Donald Trump hates the NBA, but he loves attention. This has manifested itself by creating hell at Madison Square Garden for thousands of basketball fans in order to get some camera time, with Trump set to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals in New York City on Monday night.

There is no shortage of receipts when it comes to Trump’s public disdain for the NBA. Trump rescinded his invite to the Warriors in 2017 after the team was hesitant about visiting the White House. In 2018, he preemptively banned both finals teams from the White House. In 2020, he was gleeful that the NBA had declining ratings. The same year, he mocked the low ratings of the NBA Finals and blamed them on LeBron James’ politics. In addition, he has joyously shared links to any article that seemingly spells trouble for the NBA, especially when it comes to TV ratings. This is par for the course when it comes to the president, who has done the same with the NFL when it comes to criticizing sports, yet when there’s an opportunity to get himself on camera via an invite from an owner, he’ll jump to it.

Knicks owner James Dolan, noted Trump supporter and shitty musician, invited the president to attend Game 3 of the Finals at Madison Square Garden. In doing so he’s displaced thousands of die-hard fans who love the NBA, and have supported the Knicks in spite of Dolan’s horrible ownership tenure.

With ticket prices soaring into the tens of thousands of dollars, one of the most popular events for Knicks fans have been watch parties outside Madison Square Garden. Those have been cancelled by the NYPD and Secret Service for Monday, citing security concerns with the president in attendance. In addition, fans who are actually attending the game will go through more rigorous “TSA-style” security screenings, which have resulted in fans being told to arrive two hours before tip-off, transforming the sporting event into an airport security line. That’s not all, as a ban on all bags is in effect as well — which includes clear bags typically allowed into NBA arenas. It’s unclear if the bag ban will also impact medication and childcare needs, which are typically allowed.

New York mayor Zohran Mamdani has made alternate plans in response to the MSG watch ban, announcing a 5,000 person watch party in Manhattan’s Bryant Park, some eight blocks away from the arena. It’s a nice gesture to make up for some of the ban, but won’t nearly accommodate the number of fans who would have been outside the arena had Trump not attended the game. It’s estimated that 10,000 fans were in attendance for the watch party on West 33rd Street for Game 1, with the Eastern Conference Finals topping 6,000 fans.

All of this was unnecessary. Dolan chose to invite President Trump, which is his prerogative — but in doing so, he actively alienated the lifeblood of his organization: die-hard fans who have supported the Knicks, warts and all, over the 20-year NBA Finals drought. These are people who bleed blue and orange, who have been priced out of being inside the arena so the exceedingly wealthy can buy tickets. Now they’re being pushed back from being in close proximity to the arena, in service of a vanity appearance from a president who knowingly hates the NBA and its players.

Let them eat cake.

There is a popular meme of Kobe Bryant from the 2009 NBA Finals.

In a news conference, despite the Lakers ahead 2-0 in the series, he was asked why he wasn’t smiling.

“What’s there to be happy about? Job’s not finished,” he famously replied. “Job finished? I don’t think so.”

Jalen Brunson recreated that moment Sunday, as the Knicks prepared for Monday night’s Game 3 at the Garden up 2-0.

“In my mind there’s nothing really to celebrate yet,” the Knicks captain said. “There’s still a lot of work to be done.”

Brunson has had complete focus throughout the postseason. When the Knicks clinched a spot in the Finals for the first time in 27 years, a video was posted of the team celebrating in the locker room. Brunson was sitting on his own, a look of determination on his face instead of joy. He has refused to take promotional photos with the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Asked about the excitement in the city, as the Knicks look to clinch their first title in 53 years, Brunson said he has refused to soak it in. He’s repeatedly told reporters he would look back at what this team accomplished when it’s over. Not a second sooner.

“I do my best to stay present in the moment, to do the things I can to make sure my mind is right,” said Brunson, the first player in NBA history to score the game-winning points in the final two minutes of consecutive Finals games. “Being mentally and physically ready every day. Trusting my work. That’s what’s gotten me here.”

When Game 2’s wild ending was brought up, Brunson looked at the glass half-empty. Yes, he was happy the Knicks were able to rally after blowing a 14-point advantage, but he was also concerned with what led to them losing that lead.

“We do need to be able to finish the game better,” he said. “Unacceptable the way we just obviously let that 14-point lead go the way we did.”

Clearly, Brunson is taking after Bryant. The only time to celebrate is when the ultimate goal is accomplished. 

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The NBA Finals move to the Big Apple when the San Antonio Spurs take on the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

Our NBA player prop projections have you covered with NBA picks for this pivotal Game 3.

For more analysis, be sure to check out our complete Spurs vs. Knicks predictions on June 8.

Spurs vs Knicks computer picks for Game 3

Spurs	Knicks
Harper u5.5 rebounds -115	Hart u4.5 assists -112
Champagnie o9.5 points -115	Towns o3.5 assists -150
Fox o14.5 points -112	Brunson u26.5 points +100

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Spurs Game 3 computer picks

Dylan Harper Under 5.5 rebounds (-115)

Projection: 3.83 rebounds

This is the one and only five-star play our model found for this game, sitting with a 25.75% EV edge. Dylan Harper has been a beast on the boards, but our projections call for fewer rebounding chances for the guard at MSG tonight.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet harper Now at bet365!/span

Julian Champagnie Over 10.5 points (-115)

Projection: 11.25 points

Julian Champagnie took only five threes in Game 2, but still finished with eight points. The San Antonio Spurs need him to knock down outside looks to avoid a 0-3 hole, and his volume will be high enough to reach 11 points.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet champagnie Now at bet365!/span

De'Aaron Fox Over 14.5 points (-112)

Projection: 16.26 points

After a sluggish Game 1, De'Aaron Fox found his groove in his last outing with 20 points. Mitch Johnson has proven he is riding with his veteran PG, and he'll continue to get plenty of shots.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet fox Now at bet365!/span

---

Knicks Game 3 computer picks

Josh Hart Under 4.5 assists (-112)

Projection: 3.48 assists

Josh Hart has had a rough NBA Finals thus far, playing just 18 minutes in Game 2. While that was mostly due to foul trouble, our model doesn't see Hart's playmaking having much impact tonight.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Hart Now at bet365!/span

Karl-Anthony Towns Over 3.5 assists (-150)

Projection: 4.97 assists

Karl-Anthony Towns has been doing it all for the New York Knicks this series, eclipsing this assist total in both games. KAT is averaging nearly six assists per game in the postseason, and our model calls for him to dish out four more tonight.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet towns Now at bet365!/span

Jalen Brunson Under 25.5 points (+100)

Projection: 24.87 points

The Spurs have made it clear they're willing to let anyone but Jalen Brunson beat them. JB scored just 20 points on horrible efficiency, and one can only assume he'll get the majority of the defensive focus tonight at MSG.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet brunson Now at bet365!/span

How to watch Spurs vs Knicks Game 3

Location	Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Date	Monday, June 8, 2026
Tip-off	8:30 p.m. ET
TV	ESPN

Not intended for use in MA.
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Besides the stars on the court, a number of big names will flock to Madison Square Garden for Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday, June 8.

President Donald Trump is expected to attend the game between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs, the first at the iconic Manhattan arena in nearly three decades.

Days after repealing bedtimes for the youngest Knicks fans, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is also set to be in the stands.

In addition to the politicians, several famous faces could be in attendance as well.

Here's a look at all the VIPs that could show out.

Second verse, same as the first. In Game 2 of in the NBA Finals, the Spurs looked better than in Game 1, which they lost in the last minute to the New York Knicks. The defense was tighter, the offense was more disciplined, and the Spurs once again kept Jalen Brunson under wrap — until they didn’t. After another heartbreaking loss where the Spurs had a chance to win or, at worst, take it to overtime, the turnover of all turnovers handed the Knicks a 2-0 lead as the series heads to New York.

With that, I continue Fraternizing with the Enemy with Russell Richardson, editor-in-chief of our Knicks sister site Posting and Toasting, as we discuss what went right and wrong, and if the Spurs have one last push in them or if Knicks just flat out have their number this season. Click the links if you would like to revisit Part 1 or Part 2.

J.R. 

What a game. What an incredible game! Loved the ebb and flow. Loved the tension. Loved the comeback and taking the lead. Loved forcing the Brunson miss and rebound to bring it up the court with a chance to make sure that overtime was the worst possible result. Man, there is nothing like the final moments of a huge game with tons riding on it when it comes down to the final possession. 

I’d say that’s right about the point where I stopped loving things. From the point of that rebound it was either bad things or not so bad. But there were no good things. What a game, but how … what’s the word? I need a word for a pain so big that you can’t simply use the word pain because it’s too small to cover the enormity of the loss. The kind of pain that, as you come to terms with it, keeps growing to the point that you wonder if it’ll overwhelm you. A pain that you can’t get your arms around. A pain that makes you re-examine who you are and how you approach the things that matter. Excruciating. That’s the word. 

After you’ve found the right word, there’s nothing left to do but find the silver linings. I mean, of course, there are plenty of things to do besides that. There’s wallowing in the pain of a 0-2 series. There’s torturing yourself with the frustration of coming up short. There’s bemoaning missed calls and bad plays and missed free throws and turnovers. There is all of that. But none of that is constructive and so I refuse to do that to myself. I reject the idea that my fandom (the state and the core of my rooting for a team) would be something that turns me to bitterness. Never! So finding silver linings it is.

Wemby has come through in the clutch all season. He’s taken the measure of the moment and made not just big but huge plays. For him to see his best fall short is just the kind of pain that forces more focus and development and teamwork. That’s the kind of pain that makes a team dig deep and turn 2013 into 2014. Oh, it’s excruciating. But they either get hurt enough to learn from — really learn and improve— or they get back to 2-2. There’s no pressure on them now. After three straight days of “will NY sweep?” it’s free and easy from here until the series is tied or it’s all over.

R.R. 

Boy were my briefs tight in the final two minutes! When Victor Wembanyama put the Spurs ahead, 103-102, my voice squeaked like a 12-year-old eunuch’s. Thank goodness my baby-making days are over. Can you imagine explaining that to the specialist? “Everything was fine until that 14-0 run and then—sssnap!” 

That particular pain you speak of is all too familiar to us in New York. That existential dread still gives us shivers. You see, while the Spurs were hanging five championship banners, we went 53 years without one. (Not me personally, I’m old but not that old!) While you were partying, we were always talking about next year, and how Kevin Knox just needed a little refinement, and how Phil Jackson would lead us to the Promised Land (if he’d quit napping at team practices). Silver linings? Silver linings?? We had orange and blue skies, but they were always trimmed by strands of twinkling silver.

What we would be saying in your position–and you can trust my expertise on this, because Knicks fans have been in your position practically since Dr. Naismith hung his peach crates–is that there is no team more dangerous than one that has been summarily written off. Down 2-0? Ho Ho Ho!No sweat! This is the exactly the adversity Elfrid Payton needs to kick in the next gea–

Sorry. Had a gnarly flashback to the 2021 playoffs. My therapist calls this basketball-induced PTSD.

Returning to 2026: I thought San Antonio’s response to Game One mostly worked. They doubled the paint aggressively, got better games from De’Aaron Fox and Wembanyama, and defended more physically. Even Tony Brothers shook his head when Carter Bryant dropped an elbow on Jalen Brunson from the top rope. Ol’ Tone didn’t blow his whistle, but he did admonish the behavior with a stern head shake. Did you see the clip of Wemby nearly snapping Jose Alvarado’s neck? I hope Brooklyn has good chiropractors.

So, the fact that they threw a mightier haymaker and still came up short doesn’t bode well for your guys. Meanwhile, Brunson is primed to have a breakout game; Josh Hart hasn’t yet had one of his random five-three-pointer games; OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges are playing defense like cops from El Salvador; and the ghost of Willis Reed has possessed the body of Towns. The most encouraging thing about heading home up 2-0 is that the Knicks haven’t even turned the dial all the way up yet.

Some on our side are speculating that Johnson might start Harper in place of Fox in Game Three. Fox’s ankle issues seem to be hindering San Antonio’s offense. Harper, being bigger, stronger, and more physical, would attack downhill, create tough pick-and-roll problems with Wembanyama, and force Brunson into heavy defensive work, opening up opportunities for the Spurs’ shooters and star big man. What do you think? Do you think Johnson will make the change?

J.R.

Nossir. Uh uh. Nope. 

As much as I would love to see Dylan’s minutes increase, if Fox is healthy enough to play, I don’t see Mitch starting Harper. I’m not saying Pop would’ve done it, but one of the things that happens when you replace a living legend is that you deal with a lot more second-guessing of the kind that would’ve been waived away with a breezy, “The guys got five rings and do you think you know more about basketball than he does!?”

I love Mitch. I feel certain that he’s the right guy. I think San Antonio has their Eric Spoelstra in Coach Johnson. You know, the guy who started in the Heat’s system as a video coordinator and worked his way up to being Riley’s right hand man, and eventually successor. That’s Mitch, only swap South Beach for the Alamo and slicked back hairdo for a white beard and a smirk. 

My take on Mitch from early season: it doesn’t matter if he’s the best qualified guy to take the Spurs to the Finals this year. It only matters that he’s the guy who will be able to grow with the team so that he’s finals-ready when the team is. Only there was a problem with that neat little take of mine. The team went out and made the finals! So we’re seeing what it looks like when a franchise’s 22-year-old best player who’s learning on the fly and is being coached by a first-full-year head coach who’s (say it with me) learning on the fly. So much potential that the sky is the limit. How high will they fly this year? No one knows but it’s been entertaining so far!

Yes, even Game 2 was stunningly entertaining – like a cinematic masterpiece that leaves you so emotionally impacted that you have to spend $10,000 in therapy to get over it. Costly, sure. But entertaining. 

So, with the ghosts of Elfrid Payton and Stephon Marbury hanging in the wings, and with the words “it might just be crazy enough to work” echoing in the halls, the series moves back to MSG. Would you agree that the pressure is on the Knicks at this point, or would that only happen should the Spurs take Game 3?

R.R.

How you thought about coach Mitch is kinda how we regarded coach Thibs. He was going to be the bridge—the Mark Jackson to the Steve Kerr, if you will. Tom was hired to install discipline, fundamentals, and a winning culture. He had never (head) coached a team to the Finals, nor did we expect him to. When the team reached the ECF last season, our heads were sent reeling. 

The camp was divided. The curmudgeon had delivered on one major dream (the ECF); did he deserve a chance at a Finals run, or were his weaknesses the last obstacles to glory? Leon Rose & Co. went with the latter. I’d say their choice has been vindicated.

One criticism of Thibs was that the Knicks’ offense became predictable: dribble handoffs at the top, drive-and-kicks, and heavy Brunson iso-ball. Mike Brown was hired to change that. Throughout the regular season, though, the offense looked eerily similar. Remember, this is not a young roster but one of seasoned vets, with pride and ingrained beliefs about their personal skills. (OK, psst—the problem was mostly KAT, but shhh. We love him now!)

Only in the playoffs has Mike Brown’s scheme been realized. The Knicks have consistently moved the ball and involved everyone in the offense. They’ve executed at a speed unseen from them before. In fact, I suspect their game plan—which is to push the pace to tire out Wemby—had the same deleterious effect on their stamina in Game Two. When they became winded, the old habits emerged. Late possessions became sloppy. Luckily, they snapped out of it enough to salvage the game, with special thanks to Captain Clutch.

Brunson was mauled for much of the night and never found a rhythm. In yet another massive moment, he hit the tying shot, recovered Wembanyama’s turnover, and scored the winning point. That’s why his jersey sells like hotcakes. The 2024-25 Clutch Player of the Year, remember.

To your question: the pressure should be on New York, with a chance to effectively slam the door with a Game Three victory on their home turf. But they are playing with such confidence that I doubt they’re overly concerned. Truly, an impartial juror would look at this scenario and say, “Duh. Can I go home now?” New York defeated the Spurs four out of five times between the regular season and postseason (pretty good for the purported underdogs, no?). Could San Antonio flip the script, unlock some cheat code, and win four of the next five? It’s possible. But don’t bet your kid’s college tuition on it.

This will come as a bit of a surprise to Duke fans, but the nation’s second-most hated NBA player?

According to RotoWire, it’s former Blue Devil Jayson Tatum.

He’s also the second-most hated NBA player nationally, including in Los Angeles, which is understandable given the intensity of the Celtics-Lakers rivalry, and also, for some reason, Hawaii.

He’s also the most-hated in the Southeast, which we would put down to UNC and Kentucky fans, primarily.

The only guy more hated than Tatum? Draymond Green,and that’s no surprise, given his erratic and often offensive behavior.

According to RotoWire, “His combination of genuine superstar talent and a perceived smug on-court demeanor makes him the perfect villain for anyone not rooting for Boston.”

Okay, makes sense from a particular point of view, probably. To us, though, and probably most Duke fans, he’s a likable guy. He clearly adores his son, Deuce, and also puts the kid and his mom in his TV ads.

Part of it is naturally Boston. Either you like the Celtics, or you don’t. But a bigger part of it is probably Duke. And with Jon Scheyer doing a great job at Duke – in some ways, arguably better than Mike Krzyzewski – Duke hatred, which took a brief break after Coach K retired, is not going away anytime soon.

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Here’s my latest conversation with J.R. Wilco of Pounding the Rock. After a pair of nail-biters in San Antonio, the NBA Finals shift to Madison Square Garden with the Knicks holding a 2-0 lead and the Spurs searching for answers. In the latest edition of our ongoing Finals correspondence, J.R. and I discuss Game Two’s emotional whiplash, whether San Antonio has another adjustment left to make, and which team is actually feeling the pressure as the series heads to New York.

Here are links if you missed part 1 and part 2.

J.R. 

What a game. What an incredible game! Loved the ebb and flow. Loved the tension. Loved the comeback and taking the lead. Loved forcing the Brunson miss and rebound to bring it up the court with a chance to make sure that overtime was the worst possible result. Man, there is nothing like the final moments of a huge game with tons riding on it when it comes down to the final possession.

I’d say that’s right about the point where I stopped loving things. From the point of that rebound, it was either bad things or not-so-bad things. But there were no good things. What a game, but how … what’s the word? I need a word for a pain so big that you can’t simply use the word pain because it’s too small to cover the enormity of the loss. The kind of pain that, as you come to terms with it, keeps growing to the point that you wonder if it’ll overwhelm you. A pain that you can’t get your arms around. A pain that makes you re-examine who you are and how you approach the things that matter. Excruciating. That’s the word.

After you’ve found the right word, there’s nothing left to do but find the silver linings. I mean, of course, there are plenty of things to do besides. There’s wallowing in the pain of a 0–2 series. There’s torturing yourself with the frustration of coming up short. There’s bemoaning missed calls and bad plays and missed free throws and turnovers. There is all of that. But none of that is constructive, and so I refuse to do that to myself. I reject the idea that my fandom (the state and the core of my rooting for a team) would be something that turns me to bitterness. Never! So finding silver linings it is.

Wemby has come through in the clutch all season. He’s taken the measure of the moment and made not just big but huge plays. For him to see his best fall short is just the kind of pain that forces more focus and development and teamwork. That’s the kind of pain that makes a team dig deep and turn 2013 into 2014. Oh, it’s excruciating. But they either get hurt enough to learn from it—really learn and improve—or they get back to 2-2. There’s no pressure on them now. After three straight days of “Will NY sweep?” it’s free and easy from here until the series is tied or it’s all over.

R.R. 

Boy were my briefs tight in the final two minutes. When Victor Wembanyama put the Spurs ahead, 103-102, my voice squeaked like a 12-year-old eunuch’s. Thank goodness my baby-making days are over. Can you imagine explaining that to the specialist? “Everything was fine until that 14-0 run and then—sssnap!” 

That particular pain you speak of is all too familiar to us in New York. That existential dread still gives us shivers. You see, while the spurs were hanging five championship banners, we went 53 years without (not me personally, I’m old but not that old!). While you were partying, we were always talking about next year, and how Kevin Knox just needed a little refinement, and how Phil Jackson would lead us to the Promised Land (if he’d quit napping at team practices). Silver linings? Silver linings?? We had orange and blue skies, but they were always trimmed by strands of twinkling silver.

What we would be saying in your position–and you can trust my expertise on this, because Knicks fans have been in your position practically since Dr. Naismith hung his peach crates–is that there is no team more dangerous than one that has been summarily written off. Down 2-0? Ho Ho Ho!No sweat! This is the exactly the adversity Elfrid Payton needs to kick in the next gea–

Sorry. Had a gnarly flashback to the 2021 playoffs. My therapist calls this basketball-induced PTSD.

Returning to 2026: I thought San Antonio’s response to Game One mostly worked. They doubled the paint aggressively, got better games from De’Aaron Fox and Wembanyama, and defended more physically. Even Tony Brothers shook his head when Carter Bryant dropped an elbow on Jalen Brunson from the top rope. Ol’ Tone didn’t blow his whistle, but he did admonish the behavior with a stern head shake. Did you see the clip of Wemby nearly snapping Jose Alvarado’s neck? I hope Brooklyn has good chiropractors.

So, the fact that they threw a mightier haymaker and still came up short doesn’t bode well for your guys. Meanwhile, Brunson is primed to have a breakout game; Josh Hart hasn’t yet had one of his random five-three-pointer games; OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges are playing defense like cops from El Salvador; and the ghost of Willis Reed has possessed the body of Towns. The most encouraging thing about heading home up 2-0 is that the Knicks haven’t even turned the dial all the way up yet.

Some on our side are speculating that Johnson might start Harper in place of Fox in Game Three. Fox’s ankle issues seem to be hindering San Antonio’s offense. Harper, being bigger, stronger, and more physical, would attack downhill, create tough pick-and-roll problems with Wembanyama, and force Brunson into heavy defensive work, opening up opportunities for the Spurs’ shooters and star big man. What do you think? Do you think Johnson will make the change?

J.R.

Nossir. Uh-uh. Nope.

As much as I would love to see Dylan’s minutes increase, if Fox is healthy enough to play, I don’t see Mitch starting Harper. I’m not saying Pop would’ve done it, but one of the things that happens when you replace a living legend is that you deal with a lot more second-guessing of the kind that would’ve been waved away with a breezy, “The guy’s got five rings, and do you think you know more about basketball than he does!?”

I love Mitch. I feel certain that he’s the right guy. I think San Antonio has its Eric Spoelstra in Coach Johnson. You know, the guy who started in the Heat’s system as a video coordinator and worked his way up to being Riley’s right-hand man and eventual successor. That’s Mitch, only swap South Beach for the Alamo and a slicked-back hairdo for a white beard and a smirk.

My take on Mitch from early in the season: it doesn’t matter if he’s the best-qualified guy to take the Spurs to the Finals this year. It only matters that he’s the guy who will be able to grow with the team so that he’s Finals-ready when the team is. Only there was a problem with that neat little take of mine. The team went out and made the Finals! So we’re seeing what it looks like when a franchise’s 22-year-old best player (who’s learning on the fly) is being coached by a first-full-year head coach who’s (say it with me) learning on the fly. So much potential that the sky is the limit. How high will they fly this year? No one knows, but it’s been entertaining so far!

Yes, even Game 2 was stunningly entertaining—like a cinematic masterpiece that leaves you so emotionally impacted that you have to spend $10,000 in therapy to get over it. Costly, sure. But entertaining.

So, with the ghosts of Elfrid Payton and Stephon Marbury hanging in the wings, and with the words “it might just be crazy enough to work” echoing in the halls, the series moves back to MSG. Would you agree that the pressure is on the Knicks at this point, or would that only happen should the Spurs take Game 3?

R.R.

How you thought about coach Mitch is kinda how we regarded coach Thibs. He was going to be the bridge—the Mark Jackson to the Steve Kerr, if you will. Tom was hired to install discipline, fundamentals, and a winning culture. He had never (head) coached a team to the Finals, nor did we expect him to. When the team reached the ECF last season, our heads were sent reeling. 

The camp was divided. The curmudgeon had delivered on one major dream (the ECF); did he deserve a chance at a Finals run, or were his weaknesses the last obstacles to glory? Leon Rose & Co. went with the latter. I’d say their choice has been vindicated.

One criticism of Thibs was that the Knicks’ offense became predictable: dribble handoffs at the top, drive-and-kicks, and heavy Brunson iso-ball. Mike Brown was hired to change that. Throughout the regular season, though, the offense looked eerily similar. Remember, this is not a young roster but one of seasoned vets, with pride and ingrained beliefs about their personal skills. (OK, psst—the problem was mostly KAT, but shhh. We love him now!)

Only in the playoffs has Mike Brown’s scheme been realized. The Knicks have consistently moved the ball and involved everyone in the offense. They’ve executed at a speed unseen from them before. In fact, I suspect their game plan—which is to push the pace to tire out Wemby—had a deleterious effect on their own stamina in Game Two. When they became winded, the old habits emerged. Late possessions became sloppy. Luckily, they snapped out of it enough to salvage the game, with special thanks to Captain Clutch.

Brunson was mauled for much of the night and never found a rhythm. In yet another massive moment, he hit the tying shot, recovered Wembanyama’s turnover, and scored the winning point. That’s why his jersey sells like hotcakes. The 2024-25 Clutch Player of the Year, remember.

To your question: the pressure should be on New York, with a chance to effectively slam the door with a Game Three victory on their home turf. But they are playing with such confidence that I doubt they’re overly concerned.

Truly, an impartial juror would look at this scenario and say, “Duh. Can I go home now?” New York defeated the Spurs four out of five times between the regular season and postseason (pretty good for the purported underdogs, no?). Could San Antonio flip the script, unlock some cheat code, and win four of the next five? It’s possible. But don’t bet your kid’s college tuition on it.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely do you think returning to San Antonio with the series tied for Game 5 is, and why do you feel that way? 

Mark Barrington: There’s a fact in statistics that seems counterintuitive to people who aren’t into mathematics. In a large data set, low probability events aren’t all that uncommon. So there’s a chance. The Spurs came close to winning Game 2, but their inexperience got the better of them as they couldn’t close the deal. The Knicks have all the momentum, and if an eight-day layoff before Game 1 didn’t throw them off, the two-game layoff between Games 2 and 3 shouldn’t bother them. Three teams have lost the first two games at home in the finals: 

The 1993 Suns, led by Charles Barkley, extended the Finals to 6 games by winning Game 3 on the road in a 3 OT thriller, and also won Game 5 over Michael Jordan’s Bulls before losing 99-98 in Game 6 at home, back in the days of the 2-3-2 format.

The 1995 Magic were swept by Hakeem Olajuwon and the Rockets, even with a young fella named Shaquille O’Neal on the roster.

The history of the 2026 Spurs finals run has yet to be written, but if any team can break the trend, it would be the Silver and Black, who are one of the most resilient teams in the history of the league. The Spurs have to make a statement in Game 3, and if they can win a triple overtime thriller like the Suns did way back in 1993, it could get interesting. 

My head says that it’s extremely unlikely that the Spurs can win two on the road after losing the first two at home. It’s never been done before in the Finals. Let’s watch the Spurs try to make some history on Monday and Wednesday.

Bill Huan: I would be absolutely shocked if it’s tied 2-2 after going to MSG. Not that it’s impossible the Spurs come back in the series, but the way the Knicks are clicking and the environment in the Garden makes me quite confident that it’ll be 3-1 heading back to San Antonio for Game 5. With that said, this team has surprised me every step of the way this season and risen to every occasion, so if anyone can do it, it’s them.  

Devon Birdsong: Having seen a young upstart Finals-caliber team come back from 0-2 against a Finals-caliber older veteran team back in 2012, I know it’s probably more possible than the naysayers are willing to admit. As long as they don’t look defeated (and they haven’t in interviews), I’d say it’s 4 out of 10 that they do it. That still doesn’t leave the odds in their favor, though. I think, mentally, they have to win game three in a landslide for their own confidence. If they do that, they’ll probably extend it to six or seven games. And I don’t know why, but I think they’re gonna extend it. The margins have been so thin. Surely they have some good fortune coming their way.

Jeje Gomez: If I have to assign a number to it, it would be a five, which I understand is insanely high against an elite opponent that matches up well against the Spurs. But I could see one of those dominant San Antonio performances coming in Game 3, a night in which they look like the unstoppable force they have resembled at times these playoffs. After that, maybe they can keep Game 4 close and be the ones who come out on top that time around. The Knicks have looked like the better team this series, and at this point, not even a sweep would surprise me, but what has characterized the Spurs this season is that they have a low floor but an insanely high ceiling, so they could pull off something crazy.

If you were Mitch Johnson, what adjustment would you make, and would it involve changing the starting lineup?

Barrington: I don’t think that the Spurs have made any major strategic mistakes so far. You could have played Harper more late in Game 1, but in Game 2 Fox’s play showed why Coach Johnson trusted De’Aaron as a finisher. The biggest adjustment has to be in the mentality of the players. They have to play with confidence and within the system. They have to not get down when a foul doesn’t get called or a bounce goes wrong. They have to find that balance between playing with abandon and being in control and trusting your teammates. I’ve seen them play that way for short stretches in the first two games, but winning in Madison Square Garden will require them to do it for 48 minutes. I think that Coach Johnson needs to get them ready to play mentally and keep playing the pressure defense that led them to a comeback in Game 2. The Spurs’ stars can’t wait until late in the game to get involved in the offense; they have to be sharp right from the opening tip. I don’t know if that’s going to be enough against a historic juggernaut like this year’s Knicks. We’ll find out this week.

Huan: It starts with seeing what happened during that fourth-quarter comeback in Game 2. For starters, I would change the lineup by inserting Harper in for Champagnie, and on defense, let Castle guard Brunson one-on-one without sending help. Then, have Wemby guard KAT and do not help off the shooters. Offensively, they need to take advantage of having three guards and continue attacking Brunson, and if that’s not working, then run more Fox-Wemby two-man game. 

Birdsong: I really don’t think there have been as many glaring matchup issues as I thought there would be. I think it’s important that Mitch start to go with the hot hand out of the three guards, whatever combo that might be, by the fourth quarter. But, outside of giving Bryant some minutes on Towns, just to see, I think the right lineups have been used, and I think the narrow margins testify to that. Otherwise, I think it really comes down to scheme. I really do not want to see much five-out being used. They just haven’t figured out how to use it consistently unless Wemby is white hot from outside, and it makes it harder for Wemby to get position. The defense has been playing great, but the problem is that the offense is getting stagnant. Personally, I’d like to see them pick-and-roll the Knicks at every available opportunity with Wemby and one of the star guards. Regardless, they need to put as much offensive pressure on Towns and Brunson as possible. But in the end, I don’t care what they scheme as long as it works consistently. 

Gomez: Part of me wants to overreact to the two losses and make sweeping changes, but the more I look at the roster, the more convinced I get that there are simply not many options in terms of personnel in the rotation. I know some people hope Harper starts over Fox, which I could be talked into, but it doesn’t seem like a massive shift, considering Harper plays a lot already. If Barnes had looked better, maybe starting him to add some size could make sense, but at this point, it feels he’s no longer the serviceable starter he once was. Ultimately, it feels like the Spurs just need to be smarter and they need one more player to contribute. My hope is that Keldon Johnson will be able to give them some good minutes of size and energy, mostly. In terms of Xs and Os, there are adjustments to be made, but I don’t see Mitch Johnson doing anything drastic. So I guess my adjustment would be to simply tell the team to play better.

A few Spurs have disappointed. Has there been anyone who has pleasantly surprised you with their play in the Finals?

Barrington: Harper has played very well, but I can’t say that I’m surprised by that, since my expectations for him were very high going into the series. I think I’d go with Vassell, who has elevated his game in the playoffs and always brings the intensity on both ends of the court, and has made some of the best defensive plays of the series for the Spurs. His excitement and love of the game show in how he plays, and there’s no way it doesn’t rub off on the other players.

Huan: I’d say Harper has stood out the most, although what he’s doing isn’t too surprising. He might honestly already be the Spurs’ second-best player, and they need to use him accordingly. I’ve been banging the drum on his minutes the entire run, and it’s still too low. He should be getting the Barnes/CB minutes and play over 35 a game. It’s not a coincidence that his +7 through two games leads the entire team. 

Birdsong: I hate to come off as a killjoy, but honestly, almost no one has surprised me positively. If they had, I think the Spurs would have at least one win. The one exception being Fox’s offensive performance in the last game. But that’s really just because he’s been injured since the Minnesota series, and playing through it, so kind of a low bar to begin with. Still, if he can play like that for the rest of the series, the Spurs really might have a chance. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the offense has been more stagnant since Fox’s injury. They need him to be at some semblance of his best to have a real shot at this. 

Gomez: Dylan Harper has been surprising me all season long, and not because I’ve failed to adjust my expectations. Every time he looks improved, I start looking for other things he should get better at, and he normally does. The shot hasn’t been falling from outside, but other than that, he’s been great. I can’t blame anyone for getting accustomed to a 20-year-old rookie looking like a star who is not afraid of the big stage, because Harper has done it all playoffs, but I’m still often in disbelief about how good he is.

When I first profiled Karim Lopez back in October, I mentioned him as a polarizing international prospect worth keeping an eye on. Now, with rumors circulating that new Mavericks President Masai Ujiri could view Lopez as a prototypical Dallas target, it’s worth revisiting my thoughts on a prospect I have followed for almost three years.

The basics

Lopez is a 19-year-old forward who measured in at 6’8, 221 pounds with a 6’11.5 wingspan at the NBA Draft Combine, paired with a 38-inch vertical. Born in Mexico, Lopez has represented Team Mexico at the international level since his U-15 days, giving him an unusually seasoned competitive resume for his age.

He spent the last two seasons with the New Zealand Breakers in Australia’s NBL, one of the world’s most competitive and demanding professional leagues, where he was tested nightly against older, stronger competition.

The good

His coming-out moment arrived in October 2024, when the Breakers faced the Utah Jazz in an NBA preseason exhibition. Lopez, then 17, put up 13 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a block in just 25 minutes against NBA-caliber players.

This season, Lopez is averaging 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.0 block, and 1.2 steals in 25 minutes per game, while shooting 49 percent from the field. Those are legitimate numbers for a teenager in a professional league.

Areas of concern

The concern is his three-point shooting. Lopez is connecting on just 32.6 percent of his three attempts per game, a drop of roughly eight percentage points from where he stood in October. For a player at his size and role, perimeter shooting isn’t just a complementary skill; it’s a prerequisite for playing in modern NBA spacing. That regression is what will likely keep him from shooting up any draft boards at the NBA draft later this month.

Fit with the Mavericks

Lopez has a real future in this league. His athleticism and physical profile suggest he can contribute as a rookie off the bench and hold his own against NBA second units. With continued development, a Sixth Man of the Year trajectory is genuinely plausible early in his career.

But that’s exactly the problem for Dallas. The Mavericks don’t need a high-upside bench piece. They need a foundational starter, someone capable of growing alongside Cooper Flagg and shouldering real responsibility from day one. With limited draft capital, they can’t afford to spend a pick on a player whose ceiling, however respectable, doesn’t move the needle on their timeline. Lopez may well become a valuable NBA contributor. Just not for this team, not with this pick.

NBA Comparison

Lopez’s size, strength, and mobility resemble Deni Avdija and John Collins. If Lopez’s shooting numbers improve, his ability to drive to the basket and finish around the rim should allow him to become a versatile offensive weapon in the NBA as he develops over the next couple of years. Both Collins and Avdija are somewhat limited on the defensive side of the ball, but are still solid NBA starters.

Cleveland Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman delivered his requisite end-of-season interview with the media a few days ago, several weeks earlier than he probably would have liked. His answers made it seem like the team will be running it back, indicating that this group has another attainable gear to hit.

Altman is standing behind head coach Kenny Atkinson, praising James Harden for assimilating as well as he could, and noting how great the front court is, and will be, next year. He also heaped praise on Evan Mobley during his press conference in a way that makes it sound like the team is very unwilling to part with him. 

“All Evan has done is impact winning,” Altman said. “He’s been remarkable for us in terms of our ascent the last five years. He’s a huge part of what we do.” 

All signs point to a team that will look very similar come October. But the uncomfortable truth is that the only way for the Cavs to meaningfully upgrade this offseason is to trade Evan Mobley.

While a run to the conference finals is no small feat, the Cavs got there in a way that feels much worse than reality. They ended up losing more games than they won in the playoffs with a record of 8-10, failed to close out several winnable games against inferior teams, and then were beaten down in historical fashion to conclude their campaign. Had the Cavs, say, swept Toronto, dispatched of Detroit in six games, and then lost to New York in a hard-fought series, the discussion would be different. As it stands, this team is not as close to the NBA Finals as the front office thinks.

The team already dove headfirst into the deep end of the pool with the trade of Darius Garland, and that was met with raised eyebrows. Moving on from Mobley would be even more daring, but also much more rewarding. He would fetch a hefty package in return, but it would have to be for a player who is better right this very second. The Cavs cannot trade him for a few decent players and draft capital to make up the difference. The tightrope they are walking is championship or bust. 

Someone like Giannis Antetokounmpo would be the ideal outcome, a player that instantly levels the Cavs up in a meaningful way and can serve as the alpha. It is unclear if he would be willing to sign an extension to remain in Cleveland beyond next season, making a move risky. But the reward is their best shot at a championship with one of the five best players in the league. 

What about Jaylen Brown? Him and Mitchell are exceptionally close friends, and he took a major step forward as a scorer and playmaker with Jayson Tatum out. Sending Mobley to Boston may not be the best idea karmically, but a three-team deal that avoids that is possible. Brown fits as the two-way player that would glue things together. 

Oklahoma City, upon being eliminated by the San Antonio Spurs, was instantly linked to Mobley in a potential trade, according to The Athletic. The Thunder have some interesting trade chips in All-Pro Jalen Williams and the other lanky young power forward in Chet Holmgren. With plenty of picks at their disposal, Oklahoma City can feasibly send a very high-end player and then some. 

Trading Mobley, of course, comes with risks. He is an elite defender and has continued to grow on offense, though not as quickly as the Cavs need. However, he would be an excellent blue-chip prospect in Milwaukee and profiles as a Victor Wembanyama deterrent for the Thunder. But there is no denying that, if the Cavs are to make another run with Donovan Michell as the head of the snake, trading Mobley is an unfortunate reality.

Sure, Jarrett Allen could get you a good player in return, but it won’t be a great one. The Cavs cannot simply waive Harden and unlock cap space — they are so far over the cap that all that would do is let a good player walk for nothing. A Mitchell trade is not happening, at least not this summer. They don’t have enough draft capital to swing anything meaningful. LeBron James circa 2014 isn’t walking through that door, and the diminished 2026 version might not either. Internal progression from Jaylon Tyson and Tyrese Proctor is not nearly enough to bring the Cavs up an echelon. That leaves Mobley as the ticket to something better.

If the Cavs are serious about maximizing their window to win a championship, trading Mobley has to be on the table as an option. It isn’t a requirement that they trade him, and the Cavs aren’t in dire need of a superstar, but they do need to get better. If trading Mobley achieves that in a meaningful way, and as painful as it may be, it must be considered.

Welcome to smokescreen season. The NBA Finals are underway, and the draft is just around the corner. The players in this class have already been measured and tested at the combine, and many have pulled out to return to school with millions flooding the marketplace in NIL money. The workout circuit has been popping lately, and there’s already some early rumors about who certain teams are preferring.

There remains some mystery at the top of the draft with the Washington Wizards holding the first pick. BYU forward A.J. Dybantsa has been the front-runner to No. 1 since the lottery determined the draft order, but Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer could still steal that honor from him. Boozer is our top player in the class.

This mock draft is informed by tracking workouts and rumors around the league, plus my own reporting with league sources. The first-round of draft will be here before you know it on Tuesday, June 23. Here’s how we see the draft playing out at the moment.

1. Washington Wizards – A.J. Dybantsa, F, BYU

I still think there’s a chance Darryn Peterson or Cameron Boozer go with the No. 1 pick, but Dybantsa continues to feel like the frontrunner at this point. This draft is starting to remind me of the 2022 class when the Orlando Magic were reportedly leaning toward Jabari Smith Jr. over Chet Holmgren with the top pick until they decided to select Paolo Banchero at the 11th hour. I would take Boozer No. 1 overall for any team, and I think he’s a great fit in Washington. Part of the reason why Dybantsa still feels like the favorite to go first though is because there’s always a chance Utah trades up for him. I love Dybantsa’s shot creation potential in Washington, but he does feel like an odd defensive fit there. Ideally, you want Dybantsa surrounded by a team of dirty work All-Stars, and that’s not Washington’s makeup right now. Fortunately, Dybantsa is still only 19 years old, and the Wizards will have a long timeline to build around him.

2. Utah Jazz – Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas

I detailed why I love the fit between Peterson and the Jazz last week. He feels like a perfect complement to Keyonte George in the backcourt as a movement shooter who can cause chaos defensively with deflections, steals, and blocks. Of course, it’s possible Peterson regains the explosiveness he showed in high school that briefly had him looking like the top player in the class. The more time passes from his bizarre freshman year at Kansas, the better the long-term idea of Peterson looks. He would be a home run pick for Utah at No. 2.

3. Memphis Grizzlies – Cameron Boozer, F, Duke

The Grizzlies are one of the best drafting teams in the league, and I feel confident they would select Boozer at No. 1 if they won the lottery. Boozer consistently grades out as the best player in the class in analytics models with a long history of production and influencing winning at every level. I’m not smart enough to build one of those models, but I’m also not stupid enough to completely discount them. Boozer’s statistical dominance also matches my eye test, because he’s great at almost everything. Concerns about his athleticism are overblown. I think Boozer and Zach Edey would absolutely mash teams inside and out. My hot take is the Grizzlies would quickly become a Western Conference contender with Boozer if their key players can stay healthy.

4. Chicago Bulls – Caleb Wilson, F, North Carolina

Wilson isn’t a shot creator, a shooter, or a center. So what is he? There are real questions about how the North Carolina forward translates to the NBA with a thin 210-pound frame and a raw dribble-pass-shoot skill set, but at a certain point he’s too productive to pass up. Wilson’s entire statistical profile is green, meaning he was above average in just about every rate stat. He’s an explosive play-finisher near the basket, he has real post-up scoring moves with step-throughs and spins, and he can recover to make game-changing plays defensively even with some poor technique and awareness on that end at times. The Bulls just need talent in the door, and Wilson is bursting with long-term upside if they can continue to refine his skill set.

5. Los Angeles Clippers – Keaton Wagler, G, Illinois

The early read on this choice is that it’s going to come down to Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr. and Illinois’ Keaton Wagler. I have Brown higher on my board, but Wagler feels like a cleaner fit in LA next to Darius Garland. I also wouldn’t be surprised if the Clippers look to trade down. Wagler’s off-the-dribble shooting was so impressive in his breakout freshman year, and should continue to fuel his NBA success. If Brown goes in this spot, Wagler could fall to the Hawks at No. 8.

6. Brooklyn Nets – Nate Ament, F, Tennessee

Rival teams believe Ament’s range is 6-10. There are some unconfirmed reports that the Nets are targeting the Tennessee forward at No. 6, and I’m buying it. Ament seems like he fits Sean Marks’ draft history as a highly-touted high school recruit who can theoretically do everything on the floor — it just didn’t always work out that way at Tennessee. Ament was considered the fourth best player in this class entering college, and his role with the Vols where he led the team in usage didn’t do him any favors. This would feel really high for him to me, and I would probably give it a poor grade if it actually happens on draft night. With that said, I still think there’s a pathway for Ament to be a pretty good NBA player as a third or fourth option who can space the floor, attack once the advantage is created for him, and use his length to impact the game near the rim defensively. Michigan’s Aday Mara is another name to watch here.

7. Sacramento Kings – Darius Acuff, G, Arkansas

The worst kept secret in the draft is that the Kings love Darius Acuff. Somehow, they are still able to land him despite falling all the way to No. 7 with the league’s fourth worst record. Acuff is a polarizing player largely because of his defensive shortcomings, but there’s no doubt he was a prime time performer at Arkansas who fills an obvious need at point guard in Sacramento.

8. Atlanta Hawks – Mikel Brown Jr., G, Louisville

I’m a big fan of Brown for his pull-up shooting, passing creativity, and ability to get to the rack off the bounce. The Hawks should be thrilled if he’s somehow on the board at No. 8, because to me he’s a top-5 player in the class. There are real questions about Brown’s durability and shot-selection, but there’s no denying his talent. The Hawks were relying on CJ McCollum to create offense for them in the playoffs last year, and Brown is a natural long-term replacement after the franchise finally moved off Trae Young this season.

9. Dallas Mavericks – Brayden Burries, G, Arizona

There are reports that Burries is trying to land in Dallas to play next to Cooper Flagg. I like the vision even if I’m a bit skeptical Burries has the shot-creation upside to eventually be a star. The Arizona guard is a well-rounded player who defends and rebounds better than your average two-guard, and he’s a really good three-point shooter. Flagg would have to stay in more of a shot-creator role if Burries is the pick, but maybe that’s what Dallas wants. I personally wouldn’t have him as the best player available in this scenario, but Burries’ lack of a glaring weakness makes him a malleable guard who should be able to hang in the playoffs. It’s easy to understand the appeal of that with the No. 9 pick.

10. Milwaukee Bucks – Labaron Philon, G, Alabama

The Bucks are reportedly interested in Ament, Karim Lopez, and Philon according to ESPN. It’s hard to really know Milwaukee’s intentions until we learn if they’re keeping or trading Giannis Antetokounmpo. A Giannis trade feels more likely than ever, but we’ve said that before, and all he has to do is sign a contract extension to end the drama forever. The Bucks’ young guards in Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. are actually much better than most people realize, so I don’t really think they need to go point guard. Philon’s shifty off-the-bounce game will be appealing to teams looking for shot-creation, and I wouldn’t be stunned if he eventually lands in the top-10 with Dallas as another option.

11. Golden State Warriors – Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Michigan

The Warriors are believed to be interested in Lendeborg, Mara, and Lopez according to ESPN. Lendeborg deserves to go much higher than this, in my opinion. Yes, he’s going to be a 24-year-old rookie, but he’s made the exact improvements you would hope to see from a player in their age-22 and age-23 season, and he has unique physical gifts that will help him adjust to the NBA level quickly. Lendeborg basically has the frame of an NBA center, but he showed at Michigan that he’s comfortable playing on the perimeter in a complementary role at both ends. Read my feature on Yaxel’s wild journey to get to this point.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder – Aday Mara, C, Michigan

Mara could be in play as early as No. 6 to the Nets, and I’d be surprised if he fell past the Thunder at No. 12. The 7’3 big man shouldn’t be counted on to play full-time center minutes early in his career, so I like the idea of him joining a deep frontcourt where he can be in more of a platoon situation. The Thunder also drafted Thomas Sorber in this range last year, so it’s possible they don’t want another big man. I’m skeptical that the best way to defend Wemby is with another giant — especially one as slow-footed on the perimeter as Mara — but it’s still a nice option to have in the bag when the Thunder and Spurs inevitably meet again. Mara’s passing is really special, and he could help add a little more flavor to the OKC offense if he continues to develop.

13. Miami Heat – Karim Lopez, F, New Zealand Breakers

Lopez is reportedly getting looks from teams in the second half of the lottery, so this could be the end of his range. Will the Heat actually be making this pick, or will they have already traded it for Giannis Antetokounmpo? Milwaukee has a reported interest in Lopez too, so I feel like he makes sense at No. 13 either way. I’m a bit skeptical of Lopez’s defense and outside shooting, but his ball handling as a big, strong forward is really intriguing.

14. Charlotte Hornets – Morez Johnson, F/C, Michigan

Hornets lead executive Jeff Peterson has already indicated the team wants to re-sign Coby White, which would potentially take away the need from drafting another guard here. Charlotte has a need for more beef inside, and Johnson is uniquely suited to address it with his ability to play the four or the five. Johnson is long and strong and really athletic for someone his size. It could be argued that his upside isn’t very high unless he develops a consistent three-point shot, but his impact has always gone beyond the numbers to this point in his young career. The Hornets had a noticeable lack of physicality in the play-in tournament, and Johnson would change that.

15. Chicago Bulls – Kingston Flemings, G, Houston

Could Flemings really fall this far? I’ve viewed the Houston guard as a potential top-5 talent throughout this cycle, and he’s reportedly in play as early as No. 5 to the Clippers. It would be shocking if Flemings fell out of the lottery, but we typically get one draft night surprise every year, and the depth of this point guard class means someone is bound to fall at least a little bit further than expected. The Bulls brought in Flemings for a workout last week, and would likely jump at the chance to add this type of talent in the mid first-round.

16. Memphis Grizzlies – Jayden Quaintance, C, Kentucky

I had Quaintance as a top-4 pick coming into the season, but he had a nightmare year where he only played four games at Kentucky after rushing back from an Achilles tear. He explained his decision to shut it down this season when I asked him about it at the combine, but he did say he’s about 95 percent healthy right now. Last time he was right physically, JQ looked like an elite paint protecting prospect as a 17-year-old at Arizona State. The Grizzlies feel like the type of franchise that would take a chance on him. I figure that Ebuka Okorie and Bennett Stirtz could also be in the mix for Memphis.

17. Oklahoma City Thunder – Ebuka Okorie, G, Stanford

Is Okorie the fastest-rising prospect in this draft class, or am I spending too much time online reading people who aren’t actually informed about the intentions of NBA teams? Okorie is still only No. 27 on ESPN’s board which is typically the best indication of a prospect’s range, but there are some people who like him way more than that. Jonathan Wasserman had Okorie at No. 8 on his big board, and I would bet there are front office executives who are similarly high on him as they go back and watch the tape for his season at Stanford. OKC badly needed another ball handler in the Western Conference Finals, and they didn’t trust Nikola Topic enough to give him a shot. Okorie has the ball on a string and a blazing first step. He would be a good value in this range in my mind.

18. Charlotte Hornets – Chris Cenac Jr., C, Houston

ESPN reported that Cenac’s realistic landing spots begin with the Hornets at No. 14, and they’ve been mocking him to Charlotte since the start of the season. Cenac is the only real stretch five bet in the first-round unless you really believe in North Carolina’s Henri Veesaar. The Houston big man is pretty raw in terms of his feel for the game, but his jumper is sweet and he has a great frame after measuring at 240 pounds with a 7’5 wingspan at the combine. I wouldn’t hate Charlotte walking out of this draft with two bigs.

19. Toronto Raptors – Bennett Stirtz, G, Alabama

The Raptors could really use a guard who can suck up some ball handling responsibility while also being a good enough shooter to space the floor. Stirtz checks both boxes. The senior guard created everything for Iowa this season and basically never came off the floor. His scoring and playmaking off the dribble is really impressive, but I also like his ability to move without the ball as a spot-up shooter. Toronto has the bodies to protect him defensively. I’d really like this fit.

20. San Antonio Spurs – Hannes Steinbach, F/C, Washington

The Spurs are focused on winning a championship, so this pick is a secondary concern for now. I’m going with Steinbach here because he’s both the highest-rated player on my board, and feels like a good positional fit on the roster. The German feels stuck between a power forward and a center, but that’s no big deal as two big lineups start to take over the NBA again. San Antonio doesn’t have a two-big look it can go to, and Steinbach is excellent at the league’s other emerging trend right now: crashing the offensive glass. The Spurs need more depth in the frontcourt, and Steinbach’s elite skill on the glass would give him a pathway to minutes early in his career.

21. Detroit Pistons – Christian Anderson, G, Texas Tech

The Pistons made a sneaky trade at the deadline to get a first-round swap with the Timberwolves, and it paid off by moving them spots up in the draft order. Detroit has been tied to Stirtz, Okorie, and Duke shooter Isaiah Evans, but with the first two off the board, I’m going with Anderson. The Texas Tech guard had a private workout with the Pistons in May. He’s widely considered one of the best shooters in this draft class, and he would allow Cade Cunningham to spend more time playing off the ball. Anderson is the smallest likely first-round pick in this class after measuring at 6’1 barefoot and 180 pounds, but his skill level is high and worth betting on.

22. Philadelphia 76ers – Allen Graves, F, Santa Clara

Philly has a new front office leader in Mike Gansey who was just introduced last week, so the bulk of their draft work is likely coming over the next couple weeks. I’ve been mocking Allen Graves to the Sixers throughout the pre-draft process because he feels like he offers the most upside at their biggest position of need. I was surprised to see Graves land at No. 17 on ESPN’s big board, which is the highest I’ve seen him from a mainstream outlet so far this season. The Santa Clara sixth man was uncovered by some wonderful nerds on Draft Twitter, and now seems like a lock to go in the first round. His wildly strong defensive playmaking and reliable spot-up shooting would give the Sixers something they don’t already have at the position.

23. Atlanta Hawks – Dailyn Swain, F, Texas

Swain will be the steal of the draft if he falls this far. There are informed analysts who view him as a top-10 prospect in this class, but it seems like the league has never been quite as high on him. Swain is a damn good wing defender who made a huge leap as a slasher and scorer this past season. The big hang up is his slow and hitchy three-point shot, but it’s worth noting that after going 11-for-54 from three his first two seasons combined, Swain finished 32-of-92 (34.8 percent) just this year. Swain and Mikel Brown Jr. would be a blockbuster draft class for the Hawks.

24. New York Knicks – Cam Carr, G, Baylor

Carr is drawing interest in the 10-20 range, and he’ll probably go higher than this. He has obvious utility with an outstanding intersection of length (7’1 wingspan), outside shooting, and vertical athleticism (44 dunks, 3.9 percent block rate) as a 6’5 wing. I’m a bit lower on Carr because I question his shot-creation and passing while wondering how his thin frame will hold up defensively. There feels like a talent drop-off after these first 24 players in this mock go off the board.

25. Los Angeles Lakers – Joshua Jefferson, F, Iowa State

The Lakers are primed to have the second most available cap space in the NBA this summer at around $48 million, but they have to make decisions on Austin Reaves, LeBron James, and Rui Hachimura. LA could use some defense and toughness around Luka Doncic with this pick. Jefferson gets the nod over Zuby Ejiofor for me because he can do the dirty work while still being able to space the floor out of three-point range. I like Jefferson’s ball handling and playmaking for such a strong forward. If the shot keeps developing, he could be a cost-controlled two-way forward on his rookie deal.

26. Denver Nuggets – Koa Peat, F, Arizona

Peat had the toughest decision of the withdrawal deadline to make, but I actually think he made the right choice by staying in the draft. His money surely would have been bigger at Arizona for a hypothetical sophomore season, but he risked falling off the NBA radar completely if he didn’t improve in important areas. There should still be room for him at the end of the first round with much of the depth in this class getting drained by NIL dollars. His intersection of weight, passing, and offensive rebounding will be interesting even if his shot is completely busted right now.

27. Boston Celtics – Zuby Ejiofor, F/C, St. John’s

Ejiofor has been the busiest man on the workout circuit with 13 confirmed team workouts so far, including one with the Celtics. The St. John’s big man might be a tad undersized for a center, but he still has a big frame after measuring at 6’7.5 barefoot and 245 pounds with a 7’2 wingspan. While he’s not a proven outside shooter yet, Ejiofor is comfortable operating with the ball in his hands as a playmaker or scoring around the rim. He moves well for someone who is this strong, and he always showed a strong feel for the game with the Johnnies. He should be a premium target for every team in the mid-20s.

28. Minnesota Timberwolves – Meleek Thomas, G, Arkansas

Tim Connelly loves a guy who could be charitably described as a ’walking bucket’ after trading up for Rob Dillingham and resuscitating Bones Hyland’s career in recent years. Thomas fits right in. He’s a good off-ball scorer with a quick trigger from three-point range, and he’s shown enough juice off the dribble to offer some shot creation upside. Thomas just isn’t very big after measuring at 6’3 barefoot and 189 pounds with a 6’6.75 wingspan at the combine.

29. Cleveland Cavaliers – Henri Veesaar, C, North Carolina

The Cavs have plenty of talent in their frontcourt already with Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, but they’ve never had a real stretch-five option. Veesaar could be that after hitting 42.6 percent of his threes on 94 attempts with North Carolina this season. I really enjoyed watching Veesaar’s high-low game with Caleb Wilson, and I think he could have similar success

30. Dallas Mavericks – Isaiah Evans, G, Duke

Evans is No. 24 on ESPN’s big board, and he’s already had a workout with Detroit picking at No. 21. The Mavs probably wouldn’t expect him to be on the board with this pick, but if he is, he would add volume three-point shooting around Cooper Flagg.

The Dallas Mavericks will be earnestly rebuilding their team around Cooper Flagg this offseason. Big changes are already underway following the hiring of Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz (as President and GM, respectively) and the departure of Jason Kidd. With the NBA season officially no more than five games from being over at this point, it’s time to start looking at what Dallas can do to reshape their team going into the 2026-2027 season.

In staff discussions at Mavs Moneyball, we often prognosticate on various trade scenarios, leaving nothing off the table of possibilities. So long as the trade would actually work in reality, we entertain it. Wanting to bring these ideas and discussions to a wider audience, I’ve elected myself curator of the crazy (but far more often, thoughtful) trade ideas that frequently fly about our internal discussions. With that, I welcome you to a new series – Trade Talk.

The parameters are simple. The trade proposal must go through a legitimate trade machine, such as that found on Spotrac.com, and must actually work in reality under NBA trade rules. There will be no trading Mark Cuban for the ghost of Wilt Chamberlain. I’ll select some of the trade proposals we bandy about and we’ll debate the value of each. First up is MMB’s Jack Nowicki’s proposed trade with the Sacramento Kings.

The trade proposal

The Mavericks use their traded player exception (TPE) to take on Malik Monk. Their reward for this service is a swap of Dallas’ #9 pick for Sacramento’s #7 pick in the 2026 draft. Sacramento also gets some cash considerations for their part.

The discussion

Mike: This is an interesting one, because it seems so rare that TPEs are actually ever used. Getting a player that scored 12.5 points per game and knocked down nearly 40% of his threes last season, without giving up any player assets doesn’t sound like a bad exchange. That said, the real value in this trade you’ve proposed seems to lie elsewhere, yes?

Jack: Absolutely. While Monk could be a useful player next season, the real prize is moving from pick #9 to pick #7. The purpose for this small trade-up is if the Mavericks fall head-over-heels for a guard who is unlikely to fall to their current pick. Obviously, we don’t know who this could be, but knowing Ujiri, it would not surprise me if he loves Keaton Wagler and Mikel Brown Jr. For the Kings, they sit in a unenviable situation where they are simultaneously very expensive and years away from contention. Trading Monk allows the Kings to duck the luxury-tax and build future cap flexibility. The issue with trading Monk is that the Kings will be hesitant to part with any future draft assets, meaning they have few ways of getting out of his money – that’s where this trade-down becomes a solution. If the Kings aren’t sold on the options at #7, this trade gives them the flexibility they require while keeping a pick within the top-10. This move highlights how the TPE could become very valuable and why the Mavericks should get creative this offseason.

Mike: I agree that the key to this is who is still standing when the #7 pick comes up. Monk would cost Dallas $20 million this year, then $21 million the following year in the likely event he picks up his player option. At that point, he may add value as an expiring contract in a future trade, but he comes at a relatively steep price until then. I like how the Anthony Davis trade gave the Mavs better cap flexibility, so I’m hopeful they’ll utilize it in the most favorable way.
If Dallas really does their homework and knows for sure “their guy” is gone when the #9 pick is selected, then I’d be more inclined to do this trade. I think Dallas really needs to nail their first pick in this draft and the shift of two spots that you’ve proposed could certainly help them do that.

Jack: One other thing to highlight is that Monk is not an outright negative player. He has major flaws, but would bring a spark of ball-handling and shooting off the bench that could be very useful for this team. He also can be an effective offensive player whether he has the ball or not, meaning he could play next to another guard.

Mike: True. That could come in handy in a number of ways. He’s arguably an upgrade over both Brandon Williams and Ryan Nembhard, and could take some load off Kyrie Irving as he’s working his way back into the swing of things. Monk might not be the best or cheapest guard option, but well said – he’s certainly serviceable and his 40% three point shooting would be huge for the Mavs.

Sound off in the comments section below with your thoughts on this proposal as constructed, or perhaps how it could be altered or abandoned altogether.

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

The opening acts have already been electric.

But Monday could be historic.

This playoff run — in which the Knicks have won 13 straight, including five at home — has shown the absolute mania that is possible inside Madison Square Garden.

But even that is likely just a warmup for what the Mecca and Knicks fans are capable of at their full potential.

Everything has lined up for Monday’s Game 3 of the Finals to be one of those moments that cements itself in New York City lore.

The Knicks return home leading the series 2-0, having won both road games to begin the Finals.

“I expect our fans to come out and do what they do every game, which is come and support us at the highest level,” Karl-Anthony Towns said after practice Sunday. “I’m really excited to play. It’s always great when you get to play the game of basketball at its highest level. To be able to lace the shoes up, be able to put the jersey on and be able to see our fans, to see Finals basketball after all this time is going to be really, really special.”

The wait only adds to the anticipation.

For 27 years, The World’s Most Famous Arena has been a pressure cooker just waiting to explode — a sleeping giant just waiting to be woken up.

The last Finals game in the building was June 25, 1999 — when the Knicks lost Game 5 to the Spurs to end the series.

“I think it’s really cool — 27 years since the last Finals here in this building,” Jalen Brunson said. “I know the fan base is really excited, as they should be.”

This century has not seen the Finals version of MSG and New York City.

And really, even in ’99, the Knicks trailed 2-0 in the series by the time they came home, dulling some of the energy.

You have to go back even further, to Game 5 of the ’94 Finals, to find a game the Knicks began at the Garden at least tied in the Finals.

“We got to be desperate for these fans,” Towns said. “Fans have earned the right and deserve the right to see Finals basketball be played here at Madison Square Garden. For this to be the first game in a long time that they have seen Finals basketball, it’s up to us to bring it, give ’em something to cheer for, give ’em something to get loud for and also give ’em something to believe in.

• CHECK OUT THE LATEST NBA STANDINGS AND KNICKS STATS

“I talked about the word ‘hope.’ Hope has been brought back to the city. We’ve revitalized that word. But the word ‘success’ hasn’t been seen in this city for a long time. So we have to continue to fight to bring that word back to fruition.”

This young Spurs team, which has already shown it is susceptible to capitulating in high-intensity moments, is about to walk into a cauldron unlike anything it has experienced before.

“I think there will obviously be a ton of excitement around the game,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “This arena’s like no other. The added circumstances will be on top of that.”

Victor Wembanyama is confident he’s ready for the atmosphere.

“Isolating myself is something I’ve practiced over the years,” he said. “I think I’m good at it. So it’s not a problem.”

The uniqueness of MSG can be felt before Game 3 even tips off.

It felt like there was double the number of media members at practices Sunday than there were in San Antonio.

Fat Joe and Jadakiss crashed coach Mike Brown’s news conference and then held their own impromptu media availability.

Ben Stiller was roaming the grounds filming the scene.

A special building has been waiting for this special moment.

“It makes it feel different,” Brown said, “than almost any other building you’ve been in.”

Remember those long breaks between the second and third rounds, then the Conference Finals and the Finals?

Having an extra day of rest between Games 2 and 3 felt like twice as long to me. Thank God we’re back at it.

Here’s another humongous Bulletin ahead of Game 3, covering everything that went down on practice day at MSG on Sunday.

Mike Brown

On adjusting to Karl-Anthony Towns and finding common ground:

“It is supposed to be like this. I came (to New York) with a great plan. Maybe the plan doesn’t work. Who adjusts: Him or me? Me. I adjust. (But) the adjustment’s not enough. Every once in a while, we’re not on the same page. We talk about it. We talk about it. I adjust again. A little bit better. He’s feeling good. We talk about it. We talk — maybe we take a couple of steps backwards because what I did, he doesn’t like, which is fine. It’s my job as a coach to fit whatever scheme we have on both sides of the floor to all of our players. And if you’re a great player, I’ve got to make a little bit more adjustments, or I’ve got to give a little bit more than you do. We finally got to a point where he was comfortable, (where) I was comfortable, Jalen (Brunson) was comfortable, OG (Anunoby) was comfortable, Mikal (Bridges) was comfortable. And to me, that’s what the regular season is about. The regular season is about finding your way so you can prepare for this time of the year … So, when we get here, anything we run into, we’ve already conquered during the regular season, and we’ll know how to handle it.”

On Gregg Popovich’s influence on his career:

“It was huge. Pop — I talk about MSG being iconic, New York City being iconic — Pop is iconic, especially here in San Antonio. When you talk about the game of basketball, he’s iconic to everybody that enjoys the game of basketball.”

On what he learned from Popovich beyond basketball:

“The neat part about him is it’s not just about the X’s and O’s that you learn. You know you can never be him, but you learn people skills. You learn how to connect, not just the 15 or 18 players, you learn how to connect an entire city, maybe even an entire state.”

On Popovich’s personal support during difficult times:

“He’s second to none how [in] he treats people off the floor in their personal lives. I grew a lot personally. Everybody goes through good times and bad times off the floor in their personal life. When I was here, I went through good times and bad times. He helped me tremendously with those. He’s a special human being.”

On facing Mavs’ Jalen Brunson as a defensive coordinator at Golden State:

“As a defensive coordinator, this is just me, going into that series, my concern wasn’t Luka, my concern was Jalen. We put Draymond Green on Jalen. That’s how concerned we were. Because we needed a bigger, stronger, tougher guy to try to do it or to try to slow him down at that time.”

On meeting Ben Stiller and seeing Fat Joe at practice on Sunday:

“A great day for me today. For the first time I got a chance to meet Ben Stiller. … I actually gave him a handshake and a hug. I got my man Fat Joe sitting in the back. This is a great day for Mike Brown.”

Jalen Brunson

On whether or not he’s stopped to reflect on the Knicks’ Finals run:

“Not until it’s over.”

On the need for finishing games better after losing a 14-point lead in Game 2:

“I think playing better with the lead that we had, the 14-point lead. The way they fought back and took the lead is just a credit to how good they are.”

On his mentality and upbringing with relation to Kobe Bryant:

“I think the way I carry myself, the way I do things, is a credit to how I was raised by my parents. But also part of their philosophy, I think, seeps into the Mamba Mentality, as well. So, there’s a connectivity there. I do my best to stay present in the moment, to do the things I can to make sure my mind is right. Being mentally and physically ready every day. Trusting my work. That’s what’s gotten me here.”

On what scouts missed about him when he fell to the second round of the NBA draft:

“Everything.”

On the love he’s received from New York:

“I’ve always said this and felt the amount of love I’ve gotten from this fanbase and from this city since Day 1. I’m so thankful, I’m so honored to be able to put ‘New York’ across my chest. I wouldn’t trade that feeling for anything in the world.”

On the magnitude of the Finals returning to MSG:

“I think it’s really cool — 27 years since the last Finals here in this building. I know the fan base is really excited, as they should be, but as a team, us inside the locker room, we have more work to do.”

On the team’s daily improvement mindset:

“Things take time. We knew that we just had to get better every single day — every single day. In the world we live in now, everyone wants things instantly. So from our perspective, it’s all about just getting better every single day, keep chipping away, keep chipping away, being one percent better. When you take steps back, how can you improve? It’s always about, ‘How can you improve? How can you improve?’ Having that mentality and focus and approach, I think, allows us to still be students of the game and still find ways to learn, even through wins. And I think we need to continue to do that.”

On his perspective on pressure given his father’s pro career in the NBA:

“I view pressure… my dad, he was in the league on 10-day contracts and non-guaranteed deals. Being able to see that, and getting older and seeing what he had to do (for his family to live), I have it easy.”

On his thoughts about failure and giving everything:

“It’s all about being able to say you gave it everything you got. Knowing that sometimes you might not get the end result you want, but you know you gave it everything you got. Just control what you can control. If you go out there, put all the preparation and the work in, do everything you can, and you live with the results.”

On the Knicks’ steady search for “sprays”:

“I mean, they were just reading and reacting. We were playing off each other. We saw the same thing you did.”

Karl-Anthony Towns

On the need to pay back Knicks fans:

“We got to be desperate for these fans. Fans have earned the right and deserve the right to see Finals basketball be played here at Madison Square Garden. For this to be the first game in a long time that they have seen Finals basketball, it’s up to us to bring it, give ’em something to cheer for, give ‘em something to get loud for and also give ‘em something to believe in. I talked about the word ‘hope.’ Hope has been brought back to the city. We’ve revitalized that word. But the word ‘success’ hasn’t been seen in this city for a long time. So we have to continue to fight to bring that word back to fruition.”

On restoring success to New York:

“Hope has been brought back to the city. But the word ‘success’ hasn’t been seen. We have to fight to bring that word back to fruition.”

On playing for the fans at MSG:

“To be able to lace the shoes up, be able to put the jersey on and be able to see our fans, to see Finals basketball after all this time is going to be really, really special.”

On not taking the Spurs lightly after going up 2-0:

“Every single game, you expect their best. That’s how you don’t get caught, in a way, lacking. You go out there and you expect their best, so you want to bring your best. This is the NBA Finals. There’s no time to take any game easy or to take any game lightly.”

On the team leaning on each other during adversity:

“This team leans on each other. I think that’s why we’ve gotten here. That’s why we had the success we had during the regular season even when things weren’t going great, because at the end of the day, when things do get tough and the trials and tribulations do present themselves, this team doesn’t disband. They don’t go away from each other. We lean into each other even more. We trust each other even more to get out of the rut. That’s what special teams do. Jalen knows. He has a national championship, and you’ve seen the camaraderie and unity they have.”

On adjusting his role throughout the season:

“It’s about impacting winning. Especially this year, throughout the year, I’ve always had to change my role for the betterment of the team. I’ve always had to change the way I play so it could be most beneficial for the team. Taking all that experience this year, I’ve had to do it on the fly. It wasn’t like game by game. It’s been quarter by quarter. That comes with experience and just knowledge of the game and just time. Time playing the game, time putting shots up, time reading defenses, seeing defenses, offenses. So like I said, one game Jalen got hurt, that’s when I have to be a primary scorer. Other games when he’s cooking, I’ve got to be a facilitator, a hub, assist-maker, aggressive in playmaking. Then there’s games when I need to do both when he’s in and I’m in and be able to do both when his shot is warming up. There’s also days where I got to be a decoy, I got to be the best screener, I got to be the best spacer for our offense. So I think that right now, whatever it takes to win, especially when you’re in the NBA Finals, I’m willing to do.”

On finding the right balance in the playoffs:

“I’ve been in playoff series where I’ve done too much, and it was to the detriment to the team. And I’ve been in playoff series where I’ve done too little, and it was a detriment to the team. It’s a fine line. It comes with experience where you learn what truly is best for the team and being able to find that balance of being aggressive and impacting the game with your skill set, but also utilizing that skill set to make others better. Something that experience has taught me. I think right now, I’m doing the best I’ve done at it.”

On being recognized as a great shooting big:

“It’s an honor. I worked on my game. When I was younger, that wasn’t something that was supposed to happen. You’re laughed at. You’re told, What are you doing? You’re wasting your time. People come back to me and give me all the congrats and congratulations and all this love for something they didn’t help with; they told me to do the opposite. So that’s how life always goes.”

Mikal Bridges

On what he remembers from the 2021 Finals collapse:

“I just remember losing four straight. That’s what I remember out of that. They all understand as well, knowing the series is far from over. We’ve got to keep playing desperate and be the more desperate team.”

On the need for fixing the Game 2 fourth-quarter mistakes:

“Got to be better the whole fourth: turnovers, shot selection, a lot of transition defense in that fourth quarter itself. Keep going. Can’t get too comfortable. We had a good lead, but we know how the league works. Being this far, playing against a really good team, no lead’s ever safe.”

On resiliency despite a poor fourth quarter:

“I think a poor fourth by us, obviously with all that happening, the resiliency to stay together and stay mentally locked in and still find a way to win. You can’t do that to the team that is that good, give chances like that. We got to be way better.”

On ignoring the 13-game winning streak:

“Personally, I think we really don’t care too much about the winning streak or anything like that because all that’s in the past. I think we do a great job as a team of always knowing that it’s 0-0 after every win, staying locked in on the next game.”

On how he’s able to keep up with his ironman streak:

“I just want to be out there … just want to grow every day, be better. It’s kind of how I was raised, kind of how when I was in high school, college, my coaches always preached playing every game even if you’re banged up a little bit. They make you play. I think subconsciously knowing how the league goes … the more I think about it, never ever, leave a window open for someone to take your spot. I think that’s kind of been subconsciously staying on my mind ever since I first got in the league. I always play no matter what, but I think that’s just another aspect that kind of got to me was always just you never know. You never know how you might go out for a week or two and maybe the next guy steps up and maybe the team plays better … the organization might look at you a little bit different.”

On maintaining urgency despite a 2-0 lead:

“0-0 man, f**k. Keep playing, desperate. That’s it, man. Take this rest. We got two days, take a break, do whatever you gotta do to get ready for this next game, but keep going out there and don’t stop. We got nothing but the offseason, man. Keep pushing. Leave everything on that court.”

On fighting through adversity in Game 2:

“Just gut. Just fight. A lot of integrity, poise, staying together. We’re gonna fight to the end. They made a run. They’re a really good team, but we’re gonna fight to the end. I wish we had a better fourth quarter. They’re a really good team. They pushed it, but we’ve gotta be better.”

On his prior Finals experience helping him and the Knicks now:

“I think just being here before, knowing how it’s going to be. Just a lot of experience knowing how much effort you need to give every single moment. Same situation, up 2-0, and I’ve got to be able to talk to these guys and just keep level-headed and just keep playing desperate. Being here before, knowing how it was gonna be and how much effort you need to give at every single moment.”

On his playoff mindset:

“Just that desperation. You know, that desperation of trying to be the last team standing and trying to do whatever it takes to help my team win. There’s nothing after June. You don’t play again until October. So just try to give it all that I got and do whatever it takes for this team.”

On the urgency of the moment:

“It’s just go time. It’s winning time. It’s that season. I’m trying to go out there and give it all I’ve got for this team, my teammates, the coaches, for the organization, fans.”

Josh Hart

On the need for better late-game execution after Game 2:

“In terms of that play, you never know because you could go down and get a stop. So you never know what play can change a game. But for us, we know that we have to do better. We were up like 14, and I think we’re the best fourth-quarter team in the league, so we got to make sure that we’re locked in and executing in that regard.”

On fourth-quarter issues in Game 2:

“[Poor] execution, for sure, in the fourth quarter. I feel like we played a little bit slower. Transition defense wasn’t as crisp as it was in the first three quarters. I think if we focus on that and rebounding, we’ll be good.”

On the high ticket prices at MSG for Game 3:

“I kind of wish the ticket prices weren’t as crazy as they are. I feel like a lot of people who have been waiting for this moment for a very long time unfortunately aren’t able to get into the building. The cheapest ticket is $7,000, $8,000. That’s ridiculous.”

On the expected atmosphere at Madison Square Garden:

“The Garden is going to be rocking. Obviously in this city we love our Knicks. So we’re going to come out, show love, support. The energy is going to be electric.”

On tuning out the outside noise in Game 3:

“For me personally, especially in college, [Villanova] Coach [Jay] Wright always talked about [how] we play for the guys in the locker room, and we don’t really play to the crowd. So for me, I feel like I’m able to kind of tune that out pretty well, just because that guy instilled that in me [during my] four years in college.”

On Mikal Bridges’ impact:

“You can’t say enough about him. I’m not surprised about it. I don’t think anyone else is surprised or should be surprised. That’s what he does. He’s a winning basketball player. He makes big-time shots, big-time stops. He takes the challenge and he’s a hell of a basketball player.”

Jose Alvarado

On the high resale ticket prices for Games 3 and 4:

“I see it’s $11,000 each, I say no. They know the love. They know what it is. But it’s a lot of money … I ain’t doing that. I tell you that much. It’s a good thing and a bad thing. That means we got a fanbase that’s willing to do anything to come out and see us and we’re grateful for that. … We’re just seeing what we can do because not a lot of people can afford that. … I’m gonna throw a watch party for my neighborhood in Williamsburg. Just improvise and be grateful for the situation we’re in. That’s what New York is all about.”

On celebrating with fans if they win the title:

“If we win the championship, I don’t know what I would do, but that’s probably one thing that’s gonna go through my head to see how I can go out there and celebrate with everybody. If that happens, it definitely will be something I’ll think about.”

Deuce McBride

On Landry Shamet stepping up:

“It’s no surprise to us about whenever any of us step up. But especially Landry, for a guy that’s dealt with so much throughout his career, and to be here … it’s a testament to how he works, how he trusts in himself and his confidence.”

Landry Shamet

On the 13-game winning streak:

“The games in the past don’t matter. Not 13 games ago, not one game ago. It’s one game at a time, and that’s the only way through this thing. So we’re worried about Game 3, and the series is 0-0 in our mind in that respect.”

On whether this is the best he’s played throughout his career:

“I don’t know. I’ll let you guys figure that out.”

On staying present during the run and not thinking too much about it:

“No. And that’s OK. I’ve had moments, but actively, I don’t want to do that until it’s all said and done. I want to be here, be present, soak this up, compete, stay locked in and just try to help my team. Getting four wins is the goal. Right now, we’ve got to get another one.”

On ball movement and looking for “sprays”:

“Drive and kick, make the right read, share the ball. That’s our team. You know, if there’s a guy open, we’re gonna make that pass, make that play, trust each other and do that.”

On embracing sacrifice during this run:

“We’re here for a reason, we want to compete and contribute. At the end of the day, wins speak much louder than any of that other stuff. That’s what we all ultimately want.”

OG Anunoby

On staying focused with the added Game 3 distractions:

“I think he will just be there watching the game. We’re just going to go as usual and play our game and try to win the game.”

Mitch Johnson

On the need for capitalizing:

“We have to be better at taking advantage of when we put ourselves in good starting spots to take advantage of the things that we are doing well. I think that’s probably been — if there’s a thematic thing, the biggest thing is we’ve put in some good, hard work at times, and have not taken advantage of that hard work. That’s been partially some undisciplined things of us, partially also New York has stepped up and made some plays at the end of the clock and finished out possessions.”

On returning to their standard to try and bounce back:

“If there’s a thematic thing, the biggest thing is we’ve put in some good, hard work at times, and have not taken advantage of that hard work. That’s been partially some undisciplined things for us. Also, New York has stepped up and made some plays at the end of the clock and finished out possessions.”

On the atmosphere at Madison Square Garden:

“I think there will obviously be a ton of excitement around the game. This arena’s like no other. The added circumstances will be on top of that. We’ve been fortunate to play some games in this arena recently that have been, again, not Finals, but [the] Christmas game [in 2024]. Again, I just think added attention around Victor and being in this arena a few times, we’ve experienced that. I would expect tomorrow will be more than that. It will be a fun environment.”

On simply focusing on Game 3 down 2-0:

“We’ve got one game [Monday] night at 8:30 in Madison Square Garden. It’s the only game that matters. We’ve got to come in here ready to win it.”

Stephon Castle

On the late turnover in Game 2:

“I don’t know what we could have done differently at the end of that game to pull it out. It didn’t happen, so on to the next.”

On the added urgency being down 0-2:

“It’s human nature to come out with a certain sense of urgency after a loss. It probably shouldn’t go that way; you should come out with the same urgency whether you win or lose. Now being down 2-0, our sense of urgency is the highest it’s been.”

On Gregg Popovich’s message after going down 0-2:

“Pretty much his message was, ‘Just let the last two games go.’ It happened. They were very winnable games. We feel like we gave them those games. We’ve got to let those go and focus on the next one. The next game is the most important game of the series. Try to come into that and win it.”

On the challenge of coming back from a 2-0 deficit:

“At the end of the day, it’s first to four [wins]. I mean, at this point in the season, it doesn’t really matter whether you’re playing at home or away. Teams are playing their best brand of basketball. Trying to figure out how to win basketball games is the most important thing. I mean, yeah, going down 0-2 at home is something we definitely didn’t want to do. Going back and watching it, those were very winnable games. I think the next two are very winnable games, too.”

On his ankle after the Game 2 scare while foul-baiting:

“It’s been feeling good. Yeah, I’ve been feeling good. It feels a lot better than I thought it would initially. Obviously, I had some adrenaline running, [and] kind of once I settled down, I started to feel it. Waking up the next day, actually felt really good.”

Victor Wembanyama

On the Spurs’ mistakes in Game 2:

“There were many things we could have done better. From simply not turning the ball over to being smarter about fouls, or even fouling earlier sometimes in the possession. It could have went a thousand ways.”

On blocking out distractions at MSG in Game 3:

“I think the key is acceptance a lot of times, taking a step back, realizing all the journey that’s behind this and what’s ahead of this. Just being okay with who I am, where I am, what I’m doing. I think this is everything that I wished for. There’s really no reason to overthink it. I mean, this is what I’m built for. I think it could be [more difficult given all the attention], but isolating myself is something I’ve practiced over the years. I think I’m good at it. So it’s not a problem. This is similar to something media-wise like the Olympics.”

On capitalizing in Game 3:

“We need to capitalize, actually use all the efforts we did. We did a lot of things wrong, but we also were relentless and kept pushing, but kind of, like, wasted that effort. Even though I know it’s not wasted because our lessons are learned — I know we’re not going to make the mistakes of the past again — but in a moment like this, we need to make these things matter.”

On De’Aaron Fox’s leadership within the Spurs locker room:

“He’s an experienced guy that we’ve always been able to turn to when we need it. Especially I think it’s easy to forget that our guards are really young, how precious he’s been for them.”

Harrison Barnes

On De’Aaron Fox’s impact on the Spurs:

“It’s huge. It can’t be stated enough the things he’s done. When he came here last year, I think he had in the same week 50 and 60 points, you know what I mean? I think those things aren’t talked about enough. You talk about the youth of this team. This is his second playoff run.”

Dylan Harper

On what’s the most important thing for him heading into Game 3:

“Desperation. I think for me, I feel like I’m at my best when I play with that type of desperation, and I think that’s what’s kind of needed for this occasion. I feel like I’m going to go out there and no matter what the circumstances, I think if I’m not playing with that type of fire or grit, I’m doing a disservice to everyone.”

On the atmosphere at MSG for Game 3:

“I mean, I feel like we kind of got a taste of [what it will feel like] a little bit in San Antonio. I think that next game tomorrow is going to be electric. I think it’s going to be through the roof. I think it’s going to be everything that I’ve kind of seen or dreamed of times 10.”

De’Aaron Fox

On believing the Spurs can recover from the two-game hole:

“We’ve lost a Game 1 at home and we’ve been able to fight back. We’ve played well on the road throughout the course of the playoffs. I don’t think any of us in the locker room are thinking we can’t do it.”

On his approach for Game 3:

“It could go downhill quickly or we could fight back. So, for me, you want to come out and just be aggressive and just allow our team to follow suit.”

On the Spurs’ belief in themselves:

“There’s a reason why we’re so good. We have a talented group. We have a group that is willing to share, willing to play together and we want to continue to do that. But we need to play better.”

Amar’e Stoudemire

On No. 47 attending Game 3:

“Oh, man, he’s going to get a standing ovation. That’s the United States president. He deserves all the respect that we can give him. So I think the Knicks fans will show respect Monday night to the president if he does come to the game.”

Mike Sweetney

On being welcomed back by the Knicks for Games 3 and 4:

“I didn’t have the career I could have had. But for them to have me back and welcome me with open arms, that means the world to me.”

On how different the current environment feels to his Knicks days:

“It was a zoo when I was there as a player. So it’s one of those things where I look at it like, ‘Whoa, that’s kind of crazy.’ But now it’s one of those things where you’re happy for the team for where they are now, what they’re doing. There was a lot of pressure on me. But I’m going to be honest with you, I didn’t know it was like this. I knew it was crazy but … you can see it, wow, Knicks fans are everywhere.”

Walt Frazier

On the Knicks being destined for the NBA title:

“It’s destiny. At the end of the season, we feared Detroit and Boston and they fell out. We didn’t want OKC and they fell out. We got the guys we wanted because of their lack of experience. You saw that tonight. They had us on the ropes, but they didn’t know how to finish it.”

On the team’s togetherness compared to his era:

“Frazier, Bradley, DeBusschere, Reed. It’s the same thing. That togetherness is really core. This year, we’ve been a 10-man team. Guys are stepping up . . . All these guys have been very productive.”

Zohran Mamdani

On attending Game 3 at MSG:

“I will be in a very different section of the stadium. And I think we look forward to welcoming any New Yorker who is excited for the Knicks to have that chance to win that championship.”

On what this Knicks run means to the New York City:

“This moment means everything for so many across the city. It feels like the transformation of the world’s greatest city into the world greatest small town, where not only are we all thinking about the same thing, but we’re all praying for the same thing.”

On the need for keeping watch parties safe and joyful:

“I think thus far the focus is on the question of watch parties and ensuring the safety and the security and also that they’re places of joy where New Yorkers can gather.”

On balancing safety and celebration:

“This is the constant bounce in any time of immense excitement and joy is that we want to make sure that it is safe, it is secure, and also that we are not stifling a moment that New Yorkers are going to remember for a long time. And I think in the World Cup we’ll see a similar thing where, yes, we are focused on making sure it’s a safe and secure World Cup, and also one where that is not stifling the excitement of the experience. And, I can tell you that as a fan, yes, you build your entire day for the game. But the memories you have are before, they’re after, they’re at the fan zone, they are across the city, and that’s something we want to make sure that others get to have here.”

On James Dolan providing tickets to underprivileged families:

“I’m appreciative of the fact that Mr. Dolan has provided a number of hundreds of tickets for these finals for those who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford it. I think this is a moment where everyone is thinking about the Knicks … (While campaigning), I remember speaking about the fact that we’re going to fight for affordable tickets and there are many who rolled their eyes. And now there will be a thousand New Yorkers who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to go to the game for whom this will mean everything and that’s an incredible opportunity.”

Dwyane Wade

On challenging Victor Wembanyama to elevate his game:

“What Wemby’s done has been incredible. I need to see more. If you’re gonna win this championship, we’re gonna have to see Wemby go to the level that we think Wemby can go to. He’s shown us he can. I knew the opportunity that was in front of me and I didn’t want the opportunity to pass me by, and so I end up discovering a player that I never had seen before. That guy who averaged 34.7 in the Finals, I never seen him before.”

Edie Falco

On her overwhelming positivity about the Knicks:

“I’m a little embarrassed at my positivity and joie de vivre. Not being the winning team is kind of built into the Knicks’ sauce. You say you’re a Knicks fan, and people are like, ‘Oh, I’m sorry.’ It’s like a joke. But it’s never really mattered to me ’cause I just love ’em. I love the Knicks, and I love being at the Garden, even though the individuals are different every year. So, this is some whole other place. This is some whole other thing. It’s intense.”

On feeling possessive about the team:

“I don’t know where to put this. It’s a little bit like everybody is focused now on my guys. But they’re my guys! I’m feeling sort of very possessive about my team. Like, the whole freaking world is focused on them right now, and I’m like, ‘Back off, everybody. These are my guys.’”

Fat Joe

On the Knicks unifying New York:

“I seen Hasidic Jews break dancing with Black kids. This is the greatest unification of the city since 9/11.”

On James Dolan’s ownership:

“Shoutout to Mr. Dolan. Greatest team owner in the game. Very misunderstood. They villainize Mr. Dolan almost like a Bruce Wayne, like Batman in Gotham City because he’s an elite. But this man: All these watch parties. That man’s taking care of us. What do you want me to say? The guy lives a great life. It’s a lot of pressure. New York City, man, they want answers and they want it now. So they kept trying to get it right and now finally you’ve got this team-ball mentality.”

On the Knicks’ team-first mentality:

“[In New York], we like big names, and we always went for the big names, but those were more like individual achievers. It wasn’t team basketball. So we got it right.”

On fearing the firing of Tom Thibodeau and the hiring of Mike Brown:

“I was a little nervous with coach cause I’m not gonna lie to you: I loved Thibs. So when he came, I said, ‘Dog, what did we do?’ But [Mike Brown] proved to me that he’s an incredible, incredible coach. This is all a team. They’ve got that mentality. They’re not celebrating. I might be celebrating more than these guys.”

Ben Stiller

On sharing courtside footage with fans on X:

“If you’re lucky enough to have that access and have that point of view, I feel like it’s great to be able to share that. I think that’s the biggest part of it, is to be able to share that point of view because I feel so grateful to have that. And then it’s fun to be just witnessing it.”

On combining filmmaking and his Knicks fandom:

“It’s just incredible. It’s so exciting. Obviously, to do what I love doing, and then my favorite thing to do is to go see the Knicks play, it’s special to have that come together.”

On appreciating the moment as a fan:

“It’s that thing of just trying to appreciate the moment. It’s actually hard, even when I’m filming, because I want to enjoy it as a fan, too. So, it’s kind of that balance. So, half the time I’ll drop the phone and just go jump up and down. For me, I’m much more interested in seeing what’s going on out there instead of myself.”

On accepting the Knicks’ struggles over the years:

“My whole life I’ve lived with this idea that, ‘Oh, the Knicks aren’t going to make it, the Knicks have never been good, the Knicks have been a joke for a long time back in the day.’ It almost became something you accept.”

On how surreal this Knicks run feels:

“It’s kind of surreal. I think it would be one of the biggest things to happen to the city in terms of unifying [us]. I think it’s stuff inside of people that they don’t even know is there, the feelings that are coming up where you’re used to just having to live with, ‘OK, this is what it is’ to the reality of we’re in the Finals and we’re two games up.”

On being in denial about the moment:

“It’s still, I feel like I’m in denial about it. But I think for the city it’s going to be incredible. You can already feel it.”

Australia’s relationship with the NBA has been a passionate and long-standing one, and its own domestic league, the NBL, has an enormous following. The NBL has contributed to the NBA Draft across the decades, but ever since LaMelo Ball plied his trade as an emerging guard with the Illawarra Hawks as part of the 2020 NBA Draft class, there has been an increase in not only prospects who have attempted to replicate a similar path but young players who have emerged within the NBL.

Draft selections from the NBL in recent years include Ball, Alex Sarr, Rayan Rupert, Bobi Klintman, and AJ Johnson to name a few prospects in the last few years. Varying levels of talent and NBA-sticking power in that small collection of names, but what is certain is that the NBL has been more recently solidified as an absolutely viable entry route for the NBA.

19-year-old Mexican forward Karim Lopez will be the latest NBL prospect hoping to hear his name called on NBA Draft Day. A 6-foot-9 forward for the New Zealand Breakers, Lopez averaged 11.9 points per game on 49.4% shooting on 8.9 field goal attempts, 32% from three in three attempts per game, 73.9% from the line on 2.9 free throw attempts, six rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.1 steals, and one block in an average of 25 minutes per game in 30 games played, per RealGM.

Considering that Lopez just turned 19 in April (his last game of the season taking place in February, meaning he did all that we’re about to see in a professional league at 18 years old), these are productive numbers from Lopez. Let’s take a look at the film and see what’s what with Karim Lopez, who wears the number one.

Offense/scoring

Lopez’s best work offensively comes on the move, on drives, in the paint. He’s very efficient there, and considering he shoots 49% from the field despite shooting 32% from three suggests that he is more efficient than his percentage indicates. I think the most impressive aspect of Lopez’s offensive game is his poise; many players at this age play with one speed, often too quick than they are capable of.

Lopez plays a little slower, but he also plays as if the game has already slowed down for him. In the NBA, you can see when a player has matured and plays with poise. Jalen Johnson is a great example: his offensive game comes a lot more naturally to him now, and while he could — and can — go above players and finish with authority, more often than not in the halfcourt, he’s more patient now, and you see it as it happens. Lopez, similarly, plays with a poise beyond his years, and you’ll see that as we look at his scoring inside the arc.

Grabbing a rebound off of a miss, Lopez takes the ball up the floor at a leisurely pace, uses the screen, drives inside, creates contact, and finishes at the rim despite a late change of hands from right-to-left and back to right again:

Lopez loves to initiate contact; you’re just going to see it consistently as we move through these clips.

Lopez is able to utilize hesitation dribbles/drives to great effect, which he uses to a smaller degree on this play before being quite aggressive in creating contact, not once but twice, and while he carves out space against his own defender, the help arrives to contest Lopez, who is still able to hit and draw a foul for the ‘and-1’:

On the perimeter, Lopez sizes up his man, and he uses his combination of hesitation and stutter steps before driving, finding the space and finishes at the rim:

Coming off of the pick-and-roll, Lopez is really good at controlling his pace, hesitating before accelerating, creating contact and finishing in the lane:

Coming off of a pin-down, Lopez receives the ball heading to the paint and uses his physicality to clear out space from the defender and hits the runner over the defense:

Lopez can demonstrate good patience, and again, he plays at his own speed and doesn’t really allow others to speed him up. On the catch inside the paint, he waits for the defense to commit, before laying the ball in from close range:

Lopez can be described as a crafty player, picking up the loose ball here on this play, spins, swivels and ducks back to his left and lifts the left-handed layup for the basket:

Some of these swivels really look like travels at times, Lopez is certainly able to use his footwork to get himself into advantageous situation, as he does on this play where he swivels — probably gets away with a travel — before dunking at the rim:

Other methods that can see Lopez score efficiently inside can include offensive rebounds (of which he secured two a game):

Catches in the paint/post where he can finish over defenders:

This play was a particularly heads up play — Lopez recognizing when he has the defender at his back and able to establish superior position inside for an entry pass.

On the catch inside the paint, Lopez bangs, and hits the shot over the defender in the lane:

Lopez also has underrated athletic abilities in his arsenal, and he can certainly use this to punish defenses in transition when he runs the floor:

Lopez can also provide an option close to the rim on an out-of-bounds scenario:

Lopez was excellent at not just initiating contact but as we’ve looked at so far he’s been able to finish plays where he’s fouled, and he’s able to get himself consistently to the free throw line.

On the drive from the corner, Lopez hesitates before driving, getting away with a hook in the process, and draws the foul and free throws:

Coming off of a screen this time, hesitates before shifting gears to get to the baseline under the rim where he draws the contact on the layup attempt and is sent to the free throw line:

After intercepting the lob attempt, Lopez brings the ball up the floor, recovers on the stumble and rises into an attempt at the rim, drawing contact and free throws:

This next play highlights Lopez’s activity off the ball: a mix of a cut, attempting to establish post position, and finally retreating to three-point line, where he receives the ball and drives, splitting the defenders and drawing a foul:

Lopez can also draw fouls and free throws on the offensive glass:

Lopez also does well to draw fouls in the post, as he establishes deep position inside against former Hawk John Jenkins, before bumping and creating contact, drawing a foul and more free throws:

Again, Lopez gets into the paint and gets his man at his back in the post, and when he receives the entry pass he swings and rises, initiating the contact and drawing the foul and free throws:

On this action, Lopez ends up almost using a little slip into the defender into an opportunity to back him further down into the paint before receiving the ball, where Lopez drifts inside for a shot attempt, drawing contact and free throws:

The only major criticism I have of Lopez’s game is a lack of consistency with his three-point shot right now, but 32% is certainly workable at just 19 years old. Let’s take a look at a couple of makes and misses just for reference.

Here, Lopez hits a deep catch-and-shoot three above the break:

Coming off of the pin-down, Lopez gets a look at an open three and he sinks a deep three:

In transition, Lopez receives the outlet pass before jab stepping and stepping back, and rising into the three-pointer:

On the catch on the wing, Lopez misses the catch-and-shoot three-pointer:

In the corner, Lopez takes a few exploratory jab steps before rising into a missed three:

On a give-and-get back possession with his teammate — followed by a screen to free up space — Lopez misses a three above the break:

Passing/playmaking

Lopez has some playmaking ability as part of his game too, averaging 1.9 assists per game. These arrived in a few differing scenarios, let’s take a look at them.

In the pick-and-roll, Lopez loops a pass over the top of the defense for the assist on the roll:

On the slipped screen this time, Lopez delivers another pass over the defense for another assist at the rim:

This theme of Lopez being able to pass over the defense continues, this time in transition as he delivers a satisfying touch pass for a shot opportunity which is blocked:

When a teammate cuts to the rim, Lopez delivers another pass over the defense for another assist:

Operating in the pick-and-roll, Lopez comes off the screen and drives into the paint before kicking to the corner for the three-point attempt:

A dribble so slow that it looks like a carry.

In another pick-and-roll, Lopez finds the shooter away from the screen for a three-point attempt. When this is missed, Lopez grabs the offensive rebound and kicks out to the three-point line for an assist on the three:

Defense

Lopez’s defensive stats certainly suggest that he is a hive of activity capable of mixing it up in both steals and blocks, averaging 1.1 steals and one block per game.

Near the end of the shotclock — and with the dribble of the offensive player spent — a fadeaway attempt is blocked by Lopez, who has the reach to block the fadeaway:

After the spin move appears to free up on the offensive player, Lopez is able to recover to block the shot at the rim:

This time as the help defender, Lopez rotates to contest and block the shot at the rim:

Again as the help defender, Lopez rotates and blocks the shot from behind at the rim:

At the end of a third quarter, Lopez sprints over from the weakside to block another shot at the rim:

Initially, Lopez is beaten on the drive but is in place to collect the steal on the alley-oop:

As the help defender on the drive, Lopez reaches in down low and he knocks the ball away for the steal:

On an out-of-bounds play, Lopez is able to reach down low to disrupt the inbounds pass and collect the steal:

Looking outside of blocks and steals, Lopez can offer some good defensive moments.

On this possession, he does well to prevent penetration after initially looking as though he was beaten, and demonstrates some good defensive activity which prompts a pass elsewhere:

However, I didn’t always enjoy some of Lopez’s defensive work, which I think can be inconsistent.

On the drive from the three-point line, the defensive effort from Lopez is poor and the basket is scored:

In transition, Lopez trails the play, and while it’s understandable when he’s run off the three-point line, he falls for a fake at the free throw line, and it leads to a more open shot, which he is fortunate is missed:

Lopez can be quite foul prone, averaging just under three fouls a game with a five foul limit.

On this play, Lopez commits to the steal attempt, and in trying to get back in front of the play he commits the foul on the drive:

On this play, Lopez picks up the drive from halfcourt, doesn’t keep his man in front of him, and ends up committing the foul at the rim on the block attempt as the basket is scored:

When the catch inside is made, Lopez initially maintains his verticality but is called for the bump as the basket is scored at the rim, plus the foul:

On the beginning of a drive attempt, Lopez is called for the foul as he cannot keep his man in front:

In closing…

Karim Lopez is a player who is offensively mature beyond his age. He plays as though the game has already slowed down, almost like an old man game — very few things are going to rush Lopez offensively. He has his own rhythm offensively and he utilizes his drives/dribbles/stutter steps really well to get inside as frequently as he does despite not having an elite burst.

What speed he does have, Lopez does a good job of shifting gears. Now, this isn’t a massive third gear to top gear kind of shift. Lopez is really effective in the third to fourth gear shift, if that makes sense. It’s not fast, but Lopez is able to make this small shift in pace work to his advantage to work an opening on a drive. He just has a really good feel for the game offensively and plays with a maturity and pace you just don’t see in 18-year-olds (he was 18 for the entirety of this last season). To add to this young age, Lopez is an underrated athlete on the court — he doesn’t jump out the gym, but you see the moments where he can certainly rise high, and he posted very impressive figures at the NBA Draft Combine (which we’ll touch on soon).

Elsewhere, Lopez is comfortable working from the post or in entry-pass scenarios where he’s able to do a good job finishing over defenses. Lopez is a crafty offensive player, and has this knack for getting away with hooks, travels, and drawing free throws. He’s crafty, and he’s able to create his own offense and his own shots, and that should hold some value. However, the three-point shooting isn’t quite there yet, but having just turned 19 years, old age is on Lopez’s side — there’s plenty of time to further develop Lopez’s already refined and efficient offensive game. There is also playmaking potential to expand on with Lopez too, particularly in the pick-and-roll — nothing elite, but enough that he can create off the bounce and spot a pass or make connecting plays that may not lead to assists but would be considered secondary assists.

Defensively, there’s no doubt that Lopez can make plays. He has this knack of contributing multiple blocks and steals in a game, particularly blocking shots which he can do in one-on-one situations and as a help defender. He has great physical tools, measuring at 6 foot, 8.75 inches without shoes, and a wingspan of 6 foot, 11 inches, all to go along with a 38-inch vertical jump at the NBA Draft Combine. However, Lopez’s defensive effort can be inconsistent, and he can struggle to stay in front of his man, and he can be quite foul prone on these drives, or on block attempts.

Overall, there’s a lot to like when it comes to Lopez. His offensive skillset partnered with his physical tools and his age means that there’s high upside here, especially if the shooting comes along. Now, with all that said, let’s look at how other outlets view Lopez’s stock ahead of the draft.

ESPN rank Lopez 13th overall among their ‘Best Available’, and Jeremy Woo, similarly, mocks Lopez at 13th overall with this to add on Lopez as a prospect:

Lopez is drawing interest from a number of teams in the lottery, including the Clippers, Nets, Bucks and Warriors, with rival teams viewing him as more of a trade-back candidate later on in the case of the Clippers and Nets.

He was helped by his combine measurements, affirming his size to play both forward positions capably and massive hands. He continues to improve and has positioned himself as an intriguing development bet coming off a strong second season in the NBL

Many teams are intrigued by Lopez’s mix of size, skill and toughness but want to see him improve as a shooter and get a better sense of how well he can create offense for himself. These are things he can display in workouts as he gets in front of teams in the coming weeks to help firm up his position.

A playoff team in need of retooling would benefit from the maturity Lopez brings, but would they have the patience needed to play him in order him to develop? Woo notes that the combine has helped Lopez’s draft stock, which is worth noting as his posted well physically at the combine.

The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie mocks Lopez 20th overall with this to say of Lopez:

Lopez’s numbers look in line with past lottery picks coming out of Australia’s NBL Next Stars program, as he’s averaging 12 points, six rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block per game. He has excellent hands, is very skilled with the ball and often operates as essentially a mismatch hybrid forward for the Breakers. He’s a physical bowling ball who can play in screens and short rolls. He can attack in a straight line from the perimeter, and he is a solid finisher.

The 3-point shooting has been up and down in his two years in New Zealand (32 percent), but he looks to have good touch and should work through any concerns there at some point. The bigger questions come on defense, as his lateral speed isn’t particularly good. He doesn’t have much shake on the ball offensively; on defense, his hips don’t flip quickly enough, and he can be beaten by faster guards. If he improves in those two areas as he ages, he’ll be an excellent rotation player.

Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports mocks Lopez as high as 12th overall, outlining Lopez’s strengths and weaknesses:

STRENGTHS

Physical tools: López is already built like a veteran at 6-foot-8 and 222 pounds with a 7-foot wingspan. He isn’t a twitchy athlete and he doesn’t sky over opponents, but his broad shoulders and functional strength let him hold his ground against grown men in a professional league as a teenager.

Interior finishing: López is a bowling ball on his drives to the basket. He bodies opponents with his shoulder and invites contact once he elevates. He draws a ton of fouls as well. But there’s a finesse to him as well with the way he can extend his arm and hand for touch finishes from unusual angles.

Role player skills: He runs the floor on the break, he cuts, he screens, he does all the little things you want from a non-star. He’s a super aware cutter who’s always looking for cracks in the defense. He’ll bully smaller defenders under the rim as well to make himself available for finishes in the paint. Even if a simple layup or dunk isn’t available, he has the skill to hit some turnaround jumpers while fading away. With his ability to handle, he could ideally be paired with a perimeter-shooting guard that can free up López to eat on short rolls to the basket.

Connective playmaking: He’s not a primary initiator, but he can keep an offense flowing by making smart reads out of pick-and-rolls, handoffs, and short roll situations. He has a flair to his game. He’ll toss wrap-around passes when a big man commits to him to find cutters, he’ll throw bullseye lobs to cutting bigs, and he rewards guys who run the floor when he brings it up himself.

Defense: With his size, length, and strength, López has the traits to become a highly versatile defender who can switch across positions and make an impact as a help defender. He slides his feet well on-ball, whether defending players at his size or quicker guards. And off-ball, when he’s locked in, he’s a useful weakside rim protector who can fly in for blocks.

Just to chime in at this point of O’Connor’s assessment, there appears to be a consensus that Lopez is more likely to carve out a role on the fringes than as a starter. I would push-back somewhat on Lopez’s effectiveness as an on-ball defender, but would agree that he is impactful as a help shot-blocker. The rest of Lopez’s strengths we’ve examined previously. Let’s continue:

CONCERNS

Shooting: López made 33% of his catch-and-shoot 3s and 73% of his free throws in two NBL seasons, which isn’t a disaster, but he hasn’t shown an ability to be a knockdown shooter yet. He rarely takes 3s off movement. But his shooting has progressed. He was closer to a non-shooter when he was younger, and he went from having zero bag off the dribble to hitting six dribble-jumper 3s this past year. With his soft touch near the rim, he might just need time and the right coaching to unlock a reliable jump shot.

Shot creation: Most of his unassisted shots come as a result of bumping off defenders and using pump fakes to generate space. He doesn’t have a quick first step or burst in the lane, and he doesn’t have a dynamic handle either. He rarely ever uses his left hand when finishing at the rim. It doesn’t impact his ability to score in the NBL, but certainly could in the NBA. His handle is also notably looser with his left than his dominant right hand. Against NBA athletes, that physicality might be more neutralized than it has been at lower levels.

Off-ball defense: He gets a bit spacey when defending away from the ball. He’ll be late on rotations. Sometimes it seems like his effort comes and goes, which can’t happen for a player that projects as more of a role player than a superstar.

I’d argue that it is a testament to Lopez’s offensive skill that he can be efficient and effective despite not having an elite first step or burst — he makes it work for his game. It is a fair concern that things would look very different against NBA athletes, and it’s fair to take that into account in assessing Lopez as an NBA prospect.

Kyle Mann of The Ringer is significantly lower on Lopez than we’ve seen so far, projecting Lopez 28th overall with this to add:

I’ve had more of a “pumped brakes” mentality when it comes to López, because I think where he lands will be really important. The ability to pinpoint useful skills and maximize them is an advantage that some organizations have and some don’t. We’ve seen what Boston has done with Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, and Sam Hauser, and I think that López—a power wing whose rim pressure makes him an intriguing prospect—would similarly benefit from the time and structure that the Celtics could give him. If they tidied up the details surrounding his downhill strength and helped his percentage from 3 climb a few points, López could become an asset.

I completely agree that ‘where’ Lopez is selected is really important. Were he to land on a playoff team with a G League affiliation, it could prove a great selection and infusion of talent in a few years. Lopez would likely be too high for the Hawks to consider at eight, but in a trade back situation, Lopez could be helpful off the bench. Karim Lopez is an intriguing prospect whose ceiling I think can be a productive starter, a solid rotation player off the bench in a less-than-ideal scenario.

Time will soon tell…