-time color commentator in 2008, which also happened to coincide with the start of the Derrick Rose era in Chicago.

“Stacey loved being a Bull,” Bulls president and Chief Executive Michael Reinsdorf said in a statement. “You could feel it in everything he did — the way he played, the way he called games and the way he connected with our fans. He had a unique gift for bringing people together and making every game feel personal. He brought an energy and love for the game that came through in every broadcast, helping fans feel connected to our team.”

Chicago Sports Network president and CEO Michael McCarthy said: “Stacey had a unique ability to connect generations of Bulls fans. Whether through his basketball insight, his humor, or his unforgettable calls, he made every game more enjoyable and every broadcast better.”

A fan favorite for his witty wording and player nicknames, King turned his most famous catchphrase, “Gimme the Hotsauce,” into the name of his podcast.

“We enjoy what we do,” King said of his broadcasting gig on a podcast episode last month. “It’s a fun job. It never seems like work for me. Every night, I go to work, win, lose or draw, I’m having fun.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.