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
Mitchell Robinson did individual work at Knicks practice on Sunday, May 31 with his hand protected, but coach Mike Brown said the center is uncertain for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday. That decision will ultimately belong to the medical staff.
Robinson, 28, broke his right pinky finger during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against Cleveland and had surgery to repair it. He plans to play against the San Antonio Spurs with a brace protecting it.
Brown said to reporters after practice that Robinson has to be cleared by the medical staff first.
He wouldn’t be the first player to will himself through something like this, and with Robinson, the bar for playing hurt is already set high. The longest-tenured Knick has battled through a broken right hand, a broken right thumb, a broken right foot and multiple surgeries on a stress fracture in his left ankle over eight seasons in New York. This year, he had finally gotten healthy enough to make a big impact. He played 60 games, his most since 2021-222, and has been one of New York’s most important role players in the playoff run.
During the regular season, Robinson led the team in blocks and was second in rebounding. His presence changes the game on the glass. New York’s offensive rebounding percentage jumps nearly 10 points with him on the court. In the playoffs, he's shooting 73.7% from the floor across 13 games off the bench and is fourth on the team in both blocks and rebounds.
If he can’t play on Wednesday, that creates a heavier burden for Karl-Anthony Towns and likely forces seven-footer Ariel Hukporti into more playing time.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 30: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs celebrates after being awarded the Earvin "Magic" Johnson MVP Trophy after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 30, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Let’s bring it back full circle, baby.
The last time the San Antonio Spurs were genuinely feared in the Western Conference, Kawhi Leonard was arguably the most dangerous two-way player on the planet and the Warriors were the only thing standing between San Antonio and another dynastic chapter. Then came the 2017 Western Conference Finals when Kawhi’s tender ankle buckled on Zaza Pachulia’s foot, the series ended before it really started, and a dynasty died in the cruelest possible way. Not in a Game 7 or in a shootout. On a hardwood floor in Oakland, in a moment that still makes Spurs fans go quiet.
We always knew the Spurs would come back though. That is what San Antonio does. And they roared back last night in the Western Conference Finals when that young team walked into the building of the reigning champions and refused to blink.
Mitch Johnson's 9-man playoff core, averaging exactly 24 years of age, becomes the youngest core group of players on a team headed to the NBA Finals. They are way ahead of schedule.
Now here is the part that should genuinely terrify the rest of the league. Victor Wembanyama is 22. Stephon Castle is 21. Dylan Harper is 20. Most contenders spend their first deep playoff run figuring out whether they belong. The Spurs spent theirs taking the entire conference and breaking their back over their knee. They are not arriving on schedule. They are arriving ahead of it, and that gap between expectation and reality is exactly what makes San Antonio dangerous right now.
What their coach Mitch Johnson built this season should not exist yet, with a locker room where the future is old enough to rent a car but not old enough to remember most of Tim Duncan’s championships. And somehow they walked into Oklahoma City and took a Game 7 from the defending champs. Julian Champagnie, 22 years old, made six threes and scored 20 points when the Spurs needed someone fearless to be exactly that. De’Aaron Fox, the veteran in the room at 28, steadied a group of 20-year-olds when the crowd was shaking the walls. Keldon Johnson drained back-to-back threes in the fourth quarter to end any real conversation about a Thunder comeback. And Luke Kornet materialized out of nowhere to block an Isaiah Hartenstein dunk with six minutes left, a play Champagnie called the biggest of the entire game, a play that took all the life out of the building and ended OKC’s last real hope.
That is not talent alone. That is a team that trusts each other completely.
And at the center of all of it stands Wembanyama. He finished Game 7 with 22 points, seven rebounds, and went 3-for-5 from three in a game where OKC needed stops more than oxygen. For the series he averaged 27.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.7 blocks and 1.4 steals, shot 40 percent from deep, and held Chet Holmgren, an All-NBA selection this season, to two shot attempts and four points in the deciding game. The Spurs were plus-62 with him on the court across the entire series. He became the first player in playoff history to record at least 15 made threes and 15 blocks in a single series. He imposed his will on a championship-level opponent and made it look inevitable.
Let’s just not forget the (many) people who were saying, back during Victor Wembanyama’s rookie season, that he was overrated, fragile, incapable of winning games, etc., and that Pop didn’t know what he was doing anymore with him and the team. (Ooh I heard that so many times).…
After punching their ticket Saturday night, Wembanyama said winning the Larry O’Brien Trophy feels like the meaning of his life. Then he said he wants to do this fifteen or twenty more times. The man is 22 and already addicted to the feeling of winning.
That is a potential dynasty in its first chapter. This is the first time the Spurs have reached the Finals since 2014, the first time without Gregg Popovich on the bench, the first time without Tim Duncan on the roster. The organization did not just rebuild. It remembered who it was, found arguably the most gifted big man the sport has ever produced, and got back to the promised land faster than anyone thought possible.
That is what five championships of institutional knowledge looks like when it finally has the right pieces again. They’re only four wins away from completing one of the most remarkable organizational resurrections in professional sports history The West belongs to San Antonio right now!
The only question left is whether the Knicks got the memo.
OKLAHOMA CITY — With the financial hammer of the NBA's tax aprons swinging their direction, the Thunder have some hard decisions to make this summer.
Whatever moves Oklahoma City's front office makes, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander does not plan on consulting with them.
"I will give zero input," Gilgeous-Alexander said after a crushing Game 7 loss. "I will let Sam Presti, the greatest GM ever, do his job."
With or without SGA's counsel, Presti has some tough calls to make. The Thunder need to get better — because the young Spurs are only going to get better — yet the Thunder's payroll is about to skyrocket as the max extensions for Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams kick in. It's a fine line to walk.
Go after Antetokounmpo? Mobley?
That need to get better has led to speculation that the Thunder might look at a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade. While there's a lot of random speculation online, even the well-connected and respected Sam Amick at The Athletic floated it as something for the Thunder to consider. The idea is that OKC needs someone to match up better with Victor Wembanyama, and the Thunder do have good young players and a stockpile of picks, including two in this year's first round (Nos. 12 and 17), which is what Milwaukee wants in an offer. Amick also noted league sources told him the Thunder aren't interested.
Don't expect this — it's completely out of character for OKC and a questionable (at best) basketball fit.
Bringing in Antetokounmpo means "let's take the ball out of the two-time MVP's hands" and bring in a guy famous for not working well off the ball, considerably older than the core (31) coming off an injury-riddled season and wanting a max extension, who also would dramatically alter one of the best locker room chemistries in the league. Does that seem wise?
What everyone seems to be missing: The Thunder are not way behind the Spurs. Game 7 did feel like a passing of the torch, but this was a tight series, and if the Thunder had one (or both) of Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell healthy, or they got the win in Game 1, this article might be about what the Spurs need to do in the offseason. Also, Isaiah Hartenstein did a good job on Wembanyama this series and it's not like Antetokounmpo or anyone else would have done dramatically better.
Amick at The Athletic also mentions that the Thunder front office has long liked the Cavaliers Evan Mobley, but at his end-of-season press conference, Cleveland president Koby Altman made it clear his team had no intention of trading the former Defensive Player of the Year.
Decisions Thunder face
With the Holmgren and Williams rookie extensions starting, plus Gilgeous-Alexander already making $40.8 million (and his supermax extension kicks in for the 2027-28 season), Oklahoma City is about to jump up to being the most expensive team in the NBA — a team $28.6 million into the second apron next season as currently constructed (based on Spotac).
They also have three players on team options where they could save money.
• Isaiah Hartenstein, a $28.5 million team option. With how valuable he proved in the playoffs and going up against Wembanyama, Oklahoma City will want to keep him around. The smart move may be to negotiate with him, not pick up the option but then sign him to an extension for less per year but more total money (three years, $70-$75 million?).
• Lu Dort, $17.7 million team option. This will sting for Thunder fans, but is it time to move on? Not just because he struggled against the Spurs, but also because with Alex Caruso already locked up on an extension, with Williams healthy next season and Cason Wallace returning, there wouldn't be much pain in trading him. Or, just let him walk.
• Kenrich Williams, $7.1 million team option. Another case where if the Thunder decide they want to bring him back is the move to waive him and negotiate a contract for closer to the minimum?
Those are rather straightforward, but Presti is incredibly creative — just ask Gilgeous-Alexander. Which means he will think of something, but the tax aprons are coming for the Thunder the next few years, and it's going to be difficult to keep this team together as is.
The New York Knicks are back in the NBA Finals, for the first time since 1999. It's a reminder that the Jets haven't played in the Super Bowl since 1999.
Jets receiver Garrett Wilson is nevertheless happy for the Knicks and the New York fans. And the situation makes him even more determined to deliver a similar experience for Jets fans.
"The city deserves it, right?" Wilson told reporters recently. "And then when you see the way they receive it, it's just like, 'Oh, yeah, I mean, we wish it could happen every year, man.' Seeing the people, the way they get behind their team.
"I know Jet fans are, you know, like frothing at the mouth to cheer like that, and we want to give it to them. I personally want to give it to them, you know, the most. . . . Yeah, man, it's cool to see, and I'm glad I'm up here for it. I'm rooting the Knicks on like hell. And yeah, man, you know, that gives us a taste of what it might look like when we figure this thing out, which, you know, we're excited for the opportunity."
So will Wilson be going to one of the games? He laughed before saying, "Them jawn's expensive. So, not yet. I'm gonna be watching."
For Game 3 on Monday, June 8, against the Spurs, the cheapest ticket to Madison Square Garden on a popular reselling site that we won't mention (because they don't pay us to do that) is $4,486. Which Garrett could easily afford, given his average salary of $32.5 million.
The best seats for Game 3 are currently more than $28,000 each. Which he could still easily afford.
But here's the reality. If they lose, he'll wish he hadn't spent the money. And, if they win, that $28,000 will be gone forever. Even at $32.5 million per year, it's smart to not spend foolishly.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 25: Knicks fans celebrate winning the eastern conference championship against the Cleveland Cavaliers on May 25, 2026 in New York City. The Knicks last reached the NBA Finals in 1999, falling to the Spurs, and are seeking their first championship since defeating the Lakers in 1973. (Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s Sunday once more, and you know what that means — it’s time for our weekly social media roundup! Ever since Aaron Judge dropped a home run into the short porch against the Tampa Bay Rays last Sunday, the Yankees have been on a roll — and yet, they are currently the second biggest sports story in the Big Apple. How have they responded on social media? Let’s find out!
I wanna party like it’s 1973
This past Monday, the New York Knicks completed a sweep over the Cleveland Cavaliers, punching their ticket to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999. YES Network researcher/statistician James Smyth took advantage of the fact that ESPN had the Monday broadcast in Kansas City and made sure he was in attendance for the historic moment.
While there, he commented on the fact that the Cavs played “Sweet Caroline” down by…well, down by a lot.
CC Sabathia, meanwhile, took to Facebook to share his excitement.
Behind the NY
The Yankees released episode nine of Behind the NY this week, focusing on Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s charity fashion show.
Game Belts
Thanks to a few wins, the Yankees passed the game belt around quite a bit this week — but not as much as they should have, according to some reports. Online speculation originally suggested that the team left the belt in New York, and did not get it back until Wednesday. That, however, seems a tad outdated, because they’ve only shared the game belt a couple times this week.
DJ LeMahieu had his debut as the manager of the Royal Oak Leprechauns, and guess who threw out the ceremonial first pitch? Former teammate Gleyber Torres! Now with the Tigers, he’s rehabbing from an oblique strain but had time to pop over to support his fellow erstwhile Yankees infielder.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 30: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives to the basket against Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs during the third quarter in Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 30, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I’m not gonna lie, the past two weeks have been weird. Awkward. Icky, if you will. Because as the Western Conference Finals progressed, one thing became clear. I was rooting for the San Antonio Spurs to win.
It’s weird to root for the Spurs, but it’s easy when you watch these two teams. Hard nosed ballers vs. a bunch of Flop Tarts #porvida
Even typing those words feels awkward. The Spurs are a team I’ve “sports hated” for most of my life. They have left scars that will never heal over wounds that I will never forgive. They are a franchise that is responsible for creating some of the most depressing moments I’ve experienced as a fan.
They’re a franchise I’ve always found unbelievably lucky, because every time they’ve tanked, they’ve somehow been rewarded with a generational pick. Go back to 1996-97. David Robinson got hurt, and San Antonio decided they were going to lose in an effort to land the number one pick and take Tim Duncan out of Wake Forest. The Boston Celtics should’ve gotten that pick. San Antonio did.
And as a result, they won five championships. Plenty of those came at the expense of the Phoenix Suns. That’s the relationship so many of us older Suns fans have with San Antonio. It’s rooted in disdain, frustration, and that lingering feeling that the basketball gods always seemed to lean against Phoenix.
The Suns of the early 2000s were revolutionary. Phoenix changed the way the game was played. They still couldn’t get past the fundamental force that was the Spurs. The NBA didn’t need to hand San Antonio any favors, and somehow they still did. Amar’e Stoudemire and Boris Diaw were suspended for stepping off the bench in Game 4 of the 2007 Western Conference Semifinals, even though Tim Duncan had allegedly come off the bench earlier in the game after James Jones fouled Francisco Elson.
And those Spurs teams always seemed to toe the line of basketball ethics as they battered and bruised the Suns, kicking them in the balls and breaking their noses. So there will always be that feeling of sports hate when it comes to San Antonio, and it’s something I’ll never let go. They ruined countless moments during my 20s that should’ve been filled with elation.
All of that being said, in the 2026 Western Conference Finals, I was rooting for that team. The team that had once again played the tanking game and won, garnering another generational big man in the process.
Why? Because, quite honestly, the Oklahoma City Thunder are a team I simply do not enjoy watching. Yes, they’re talented. And Sam Presti has done an incredible job building that roster. What makes them tough to watch is everything else.
When we talk about ethical hoops, Oklahoma City feels like the opposite end of that conversation. They’ve fully embraced flopping and flailing, constantly hitting the floor in an effort to manipulate officials. And as somebody who watches a ton of basketball, it’s exhausting. It’s not a fun watch. I had zero interest in seeing that style of basketball on the NBA Finals stage, so I found myself pulling for the San Antonio Spurs.
And part of me genuinely likes what that Spurs team is. You saw it after Game 7 when Victor Wembanyama got emotional after winning the series. That’s the kind of competitive fire I like to see. Somebody invested. Somebody who cares. Somebody willing to lay it all on the line for his team in an effort to win. If Oklahoma City had won, I don’t know if there would’ve been tears. I don’t know if there would’ve been that kind of raw emotion. It probably ends with another corny interview and everyone acting like it’s business as usual.
What Oklahoma City has done to basketball feels embarrassing, because the desire to manipulate started feeling more important than the desire to be effective. And you saw it in the second half of Game 7. They clearly heard the national conversation, because for long stretches they weren’t falling on every possession or flopping through contact. Then they found themselves down 10, and suddenly it was right back to flop mode. And shame on NBC for not showing any of it. They didn’t want another viral clip making the rounds.
Notice how that, when the Thunder have drawn fouls in Q3, we aren’t seeing any replays of those fouls. NBA trying to avoid more viral moments
That’s what drives me nuts about Oklahoma City. “Flop Tarts,” is what I call them. And I’m glad I don’t have to watch them in the NBA Finals.
In the same breath, I’m happy I don’t have to root for the San Antonio Spurs anymore. It felt weird. It never felt natural, because every memory I have with that franchise pulls me right back to all the times their success felt tied to Phoenix coming up short. Those feelings don’t disappear. They stick with you. They always will.
I’m glad I’m done rooting for the Spurs. Go Knicks!
So as we head into the NBA Finals this year, I’m pulling for the New York Knicks. There’s something special about seeing them have this opportunity, chasing their first championship since 1973. The league is more interesting when the Knicks are relevant. And for me, it feels a whole lot easier. No weird internal debate. No forcing myself to root for a team I’ve spent decades sports hating.
Four wins stand in the way of the first championship in half a century for the Knicks. The San Antonio Spurs and phenom center Victor Wembanyama will be the toughest opponent New York has faced in these playoffs.
To get over the hump, the Knicks will need great two-way play from wing OG Anunoby. He’s the X-Factor for New York in the 2026 NBA Finals.
Anunoby is playing at the highest level of his career during these playoffs. In 12 games, the forward is averaging 19.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.6 steals. Despite missing two games due to a hamstring injury, Anunoby returned for all four games of the conference finals sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers. By the end of the series, he looked more like himself after shaking off the rust.
The wing is shooting a blistering 48.3 percent from the three-point line during the playoffs. Anunoby’s also been an off-ball threat. He’s averaging 1.53 points per possession on cuts in the postseason per NBA Stats. It’s the fifth-best mark in the NBA.
Anunoby’s combination of shooting, off-ball movement and scoring has been a great complement to New York’s stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. Through the first three rounds, New York is a plus-21.3 points per 100 possessions in 406 minutes with Anunoby on the floor, according to NBA Stats.
Defensive domination
Anunoby has been a versatile defender for the Knicks. Named to the NBA’s All-Defensive second team this season, he’s taken on primary defensive assignments in big men like Atlanta Hawks center Onyeka Okongwu and Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen throughout the postseason. He’s also guarded the likes of Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson and Philadelphia 76ers wing Paul George.
San Antonio has multiple perimeter offensive shot creators like Stephon Castle, De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper, so the Knicks will need Anunoby to guard multiple positions. There’s also the potential for Anunoby to defend the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama. Towns and the currently injured Mitchell Robinson are expected to have the primary assignment to defend San Antonio’s alien superstar.
But Anunoby should also spend some time on Wembanyama. New York had Anunoby guard Wembanyama on numerous possessions in New York’s three matchups with the Spurs in the regular season and the NBA Cup.
Despite the significant height difference, Anunoby has proven to be a physical defender. He can prevent Wembanyama from getting to his comfort zones in the post and he should at least be able to disrupt the seven-footer’s rhythm. According to Caitlin Cooper, of 20 players who have defended Wembanyama for at least 100 half-court matchups during his three-year career, Anunoby has allowed the fewest player points per 100 matchups as the primary defender.
How much Anunoby guards Wembanyama will depend on the lineups San Antonio goes to. If the Spurs have Harrison Barnes or Keldon Johnson on the floor for significant minutes, the Knicks can have Towns defend either of those two players. But if the Spurs feature lineups with high volume three-point shooters Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie on the floor together, it makes sense for the Knicks to have Towns defend Wembanyama. Regardless, Anunoby will have an impact either as a primary defender or protecting the rim as a backline help defender.
For the Knicks to win a championship, they will need a good series from Anunoby. He’s arguably been the most consistent player on the Knicks during this sprint to the Finals. And that should continue in this final test for the Knicks.
May 30, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (3) dunks against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second quarter during game seven of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Kentucky Basketball has sent a lot of players to the NBA over the last decade plus, and more than a few former Wildcats showed up and showed out Saturday night with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line. Oklahoma City was searching for a second consecutive NBA Finals appearance, led by NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. San Antonio was seeking to upend what many thought would become a dynasty.
Game 7 had all the makings of a history-making event, and it didn’t disappoint. In front of one of the loudest crowds in the NBA in Oklahoma City, the Spurs took down the defending champion Thunder to advance to the NBA Finals.
Former Wildcats shine in NBA Western Conference Finals
Despite falling short, the Thunder were led by former Cats SGA and Cason Wallace. Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 35 points, 9 assists, and 4 rebounds. Wallace would be 2nd in scoring on the night for OKC, finishing the night with 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists.
San Antonio was, of course, led by the emerging superstar Victor Wembenyama, who finished with 22 points and 7 rebounds. But it was a pair of Cats who helped shut the door in the 4th quarter. Keldon Johnson, who is fresh off being named 6th man of the year, had 11 points in 16 minutes. De’Aaron Fox finished with 15 points, 5 assists, and 3 steals.
Altogether, Kentucky players accounted for 78 points, 14 rebounds, 19 assists, and 9 steals in the Western Conference Finals.
Now, Fox and Johnson will meet up with another former Cat, Karl-Anthony Towns, in the NBA Finals, which kick off on Wednesday.
Another year and another Cat is guaranteed to be hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy in the air after winning a championship.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 17: Al Horford #20 of the Golden State Warriors during the second half of an NBA play-in tournament game at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 17, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Warriors 111-96. 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 Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There is a version of February 22 where the Warriors don’t even bother. Their best player Stephen Curry was out. Their All-Star acquisition Jimmy Butler III was out. Their prized trade deadline piece Kristaps Porzingis was ruled out that morning. Their future Hall-of-Famer and best defender Draymond Green got scratched before tipoff. The opponent was the dangerous Denver Nuggets and the best big man in the world Nikola Jokic was standing on the other side of the floor.
What the Dubs had left was Al Horford. As it turned out, that was enough.
Horford scored 11 points in the first quarter before most people had settled into their seats, going 4-of-5 from the field with three threes while Golden State built a lead that told Denver this was not going to be the afternoon they expected. He had 17 points and four assists in his first 14 minutes, and he did it with the particular calm of someone who has been in difficult basketball situations for two decades and stopped finding them frightening a long time ago.
The Nuggets had to account for him as a real offensive threat, which changed the geometry of everything else Golden State was trying to do, which is exactly the kind of quiet, competent damage that never shows up in highlights but wins games. This is actually why the Warriors wanted him in the first place. When Golden State brought Horford in, the bet wasn’t on the version of him that fills a stat sheet every night. It was on the version that understands how to read a game, how to make the right decision under pressure, and how to be exactly what a team needs on a given night without needing to be told what that is.
That kind of player takes time to find his footing in a new system, and the Warriors were patient with him through the stretches where it wasn’t clicking, because they understood what they were waiting for. February 22 was the receipt. When four rotation players went down and the franchise needed someone to just be a professional about the whole thing, Horford was ready because Horford is always ready; that is the only version of him that has ever existed.
He finished 8-of-11 from the field, 6-of-7 from three, with seven assists, three steals, and two blocks. His sixth three-pointer had Chase Center losing its mind for a 39-year-old role player February, which is not a sentence anyone wrote in their pregame preview.
Jokic finished with a triple-double because that is what Jokic does. The Nuggets scored 117 points because they are still the Nuggets. None of that really matters. What matters is that on a day when the Warriors lost four rotation players and most of their margin for error, the best player on the floor in a Warriors uniform was a 39-year-old center who looked completely unbothered by any of it.
Horford was BALLING, salute to him for exemplifying the Warriors mentality.
With all the excitement after the NBA Draft Lottery, and leading up to the NBA Draft, it’s very easy to forget that there is a very fine line we must walk when it comes to our roster. After the season the Jazz just had, I know that it’s hard to imagine what a fully healthy, functional, and lethal basketball team looks like but we do have some things to consider.
With the #2 pick in this year’s draft there are HUGE implications for the upcoming season and the franchise’s future. With that incoming rookie, there will be some shifts in the rotation that we must consider. There will be players that logged a lot of minutes for the Jazzmen last year that will not get the same kind of burn this year; it’s unfortunate, but eggs must be broken to make a championship omelet.
Even with us being so close to the NBA Draft, there hasn’t been any confirmation yet as to who the Washington Wizards will take #1 overall. With that in mind I think that, realistically, it will come down to the Jazz selecting BYU forward AJ Dybantsa or Kansas guard Darryn Peterson. While it may seem inconsequential, there are very different outcomes for each selection, and what it means for our role players that we came to know and love during this past season.
Option 1: Darryn Peterson
I think that this would be the best case scenario for everyone involved as it pertains to the rotation. My unconditional and irrational love for Isaiah Collier aside, Keyonte George is the point guard of the future for the Jazz and that means that we need a starting shooting guard. That Darryn Peterson guy? Pretty good, in my opinion.
He had an up-and-down season at Kansas marred with “injuries” or at the very least injury prevention measures, but with the report that Peterson and his team have resolved the cramping issues I don’t have any other option than to believe him. I don’t have any other choice to believe the he’s going to be healthy coming into the year, maintain that health throughout the entire 2026-2027 season, and end up on an All-Rookie team.
The most noticeable shift that would happen in the rotation would be Ace Bailey moving back to the bench, which causes a domino effect of Cody Williams, Brice Sensabaugh, and Elijah Harkless getting less minutes (assuming they all come back or don’t get traded). There were times that Williams, Sensabaugh, and Harkless were remarkable during the past season, but without the offensive upside that Peterson brings, it’s hard for me to argue that they get the same amount of (or more) minutes in good faith. Bailey is a bit of a different story.
Bailey really started to find his footing in the league during the last 20 games of the season. He averaged nearly 19 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 stocks (blocks + steals) a night, while shooting 36% from deep on a high volume of shots. He showed great consistency in that stretch as well; he scored in double figures in 19 of the 20 games, including three 30 point outings. In the final quarter of the season it seemed like Bailey was starting to figure the NBA game out. His defensive blunders still drove me up a wall, but his offensive feel and consistency was something to be admired. I would hate the relegate him to the bench after that kind of turnaround, but I don’t see another avenue. When compared to each other, it seems like Peterson is the more NBA level scorer, which would mean that Bailey would have to head back to the bench. He could be a great 6th man for us, though.
There is a small chance (and I mean microscopic) that we could trade Lauri Markkanen to the highest bidder, which would allow Bailey to play the small forward position, but if that trade were to happen I can’t image that it would be prior to the trade deadline. Without that certainty, I can’t imagine a world where both Bailey and Peterson get 30+ minutes a night. I think a more likely path would be for Peterson to get around 28 minutes a game, Bailey would get roughly 24 minutes a game, and Williams, Sensabaugh, and Harkless get minutes in the teens if not the single digits. As someone who has written a glowing article about Elijah Harkless it’ll be disappointing to see him not get any minutes (again, assuming he’s brought back) but I can’t say that it would be the wrong decision.
Option 2: AJ Dybantsa
I said before that it hasn’t been made clear what the Wizards will do with the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, so in the rare chance the he isn’t selected by Washington, it would make sense for the Jazz to select the BYU product. The story writes itself, and while he isn’t a “home town kid,” it would be nice to see him continue his basketball career in Utah.
His selection by the Jazz is a tad more complicated than a Peterson selection. Dybantsa can play multiple positions, but the positions that he plays the majority of the time are… a bit full at the moment. Markkanen is slated to be our starting small forward, recently acquired Jaren Jackson Jr. is slated to be our starting power forward, and while we didn’t see Dybantsa play a ton of minutes at the center spot, that position is also locked up assuming that we can re-sign Walker Kessler.
Could he play the shooting guard role and have the rest of the rotation work out like we discussed with Peterson? Sure, I guess? He isn’t exactly a natural fit, though. Standing at 6’9”, he isn’t exactly shooting guard shaped. He also, to this point in his career, doesn’t space the floor incredibly well as he shot just 33% from three last year at BYU. If anything he would be like a DeMar DeRozan shooting guard, and unless it’s suddenly the early 2010’s again, I just don’t see that leading to winning basketball.
It also wouldn’t make any sense to have Dybantsa be selected as the No. 2 pick and be put on the bench behind Markkanen or Jackson Jr. I also don’t think that it would make sense to put either of them on the bench in favor of Dybantsa. If we were to select Dybantsa it would more than likely cause a series of trades, namely a Lauri Markkanen trade. He’s been in the rumor mill recently, and he’s been connected to the Detroit Pistons. Although the Pistons have future draft capital to trade, they are in the business of winning which would make their picks mostly useless, and they don’t own the rights to any juicy picks in the future. The trade would most likely consist of a sign-and-trade for Tobias Harris plus salary filler, and multiple first round picks. To be honest, I wouldn’t hate it. It opens up the space for Dybantsa to play immediately, it doesn’t relegate Ace Bailey to the bench, it would keep the bench piece’s minutes at a manageable level, but (respectfully) the drop-off from Lauri Markkanen to Tobias Harris is pretty steep for a team that’s trying to make their way back to the playoffs.
The Jazz have been known to slow-roll their players before; Bailey came off the bench for the first 10 games or so last year, and had the Jazz had anything close to a healthy season, maybe that first start for him would have come in February instead of November. I think that doing that with Dybantsa would be very complicated, but I can’t deny how excited I would be to see a bench unit led by him. If he were to be a bench player this upcoming year, we could very well get a repeat of 2005 when Ben Gordon won the 6th Man of the Year award while being a rookie. Is it likely? No. Is it complicated? Yes. Am I glad that I’m not the one making these decisions? Yes, but I wouldn’t mind the paycheck.
The postseason is wrapping up quickly which means that the offseason fun is upon us. We’ve got a lot of great stuff in the works here at SLC Dunk so be on the lookout for that! Who do you think we should draft? Who do you have winning the NBA Finals and how long do you think it’ll be until we hoist the trophy? Sound off in the comments!
SAN ANTONIO, TX -MAY 28: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives against Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs in the second half of Game Six of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Frost Bank Center on May 28, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There is a particular kind of silence that settles in when the thing you thought was yours just walks out the door. Oklahoma City Thunder fans heard it Saturday night at the Paycom Center. The Spurs celebrated in their building, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had to stand at a podium and explain to the world why defending a championship is the hardest thing in professional basketball.
Welcome to the lesson, fellas. ICARUS FLEW TO TO CLOSE TOO THE SUN.
VIDEO: Earlier in the season Jalen Williams said OKC would beat the 2017 Warriors and the 1996 Bulls.
Today OKC players are booking their trip to Cancun.
The Thunder spent this entire season trying to look like the next Warriors. Young core, MVP, homecourt terror, regular season dominance, the whole beautiful machine humming on all cylinders. Saturday night, San Antonio reminded them that the Warriors comparison does not start with the champagne. It starts when somebody brilliant spends all summer trying to destroy you. And then actually does it.
The box score tells the story plainly enough. Shai dropped 35 on 12-of-21 shooting. Your MVP doing MVP things when the lights are brightest, and they still lost by eight. I know the majority of NBA fans hate his foul baiting tactics, but Shai was the only OKC player I saw looking trustworthy with the ball in his hands last night. Is that a Shai problem? That is a roster problem, an injury problem, and most honestly, a “this is just hard” problem that no amount of regular season dominance prepares you for.
The Spurs showed up with the answer sheet.
OKC was missing their 2nd best player who dropped 40 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals all series and their best shot creator off the bench. Incredibly important.
But the discourse after 2015 ruined how people talk about this sport forever so that's that.
Now look. I hear the injury argument. Jalen Williams played 33 games this season. Thirty-three. The man was essentially a rumor for most of the year, making cameos like a feature artist who couldn’t clear his schedule. Ajay Mitchell, gone. Injuries are real.
But when the Warriors lost Andrew Bogut in 2016, Steph Curry was on one knee, and Andre Iguodala had no back strength left, nobody cared. When they lost Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins in 2019, the basketball world offered exactly zero sympathy. Injuries are not an asterisk when you’re chasing dynasty status. Injuries are the qualifying exam.
This is the part nobody warns you about when you win your first ring. The league does not reset. It recalibrates. Every front office opens a new document the morning after you hoist that trophy, and at the top it says one thing: how do we beat them. San Antonio built the young law firm of “Fox, Castle, & Harper” into a ballhandler gauntlet specifically because you need guards who won’t flinch when OKC’s defense is trying to suffocate everything you love. The Spurs did their homework all summer. They showed up Saturday with receipts.
As a Thunder fan I'm still heartbroken about last nights loss, but I know they will bounce back. This Spurs / Thunder rivalry outside of social media will have a great impact on this Sport and I can't wait to see the adjustments for next year's series. The Thunder still have the…
And this is where I need the Thunder, and honestly anybody watching, to really hear something. LET ME TELL YA SOMETHIN’ BROTHER!!
Greatness is not an affectation. It is not something you wear as an accessory before you go to the club. You cannot put it in a TikTok and dance it up. Greatness is not even the destination at all; rather it’s the beginning of the work that actually costs you everything. The Warriors learned that over eight years and four championships. The Thunder just got the invoice on year two.
There is something genuinely compelling about watching two young, brilliant franchises carve each other up over seven games. Victor Wembanyama and SGA are going to sharpen each other into legends the same way Curry and LeBron made each other better by simply existing in the same era. That Western Conference rivalry is going to produce basketball that makes people put their phones face down on the table for years, and that is rare.
But right now, in this moment, the Thunder have to sit with a truth that hits different when you are the one holding the empty trophy case. The 24-1 start and the MVP talk does not protect you. Nothing protects you from the moment anothr team catches up to what you built, because they were always coming.
The Spurs are going to the Finals. The Thunder are going to the drawing board. They may have flown close to the sun and found out a wings melting tragedy, but the important thing is that they try to fly again. And I believe they will.
That is the part of dynasty building nobody puts on the parade shirt.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 30: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs is awarded the Earvin "Magic" Johnson Trophy for Western Conference Finals Most Valuable Player after the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 30, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The San Antonio Spurs went on the road to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-103 in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals on Saturday, upsetting the reigning champions in route to the NBA Finals. It was the 10th anniversary of the Golden State Warriors own Game 7 Western Conference Finals victory over the Thunder. The Dubs had comeback from 3-1 in the series while the Spurs completed a 3-2 comeback of their own. And there was one other connection between those Dubs and this year’s Spurs: Harrison Barnes whose birthday happens to be May 30th. So Barnes’ 24th and 34th birthdays were capped off by some of the most exciting Game 7 victories in recent NBA history.
Harrison Barnes is now 2-0 in Game 7s on his birthday! 🥳
It’s a testament to Barnes’ longevity that he played comparable roles on two Finals teams a decade apart. While Barnes only played three minutes yesterday, he was a mainstay in the Spurs starting lineup for the majority of the regular season, averaging 9.9 points on 45.6%/38.8%/82.9% shooting in 25.8 minutes per game across 77 contests (52 starts).
The Spurs hope to avoid the 2016 Warriors’ fate in the Finals. San Antonio is heavy favorites heading into the series with the New York Knicks, like the Dubs were against the Cavaliers in 2016 before losing in seven games. Barnes notoriously lost his three-point shot in the Finals (after shooting 52.6% from three against the Thunder) and would be replaced by Kevin Durant the following offseason. This go-around, Barnes three-point shot wavered early in the playoffs and Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson took him out of the starting lineup in favor of Julian Champagnie.
However the NBA Finals goes for Harrison Barnes and the Spurs, he can thank his teammates for making sure he had an excellent birthday.
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 17: Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics talks to the media after the game against the Dallas Mavericks during Game 5 of the 2024 NBA Finals on June 17, 2024 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 2024 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The NBA Finals participants have been decided, but unfortunately the Boston Celtics are not among the participants. In some ways that was expected at the start of the season. In many ways, that is still a stinging disappointment based on how the regular season played out. So all of our attention is going to be focused on the path to getting back to this point in the playoffs and bringing home the trophy once again.
I don’t claim to have all the answers, but I’ve been doing this for a long time and I have no shortage of opinions that I’m happy to share. You know how this works at this point. You share your questions in the comments section below, I copy and paste them into an article and do my best to entertain and inform with my answers.
We can talk about trades, free agency, the draft, and just about everything else you can think of. In fact, feel free to entertain us with your off topic discussion ideas as well.
I’ll give it a few days before answering, so please share your thoughts below. Thanks!
The Knicks and Spurs will be facing off in a rematch of the 1999 NBA Finals, and fans have spotted an eerily accurate prediction from Karl-Anthony Towns ahead of his Knicks debut two years ago.
Prior to the October 6, 2024 preseason matchup at the Charlotte Hornets, Towns arrived at the Spectrum Center wearing a retro 1999 Finals tee featuring Tim Duncan and Latrell Sprewell.
Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks arrives at an NBA preseason game on October 22, 2024 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Getty Images
“Holy s— this is insane. Script Writers cooked on this one,” another added.
And a third said: “He knew everything from the beginning.”
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) shoots during the second half of Game 4 in the Eastern Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland, Monday, May 25, 2026. AP Photo/Sue OgrockiVictor Wembanyama hugs Devin Vassell after the Spurs’ Game 7 win over the Thunder. NBAE via Getty Images
Towns and the Knicks will hope their meeting with Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs goes better than the last Finals meeting between the two franchises.
In that series, the Knicks lost in five games and failed to reach 80 points three times as Duncan won Finals MVP.
The Finals will tip off on Wednesday with San Antonio hosting Games 1 and 2.
