New York.

Knicks.

NBA Finals.

Mike Brown

On never doubting his team:

“I truly felt that this team was an NBA Finals team. I felt like we had a true opportunity. … I did have that belief from Day 1.”

On Mitchell Robinson’s value to the Knicks:

“Mitch can start for any team in the league — any team. And if he started, he might be first team all-defense and some other things, who knows? But this does not work if Mitch does not allow us to do that. If he doesn’t sacrifice himself and allows us to do that, because you’re talking about a starting center that you throw in the game maybe for 30 seconds sometimes, or two minutes, whatever it is, you pull them right back out. So it starts and ends with him, and him sacrificing himself for the team.”

On Jalen Brunson and how he compares to Tim Duncan and Steph Curry:

“The aura that those guys have, the quiet strength that they have, is unbelievable.”

On Landry Shamet’s impact in the ECF:

“Landry Shamet has continued to step up big on both ends of the floor.”

On these Knicks’ identity:

“They’re so resilient. We hit adversity during the regular season, which was fantastic. I embraced it. I wanted it to happen. We hit it numerous times. And our guys were tested then, and they stayed connected. And to see the ups and down, especially early in these playoffs against Atlanta and to see them stay connected while trying to sacrifice and believe, it’s fantastic. You don’t know if there’s gonna be carryover with those things in the postseason until you go through it, and going through it with these guys, these coaches and seeing it gives you hope for a lot of things, because the group has been fantastic.” Both Brown and the players have cited a higher level of focus since their Game 3 loss in Atlanta. They’ve been fantastic trying to pay attention to all the details that we’ve been throwing at them. And we’ve thrown a lot of adjustments offensively and defensively at them throughout the course of these playoffs. And to still see them locked in and try to be focused on the details at hand, again, that just speaks volumes of my coaching staff and the way that they’re presenting and changing and all that stuff. But more so about these players and their want to go try to get a ring.”

On his philosophy with bench players:

“I’ve been fortunate, blessed, lucky to be a part of some good coaching staffs and be with some great coaches. Steve Kerr, Gregg Popovich, they were guys that went deep into their bench. And they both always used to say, it’s not about now; it’s about the postseason. It’s not about now; it’s about the postseason. And you keep guys engaged by doing that, and you do develop not just a bench but the team, as well, because guys get used to playing with other guys, just in case something goes down. And so, again, it’s something I stole from them. Very few things I came up with on my own. I’ve seen it work in the past, and that’s kind of what I thought I wanted to do here. Tried to do it in Sacramento, too. So again, you’ve kind of been through it. You learn. You develop a philosophy from what you learn from and you believe in it, you try to stick with it as best you can, and that’s what we try to do here. Our guys, they’re doing a nice job getting rest, taking care of their bodies and their minds and trying to play as hard as they can. Every second they’re out on the floor, we have to keep doing that.”

On a challenging first season in New York:

“There were a lot of things that were challenging. You just kind of take them in stride and you go through it as best you can, and you know, you embrace it. I know that you have to have difficulties along the way to see if you can get through them. And not just with the players, but you got to have difficulties whether it’s with players or this or that, and you don’t want to just see how the players respond, but you want to see how Mr. Dolan responds, how Leon Rose responds, how your coaches respond to the situation, and if everybody truly respects the process, then they’ll all give it time to work itself through.”

On changing his methods as the season progressed:

“You come with an idea in mind. This is a players’ league and you have to be able to adapt, adjust – whatever you want to call it – to whatever your group’s strengths are on both sides of the basketball. It may take you a month to figure it out. It may take you half a year to figure it out. And I ain’t that smart, so it took me a little longer.”

On Tom Thibodeau kickstarting the current Knicks run:

“Thibs did an amazing job and gave us the experience and the education and the opportunity to show the world what we could do as a team. When Mike came in, making the Eastern Conference Finals this year was going to be the bare minimum. We stepped into this season with a lot of expectations.”

On the help his assistants have provided him with:

“I thank our guys because their patience has been unbelievable, and they’ve just gone with every single adjustment that I’ve thrown at them starting with Josh off the bench, experimenting with things to try to [improve] the group. Hopefully, you get it sooner or later. That’s why it usually takes a couple of years to get it in sync with the coach and players, especially when one of them is new.”

On when he felt the Knicks turned their season around for the absolute best:

“It was always a little bit of a question — whether or not we’d be able to get over the hump — but down the stretch of the regular season with 6 or 7 games to go, we started to play good basketball and do more things that involved more sacrificing from the group.”

On his situation before and after signing with the Knicks:

“Our business is funny. In my previous job [with the Sacramento Kings before getting fired], I supposedly took them to a point that was higher and it didn’t work out. I truly felt these Knicks were an NBA Finals team. I felt we had a true opportunity. Some jobs you take, you say, ‘OK, we’ll get better and we have to make the playoffs right now.’ But this one, I felt we legitimately had a chance if we could help them figure it out and the players can stay together during the process. Especially when we hit adversity. Because we hit adversity at different parts in this season. Not just us as a whole group, but even guys individually and myself as well. I did have that belief from Day 1. I didn’t know how it was going to turn out. But we’re here.”

Jalen Brunson

On what’s fueling this Knicks run:

“Resilience. I think we’ve been able to stay focused, stay composed.”

On how his teammates helped him win the ECF MVP award:

“They give me the confidence. They let me be me.”

On whether or not the Knicks have already peaked entering the Finals:

“I don’t want to consider us peaking at this moment. I still think we have a lot of work to do. Us as a team, I’ve said this all year, we just want to get better every single day. That includes the times that we’re in the playoffs because there’s still time to learn, still time to get better. That’s how I’ve always thought about it. I haven’t really had the time to really kind of wonder where we are as a team. All I focus on is how can we get better from the day before.”

On the Knicks’ trust in him from day one:

“The belief that the organization has in me has been amazing, and something I don’t take for granted, and something not a lot of people get the opportunity to do. So I’m very thankful. It’s an honor to be here in this city for this organization with my teammates.”

Karl-Anthony Towns

On Brunson’s ECF MVP award:

“He’s done an amazing job. He’s done an amazing job every single night showing up and doing. He deserves the credit, deserves the recognition. I’m glad he’s getting it. And it’s an honor to be part of that.”

On what helped these Knicks in reaching the Finals:

“Experience — experience teaches you a lot. This is my third conference finals in a row, and I finally got over the hump, finally got to the Finals. For me, I’m going to enjoy this moment, I’m going to enjoy tonight.”

On finally reaching the Finals and doing so with the Knicks:

“It means the world. I grew up a Knicks fan, as was documented. What’s more of an honor is growing up in the area, I feel like the word ‘hope’ has been gone from the New York Knicks name for a long time. To be a part of this team that revives the word hope in the city, it’s something special, and it’s an honor.”

On his trust on the Knicks’ winning capabilities:

“We knew our team was capable of doing this. That’s why we are here right now.”

On dealing with the title-or-bust expectations:

“I mean, we all had that aspiration regardless. So we didn’t really need to hear that because we all wanted that moment. We all wanted to see that especially after last year being in the Eastern Conference Finals and coming up short. We understand that we’ve got to take that next step. So what he’s talking about is also how we all felt. We wanted to go out there and we wanted to take that next step. Get past the Eastern Conference Finals. It was historical last year. The city went crazy and it was awesome to see the city so alive, but there’s new standards now. There’s new expectations and we’ve raised the expectations so we knew what we came into this season to do and what we want to accomplish and we’ve just go to keep our head down and continue to focus on the goal at hand.”

On Brown adapting to his players and the other way around:

“With Mike, he had to learn us and adjust to us. On the flip side, we had to do the same, as well. Now, we are at a point where we are both working seamlessly. We understand each other’s language. He is getting the best from us and we are getting the best from him. I think that speaks to a season, especially a first season with a new coach and a new system and a new philosophy. It’s a testament to the players to do an amazing job coming together and showing that unity that made us special last year. But the coaching staff being receptive to the players and adjusting with us and finding the way to get the most out of us.”

On his All-NBA snub:

“I think it talks more about our team, you know? That we’re selfless, and we’re willing to do whatever it takes for the development of our team and organization, and winning. Like you said, you brought up a lot of, I guess, stats and things like that, but it just shows that it’s a collective effort getting the job done every single night in New York, and it speaks volumes to this team.”

Josh Hart

On Brunson’s biggest trait helping him win the ECF MVP:

“Obviously he’s very humble, and he’s not gonna make too much of it until he retires. But it’s cool for him to get that recognition.”

On reaching the NBA Finals alongside college teammates Brunson and Bridges:

“It’s something that is surreal. Whenever you’re in college and in that locker room, you know the goal is the NBA. You know the percent chance of you all being on the same team is slim, if not none. It’s something you talk about and dream about, but you know the reality is almost impossible. The fact that it actually came to fruition is super cool because I know the time that these guys put in and I know where their hearts are. We already share a bond and brotherhood for life, and this is just another step. Obviously, this isn’t the ultimate goal, but you just keep adding memories. These are memories we’ll have for a lifetime.”

On having another long break ahead before the Finals:

“It’s huge. Obviously a team like Cleveland played two seven-game series, so you’re playing four more games than we played and a couple of our games were blowouts and we didn’t play too many minutes. Obviously that works in your benefit and you want to get as much rest as you can. I think it’s a sweet spot of getting enough rest but you don’t get rusty. We want to get that as much as we possibly can.”

On the rest advantage over Cleveland:

“[Playing fewer] minutes helps. I think at one point, they played 50% more minutes — or we played half the minutes or something — than the Cavs did. When you do that, obviously you’re at an advantage and you’re able to play faster and do those kinds of things. Obviously, it’s helped.”

On Brown’s head coaching job in New York:

“He was put in a tough situation with a lot of expectations but he’s handled that unbelievably. He’s coaching us in his way, his style. He’s taking input from everybody. His ability to lead us to adapt to things has been great. That’s just the kind of person he is. He’s a high-character, and a great person first and foremost.”

On dealing with Dolan’s mandate:

“We better get to the Finals or we’re going toget traded. It wasn’t pressure because that’s the goal we have. It, obviously, hits a little bit different when (Dolan) says it, but that’s the goal each and every one of us have, and we’re our own biggest critics. It just adds more fuel to that internal, inner fire to get there.”

Landry Shamet

On Brown’s coaching style and personality:

“I think he’s really, really good at not letting any of us — he talks about human nature a lot. He’s very upfront about it. When you win games in a row, respectfully, getting questions like this from you guys, he talks about it, and it’s human nature to kind of get comfortable sometimes. So he’s always checking us, curbing us on that, reminding us of kind of fighting that off. It’s a lot of the intangible stuff like that that I think he’s spectacular at, keeping us in our right headspace. Obviously, Xs and Os and game plan and how it communicates with everyone. This is a great coach. We trust him. You follow his lead.”

On Brown keeping the team focused even amid back-to-back sweeps and large leads:

“It’s human nature to kind of get comfortable sometimes. So he’s always checking us on that. Reminding us of fighting that off. It’s a lot of intangible stuff like that that I think he’s spectacular at. Keeping us in the right headspace. Obviously Xs and Os, the gameplan. He communicates with everyone. Just a great coach.”

Clyde Frazier

On Jalen Brunson’s ECF MVP award and his role as the new leader of the Knicks:

“It’s been a long time. Carrying on a tradition. Passing it down to Jalen so he’s the guy now who has to carry it. But you got to capitalize when you get there. So we’re going to stay on him. As Red Holzman would tell us at this point, ‘Hey, Clyde, we haven’t won nothing yet.’”

On expecting the Knicks to win the title:

“The way we’re playing now, I don’t think it matters who we play. Their suffocating defense, the ball movement. [Coach Mike] Brown came in wanting to run pace and space. But that was one thing they didn’t do. Now the last 11 games, the way they’re getting up and down the court, Bridges, Hart, they’re just moving and grooving.”

On the current Knicks team:

“These guys, they have 10 guys that are thriving. It doesn’t seem to matter who he puts in the game, they come up with what they need.”

Donovan Mitchell

On what to tell Cavs fans after a 4-0 loss:

“I’m sorry for the city of Cleveland. For it to be like this and the sweep. That’s ass. But I told y’all last year, and I’ll say again, we’ll be back. We’ll be ready. We’ll be hungry. And we’ll be locked in.”

On how Kenny Atkinson will deal with criticism:

“I know for a fact he’s from Long Island, he don’t give a damn”

On the Cavs’ future after an embarrassing sweep:

“I have no doubt that this group can get there. I’ve said that all year. The biggest thing is you just use it as a learning lesson. It’s a tough learning lesson, but now we know. This team that we just faced had to go through this. Maybe not this way, but they’ve been together, they’ve been a core group and had to go through this tough experience. So, this is our turn.”

On not having even enough to start putting on a fight against the Knicks:

“We did this to ourselves. That’s not an excuse. [The Knicks] are a hungry team. They beat us, swept us. So, I don’t want to diminish that, but we didn’t give ourselves a chance because we didn’t handle business … you can’t play with your food. We had an opportunity to close both series and give ourselves some rest, and we didn’t.”

James Harden

On how much better the Knicks were through the ECF:

“I can’t even answer that question, honestly. Yeah, I don’t think we had a chance as far as our best shot from a standpoint of the circumstances. Obviously, they dominated us 4-0, but I don’t know if I can necessarily answer that question because, genuinely, I do feel we are the better team. But series-wise didn’t show it, so tough question to answer. They made shots, some open and some just tough shots. I don’t think we made really any.”

On the Cavs’ season ending:

“I think we found something. It’s tough. It’s not ending how we wanted to, but I think we found something.”

On his upcoming free agency, if he declines the player option in his deal:

“Definitely want to be here. I think we found something. It’s tough. It’s not ending how we wanted to, but I think we found something.”

On Atkinson’s job through the postseason:

“He understands his team. Of course, somebody’s going to have to take criticism, whether it’s myself or Kenny or whoever, the entire team. They’re going to put it on somebody. But I think for Kenny, he did an unbelievable job of getting me acclimated as fast as possible to understanding what I’m supposed to be doing out there. It’s just an unfortunate situation. Any team coming off of a tough, two series against two defensive monsters, it would have been challenging.”

Zohran Mamdani

On the Eastern Conference Finals outcome:

“I’d like to report a sweep.”

Spike Lee

On predicting a Knicks championship:

“I don’t care about San Antonio. OKC. We’re going to win. May 8, 1970 [the first Knicks championship]. I was at the Willis Reed game. Thirteen years old. So going to keep it going. This is a team of destiny, heart, drive. … It reminds me of Willis, Dave DeBusschere, Bill Bradley, Dick Barnett, Cazzie Russell. I’m going back. I’m old, though.”

Steven A. Smith

On the Knicks going to the NBA Finals:

“Finally, 27 years, 27 years, we here and we ain’t finished. We ain’t finished. I said we were going to the Finals. We’re going to win the Finals! We’re going to win the Finals! Go New York, Go New York, Go. Contain myself, I’m cool. Four more, four more, four more.”

Fat Joe

On the Cavs preventing celebrities from buying courtside seats:

“We had bought some courtside tickets to the game, and once they found out it was superfan Fat Joe, they were like, I can’t sit courtside. New York Knicks fans can’t sit courtside. They took the tickets away courtside after we purchased it, so shame on you all.”

For the first time in 26 long years, the Knicks have advanced to the NBA Finals, and are now just four wins from heights unseen in half a century. 

Their eventual foe has yet to be determined, as the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder battle for the Western Conference in a 2-2 draw entering Game 5 on Tuesday night.

The way the Knicks have played since Game 3 of the first round, no fan would be out of line for outsized confidence in either potential matchup. However, the reality is the Spurs and Thunder are leagues ahead of any competition New York has faced thus far in the postseason, and each present unique challenges in a league where styles make fights.

With that in mind, which team would be the better matchup for the Knicks?

Spurs

The Spurs offer some nice narrative arcs for the Knicks, with Mike Brown getting revenge for the 2007 Finals and the franchise for 1999. Fans also like this idea because the Knicks went 2-1 against them during the regular season and in their NBA Cup Championship game.

You normally can't bank on regular season results, but they can be indicative of certain advantages, much like San Antonio’s dominance over OKC this season. This won’t be some walk in the park, but the Knicks have real leverage in this matchup.

First, they have the best one-man answers to Victor Wembanyama in the league -- with OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson. Both already showed how they can stymie him without pulling too much of the remaining defense's attention.

Second, they have the perimeter defenders to bother Spurs guards in De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper. Mikal Bridges has locked up every All-Star caliber guard thrown at him this postseason, and Josh Hart and Miles McBride are coming up huge as well.

Finally, there’s the five-out option the Knicks can lean on to circumvent the Spurs’ suffocating defense. Wembanyama won’t be allowed to easily roam or protect the paint if he has to stretch out to Karl-Anthony Towns or Anunoby.

San Antonio is also a younger, less-tested team, although they’ve answered the call through two rounds and aren’t making it easy for the reigning champions. They definitely have their own edges in the series.

The Spurs will have many defensive guards and big wings to throw at Jalen Brunson, and have proven themselves much more versatile and flexible schematically than some of the other foes the Knicks have faced. They’re also comfortable playing at New York’s pace.

Oklahoma City Thunder

New York dropped two competitive games to Oklahoma City during the regular season, and will definitely come armed with fewer strategic edges should they meet. Still, the way the Knicks have jelled, it’s anybody’s game.

The Knicks will need to tap into all of their offensive creation -- Towns in the pinch post, Brunson ball, transition -- to test the Thunder's defense. They boast enough scrappy defensive guards to wear Brunson down, so the more he can get off the ball and still find success is key.

Towns will have to be especially patient and choosy with his approach. Scoring on the tandem of Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren won’t be easy if the offense isn’t flowing, and his creation will be tested against a lot of reaching arms.

They’ll likely start Bridges, who has the poise and ability, on MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and see how aggressively they’ll need to help. Beyond Bridges there aren’t a ton of clean one-on-one matchups to try, and over-extending the defense will lead to lots of open threes, so much of this series would ride on him.

One thing working heavily in New York’s favor would be the injury list. Jalen Williams has been battling a hamstring issue, while Ajay Mitchell is out.

Knicks fans might be on top of the world now, but in eight short days they’ll begin the team’s toughest series to date. Whoever they play, it’ll be a grueling, emotional, and unmissable final hurdle to the championship.

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The seesaw battle in the Western Conference Finals shifts back to the Paycom Center tonight for a pivotal Game 5, as the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder enter tied at 2-2.

With tip-off set for 8:30 p.m. ET from the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, our Covers experts have you set with their best NBA picks for Tuesday, May 26.

Spurs vs. Thunder Expert Picks Tonight

Pick	Odds
Jon Metler: Spurs +4.5	-110
Jason Logan: De'Aaron Fox o14.5 points	-112
Joe Osborne: Thunder TT o110.5	-115

Odds courtesy of bet365.

Jon Metler's expert pick: Spurs +4.5

Price: -110 at bet365

This is a classic NBA Playoff situation where regular-season power ratings haven’t fully caught up to what’s happening in the series. Matchups matter more in the postseason, and right now, the San Antonio Spurs look like the better team, especially with Jalen Williams dealing with a hamstring injury.

I make San Antonio closer to a 3-point underdog, and that number already assumes Williams plays on a minutes restriction. If he’s ruled out entirely, the value on the Spurs only increases. Defensively, San Antonio has the perfect combination to disrupt the Oklahoma City Thunder's offense.

Victor Wembanyama protects the rim at an elite level, while Stephon Castle can pressure Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at the point of attack and force him into tougher shots. Meanwhile, Oklahoma City is relying a bit too heavily on role players offensively for my liking.

Jason Logan's expert pick: De'Aaron Fox Over 14.5 points

Price: -112 at bet365

De’Aaron Fox is more than 10 days removed from an ankle injury that forced him to miss the first two games of the WCF. He’s played 31 minutes in each of the past two outings, scoring 12 and 15 points on a collective 12-for-27 shooting in those games, but seeing limited action in the fourth quarter of those blowouts (just nine total 4Q minutes).

A tighter finish will have a healthier Fox logging his normal workload, seeing closer to 40 minutes tonight. The Thunder have injury issues in their backcourt, leaving bigger guards Lu Dort and Alex Caruso to try to keep up with Fox.

Game 5 projections all sit north of his 14.5 O/U scoring prop, ranging from 15.1 to a ceiling of 18.7, with most projections at 17+ points tonight.

Joe Osborne's expert pick: Thunder team total Over 110.5 

Price: -115 at bet365

I’m expecting a strong offensive bounce-back from OKC after that ugly 82-point showing in Game 4. This is still a team that entered that game leading all playoff teams in both scoring and offensive rating, and championship-level offenses usually respond well at home.

Game 4 was also misleading in some ways — despite being the lowest-scoring game of the series, it was played at the fastest pace yet, and the tempo has increased in every matchup in this series so far.

The Thunder are averaging 118.3 points per game at home this postseason and have cleared 110.5 points in 10 of 12 playoff games.

More Spurs vs. Thunder Game 4 picks

• Spurs vs. Thunder prediction
• Spurs vs. Thunder props
• Free NBA picks
• Best NBA betting sites

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For all the noise surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers this season, one of the loudest debates now involves a player who doesn’t even wear purple and gold.

Former Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce stirred things up this week when he argued that Jaylen Brown deserved Luka Doncic’s spot on the All-NBA First Team, claiming Brown “did the most with the least” while Doncic benefited from playing alongside LeBron James and Austin Reaves.

“I know that’s saying a lot because Luka did lead the league in scoring, but he had more to work with, too. Think about it. He had LeBron all year. You got Reaves, you know, a lot of most of the year,” said Pierce, on the “No Fouls Given” show on X. 

“I thought [Brown] was in the MVP conversation,” Pierce said. “When you’re in the MVP conversation, you should be 1st Team… I would’ve probably removed Luka (Doncic) for Jaylen.”

That take immediately raised eyebrows in Los Angeles.

Doncic didn’t just make First Team All-NBA because of reputation. He earned it by leading the NBA in scoring at 33.5 points per game while also averaging 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds.

Even with injuries constantly disrupting the Lakers’ lineup, Doncic remained the engine behind a team that secured the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference.

Pierce’s argument also ignored an important reality: Doncic, LeBron and Reaves were rarely healthy together. The trio appeared in just 29 games together all season, hardly the superteam setup Pierce described.

Paul Pierce says Jaylen Brown should have been first team All-NBA over Luka Doncic:

“I know that’s saying a lot because Luka did lead the league in scoring, but he had more to work with, too. Think about it. He had LeBron all year. You got Reaves, you know, a lot of most of the… pic.twitter.com/YB1s3vTPJ3

— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) May 25, 2026

That doesn’t diminish Brown’s season.

The Celtics forward was phenomenal while carrying Boston after Jayson Tatum’s Achilles tear cost him most of the season. Brown averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists while helping keep the Celtics near the top of the Eastern Conference despite major roster turnover.

But replacing Doncic specifically feels more rooted in Pierce’s devotion to the Celtics and their longstanding rivalry with the Lakers than actual production.

The Lakers star became the focal point of everything defenses tried to stop nightly, yet still delivered one of the league’s most complete offensive seasons.

Doncic missed the Lakers’ final five regular season games and the entire postseason with a significant hamstring strain.

Without him, the Lakers squeezed past the Rockets in six games in the first round before being swept by the top-seeded Thunder in the conference semifinals.

Pierce may still bleed Celtics green, but this debate probably says more about the rivalry than the ballots themselves.

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Debating whether the Western Conference Finals are the “real” NBA Finals doesn’t really matter— the New York Knicks are waiting either way.

For now, just soak in what’s become a must-watch series between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder.

With things knotted at 2-2, Game 5 could swing everything. These Spurs vs. Thunder props and NBA picks expect the stars to set the tone, but both Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama will need meaningful support to take control on Tuesday, May 26.

Best Spurs vs Thunder props for Game 5

Player	Pick
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander	Over 7.5 assists	-130
Victor Wembanyama	Over 3.5 assists	+100
Jared McCain	Over 11.5 points	-115

Game 5 Prop #1: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 7.5 assists

The San Antonio Spurs have kept Shai Gilgeous-Alexander guessing.

Changing defensive looks have left the Oklahoma City Thunder star unsure when to look for his own shot. Of course, Victor Wembanyama’s paint presence doesn't help SGA’s cause.

After taking 23 and 24 shots in the first two games of this series, respectively, Gilgeous-Alexander attempted only 17 and 15 in Games 3 and 4.

That wasn't a result of playing on the road. That was a result of San Antonio’s defense.

To his credit, Shai has kept the ball moving. He has fallen short of this prop in just one game this series, missing by only the hook in Game 4 while averaging 10 assists per game across the four contests.

A basketball intellect should enjoy watching SGA and the Thunder navigate a series where his ball-dominance can't be counted on. A basketball bettor should profit on that reality.

Game 5 Prop #2: Victor Wembanyama Over 3.5 assists

Full disclosure: This bet was not on the radar until finalizing that Gilgeous-Alexander assists prop. Seeing Victor Wembanyama’s assists prop not only still at 3.5 but also priced at even money made this an immediate bet.

Wembanyama is not known for his playmaking, yet he has dished out at least three assists in each game of this series while clearing this prop twice. That sentence alone reveals the value in this sitting at +100.

The Thunder should throw big bodies at Wembanyama as this series reaches its peak in an attempt to wear him down. Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, and even Jaylin Williams can have their cumulative effect.

But in that process, Oklahoma City risks Wembanyama’s underrated vision.

Game 5 Prop #3: Jared McCain Over 11.5 points

Role players shoot better at home. This is a known and tried axiom in the postseason, one that consistently provides betting value.

Consulting Jared McCain’s home/road splits from this season gets murky, given he was traded halfway through it, and one may wonder when he felt comfortable in Oklahoma City.

However, simply look at his postseason. McCain has shot 46.5% from the field at home this postseason compared to 39.2% from the field on the road. He has hit 13-of-25 (52.0%) from beyond the arc at home compared to 6-of-26 (23.1%) on the road.

McCain caught attention in Game 3 with his 24 points, but his four points in Game 4 seem to have quickly diminished expectations.

With Jalen Williams unlikely to play, McCain will both need to play and need to handle the ball. Given his better shooting in familiar confines, those necessities should work out for the Thunder.

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The 2026 Western Conference Finals return to Oklahoma City on Tuesday, May 26 for a pivotal Game 5, with the series now tied 2-2 after San Antonio seized momentum with a commanding Game 4 win. The Thunder also still face the possibility of being without star forward Jalen Williams for Tuesday's game.

Williams remains questionable for the critical matchup against the Spurs due to a lingering left hamstring strain, which has already kept him out of the last two games. His absence looms large for Oklahoma City, as Williams averaged a little over 28 minutes and 17 points per game during the regular season.

The Thunder, who will already be missing key reserve Ajay Mitchell tonight, are hoping to rebound from a tough 102-82 defeat to the Spurs on Sunday, May 24. Oklahoma City's offense struggled to find rhythm, resulting in a postseason-low point total. San Antonio sensation Victor Wembanyama was a dominant force, posting an impressive 33 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three blocks in the decisive victory.

Following Game 5 in Oklahoma City, the series will shift back to San Antonio for Game 6 on Thursday, May 28.

More: Knicks sweep lifeless Cavaliers to reach first NBA Finals in 27 years

It’s been a minute, friends.

After some time to digest things, I’m back with a mailbag. We’ll make this a weekly thing again now that the Sixers’ offseason is in full swing — with a lot of business to attend to.

The most important first step for the Sixers is finding a new president of basketball operations. It appears Bob Myers has narrowed it down to four reported candidates — Mike Gansey (GM, Cleveland Cavaliers), Matt Lloyd (GM, Minnesota Timberwolves), Nick U’Ren (GM, Phoenix Mercury (WNBA)) and Jameer Nelson, the only internal candidate.

The positive, in my humble opinion, is there are no retreads on this list. Myers appears to be targeting people behind the curtain who are due for a turn running their own team. Nelson feels least likely, but all indications suggest he will have a large role in the organization, no matter who gets the POBO role. The three external candidates seem to have good track records as far as scouting, something the Sixers desperately need either for their current roster or their eventual rebuild.

As far as the current playoffs, the New York Knicks have already emphatically punched their ticket to the Finals while the WCF return to Oklahoma tied at 2-2. Anything you’re gleaning from the playoffs? Feeling better or worse about the current Sixers?

The NBA Draft is also less than a month away. The Sixers have the 22nd overall pick and need as much depth as possible. We’re going to start our prospect previews in earnest next week, but I’ve been cramming, so hit me with any of your draft questions!

Anything else on your mind? Hit up the comments.

The 2026 NBA Draft is coming up in less than a month. And with the Washington Wizards holding the No. 1 pick, they have a chance to get a true franchise player for the rest of the 2020s into the 2030s. The consensus No. 1 pick is former Brigham Young star AJ Dybantsa. And here, let’s be DMV Dybantsa-stans for a second and say why he is the perfect franchise player for Washington.

Dybantsa fits the prototype of a future superstar scoring wing

The league has increasingly revolved around big perimeter creators. Teams spend years tanking and rebuilding, hoping to find a player like this. Dybantsa projects as a 6’8″-6’9″ wing who can create offense, defend multiple positions, and eventually carry an offense late in games. Washington has not had perimeter talent of that caliber in …. a long time.

Yes, John Wall was an elite floor general. Yes, Gilbert Arenas was elite offensively in the 2000s. But the Wizards need someone who has the potential to be a future Jayson Tatum, Luka Doncic or even Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Dybantsa is the prospect closest to reaching that level of potential.

If Dybantsa reaches even 80 percent of his ceiling, the Wizards suddenly have the most important asset in the NBA right now: a true franchise wing.

The Wizards desperately need star power and marketability

As you know, the NBA brought back John Tesh to play “Roundball Rock,” not to show Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen dominate with the Chicago Bulls. Now, it’s to show LeBron James, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama dominate with their teams.

How many times did you hear “Roundball Rock” every two minutes on WRC-TV, our local NBC station show Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly? None.

It’s not just that the Wizards were bad in 2025-26. The Wizards have been systemically bad or irrelevant. Remember 2013-14 when the Wizards made the playoffs? Sure the playoff games were on national TV, but during the regular season? They had NO games on ESPN or TNT. So it shouldn’t be surprising that the Wizards are left out of a lot of national TV games when they have:

• 0 conference finals appearances since 1979
• 0 50-win seasons since 1979
• Poor attendance and weak national TV relevance compared to similar large NBA markets

A true superstar changes revenue, ticket sales, jersey sales, sponsorships, and national relevance. If Dybantsa becomes a 25-points-per-game caliber scorer, that changes the entire trajectory of the franchise for the next decade. And we’ll get to see John Tesh play his song at Capital One Arena too.

The Wizards are probably drafting Dybantsa anyway

Well, let’s look at the betting market with our partners at FanDuel. Remember to play responsibly.

Anyway, when we are looking at who could win the NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder, the San Antonio Spurs and the Eastern Conference Champion New York Knicks, the Thunder, Spurs and Knicks all have a wing player in Gilgeous-Alexander, Wembanyama and Jalen Brunson, respectively, who Dybantsa could be like in the future.

Hopefully, Dybantsa isn’t a late bloomer like Brunson. And yeah, the Thunder are the favorites per FanDuel’s odds. We should be seeing odds on the Wizards’ selection at No. 1 as we get closer to the NBA Draft itself. And if those odds were out there, they’d still say that if the draft was right now, Dybantsa is playing for Washington this fall given what most NBA draft gurus are thinking.

Now, this is just one piece singing praises to Dybantsa. There are three players whom the Wizards COULD pick at No. 1. So, let me ask you all. Do you think Dybantsa fits the perfect franchise player profile for Washington? Let us know in the comments below.

CLEVELAND — There were stretches throughout the postseason when Donovan Mitchell didn’t quite look himself. The burst and explosiveness to the basket weren’t there like we’ve become accustomed to in the past. So much so that it led to commentators speculating that maybe he was injured.

Mitchell has been asked repeatedly throughout the postseason about whether he was injured. He’d shrug the questions off every time. He was asked again after the Cleveland Cavaliers’ season-ending Game 4 loss to the New York Knicks, and his answer was mostly the same.

“Everybody’s beat up,” Mitchell said after scoring 31 points. “Everybody’s got something. It is what it is. I looked fine today, right? So if you’re out there between those lines, it doesn’t really matter. I’m fine.”

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With the season over, there’s no reason to try to cover up a possible injury. It’s worth taking Mitchell at his word when he says this.

Mitchell has pointed to himself and the team being worn down after the previous two losses. That’s something that they could’ve avoided.

“The two series before having to go seven, that’s our fault, we did that to ourselves,” Mitchell said. “That puts you in a tough position against a team that’s not only been to the conference finals, knows what that takes, but also has the rest, mental preparation, and then on top of that, having Game 1 happen, and we didn’t execute, that’s on us, and we couldn’t control that, that’s what happened.”

Mitchell also noted that there’s a “mental toughness” that’s needed to play their best this late in the playoffs. “Physically, we’re all beat up, everybody’s beat up.” The issue was the “mental focus” not being there at times, which led to costly turnovers.

Mitchell and this Cavs group achieved more playoff success than they have at any point in the past eight years. However, that success also showed how much farther this group needs to go if they want to be the ones lifting a trophy on their home floor.

Summer in New York City took on a whole new meaning when the Knicks reached the 2026 NBA Finals.

After completing a four-game sweep of the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals Monday night, the Knicks brought the NBA Finals back to Madison Square Garden for the first time since 1999.

The Knicks have nine days off before the series begins June 3, and will face either the San Antonio Spurs or the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Western Conference finals is tied at 2-2 heading into Tuesday’s Game 5.

The New York/New Jersey area is already going to be congested as one of the hosts of the World Cup starting June 11, with MetLife Stadium hosting the World Cup final on July 19.

There could be commuting chaos at New York Penn Station for fans on Tuesday, June 16 — when a potential Game 6 of the Finals could take place at The Garden on the same day France and Senegal will be playing a World Cup match at MetLife Stadium, which was temporarily renamed New York/New Jersey Stadium for the tournament.

If the NBA Finals reaches a Game 6, the Knicks will host their opponent at 8:30 p.m. ET.

The France-Senegal matchup is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET.

Despite being hours apart, fans returning from the World Cup match and fans heading to a potential Game 6 could be in for a nightmare commute.

New York Penn Station and NJ Transit have made major changes for commuters.

During the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches at MetLife Stadium, New York Penn Station will restrict access for New Jersey Transit commuters for four hours prior to kickoff in order to safely accommodate the high volume of match-day travel.

New Jersey-bound trains from Penn Station will prioritize those who have World Cup match tickets.

New Jersey Transit advised commuters not attending a match to avoid traveling on match days unless travel is essential.

Knicks fans flooded 7th Avenue outside of Madison Square Garden after New York’s 130-93 Game 4 clincher in Cleveland.

NYPD had their hands full as some fans climbed street lights, brought brooms to the pavement and stood on top of subway structures.

Imagine just how raucous it would be with Knicks fans near New York Penn Station during the NBA Finals and the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The Knicks shot the lights out of the Rocket Arena, but nobody took that old adage literally. 

That was until the lights really went out during a postgame interview Monday night.

Landry Shamet, the sharpshooting Knicks guard, was around one minute into his interview with ESPN’s “Inside the NBA” when it appeared most of the lights in the arena shut off. 

During the interview, Shamet praised his entire team for its shooting successes throughout the playoffs. 

“The beautiful thing of this group is it could be a different guy every night,” Shamet said.

“Josh Hart had a great shooting night this series when they were sagging off him, he made a bunch of shots. It could be Duece, it could be anybody off the bench.”

Shamet went 11-for-12 from 3-point range over the four games, a hot streak that nobody in NBA playoffs history has ever matched percentage-wise. 

Coincidentally, the last time the playoffs saw a lights-out shooter like Shamet in a series was in 2017, when Cavaliers guard Kyle Korver went 11-for-20 from beyond the arc against the Raptors.

Shamet’s sharpshooting was a key piece in the Knicks’ Eastern Conference finals sweep.

Out of the 11 3s he made, none were more important than his game-tying 3-pointer with just 47 seconds left in Game 1.

That crucial shot helped propel the Knicks to win in overtime, setting the momentum for the rest of the series.

The Knicks secured their Finals spot for the first time since 1999 by beating Cleveland by double-digits in every game of the series.

They became the first team the first team to win by such margins in a sweep preceding the NBA Finals since the 1950 Lakers.

The Knicks also hold a +19.4-point differential throughout the playoffs, the highest in NBA history since the 2017 Golden State Warriors’ +16.3. 

The team will now have a long stretch off until the finals start June 3.

The players and fans will continue to wait to see who their opponent is, as the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder are tied 2-2 in the Western Conference finals.

One thing is certain: The lights are still on in the Knicks’ quest toward an NBA championship.

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After an uncustomary loss, BetMGM’s anonymous ladder bettor scored more than $300,000 in profit as the New York Knicks advanced to the NBA Finals.

The bettor, who had won roughly $1.6 million since the start of the NBA playoffs, won $500,000 worth of tickets on Monday night.

Key Takeaways

• The bettor won nearly $1.2 million from the Eastern Conference Finals alone.
  
  
• BetMGM’s anonymous user suffered a rare loss on Sunday when the Spurs beat the Thunder.
  
  
• The Thunder are still favored to win the NBA Finals.

The bettor – whose identity still hasn’t been revealed – has frequently wagered six figures on laddered spread lines throughout the NBA postseason. The bettor bought back in ahead of the Knicks’ Game 4 showdown with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals on Monday, backing New York on lines ranging from +3.5 to the original line of -2.5.

It ended up being one of the user’s most sweat-free days in recent months, as the Knicks crushed the Cavaliers by 37 points to send them packing. The bettor ended up profiting $305,533, with the largest individual win being $75,000 from a $150,000 wager on the Knicks at +3.5 (-200). 

A bettor at @BetMGM wagered $500,000 on @nyknicks to cover in Game 4

$150,000 on Knicks +3.5 (-200) ✅
$75,000 on Knicks +3.5 (-185) ✅
$75,000 on Knicks +2.5 (-175) ✅
$50,000 on Knicks +2.5 (-160) ✅
$35,000 on Knicks +1.5 (-145) ✅
$35,000 on Knicks +1.5 (-150) ✅
$20,000 on…

— John Ewing (@johnewing) May 26, 2026

Monday’s matchup was not competitive at any point. The Knicks raced out to a 12-point lead after the first quarter and were ahead 68-49 by halftime before eventually winning 130-93. They did all of that without having a single player reach 20 points.

The Knicks must hold a soft spot in the BetMGM bettor’s heart after they secured close to $1.2 million in wins during the conference finals. That included a leading mark of $466,718 from $775,000 in wagers that were obtained after the Knicks became the second team in NBA playoff history to recover from a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit.  

NEW YORK WENT ON A 44-11 RUN TO COMPLETE A 22-POINT COMEBACK WIN IN GAME 1 💨

DOWN 22 WITH UNDER 8 TO PLAY IN Q4.
30-8 RUN TO FORCE OT.
WON BY 11.

1-0 SERIES LEAD IN THE EAST FINALS 🍿 pic.twitter.com/0InzFeaG4M

— NBA (@NBA) May 20, 2026

The BetMGM customer’s wins by game were as follows.

• Game 1: $466,718 from $775,000
• Game 2: $176,883 from $300,000
• Game 3: $217,172 from $350,000
• Game 4: $305,533 from $500,000

Rare losses and NBA Finals odds

The ladder bettor has been nearly flawless throughout the playoffs. Though, a rare loss occurred on Sunday when the user lost $350,000 backing the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 against the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs tied the series at 2-2 after securing a 103-82 victory.

BetMGM reported that the user went 0-for-6 on bets that night, including a $150,000 loss on Thunder +6.5.

The Spurs were favored on their home court when they broke the bettor’s hot streak in their most dominant victory of the series. They find themselves back on the road for Game 5 as a 4.5-point underdog with +150 moneyline odds on Tuesday.

Although the Thunder are still the team in power, their odds are sliding. Ajay Mitchell was already ruled out of tonight’s action, and Jalen Williams is questionable with a hamstring strain. The 4.5-point line is the shortest of the series among games played at OKC, and the Thunder have slipped from being odds-on favorites to +105 in NBA Finals odds.

The Knicks are second in odds to win the Finals at +220, while the Spurs are third at +270.

Spurs vs. Thunder betting trends

There are very few trends to judge by entering Game 5. Both the Thunder and Spurs are 1-1 as favorites, underdogs, at home, and on the road in this series. 

The Game 5 winner of an NBA playoff series that is tied 2-2 wins the series more than 82% of the time. The outcome of tonight’s matchup will put one team on the doorstep of competing for a league championship and the other on their last leg.

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

Welcome to our annual Lakers season in review series, where we’ll look back at each player on the team’s roster this season and evaluate if they should be part of the future of the franchise. Today, we begin with a look at the team’s two-way players, Drew Timme and Chris Mañon.

Last year, the Lakers relied heavily on their two-way signings, namely their bigs Trey Jemison and Christian Koloko, a byproduct of the team shipping out a center from an already shallow front court for a ballhandler midway through the season.

This season, a more balanced roster meant the Lakers need not rely on their two-way players in the same way. While Nick Smith Jr. stepped up in a couple of games — more coming on him this week — their other two signings, Drew Timme and Chris Mañon were able to develop behind the scenes in the G League.

Let’s take a look at their two seasons and whether they can parlay that into success with the parent Lakers.

How did they play?

The pair had strong enough seasons with South Bay to earn awards with Timme earning G League Second Team honors and Mañon being named to the G League All-Defensive First Team.

Timme averaged 23.7 points per game on 56.3% shooting. By the end of the season, he had worked his way into spot minutes in the rotation with the parent Lakers. It went well enough that there were some calls for him to get the team’s final roster spot heading into the playoffs.

For Mañon, his moment never came with the parent Lakers, largely due to his offensive limitations. He wreaked havoc defensively, averaging 2.1 steals and 0.9 blocks per game. However, he shot just 31.5% from the 3-point line and averaged 2.5 assists per game as a point guard.

There is still hope that he can develop enough of an offensive game to get on the court. But there certainly weren’t many signs this season of that being close to reality.

What are their contract situations moving forward?

Both players signed one-year two-way deals, so both are set for restricted free agency this season. Each can still sign a two-way deal as they have fewer than four years of NBA experience.

It would be a surprise if either got an actual NBA contract. It wouldn’t be a surprise if either got an opportunity elsewhere. The situation would play the biggest role.

Should they be back?

Neither player showed enough to be considered irreplaceable. While Timme showed some impressive moments during the regular season, it wasn’t anything that couldn’t be found elsewhere in the league. And his play didn’t really warrant a standard contract.

It’ll come down to whether the Lakers’ revamped and bolstered front office finds someone in the draft or floating around the league worth the gamble over them. But it certainly wouldn’t be a surprise if either, both, or neither were back next season.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

Today it was announced that NC State transfer Matt Able withdrew from the NBA Draft, and he will officially play for UNC for the 2026-27 season. His decision to officially make his way to campus is the break that Michael Malone and his staff needed after Henri Veesaar decided that he was done with college.

Able faced a tough decision following his freshman campaign with the Wolfpack. When Michael Malone was hired at UNC, he decided that taking his talents to Chapel Hill would be the best move for his long-term basketball career. Despite announcing that he was transferring, Able had already built up enough of a case to get selected in the NBA Draft — he finished his lone season with the Wolfpack averaging 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 0.9 assists while only playing 21.7 minutes per game. His abilities as a shooter attracted a lot of attention, and 247Sports ranked him as the fourth-best shooting guard in the transfer portal. Able clearly has NBA aspirations, and he is hoping that one more college season under a former NBA coach that isn’t plotting to sneak off to LSU during the final leg of the season will help him get drafted in the first round of the 2027 NBA Draft.

Now that Able has announced his return to college, UNC doesn’t have to sweat trying to find another shooter in what is a depleted transfer portal. Malone is looking for one more center to complete the roster, and it could be that we hear more about who that will be sooner rather than later. But for now, how is everyone feeling about Able suiting up for the Tar Heels this fall? Let us know in the comments below.