Elaine Shen was named the franchise’s newest CFO on Tuesday, replacing former CFO Joe McCormack.
Shen will oversee all financial aspects for the Lakers, “shaping strategic growth, driving profitability and creating continued value for the global franchise,” the team said in its announcement.
New LA Lakers owner Mark Walter has hired Elaine Shen as new chief financial officer. Getty Images
McCormack has shifted to an executive advisory role for the Lakers as the senior vice president of finance.
He’s been with the franchise since December 1988.
Shen joined the Lakers in 2016 and has held a variety of roles for the Lakers in both business and basketball operations.
Shen was most recently the Lakers associate chief financial officer and vice president of strategy and planning.
“Elaine Shen is an exceptional leader and catalyst for success,” Lakers president of business operations Lon Rosen said in a statement.
“She brings an artful and considerate approach to every table, combined with the ability to build consensus and make tough decisions. Elaine is a trusted advisor and the perfect modern CFO to help lead the next stage of transformation for the Los Angeles Lakers.”
The Lakers have made several other changes to their basketball and business operations departments since Mark Walter, the Dodgers controlling owner, officially became the majority owner of the Lakers in October:
Among the high-profile attendees was President Donald Trump, whose presence sparked a mix of reactions in the arena. Ahead of tip-off, the Jumbotron displayed President Trump during the national anthem. The crowd reacted with boos as Trump offered a military salute.
Trump watched the action from Knicks owner James Dolan’s private suite, accompanied by his granddaughter Kai, personal advisor Boris Epshteyn, and Cabinet secretaries Lee Zeldin, Sean Duffy and Doug Burgum. Trump's attendance made history as the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game.
After the game, before boarding Air Force One to return to the White House, President Trump was asked about the crowd’s response.
"It was, I think, mostly cheers," Trump said, offering his own interpretation of the mixed reception.
Security measures for Game 3 were at an all-time high due to the president’s attendance. According to the NYC Commissioner, a planned Game 3 watch party outside Madison Square Garden was canceled out of an abundance of caution. Fans entering the arena faced multiple checkpoints and were required to present tickets or passes and undergo airport-style screening with Transportation Security Administration magnetometers. Inside, Secret Service agents and NYPD officers were stationed throughout the venue.
The NBA Finals series, with the Knicks currently leading 2-1, continues at MSG for Game 4 on Wednesday, and eyes now turn to Game 4 at the Garden before the series shifts back to San Antonio, the lingering question is whether Trump will make a return appearance.
There has been no official word on Trump's status for Game 4 at this point, but signs are pointing toward no.
ESPN's senior NBA insider Shams Charania reported that Trump is not expected to attend due to scheduling conflicts.
The president did suggest last week that he could do both Game 3 and Game 4, but he also made reference to being busy with other things, "like a war." Additionally, the fact that the New York Police Department said it expects city watch parties to return for Game 4 would indicate Trump would might not attend.
Mikel Brown, Nate Ament, Sean Marks, Getty Images, NetsDaily Graphic
We are in the homestretch and news keeps breaking. Just before noon, Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo! Sports tweeted out the latest: a Brooklyn workout today pitting two prospects among those most mentioned as Nets possibilities, whether at No. 6 or later.
It’s Karim Lopez of Mexico and the New Zealand Breakers vs. Nate Ament of Tennessee behind closed doors at HSS Training Center, as Lopez revealed to O’Connor…
Karim Lopez and Nate Ament are working out for the Nets today, Lopez said on my podcast. Two potential lottery picks are going head-to-head for Brooklyn, who have the 6th pick.
“I’m going to Brooklyn,” he told O’Connor. “Going up against Nate Ament. I think that’s who’s going to be in that workout. I’m super excited about that. I feel like it’s going to be a good one. I’m excited.”
Tje matchup shouldn’t be that much of a surprise. Teams will often pair similar prospects in one-on-one workouts. The two are both 19, both in the 6’10” range, both probably still growing and both prospective NBA wings. Ament may be the better offensive player, Lopez the better defender.
Also, no surprise that the Nets are now working out the top lottery picks. The 2026 NBA draft is two weeks away from Tuesday, and buzz surrounding the Brooklyn Nets is heating up as fans eagerly await June 23-24 in Brooklyn. At the moment, the Nets have the No. 6 pick in the first round — their highest pick since the New Jersey Nets took Derrick Favors at No. 3 in 2010, as well as two seconds at No. 33 and 43. So it’s a big deal.
Last week, much of the attention centered on Nate Ament and his rapid rise as the potential favorite for the Nets. Things have changed since the weekend though with the focus returning to the four lead guards, in alphabetical order: Darius Acuff, of Arkansas, Mikel Brown Jr. of Louisville, Kingston Flemings of Louisville and Keaton Wagler of Illinois.
The big news was that two of the four have been worked out by the Nets brass in the past week: Acuff at HSS Training Center and Brown in Orlando where they also met with his family, as James Barlowe tweeted…
Sources: The Brooklyn Nets and the Milwaukee Bucks have recently both visited Mikel Brown Jr in Orlando to watch workouts and meet with the family.
Brown Jr is scheduled to visit the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks before the draft. pic.twitter.com/ey9KYTbHtT
The news as described is significant for a number of reasons: the Nets traveled to see Brown and that he will be in Brooklyn at some point over the next two weeks. Teams can only workout and/or visit with prospects twice.
Flemings will do workouts for the Nets and Clippers, and he has worked out for both the Hawks and Bulls, sources said. He is the greatest unknown in terms of where he could end up in the lottery, especially with the Bulls and Grizzlies mentioned as frequent trade-up teams for him.
There was a lot of information in Siegel’s update including this about Brown:
The rumor around the NBA in recent days is that Mikel Brown Jr. and his camp have shut down workout invites outside of those already accepted, which likely signals that a team has promised him following individual meetings and workouts.
Just as likely however is that Brown’s agents also want to limit his workouts to a narrow range of teams, as Krysten Peek noted.
Shutting down workouts doesn’t mean a promise. It typically comes down to scheduling conflict (especially if teams want players to come in last minute like June 18-20). The smoke around Ament and Mara that high feels just like that. Smoke. https://t.co/ZjGtvEvotv
Beyond that news, NetsDaily has been making our own calls to sources about where the Nets stand. It’s no easy task. Sean Marks & co.
Who is the favorite at No. 6?
As I noted above, Ament was the story of last week in NetsWorld, which seemingly threw a large portion of the fanbase into a frenzy. And Siegel reported that at the moment, he, Brown and Acuff are the three names he’s heard most often associated with the Nets.
Last Monday, I reported that the Nets’ interest in Ament “appears to be gaining legitimate traction.” I also added that a few weeks ago, a source described him as a “dark horse” to be selected by Brooklyn at No. 6, while touting his potential fit alongside Egor Dëmin, who the organization selected at No. 8 last year.
SOURCE: The Brooklyn #Nets’ interest in Nate Ament at No. 6 appears to be gaining legitimate traction.
One league source described Ament as a “polarizing player,” though also someone who could be an ideal fit alongside Egor Demin due to the duo’s combination of size and shooting…
The source also added, though, that the Tennessee product is viewed as a “polarizing player” around the league.
At the very least, the Nets are intrigued, I’m told. However, I wouldn’t go as far as to say that he is the current favorite at No. 6 based on my conversations with league sources. I am under the belief that Louisville’s Brown is the current favorite. It’s important to keep in mind, though, that we are still two weeks out from the draft and a lot can change.
Additionally, as one source told me, the Nets are one of the hardest teams to predict. Last year, they went against the consensus with each of their five first-round picks, making it quite difficult to get a pulse on who they will select at No. 6 this year.
At Louisville last season, Brown Jr. averaged 18.2 points per game, 3.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.2 steals on 41.0% shooting from the field and posting a 34.4% clip from beyond the arc. As multiple sources have expressed, he is a Jordi Fernández-type player.
While he was limited to just 21 games (19 starts) last season due to a back injury, it isn’t considered a long-term concern and rather something that can be addressed by an NBA medical team, I’ve been told. He stands at 6’5” and 190 pounds entering the pros.
Other names I’ve been told are in consideration at No. 6 include Michigan’s 7’3” center Aday Mara as well as the usual suspects: Wagler, Flemings, and Acuff.
Based on my conversations with scouts across the league, Acuff’s comparisons to Jalen Brunson and Stephon Marbury are legitimate.
Are the Nets more likely to trade up or down?
There are multiple teams within the top 10 of this year’s draft who are interested in trading up into the top four, according to sources. If any teams are going to move out of the first four selections — and admittedly that’s unlikely, the Memphis Grizzlies at No. 3 and the Chicago Bulls at No. 4 are the favorites to do so.
Brooklyn is expected to explore every option, including a move up or down the board, along with sticking and picking at No. 6 overall.
If the Nets do in fact decide to make a trade on draft night, keep an eye on the Bulls as an interesting partner. Owning picks No. 4 and 15, they have reported interest in moving down from No. 4 if they can get some immediate help, along with a potential slide up from No. 15.
As ESPN’s Bobby Marks pointed out, the Nets have the most draft assets through 2033, highlighted by a whopping 14 first-round picks over that span. Obviously, it is highly unlikely that the organization will make even close to all of those picks, meaning they could be better used as trade chips.
Overall, I suspect the Nets are more likely to trade down on draft night than to trade up if they don’t stay at No. 6.
Who are sleeper targets for Brooklyn?
Currently, two of the Nets’ three picks in this year’s draft come in the second round at Nos. 33 and 43 overall.
Each year, a few players fall to the second round and ultimately outplay their draft stock. For the most part, though, they are guys on two-way contracts right away or never truly get an opportunity to showcase their skill set.
Due to NIL, though, the pool of second-round players has become less and less enticing year after year. As one source described it, picking at No. 34 in the NIL era is equivalent to picking at No. 60 overall in the pre-NIL days.
That is how stark the contrast is in the pool of second-round talent since NIL has been introduced.
Two players who have the chance to be steals in the second round this year, though, include international point guards, Germany’s Jack Kayil and Spain’s Sergio De Larrea, according to evaluators.
Standing at 6’3” and 175 pounds, Kayil spent 2025 playing for Alba Berlin of the German Basketball Bundesliga. De Larrea, 6’6” and 175 pounds, played with Valencia of the Spanish Liga ACB and the EuroLeague.
One scout went so far as to say that De Larrea would have been a lottery pick if he had been playing in the NCAA rather than in Spain.
Is Karim Lopez really in play at No. 6?
Similar to the Ament talk, the possibility of the Nets drafting Karim López at No. 6 overall infuriates a large portion of the team’s fanbase … but as ’s workout schedule shows, the Nets have serious interest in both.
The Nets have done extreme due diligence on the 19-year-old. Sean Marks has flown to Australia twice, once in November 2024 and again in November of this year to watch him play in person.
At 6’10” and 225 pounds, Lopez played in 31 NBL games for the New Zealand Beakers last season, averaging 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 2.0 assists, while shooting 50.2% from the field and 32.6% from beyond the arc.
League sources tell me they’d be stunned if the Nets selected López at No. 6. Taking him a trade-down scenario would make much more sense.
However, nothing can be ruled out. As I noted above, the Nets are an extremely hard team for even those around the league to predict what they will do because of their lengthy track record of going against the consensus.
How strong is this class?
Overall, this is an encouraging draft class.
While the second round lacks the depth seen in recent years, the strength of the 2026 class lies in its middle tier.
According to league sources, the talent pool in the No. 8 to No. 20 range is viewed as one of the strongest in decades, with some evaluators comparing it favorably to classes dating back to 2000.
Still, any true evaluation of this draft will take time. A prospect’s success depends on far more than talent alone, as development, fit, and roster infrastructure often play significant roles in determining long-term outcomes.
For now, though, there is legitimate reason for optimism surrounding this year’s group.
There is maybe nothing as predictable and tedious in the NBA playoffs — and all of sports — than the coach of a losing playoff team ranting about the officiating. It's a cliche with the point of trying to plant a seed in the minds of the next referee crew, although that's not always how it comes off.
Knicks coach Mike Brown, the floor is yours.
"I never thought I would be in the NBA Finals and see a team get 24 free throw attempts in the second half to another team's eight. I don't think I complain much about officials or the fairness when it comes to the free throw attempts," Brown said in a rant before he was ever asked a question. "San Antonio is a great team. They are a great team, okay. It's going to lower our odds big time, big time, if we play Game 4 and in the second half, they get 24 free throw attempts to our eight. Maybe we were fouling. Maybe we were fouling. But they fouled, too."
Brown sounded too much like a guy making excuses. To be fair, he was clear to say "San Antonio won the game" and the Knicks could have played better, but his venting sounded a lot like a politician who attended Game 3 and likes to play to his base — and Knicks fans ate it up. In the immediate aftermath of the game, it became the narrative, at least the loudest one.
It also misses the point. The officiating has been uneven all series, but it has gone both ways (and did in Game 3).
San Antonio won Game 3 because it made adjustments that worked, and then played with more poise than the Knicks down the stretch. There were a few factors at play.
• Turnovers: New York had 13 turnovers, too many of them live ball, which became 21 Spurs points. The Spurs had eight turnovers that became seven Knicks points. San Antonio both took better care of the ball and got back in transition defense, resulting in the Spurs having more easy buckets.
• Better defense on KAT: San Antonio turned some of its defensive attention from Jalen Brunson (who is shooting 37% in this series and the Knicks are -13 for the series in his minutes) to Karl-Anthony Towns, who has been the hub of what has worked for New York. Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs were physical with him, not unlike how New York has been with Wembanyama. The result was 11 points on 4-of-10 shooting and much less impact (and the Knicks were still +6 in Towns' minutes in Game 3, and he is +31 now for the series).
• Spurs got into the paint. For two games, the term "spray" had entered the lexicon of Knicks fans as that's what Towns and Brunson were doing: Getting into the paint, then "spraying" the ball out to shooters. In Game 3, it was the Spurs getting into the paint and doing the damage (San Antonio sees it as a return to playing their way).
• Shooting. Mikal Bridges disappeared and was 1-of-5 from the floor. Landry Shamet was 1-of-7 from 3. Miles McBride only took two shots and missed them both. In the fourth quarter, Knicks not named Brunson or Anunoby shot 1-of-16. It's still a make-or-miss league and in Game 3 the Knicks missed. Call that an off night. If you want to speculate that the "it's a coronation" atmosphere at Madison Square Garden had something to do with it, go ahead, but the Knicks players would deny it. Who really knows why?
What we do know is the ball is now in the Knicks' court.
For the first time since April, the Knicks have lost a game, and the onus is now on them to adjust to a Spurs team we are watching grow and mature before our eyes. You can see the growth game-to-game. Brown and the Knicks are fully capable of countering that and retaking control of the series, but it's on them now to raise their game a level.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 08: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball during Game Three of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena on May 08, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NBA Draft is right around the corner and the Dallas Mavericks will have at least two picks later this month. If you’ve read our first installment of Trade Talk, you know what it is we’re doing, but if not, the approach is simple. I curate a few trades from the variety of options we consider as a staff at Mavs Moneyball, then we bring them to our readers to join us in the debate.
Our current scenario is a big swing that MMB’s Bryan Porter put forth, where the Mavs take on a great player along with his massive contract and injury history, but replenish the cupboard in one fell swoop.
The trade proposal
The Mavericks send out P.J. Washington, Klay Thompson and Daniel Gafford in return for Joel Embiid, the 76ers 2026 first round pick (#22), 2028 first round pick (by way of the Los Angeles Clippers) and 2029 first round pick (top eight protected).
The discussion
Mike: Hoo-weee! You might give readers Anthony Davis PTSD with this trade proposal, given Embiid’s injury history. Amazingly, Ebiid is averages 32 games played per season over the past three years, which is about as many games as Davis accumulated in a Mavs’ uniform, so there is that. While the notion of Embiid might initially be a head-turner, there’s actually quite a lot of value in this proposal. This is a single-shot move that replenishes the absolute dearth of Mavs’ picks over the next few years. Is that the crux of this proposal to you, or do you see Embiid as a value-add to the team?
Bryan: If the Davis trade came with this many picks, there might not have been caskets in front of the AAC. The picks are the point and restocking our barren asset chest is the crux of the deal as you said. However, over his last 25 games this season (including the seven playoff games he played against Boston and New York combined) Embiid averaged 28 points, eight rebounds and five assists per game on 53% shooting inside the arc, 37% from deep and 85% at the line with a 49.4% FTr. He averaged 33 minutes per game in that span too, so once he’s ramped up for a season, as long as you can keep him upright he can still give you dominant stretches of play depending on when you need them. Given we wouldn’t need him for more then 28 minutes per game if that, I’d like our chances of keeping him upright for 40 games and a playoff run.
Mike: Yeah, hard to argue that he’s not immediately the best center in Mavericks history (with all due respect to past centers, particularly Tyson Chandler). Just an absolutely dominant force even when he’s at 85% health. Had he played more to this point in his career, he’d be talked about as one of the most dominant big men in history. Unfortunately, in 12 seasons, he has yet to log 500 regular season games! Let that sink in for a minute. Maybe in some weird way that is just what the team needs? If Dallas is all-in for the future, his inconsistent availability may help future draft standing with those newly acquired picks. When he does play, he surely helps take pressure off Cooper Flagg. Pivoting to the outbound players, Gafford is replaced by Embiid (and hopefully Dereck Lively!), Thompson clearly just doesn’t fit here anymore, and Washington is therefore the biggest loss I would argue. If we keep Naji Marshall, the sting of losing Washington is lessened, and this trade looks better and better. Really, it’s Dallas eating a massive (massive!) contract, but getting picks back in this year’s deep draft as well as future years. My biggest fear is that Embiid’s salary really hampers the team for a couple years though.
Bryan: I agree, that’s why the Sixers would have to shower the Mavericks with picks to entice them to take that salary on. No matter what Embiid has been in the past, giiving up three rotation players for one who likely won’t play 50 games in a season is a difficult ask. Pick #22 in this upcoming draft is fine, not great value but certainly useful. The lightly protected future pick could be something given the wacky, new three-year lottery structure, but the crown jewel would be the unprotected Clippers pick. That’s worth moving Washington for. Gafford isn’t someone to raise a fuss about, especially as his salary gets a bump when his extension kicks in. Klay should want to be on a team closer to contention. Washington will be tough to lose, but the point of the picks is to eventually add cost-controlled replacements for all of these guys and some vets still on the roster (Kyrie, Naji, etc).
Mike: You make a great point about the new wonky draft rules for the next couple of years. I think that’s going to have a major impact on how teams value picks for the next few years and it’s going to be real interesting to see what trades look like. If the protection on the 2029 pick was removed, this deal would be very hard to not at least consider heavily, if not jump at. I think my only hesitation is how much he straps the team’s financial flexibility, but getting draft flexibility in exchange is enticing – picking young cost-controlled guys or trading those picks for a proven player allows Dallas to do a lot more than they can now in terms of draft capital. My jury is still out on this one, but I’m certainly thinking a lot about it. Final word goes to you.
Bryan: The final word is simple: insurance. Before I’d seriously consider this deal, I’m looking through the contract language for any possible games played threshold out I can find and the moment I land on one that shortens this contract by even a year, I’m calling this into the league and letting Embiid know face-to-face that he isn’t finishing in Dallas, but we’ll be happy to have him while he’s here. He’s an all-time player who has given a lot to the game and the growth of it via social media, so I understand the weight of a player like that moving teams for the first time in his career. The least I’d want to do is be honest with him about what this is.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 8: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs dunks the ball during the game against the New York Knicks during Game Three of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 8, 2026 at Madison in New York, New York. 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The New York Knicks are mortal, and the 2026 NBA Finals will not end in a sweep.
The San Antonio Spurs beat the Knicks, 115-111, in Game 3 at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks had won 13 straight playoff games with most of them coming in a rout, but the vibes were cursed by Donald Trump’s decision to attend the game and inconvenience everyone else in the arena. The Spurs came out hot in the first quarter, the Knicks roared back with a 42-point second quarter to take the lead going into halftime, and San Antonio held on in a tight second half to move the series to a 2-1 Knicks lead heading into a pivotal Game 4 on Wednesday.
This was a winnable game for New York, and in some ways it feels like the Knicks blew a golden opportunity to take a 3-0 death grip on the series. There’s still so much basketball left to be played. Let’s dive into why San Antonio was able to score its first win, and why the Knicks should still win Game 4.
Victor Wembanyama’s lobs killed New York
Wembanyama was fantastic in the win, finishing with 32 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and five stocks. The Spurs got their superstar big man going by finally getting him to the basket. Of Wemby’s 11 made field goals, eight of them came in the restricted area, and many of those were on lobs from San Antonio’s guards.
Wembanyama did a better job setting real screens in this game, and that set up opportunities to slip the screen later in the game that consistently caught New York off guard.
Possibly the funniest Castle-Wemby lob possession we've gotten all postseason pic.twitter.com/V8VohqAli7
— Nekias (Nuh-KAI-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) June 9, 2026
When in doubt, just throw it up where only Wemby can get it.
Victor Wembanyama taps in the alley-oop lob by De'Aaron Fox, despite the pressure. 30 Points for Wemby. pic.twitter.com/qoQf4gmwkX
Wembanyama took 38 percent of his shots at the rim this year, which only ranked in the 33rd percentile of all big men. In the playoffs, that’s moved up to 44 percent. Wembanyama had a four-point play in this game, and the outside shot will always be part of his game. That’s just who he is as a player. Still, the opposing defense wants to make Wemby a jump shooter, and when he’s actually determined to get to the rim is when he’s at his best. Game 1 showed the limitations of Wembanyama’s handle in trying to create his own looks off the bounce. The Spurs wised up and used him as more of a play-finisher in Game 3, and it worked out to great effect.
Wembanyama is 7’5 (at least) with an 8-foot wingspan. The Spurs guards don’t need an easy angle or the ability to throw a great pass to hit him. Just toss it up there, and Wemby is likely to come down with it.
Stephon Castle shut down Karl-Anthony Towns and added timely scoring
The Spurs did more cross-matching defensively in Game 3, and it finally helped slow down the Knicks’ offense. Wembanyama might be the best defender in the world, but he was getting cooked off the dribble by Karl-Anthony Towns earlier in this series. The Spurs responded by sticking Stephon Castle on Towns, and letting Wembanyama roam off the weakest shooter on the floor so he could make more plays near the rim.
Castle is listed as a guard, but he’s built more like a linebacker. He has a lower center of gravity to help him hold his ground defensively, and his quick hands were disruptive when KAT tried to dribble. Putting Castle on Towns lets the Spurs easily switch any action involving the big man, and it also takes away a lot of KAT’s perimeter game because Castle is quick enough to press up on him but not get burned if he drives. This is potentially the biggest answer the Spurs have found in the series so far.
Castle led the Spurs in half-court matchups defending KAT in G3 (16). KAT only attempted 1 shot.
Some of that was doubling w/ a roaming C. Some of that was late-switching against the PnP. Some of that was shot-selection from other Knicks. Something for both teams to think about pic.twitter.com/JbSpJLzsie
Castle also brought it offensively to finish with 23 points and five assists on 8-of-14 shooting. He was also able to limit himself to only two turnovers, which has been his biggest problem throughout the postseason. Castle plays with so much power going downhill, using Eurosteps and slow steps to attack the basket. It’s so hard to knock him off balance, and he has the strength to finish through contact when he gets into the paint.
There are obvious deficiencies in his skill set as a shooter and decision-maker, but Castle is a monster when it comes to attacking the rim, and the Spurs did a good job to help him play to his strengths in Game 3.
Castle’s three-point grenade with under two minutes left was the biggest shot of the game, turning a four-point San Antonio lead into a seven-point advantage.
Honestly, this one felt like a miracle, but as the old saying goes, it’s a make or miss league, and Castle hit a huge one when the Spurs really needed it.
Brunson is obviously an outstanding player and clutch god, but the Knicks can get into some bad habits when he’s pounding the air out of the ball. He’s averaging 99.7 touches per game in the Finals, which is 23 more than any other player in the series, and 42 more than the next best Knick. Brunson’s 5.57 average seconds per touch is an enormous number, with De’Aaron Fox coming in second in the series among normal rotation players at 4.53 in the same category.
Too much Brunson was a bad thing for the Knicks in prior years, and it feels like the Spurs coaxed him into trying to play the hero again in Game 3. San Antonio single-covered most of the game with Dylan Harper, Devin Vassell, Julian Champagnie, and Castle splitting the assignment for most of the night. Brunson still had 32 points on 25 shots, which is pretty damn good efficiency in a Finals game, and he drilled a three in the final seconds to give New York one last chance. He still finished the night -9 in 35 minutes, and the Spurs attacked him defensively at every opportunity.
It just feels like less is more when it comes to Brunson. The Knicks need him in crunch-time for sure, but he shouldn’t feel the need to carry the offense all night.
The Knicks will still win Game 4 to take control of the series
The NBA Finals could easily be 2-1 Spurs right now, but Wembanyama’s costly miscommunication with Castle on a turnover at the end of Game 2 (and subsequent missed game-winner) still has San Antonio fighting for its life in Game 4. The road team has won every game in this series so far, but I think the Knicks answer back on Wednesday. Here’s why:
Landry Shamet isn’t going to shoot as poorly as he did in Game 3, when he went 1-of-7 from three. Shamet has been red hot throughout the playoffs and finally had an off night. He’ll be better next time out.
Mike Brown worked the refs after the game, and I would bet that helps even out the free throw disparity from Monday. The Spurs shot 10 more free throws than the Knicks, and I don’t expect that to happen again.
The Spurs only had eight turnovers in Game 3, while the Knicks had 13. New York is better at both taking care of the ball and forcing turnovers on defense across the bigger sample, and I would expect San Antonio to fumble away more possessions in Game 4.
De’Aaron Fox hit some big shots late, but he just hasn’t been good enough in this series or these playoffs. He went 4-of-14 from the field in the win. I feel like the Spurs need consistently good offense from Fox to win the series, but he can’t beat people off the dribble like he used to, and he’s never been a super reliable outside shooter. Credit Fox for coming through in the clutch, but he needs to be good all game, and I just don’t think he has it in him anymore.
Game 4 is going to be a barnburner. Madison Square Garden will be ready.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 18: John Calipari poses for a photo with former Kentucky players during the NBA All-Star Game as part of NBA All-Star Weekend on Sunday, February 18, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
If you’ve ever played NBA 2K, you’ve likely tried to assemble a team of players solely from your favorite college team. For some schools, such an exercise ends up with a super team. For most other teams, it’s impossible to create.
Today, we’re going to rank each school that’s capable of putting together a starting five using NBA players, as well as players expected to be drafted in the upcoming draft.
29. Washington State: Cedric Coward, Klay Thompson, Jaylen Wells, Mouhamed Gueye, Isaac Jones
Thompson is obviously the headliner in an otherwise dreadful team compared to the rest of the teams who are capable of putting together a starting five.
28. Arkansas: Darius Acuff, Anthony Black, Moses Moody, Bobby Portis, Daniel Gafford
Acuff appears to have the signs of a potential star in the making. Black and Moody are also valuable bench pieces in the pros.
27. Auburn: Isaac Okoro, Jabari Smith Jr, Dylan Cardwell, Johni Broome, Walker Kessler
Kessler and Smith are nice NBA players, but Auburn’s team lacks depth, high-end talent and guard play.
26. Virginia: Ty Jerome, Trey Murphy III, De’Andre Hunter, Ryan Dunn, Jay Huff
The Cavaliers have sent a ton of wings to the NBA, but not many guards or centers. This team would be versatile but would lack scoring punch.
25. Pittsburgh: Bub Carrington, Blake Hinson, Mouhamadou Gueye, Steven Adams
Pitt has produced Carrington, Adams, and not much else. However, they technically still have enough to field a starting five, so they get to be included on this list.
24. Marquette: Kam Jones, Tyler Kolek, Jimmy Butler, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Oso Ighodaro
Marquette’s list of pro players is thin, but they have enough to make a starting five and have Jimmy Butler to provide some star power.
23. UConn: Stephon Castle, Jordan Hawkins, Liam McNeeley, Andre Drummond, Donovan Clingan
Castle is an emerging star. Clingan, Hawkins and McNeeley are still young and have quite a bit of potential. The Dan Hurley connection to the NBA is starting to grow.
22. Florida: Tre Mann, Walter Clayton Jr, Bradley Beal, Dorian Finney-Smith, Al Horford
Florida has had as much success as anyone in recent years. However, not many of their players have turned into NBA stars. Of the Gators’ potential starting five, only Beal moves the needle much.
21. North Carolina: Coby White, Cole Anthony, Cameron Johnson, Harrison Barnes, Caleb Wilson
The Tar Heels used to put more players in the NBA than anyone. However, this list is yet another indication of just how far things have fallen at North Carolina.
20. Tennessee: Jaden Springer, Julian Phillips, Dalton Knecht, Tobias Harris, Grant Williams
Despite Tennessee being a legendary program run by a well-known coach, the Volunteers haven’t produced a ton of NBA talent in recent years. Harris and Williams are serviceable bigs, while Knecht is an intriguing young player, but there isn’t much depth here.
Keegan Murray is a solid starter at the NBA level, and Stirtz may develop into an intriguing player. However, the rest of them are rotational players at best.
White is a household name, but many fans may be unfamiliar with the rest. Colorado has enough players to field an NBA starting five, but just barely.
17. Maryland: Aaron Wiggins, Kevin Huerter, Derrick Queen, Jalen Smith, Bruno Fernando
Playing Queen at the 3 would be tough sledding for the Terrapins, but a majority of the NBA players from Maryland are centers. Maryland tends to only produce centers and shooters in the NBA.
The potential of George and Edgecombe could push this group much higher on the list in the coming years.
13. Michigan State: Jase Richardson, Max Christie, Miles Bridges, Jaren Jackson Jr, Draymond Green
While fierce defenders and led by a star in JJJ, the Spartan alumni would struggle in the backcourt compared to the rest of the list. Richardson is largely unproven at the NBA level, and only Harris could even be considered to take his place.
12. Florida State: Terance Mann, Devin Vassell, Scottie Barnes, Jonathan Isaac, Patrick Williams
Headlined by Barnes, the FSU alums would be one of the stingiest defensive squads on the list.
11. Michigan: Jordan Poole, Tim Hardaway Jr, Duncan Robinson, Franz Wagner, Aday Mara
Franz is the undisputed star of this team, which is heavy on scoring and severely lacking on defense. I could have included any of Michigan’s three projected lottery picks this year, but went with Mara since center is a sore spot for the NBA Wolverines.
The Villanova Knicks are in full effect here, as Brunson, Bridges and Hart anchor this squad. Villanova doesn’t send many bigs to the NBA, but its guards and wings can match up with just about anyone.
USC has one of the better front courts on this list and has some solid depth. They won’t wow anyone, but this is a capable group.
7. Texas: Tre Johnson, Kevin Durant, Jaxson Hayes, Myles Turner, Jarrett Allen
Texas has one of the most talented rosters available in our hypothetical world. The problem is they are nearly all bigs. Floor spacing would be a problem.
6. UCLA: Jrue Holiday, Russell Westbrook, Norman Powell, Zach Lavine, Jaime Jaquez Jr.
UCLA has sent a plethora of guards to the NBA in recent years. While we had a few bigs to choose from, none are worthy of starting over the five listed above.
Leaving Brayden Burries off this starting five was tough to do, but I give the edge to Green and Mathurin for now. The Wildcat front court is one of the best you’ll find.
4. Gonzaga: Jalen Suggs, Andrew Nembhard, Rui Hachimura, Domantas Sabonis, Chet Holmgren
Mark Few has created an NBA factory. Not only do the Zags have a solid starting five, but we had to leave players such as Corey Kispert, Brandon Clarke and Julian Strawther off the list.
3. Kansas: Darryn Peterson, Gradey Dick, Andrew Wiggins, Christian Braun, Joel Embiid
We don’t yet know what Darryn Peterson will be in the pros. However, if he is a star, this could be one of the best groups of any team on this list. Embiid is one of the best players in basketball when healthy.
2. Duke: Kyrie Irving, Jayson Tatum, Brandon Ingram, Paolo Banchero, Zion Williamson
The list of Blue Devils in the NBA is comically long. This starting five doesn’t even include Kon Knueppel, Cooper Flagg, Jalen Johnson and RJ Barrett. From a pure basketball stylistic perspective, this group would be very, very tough to beat.
1. Kentucky: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Tyrese Maxey, Devin Booker, Bam Adebayo, Anthony Davis
The Wildcats are the winner of this exercise by a sizable margin. Choosing a starting five was nearly impossible, as I had to leave Karl-Anthony Towns, De’Aaron Fox, Jamal Murray, Julius Randle, Tyler Herro and others off the list. No other school’s alumni are beating Kentucky’s.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 08: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks looks on during the second quarter against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Three of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 08, 2026 in New York City. 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 Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Let’s get this straight and get rid of the most stupid part of this whole story even before we get started: Jalen Brunson is not why the NBA Finals are now a series.
Brunson surely is not a problem—any problem—for the Knicks, no matter how you look at it, let alone after a run that saw the Knicks put together 13 consecutive wins only disrupted once but a couple of neophytes playing out their minds.
If next October there is a banner hanging from the MSG rafters, you damn better believe that’s mostly ‘cause of the arrival of the promised guard in Manhattan.
Hell, you don’t even need to go so far away into the future, and just check the present of the New York Knickerbockers: the Garden is back hosting the Finals for the first time since freaking 1999. The second-greatest run in postseason history, winning 13 in a row, exists only because Brunson once decided to put pen to paper when he was unemployed in the summer of 2022. The Knicks hadn’t had a captain since forever after “Captain Clutch” came and conquered and got that capital C virtually stitched on his chest.
We all stopped wandering the point-guard-searching desert that we started to explore all the way back in the early aughts, only because of Brunson’s homecoming.
All of that said, the Knicks need hella more from Jalen Brunson right now.
Dirty Victor entered the NBA Finals as the clear-cut favorite to win the Finals MVP award. Two punches in the mouth were all oddmakers needed to flip the odds, placing Brunson on top and Karl-Anthony Towns close below. As things stand after the Game 3 loss, FanDuel is still listing JB as the favorite to get the award at +105, with Violent Vic back in second place at +165.
That tells you everything about how important, impactful, and well-regarded Brunson is, even when he’s clearly, definitely, soundly not at the top of his game.
It’s not that Brunson needs to score more points, necessarily. Brunson scored 32 in Game 3 and led the Knicks at it. He dropped 20 in Game 2 and 30 in Game 1. Overall, he’s averaging 27.3 points per game, the most in the series only behind Kung-Fu Wem’s 29 PPG. The totals are fine, the averages are alike.
The problem is how hard Brunson is working to get them, how many possessions are dying in the process, and how different the offense looks when the ball sticks to No. 11 for too long and for far subproductive and stagnant stretches.
"…We just wanted to stand and watch one guy dribble a ton…"
“I liked some of the looks, but I also think we were pretty stagnant,” Brunson admitted after Game 3. “There’s definitely things that we can learn from. Especially with our approach when we start the game and with the way we start the half, I don’t think we did well and I don’t think I did well, either.”
Through three Finals games, Brunson has taken 81 shots to score 82 points. He’s hoisting 27 FGA per game to anybody else’s 20 at most. JB is 30-for-81 from the field, a meager 37.0% compared to his regular-season 46.7% and even 46% in the playoffs—games against SAS included.
Brunson has 15 assists against 13 turnovers—again, not disastrous by ordinary standards but surely down by Brunson’s own bar of nearly seven dimes a pop against barely a couple of turnovers.
Jalen Brunson’s Shot Chart – NBA Finals through Game 3
Game 3 saw Brunson finish with 32 points, five rebounds, and five assists, but he also had five turnovers and took 25 shots in a 115-111 loss to the Spurs inside MSG, the first finals game in the Mecca since 1999. No other Knick attempted more than 13 (OG) shots, with Towns and Hart both taking 10, and nobody else reaching double-digit FGA.
“Offensively, we were as stagnant as I’ve seen us all year,” Brown said after the loss. “We just wanted to stand and watch one guy dribble a ton, and then when the ball got passed, there were no quick decisions by the guy receiving the basketball. You have to be smart, you have to do a good job taking care of the basketball, you have to move the ball and move bodies, and we’ve done that quite a bit but we didn’t do a good job of it tonight, which helped with the 13 turnovers… the turnover situation, the free throw situation, and our attention to detail about keeping them out of the paint and taking away the vertical threat, not good tonight.”
Coach Mike Brown did not name Brunson directly, obviously, but the “we watched one guy dribble a ton” note was more than enough.
“[Jalen Brunson has] been the focus of the Spurs’ defense and he’s mostly had to work hard just to get tough shots… but the focus on Brunson has created opportunities for his teammates, and they’ve stepped up and made big plays and big shots.”@johnschuhmann examines how the… pic.twitter.com/tT5uPHj2mn
The Knicks’ best version during this postseason run, as surprised as it had all of us, has not been Brunson playing savior each and every possession. Far from it. It has been Brunson as the closer with Towns as the frontcourt hub in a delightful 1A-1B two-man punch that left the NBA world in awe—yet still hating and not trusting the Knicks, for some reason they only now—and the likes of Anunoby, Hart and Mikal Bridges punishing opponents on both ends of the floor with everyone making simple decisions and embarrassing rivals.
That team won 13 straight playoff games. That team moved the ball and played the best Knicks basketball we’ve seen in a million years. That team made San Antonio chase, but there were signs of concern slowly but surely percolating of late, with New York escaping Texas unscathed but close to burning them.
San Antonio deserves credit because they are bullying Brunson like absolute brutes. They are making him work more than he’s done all postseason long. They have size, they have perfected MMA moves, and they are physically abusing JB and whoever is in front of them, with no official punishment. Kudos to them.
But the Knicks still lead the Finals 2-1. The Knicks still have home court advantage. The Knicks can still win three games before the Spurs get two, and we all know that’s a virtual clinching of the title.
It’s really two, but in all honesty, all New York needs is one more win. And if they want to get there easily and in front of their fans inside the Garden walls, there is nothing the Knicks need more right now than the Jalen Brunson we all have come to know and enjoy for the past four years.
"The most important thing is that we were going to learn regardless, because we knew there were things that we were going to have to improve on going into the next game"
Jalen Brunson talks about the Knicks learning from their first loss in a month and a half: pic.twitter.com/ew5dIuZRTt
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 8: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers runs on the court before the game against the New York Knicks during Round Two Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 8, 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
On Monday, the Sixers introduced Mike Gansey as their new president of basketball operations. He didn’t reveal much about his vision for the team, but it seemed clear he was going to do his best to build around the team’s “Big 4” while creating a more harmonious environment within the franchise.
Gansey won’t have much time to settle with the 2026 NBA Draft just weeks away followed quickly by free agency. As Gansey said, it’s imperative for the Sixers to nail their pick at 22 and then find the proper pieces to complement the team’s top-four players in free agency.
Hit me with your questions in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer as many as possible.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson at Game 3 of the NBA finals at Madison Square Garden on 8 June.Photograph: Ross D Franklin/AP
The New York Knicks are leading the NBA finals 2-1 against the San Antonio Spurs, much to the excitement of fans across the world. It’s their first appearance in the playoff finals since 1999, when they lost the best-of-seven series to the very same Texas team.
We would like to hear from New Yorkers and Knicks fans, both in the state and around the globe, about how they’re feeling in this current moment. With the Knicks doing so well after so long, how are you celebrating? Are you still optimistic despite the Spurs’ close win in Madison Square Garden on Monday? How are you feeling about the future?
If you’re having trouble using the form, click here. Read terms of service here and privacy policy here.
HOUSTON, TX - MAY 1: Austin Reaves #15 and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Houston Rockets during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 1, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
As soon as the NBA Finals are over — which could be as early as Wednesday at this rate — expect the Lakers to get to work.
The day after the Finals end, teams are allowed to legally begin negotiating with their own free agents. No team would ever dare to tamper before that in Adam Silver’s NBA, so the last few weeks of June will be the Lakers’ best chance to lock down commitments from LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and the rest of their free agents.
If they don’t have a firm answer by 6 p.m. ET on June 30, the Lakers might have to pivot elsewhere.
That’s both the gift and the curse of being able to have upward of $50 million in cap space this offseason.
Getting to that number requires some significant sacrifices, though. The Lakers would have to renounce their free-agent rights to everyone other than Reaves, including LeBron and Hachimura.
Unless both players choose to sign elsewhere, that potential $50 million of cap space is a pipe dream. That’s because until they sign somewhere or the Lakers renounce them, they’re going to count against the Lakers’ books in some capacity.
Those two in particular will prevent the Lakers from having any cap space until they decide upon their fates one way or another.
Between LeBron, Hachimura and Reaves alone, there’s a clear order of operations in which the Lakers need to work this offseason to maximize their flexibility.
Their own free agents
By June 30, the Lakers need to have a firm-ish answer on James, Hachimura and the rest of their free agents other than Reaves. Otherwise, they won’t know how much money they can realistically spend in free agency.
LeBron will count as $57.75 million (his max salary) against the Lakers’ cap until he re-signs with them, signs elsewhere, retires or the Lakers renounce his rights. Hachimura will count as nearly $27.4 million. Those two alone put the Lakers well above the cap, and that’s not even counting Luke Kennard ($13.2 million cap hit), Jaxson Hayes ($6.6 million) or Deandre Ayton and/or Marcus Smart if they decline their respective player options.
The Lakers will have at least a week-and-a-half to legally negotiate with them before any of them can begin legally negotiating with other teams. (Because again, no one would dare to tamper in Adam Silver’s NBA.) That should give them plenty of time to suss out the likelihood of bringing each of them back, and the price tag it’d likely cost.
Perhaps LeBron says he’s willing to come back and take whatever’s left over after the Lakers go free-agent shopping. The Lakers could hash out agreements with the rest of their free-agent targets, but they’d have to re-sign LeBron first to get his massive cap hold off their books before they’d have to sign anyone else.
The same goes for Hachimura to a lesser extent. If he’s getting less than $27.4 million as the starting salary of his next contract, his cap hold would count as more than his next deal will. Once the Lakers signed Hachimura to that contract, they’d carve out additional financial flexibility with which to navigate the aprons.
If they don’t have a clear answer by June 30, though, they may face the difficult decision of whether to renounce either player (or both).
If the Lakers renounced either James or Hachimura, their cap holds would be removed from their books, but they would also forfeit their Bird rights. That means they’d only be able to re-sign them via cap space or with a salary-cap exception.
Once the Lakers finish the rest of their free-agent business, they can then turn their attention to Reaves.
Reaves’ cap-hold trick
Reaves has been the skeleton key to kickstarting the Luka Dončić era for a while now. He’s likely in line for a max or near-max deal this offseason, whether from the Lakers or another team, but he’ll count as only $20.9 million on the Lakers’ books until they re-sign him.
Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Timesrecently said that from what he understands, “Austin wants the max. Is he willing to give the Lakers a hometown deal? I’m not so sure about that. Maybe he does, but maybe his reps don’t want to.”
The $50 million of cap space figure above includes Reaves’ $20.9 million cap hold. A max contract for Reaves will start at $41.25 million next season, assuming a $165 million salary cap. Once he signs that deal, he’ll count as his new salary on the Lakers’ books. Until that time, he’ll count as only $20.9 million.
So, even if the Lakers announce early in free agency — or even during the legal negotiating period after the Finals — that they’ve reached an agreement with Reaves, that doesn’t mean they’re going to sign him as soon as the July Moratorium lifts on July 6. They’ll spend the rest of their cap space first and then re-sign him afterward to take advantage of his well-below-market cap hold.
The only thing Reaves’ next contract will affect is the Lakers’ proximity to the luxury tax and the aprons. He has zero impact on what they do in free agency aside from how his next contract fits into their larger financial picture.
Depending on which of their other free agents they bring back and how much it costs to do so, the Lakers might have a walkaway price for Reaves that’s below a full max. We’ll see what they have planned for LeBron, Rui and their other free agents, along with anything else they might have up their sleeves.
But no matter what order those decisions are announced in, there is a clear chain that the Lakers need to follow once they’re ready to make those deals official.
BROOKLYN, NY - JUNE 26: The Milwaukee Bucks round 1 pick 23 during the 2024 NBA Draft - Round One on June 26, 2024 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. 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 Kostas Lymperopoulos/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Bucks fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
At last month’s draft combine, there was some intel that the Bucks were operating as if they’d have “multiple picks” in this month’s NBA Draft. Now, the rumor didn’t specify whether or not they’d necessarily be first-round picks, but naturally, the first place many minds jumped to was that the Bucks would net an additional first this month in a Giannis trade. However, there are some viable other options Milwaukee has in the first round.
There is a possibility they could trade down this year to obtain a future draft pick. For example, I’ve read some scuttlebutt online that OKC is interested in trading up from 12. If the Bucks are willing to move down two spots, perhaps they could receive one of the two firsts the Thunder controls next year (they also hold swap rights on a third and could receive a fourth if the Spurs somehow fall to 16th or lower). Milwaukee doesn’t have firsts in 2027 or 2029, but it seems like when this happens, the team trading up sends a first-rounder they own for the following year.
A likelier scenario with the Thunder is swapping no. 10 for their picks at 12 and 17, which came to them courtesy of the Clippers and Sixers. Charlotte is another possibility: they have their own pick at 14 and Orlando’s at 18. If either team wants to trade up, the Bucks should definitely listen. This is a loaded draft, and many of the prospects projected after about ninth could end up anywhere. If the Bucks are zeroed in on a particular guy, he might end up falling to them at 12th anyway, and then they’d have another mid-first selection to do with as they please.
I encourage you to read more about these names in our ongoing community draft board series. But for now, what should the Bucks do: stand pat or move down and pick up another selection?
Karl-Anthony Towns and Victor Wembanyama get tangled up on a play during the fourth quarter of Monday night’s game.Photograph: Al Bello/Getty Images
Knicks coach Mike Brown had harsh words for the officials about what he characterized as inconsistent foul calls in New York’s 115-111 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 3 of the NBA finals.
The Spurs took 24 free throws to the Knicks’ eight in the second half Monday night at Madison Square Garden. Fourteen of San Antonio’s attempts came in the third quarter, when New York took just three. In the final period, frustrations boiled over: the Knicks were whistled three times in the opening 64 seconds, and within three minutes they were in the bonus.
Brown opened his postgame news conference with comments about the officiating and returned to the topic several times. The teams will meet again in New York on Wednesday for Game 4.
“I don’t complain much. I never thought I’d see that in an NBA finals game, and I saw it tonight. That’s tough to overcome when you’re playing against a great team, Brown said. “San Antonio won the game. I’m giving their head coach and their players a lot of credit. But as a team, if you take away the fouls and the free throws that should have, in my opinion, been a little bit more even, again maybe we fouled that many times but they fouled, too. And it’s not shown at the end of the day on this box score.”
“I talked to [the officials], and they said, well, this is a foul, this is a foul,” he added. “That’s the question I had with them is, you’re right. Maybe we did foul. But they fouled, too. If they do this in Game 4 where it’s 24-8 in the second half, it’s going to be tough for us to win.
“The story is going to be there. But there are some controllables that we did not do a good job of doing. We allowed them to hit first at the beginning of the game. We allowed them to hit first in the beginning of the second half. We turned the ball over and we were stagnant offensively and we allowed them to get to the paint, and we did not pay attention to detail to what we are supposed to do defensively.”
Victor Wembanyama, who led the Spurs with 32 points, had nine free-throw attempts, tied with New York’s Jalen Brunson for the most of any player. A play in which the 7ft 4in center shoved the 6ft 2in point guard but did not result in a whistle drew criticism from Knicks fans on social media after the loss, the team’s first in more than two months.
Brunson was blunt when asked about the play: “Whatever you saw is what you saw.”
Video of Victor Wembanyama-Jalen Brunson shove
Officiating has been a storyline of these NBA finals. Across the three games, the Spurs have averaged 28 free-throw attempts to the Knicks’ 20.3. Several foul calls – including ones that were successfully overturned after challenges by both teams – swung the momentum in key moments during Game 3.
Knicks players did not have the same vocal criticism as Brown after the result. They pointed to their 13 turnovers, off which the Spurs had 21 points.
“That ain’t cost us the game. Turned the ball over. Didn’t execute. Didn’t do what got us 13 straight wins in a row. That’s how you lose a game. We didn’t do what we’ve been doing for 13,” Karl-Anthony Towns said. “We decided to do something different, and it ain’t going to work. Throwing the ball away is a clear indication of how you’re going to lose the game, especially in the playoffs.”
Brunson echoed that sentiment.
“I think we turned the ball over a lot, first and foremost, and also we were fouling a lot and put them at the line about 30 times,” he said. “With our live ball turnovers, got them out in transition. They were definitely capitalizing off of those.”
For one night at least, Mike Brown didn’t have the golden touch.
The Knicks coach earned some blowback after his decision to sit superstar Jalen Brunson for 7:11 spanning the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth quarter in Monday’s Game 3 loss.
Brunson exited with the Knicks trailing by one and returned with the team losing by five points in its eventual 115-111 defeat that sliced its NBA Finals series lead to 2-1.
Mike Brown coaching the Knicks during Game 3. Getty Images
Added CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn: “I don’t want to second guess Mike Brown too much. The last time I did that he won 13 in a row. But it felt to me like the game swung when he took Jalen Brunson out with foul trouble with 4.5 minutes to go in the third. Needed to dominate those (Luke) Kornet minutes, couldn’t without JB.”
Brown has been a wizard with his in-game decisions during this magical Knicks run, often finding the right combinations and being rewarded with stellar play from his backups.
It’s always tricky when starters encounter foul trouble, though, and it’s fair to wonder if he waited perhaps a little too long to insert Brunson back into the game after he picked up his fourth foul.
The Knicks trailed 79-78 at the time when he exited with 4:29 left in the third quarter, a key moment since the Spurs also took out Victor Wembanyama at the same time.
The Spurs took advantage when Jalen Brunson wasn’t on the court. AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin
The Spurs are more vulnerable during those moments when Kornet spells Wembanyama — he played 9:16 on Monday — and that opens chances for the Knicks.
The Knicks managed to hold court in the remainder of the third quarter to trail by one point, 92-91, entering the fourth, meaning they gained on ground with Wembanyama on the bench.
The start of the fourth then swayed the game.
The Spurs, with Wembanyama back in the fold, grabbed a 96-91 lead before Hart entered the game with 10:36 remaining, and Brunson entered 1:18 later.
The Knicks did not score their first basket of the period until 8:30 remained in the contest, which cut the deficit to 98-93, and they did not work their way back to within three points until the final minute.
They shot just 7-for-27 in the final quarter.
“I liked some of the looks, but I also think we were pretty stagnant. There’s definitely things that we can learn from,” Brunson said of the fourth quarter. “Especially with our approach when we start the game and with the way we start the half, I don’t think we did well and I don’t think I did well either.”
Tracy Morgan, Tina Fey, Christine Taylor, Ben Stiller, Timothee Chalamet, and Josh Safdie look on during Game 3 between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden on Monday night. Boardroom's Ellis Buery sat right behind Celebrity Row to catch the action. (Erick W. Rasco / Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
(Set Number: X164894 TK1)
Second row. First NBA Finals at MSG since 1999. Timothée Chalamet saved his outfit just for this. Here's how the night went from Boardroom's point of view.
It's 12:20 AM, and I just got home from Game 3 of the NBA Finals. And even though the New York Knicks lost a tough battle to the San Antonio Spurs to kill any hopes of a potential sweep, this was easily one of the best nights of my life. From getting to Madison Square Garden three hours early to (basically) becoming best friends with Timothée Chalamet, here's how it all went down.
I arrived at MSG around 5:30, and getting in was by far the worst part of the night. With President Trump in attendance, security was tighter than at any Knicks game I've ever been to — barricades and police five blocks out, and a metal detector at 29th Street just to get near the arena. I'd arrived early enough to skip the second screening, but I could see thousands of people down 32nd Street who weren't so lucky. After about an hour, we were finally let in, and the "Let's Go Knicks" chants rolling out the doors were just a preview of how loud New York was going to get.
Inside, I hit the over-the-top Delta Lounge, where I bought a hat and a jacket while Joe Budden shopped beside me. The spread was unreal: sushi, porterhouse, and lobster roll stations, the usual burgers and hot dogs, two bars, and help-yourself bowls of candy. I wasn’t hungry, so I just grabbed some popcorn and headed down to my seats.
My dad and I were in the second row, seats we never could have swung on our own. They were a gift from a friend of my dad's, and I still can't fully wrap my head around it: Comparable seats were going for north of $40,000 each, and a pair of Celebrity Row seats a few feet away had just sold for $1 million at a charity auction. I'll never forget that kind of generosity.
The last time the Knicks made it this far, these same Spurs sent them home. Now, here we were again, same two franchises, same building, 26 years later. I knew I was sitting in the middle of history; what a blessing to be at the first NBA Finals game at the Garden since 1999.
Right in front of us, pregame was the NBA on ESPN crew — Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, and Draymond Green. Then, Celebrity Row filled in, and it felt like flipping through a Knicks Fan Hall of Fame: Ben Stiller, Tracy Morgan, Tina Fey, Spike Lee, and Chalamet right in front of me; Rick Pitino, Justin Tuck, and Jadakiss right behind. Hov himself wasn't far off — for once, I knew what Jay-Z meant when he said he was Spiked-out! I could almost trip the referees! I complimented Timothée on his outfit; he dapped me up and said he'd been saving it for this game. I got selfies with Tina, Ben, and Timothée — the highlights of my night.
After the initial rush settled in, the Knicks and Spurs began to star warming up, and man, these guys do NOT miss in person. But as the game clock inched closer and closer to tip-off, things got intense. Sitting that close, I could hear and see everything: Spike Lee screaming at the refs, every foul they missed, the play calls guys shouted to each other. Every basket, we shot up and cheered; every whistle, we let the refs have it, and after a while, it stopped feeling like I was surrounded by larger-than-life figures and started feeling like I was just watching the game with my friends.
Up close, you could see the strain on the faces of Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson — the effort etched into their faces, how badly they wanted this. I could even watch the sweat drip off Victor Wembanyama's face. Then the first half ended, the lights dropped, and when I looked to my left — not five feet away — there was Cardi B, surrounded by the Knicks City Dancers, about to launch into her halftime show.
Look, I'm not here to give you a play-by-play as to how the second half played out. We all know what happened. The Knicks lost a close one that came down to the final few possessions, the kind of game that leaves you staring at the floor of the arena for a few extra minutes just trying to process it.
That's basketball. That's New York.
Eventually, my high came crashing down as I walked out. But then I reached the main entrance, heard the crowd chanting "Knicks in 5," and just like that, I was right back to as happy as I've ever been.
