In a video making the rounds on social media, two Spurs fans went eye-to-eye with a Knicks fan wearing his blue Knicks cap, a Knicks No. 8 jersey and a platinum chain, which was ripped off his neck.
A Knicks fan had his chain ripped off by a Spurs fan. X, @_angel218_
The Knicks fan then aggressively came over to one of the Spurs fans, who immediately began throwing punches as a brawl broke out.
Two police officers wearing five-gallon cowboy hats ran over to apprehend the Knicks fan, despite the instigator appearing to be on the home team’s side.
It is unclear if the Knicks fan ever retrieved his necklace.
A television segment was being held right in front of the scuffle, which continued with fans surrounding the blocked-off area.
Knicks fans have traveled well throughout this magical playoff run — from Atlanta to Philadelphia to Cleveland and now San Antonio.
Their playoff opponents have attempted to slow the travel plans by geo-fencing ticket sales and requiring zip codes on credit cards to be non-New York-based.
The Spurs fans attempts to punch the Knicks supporter. @_angel218_/X
It has all been to no avail.
The Knicks have won 12 straight overall and seven straight on the road — their only loss away from MSG coming in a 109-108 loss to the Hawks on the April 23.
Spurs fan who ripped off a Knicks fans chain throws a punch. X, @_angel218_
Knicks fans are going to be tough to deal with again in Game 2 on Friday night as they look to put a stranglehold on the series.
San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is “not worried in the slightest” after Wednesday’s Game 1 home loss.
The Knicks beat the Spurs 105-95 on Wednesday night to grab a 1-0 series lead, and Wembanyama finished with 26 points, 12 of which came from the free throw line.
“We’ve been down in a series before,” Wembanyama said. “Never in the Finals, obviously.
“But I’m not kicking myself about anything, really. I’m not worried in the slightest.”
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) looks down as New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) looks towards his bench during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals. AP Photo/Eric Gay
The Spurs led the Knicks by as many as 14 points in the third quarter, but with Jalen Brunson leading the comeback with a game-high 30 points, that lead slowly evaporated.
Wembanyama shot just 28 percent from the field during the game and 22 percent from behind the arc.
When the Spurs needed him most, the 7-foot-4 Frenchman scored just 11 points in the second half.
Brunson alone had 13 in the fourth quarter.
“I was bad tonight,” Wembanyama said. “It’s not more complicated than that. … I think we let that one go.”
Wembanyama has been on fire this postseason, averaging 23.3 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 3.5 blocks.
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) celebrates a basket against the New York Knicks during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals. AP Photo/Eric Gay
The Spurs are undefeated in the playoffs when the forward tallied at least 30 points. In fact, it’s been two months since Wembanyama lost and put up 30 or more points.
“It’s almost not like I have anything to figure out. It’s almost like I have to play normal, not even good [in Game 2],” Wembanyama said. “It’s just [about] doing the right things enough.
“When we play bad, when I play bad, is when we shoot ourselves in the foot. This is why I’m not worried. We’re going to be so much better. I’m going to be so much better.”
Wembanyama said he felt the Spurs had momentum in the game until the very end, and ultimately believed San Antonio let the game slip.
The Spurs led by one point with 2:16 left, but surrendered an 11-0 run to end the game.
In the final two minutes, Wembanyama turned the ball over once and then missed a 3-pointer on the next possession. The Knicks turned the next possession into points on both occasions.
“It was quick,” Wembanyama said. “I think we let that one go.”
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 26: Trendon Watford #12 of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots a free throw during the game against the Boston Celtics during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 26, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It was an up-and-down season for the Philadelphia 76ers in general, but especially so for Trendon Watford.
The 25-year-old forward appeared in 53 games for the Sixers this season, starting in seven and averaging 16.3 minutes a night. Opportunity was far from consistent for Watford, though, as he worked in and out of the rotation at different points of the campaign. When the team was dealing with a plethora of injuries, Watford was able to step in. At other times, he battled injuries or simply became a redundancy in the rotation as the squad got healthier and his weaknesses became more palpable.
All of those factors will come into play as the Sixers face a decision with Watford for 2026-27: pick up the team option for the second year of his two-year, vet minimum contract, or let him go. The deadline for the Sixers to pick up that option is June 29.
So, what will the Sixers do?
Let’s talk about the positives first. Watford’s best outing of the season came way back on Nov. 8, 2025, when he posted an impressive triple-double of 20 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists in a 130-120 Sixers win over the Raptors. He shot 8-for-10 from the floor (1-for-2 from long range) on top of a good defensive effort in what was his first ever start as a Sixer.
Trendon Watford. What a game in his first Sixers start.
Watford notched his first career triple-double with 20 PTS (8-10 FG), 17 REB, 10 AST. Add fantastic defensive effort on top of that, too.
That performance possibly set expectations astronomically too high for Watford, who never posted quite those numbers again. He reached the 20-point mark just one more time the entire season, off the bench on March 21 against the Utah Jazz. Sure, it was against the Jazz, but still, 7-of-10 FG, nine rebounds and four assists in 23 minutes ain’t bad!
The problem is, that wasn’t exactly what the Sixers always got from him.
The thing with Watford is that he’s not a horrible player with the ball in his hands. For a forward — a 6-foot-8, 237 pound one, at that — he has some decent ball-handling and playmaking skills more usually attributed to a guard. The problem with that is that there are a number of players — Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, just to name a few — that the Sixers would rather have with the ball in their hands. That leaves Watford to playing off the ball… which is definitely not his strong suit. He does not shoot the long ball often or particularly well, he isn’t as active as a rebounder as you’d want for a guy his size, nor is he a great defensively by any means.
Consistency is the key if you’re going to be a rotation player, and Watford simply did not get or exude a lot of that as a Sixer. For every night he came up big for Philly, he’d have a few where he couldn’t make much impact at all. For every stint the team was shorthanded and needed him in large role, there were other times there was simply no room for Watford — especially toward the end of the regular season as the team was as “full-strength” as a Sixers team gets. A lot of his best moments came in garbage time of games all but decided already. Even for a Sixers team that basically had zero depth and was playing guys for 45 minutes a night, Watford simply wasn’t good enough to move the needle really at all.
Is he decent with the ball? At times. Does he seem like a great guy that his teammates love? For sure! Does he bring a level of high energy that the Sixers aren’t always famous for? Absolutely! But the bottom line problem with Watford for this Sixers team is that they would need him to be much better off the ball and at scoring some serious points, and he simply doesn’t score consistently enough to make up for those other major weaknesses on the floor.
For these reasons, I wouldn’t be terribly surprised to see Philadelphia decline to pick up Watford’s team option to return for the Sixers in 2026-27. Even at the vet minimum price tag, he simply may not bring enough to the table to make it worth the Sixers’ while.
Jun 3, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) shoots the ball against the New York Knicks in the second half during game one of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
The road to the Larry O’Brien Trophy was never meant to be easy. Against the New York Knicks, the San Antonio Spurs flashed some of that playoff magic in their loss to the Knicks. Victor Wembanyama notched a double-double with a team-high 26 points and 12 rebounds. Julian Champagnie also had a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Speaking of rebounds, the boys will hope to tie up the series in their next outing despite some flashes of good basketball against their Eastern Conference counterparts.
If you ever wondered what it looks like if Michael Jordan was a seven-footer taking a jump shot from the top of the elbow, I give you exhibit A:
Victor Wembanyama blocked a shot, took a moment to preen, and then rolled back into frame to drain a three. It’s flashy work, but someone has to do it.
Devin Vassell lasered this pass to De’Aaron Fox for the wide open look. When the good guys were able to counter the Knicks’ hot start, the Spurs looked somewhat sharp on the offensive end, despite the many missed threes. The team averaged 28 assists per game this season so they will look to improve upon Wednesday’s 16 assist effort in the Game 1 loss.
Julian Champagnie was on a heater tonight. Not only did the Spurs forward go a scorching 5 – 10 from downtown on Wednesday night, but coming down with 10 boards for the double-double was a nice touch as well.
Harper just continued to impress. Any adjustments the Spurs make in Game 2 will probably involve a touch more minutes for Harper, even though he logged a decent-sized 27:31 minutes off the bench.
It’s really crazy just watching Dylan Harper’s moves around the rim and instantly be reminded of the magic Manu Ginóbili would pull off. These two players have a knack for getting the best out of every angle and crevice between outstretched arms and the basket to finagle that basketball in. Maybe it’s because they’re left-handed. Maybe it’s (you sang that jingle in your head as you read it, didn’t you?).
Devin Vassell continues to do yeoman’s work on the court on the offensive and defensive end, but nothing was yeoman-like about this emphatic dunk. The bounce pass from Fox was also simple, quick, but pretty (in Michael Scott’s voice,“ TWSS”).
Good things happen when Wembanyama takes it to the hoop . . . is exactly what Mitch Johnson should have tattooed on the underside of his arms so that when he’s waving in plays while coaching on the floor the team can permanently see the best plan of action inked in a sleeve on his arm.
The NBA Finals are back in San Antonio, where they belong. It’s a long series, folks. Buckle in because it’s only going to get crazier. We love the corgi. But now they just have to go out there and do this without the corgi. It’ll be hard, but nothing in life worth having comes easy. I took that quote from Dr. Bob Kelso in Scrubs. If you’re a fan of the show, the reboot is actually good. Same heart, new laughs. What has two thumbs and says Go Spurs Go? Bob Kelso Son Q. Trinh, nice to meet you.
Jalen Brunson scored 30 points in the Knicks’ victory on Wednesday night.Photograph: Eric Gay/AP
It is uncommon to begin counting down after the opening game of an NBA finals, but these are uncommon times in New York, and the Knicks have been counting since Richard Nixon was president, their coach, Mike Brown, was three years old, and their opponent, the San Antonio Spurs, played in the American Basketball Association as the Dallas Chaparrals. After the Knicks took Game 1 105-95, the anticipation in New York rose to yet another level.
Game 1 was not a good game, but it was a great game. The first quarter was ragged. So was the second. Neither team could shoot from distance – the Knicks shot 31% from three, the Spurs 26%. The Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama, the sport’s heir apparent, made his finals debut with six turnovers, 6-for-21 shooting from the field, defensively alive but never transcendent. Both Wembanyama and Jalen Brunson, the Knicks’ superb, always underestimated engine, took nine three-pointers. Each made two.
In terms of beauty and efficiency, Game 1 was mud wrestling, but a game need not be artistic to be great. Its greatness was not in the artistry but in its suffocating weight, its messiness the byproduct of the maximum effort by both teams and the omnipresent stakes, the special pressures inherited by the players. The Knicks have not won the final game of an NBA season since 1973, and New York is waiting, waiting to finally burst, to blow the lid off the city. The countdown is not by game but seemingly by possession.
In 1994, when the New York Rangers played Vancouver in the Stanley Cup finals, desperate for that first championship since 1940, the energy was similar. Fifty-four years. A sizable number of the fan base wasn’t alive the last time the Rangers had won. The ones who had been were middle-aged or senior citizens, convinced as all beaten fan bases are, that they’ll never see victory in their lifetimes. The images from 1940 – still photography and film, black and white because color was not yet ubiquitous – seemed from another time, and it was. The United States – convinced Europe wasn’t their problem – had not yet entered World War II and adopted the phrase “America First” to emphasize the point.
And yet even though these Knicks last won when the world was in color, the years are nevertheless the years. The Rangers waited 54 years for their fans to exhale; the Knicks have been waiting for 53 years and counting. The resultant feeling in Game 1 was a palpable tension reserved for playoff overtime hockey. Or baseball.
It could be felt by the frenetic pace of the opening minutes, the mood swings of Knicks fans on the socials. The result was watching something other than basketball, where possessions aren’t perceived as valuable because there are so many trips in an average game, and until the final minutes, there is very little about basketball that feels urgent.
1973 was a long time ago, almost as long ago as 1940 was to Rangers fans in 1994. The great director and Knicks superfan Spike Lee was 16. While the cameras panned to their fans’ faces alternating between elation and indigestion, the Knicks played Game 1 with more confidence than their legions did watching it, which is appropriate, even though no Knicks team in history has played as well and been as dominant as this one. They have won six of their last 12 games by at least 20 points, four by 30 or more, and one by 51, but have not eased into their what could once be called – during happier times in the Bronx – their Inner Yankee, believing victory to be inevitable. The Knicks have not lost a basketball game since 23 April, when Atlanta beat them in Game 3 of the first round, the sky fell and it was time to fire everyone. They’ve played 12 games since then and won them all. On Wednesday night, the Spurs trailing 94-86, ripped off nine straight points, led by Wembanyama, took a 95-94 lead with 2:16 remaining – and did not score again. The inevitability of the Knicks was shown again, and they closed matters with an 11-0 run.
The Knicks’ inevitability – if it does indeed exist – was again embodied by Brunson, again the best player on the floor when it mattered. At one point, he had missed 15 of his first 22 shots. When it was time to take money off the table, he made five of his last nine. Brunson is the antithesis of his nervous fandom, not only unbothered by the tension but hungry for it, certain how the story will end.
In San Antonio, there is pressure but of a different sort. The Spurs last won a championship 12 years ago, and they have won five in the last 27 years. No one on the Riverwalk is hyperventilating during a third-quarter inbounds play.
San Antonio pressure is watching joyfully knowing that the future belongs to them, hoping that future begins now but comfortable in the knowledge that they have arrived early. That is the contrast of these finals, one team desperate to erase a half-century of pain, another barely scratching the surface of their potential. The basketball world watching the Spurs know this, too, for Wembanyama does not only threaten the NBA order, but the American sense of basketball self, knowing that every moment of his improvement lessens the nearly century-old grip America has had on international competition. The Olympics are coming. Los Angeles, 2028, and Wembanyama is guaranteeing something no one has ever seen before: Team USA entering an Olympics as an underdog. The Americans have lost, but never have they not been favored.
On this night, however, he was human, the baby giraffe of a man expected to do something unprecedented each time he touches the ball was muscled and uncomfortable, defended admirably and effectively by Karl-Anthony Towns. While Brunson closed – a fadeaway, an offensive tip to maintain possession that led to a crushing corner three as part of a 13-point fourth – it was Wemby who, with a one-point lead, recklessly drove the lane and missed, and then slipped and lost the ball at midcourt.
It was only Game 1, and there is plenty of basketball to be played, but maybe – even regardless of the outcome – these Knicks have done enough to signal to their fans that it’s finally OK to watch the rest of the series thinking like winners. The year 1973 was indeed a very long time ago, and for Knicks fans every game is going to feel like this until the long wait ends – chests tight, expecting dread, even as their charges twice erased double-digit deficits, responding to the Game 1 challenge as they have for the past six weeks – by playing like the best basketball team in the world.
Howard Bryant is the author of 11 books, including The Heritage: Black Athletes, A Divided America, and the Politics of Patriotism and Kings and Pawns: Jackie Robinson and Paul Robeson in America.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JANUARY 09: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks handles the ball against Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns during the second half of the NBA game at Mortgage Matchup Center on January 09, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Knicks 112-107. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Phoenix Suns already built one Finals team around Devin Booker back in 2021. Chris Paul was next to him in the backcourt, Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson on the wings, Deandre Ayton looked like a budding star, and Cam Johnson and Cam Payne brought the energy, shooting, and defense off the bench. They’re looking to build another.
That Suns team is a distant memory, and team building is drastically different from what it was five years ago when Phoenix was just two games from hoisting the franchise’s first Larry O’Brien trophy.
Game 1 of the NBA finals was a reminder of this reality. Whether Mat Ishbia and Brian Gregory’s plan is for Booker to be the team’s best player for the future or to pair him with someone better, Phoenix needs to start building like the Spurs and Knicks have. There is more to a team than its best players.
There OBVIOUSLY is no Victor Wembanyama (they already tried that with Bol Bol, haha) walking through the door, but both teams have created rosters around their best players not just by strong drafting, but with strong asset management, being financially responsible, and focusing on player development.
As New York continued to demonstrate to the league that they were a formidable opponent, back in 2023, the Knicks traded RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley for OG Anunoby. If New York had jumped on offers to send either of them to the Jazz more than a year earlier for Donovan Mitchell, it would’ve been much harder for them to acquire the all-defensive guard. Months before the trade, New York had the opportunity to extend Quickley before the season and did not. If they did, it would have changed the financials of the trade and made it harder to acquire Anunoby
Signings like Landry Shamet and Julian Champagnie have given both teams not only shooting, but also another player whom they can rely on off the bench that provides spacing for the team’s ball handlers. Development projects Keldon Johnson and Deuce McBride are examples of how San Antonio and New York can help non-lottery draft picks progress into key pieces. Johnson just won Sixth Man of the Year this season, and McBride shot over 40% from three this year.
This is not to say the Suns have not made drastic improvements since they traded Kevin Durant and bought out Bradley Beal. Collin Gillespie’s development is an example of how the team can develop young players into strong contributors. Dillon Brooks could be the team’s version of Anunoby with his defensive tenacity and improved scoring, but the Suns are nowhere near either of the NBA’s finalists, despite the fact that they went 4-2 against both of them in the regular season.
Down the stretch of the year, the team showed its lack of athleticism, depth, and offensive punch. They went 6-10 in their final ten games as they hobbled into the playoffs.
The West looks to be even better and deeper next season. Not only will the Thunder and Spurs both be back and be a year more experienced, the Rockets’ young players will be even better, Cooper Flagg will be a year better and even the Jazz, after years of being at the bottom of the standings, could be a formidable opponent next season after acquiring former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. and adding whoever they select with the second pick in this month’s draft.
Whether it’s acquiring more assets or staying patient, Phoenix can take a page out of San Antonio and New York’s playbooks on how to build an elite roster around its top-end talent.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JUNE 3: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs guards Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks during the game during Game One of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 3, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 105-95 in Game 1 on the road, stealing home-court advantage from the Wemboys.
In yet another Burner Classic, Jalen Brunson’s clutch chops pushed the Knicks to victory on Wednesday, while Josh Hart’s Energizer Bunny tendencies and an inspired Karl-Anthony Towns did the rest to give the Knicks faithfulness what they deserved and waited for a damn 27 years.
The Spurs still had Victor Wembanyama, who finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds, and three blocks, but could only shoot 6-for-21 while committing six turnovers in a day to forget for the French.
For anyone monitoring the Finals from the betting side, FanDuel flipped the favorite to win the chip after New York’s Game 1 win, and is now listing the Knicks at -134 and the Spurs at +114 odds.
With one game in the books, here’s our ranking of every player eligible to play in the 2026 NBA Finals.
1. Victor Wembanyama, C, Spurs
Wembanyama remains the best player in the series, even after a Game 1 that looked more human than alien. The size alone is all he needs to be the best at a sport in which taller usually means better…
2. Jalen Brunson, PG, Knicks
…unless your surname is Brunson. JB is the reason this Knicks era stopped being a perennial exercise in nostalgia and turned New York into a Finals contender. Brunson needed 31 shots to get to his 30-point outing, but he still gave the Knicks enough to pull off another late-game comeback.
3. Karl-Anthony Towns, C, Knicks
Towns gives the Knicks size, spacing and secondary playmaking in a way we had not seen before CJ McCollum inspired him. KAT’s 18 points, 12 rebounds and four assists in Game 1 showed the full package.
4. OG Anunoby, F, Knicks
Anunoby is New York’s most important defensive wing and a supremely underrated offensive player. His 17 points and three made threes in Game 1 reinforced his two-way value.
5. Stephon Castle, G, Spurs
Castle has become San Antonio’s most important player outside of “veteran” De’Aaron Fox, while probably already more talented than the latter. His 17 points and eight rebounds in Game 1 fit his larger playoff rise in his first postseason run.
6. Mikal Bridges, F, Knicks
Bridges gives the Knicks durability, defense and secondary scoring. He does not need a huge box score to matter.
7. De’Aaron Fox, PG, Spurs
Fox gives San Antonio speed and a grown voice with creative chops—when healthy. His seven-point Game 1 was not enough, but his ceiling keeps him high in the list as long as he can stay on the court.
8. Devin Vassell, G/F, Spurs
Vassell is vital because San Antonio needs his spacing and wing defense. The Spurs need more than his 1-for-6 Game 1 shooting from deep.
9. Josh Hart, G/F, Knicks
I guess it’s easier to describe what Hart isn’t than what Hart is, isn’t it? Corny description: Hart is the Heart of the Knicks and its chaos engine. He had one of his greatest games—even scoring just three points—in Game 1, getting 15 rebounds, six assists and four steals.
10. Dylan Harper, G, Spurs
Harper already looks like a trusted bench scorer and he’s barely getting started in the L. His 16 points and eight rebounds in Game 1 made him San Antonio’s best reserve.
11. Miles McBride, G, Knicks
McBride gives the Knicks defense, shooting and low-mistake guard minutes on the best bargain deal you could imagine. His four assists and zero turnovers in Game 1 helped the effort.
12. Julian Champagnie, F, Spurs
Champagnie has become one of San Antonio’s steadiest role players and a maddening one for opponents because he can unload a flurry of three the minute you give him a millimeter. His 16 points, 10 rebounds, and five threes in Game 1 proved the point.
13. Mitchell Robinson, C, Knicks
Robinson gives New York rebounding, size and rim pressure behind Towns. His free throws remain terrifying, but his physicality matters and it looks like his hand isn’t impacting his play that much. Here’s hoping!
14. Landry Shamet, G, Knicks
Shamet has become a trusted shooting piece for New York and has enjoyed quite a renaissance this postseason. His 13 points and three threes in Game 1 were badly needed.
15. Keldon Johnson, F, Spurs
Johnson gives San Antonio bench scoring and strength and it’s not for nothing that he just got named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year. The Spurs need more from him after a quiet Game 1 cameo.
16. Luke Kornet, C, Spurs
Kornet’s job is surviving non-Wembanyama minutes, and, while limited, he’s hellaciously tall to get close to doing it. His size and screening can still help in short stretches, but not much more than that.
17. Harrison Barnes, F, Spurs
Washed Barnes gives San Antonio some veteran composure and past Finals experience off the pine. His role is smaller now, but not meaningless, and sometimes it can even hurt you.
18. Jose Alvarado, PG, Knicks
GTA! Alvarado brings steady pressure, unlimited energy and saucy irritation to the Knicks and opposition in equal parts. His seven points in 11 minutes in Game 1 showed he can swing a short stint, which is how he’s usually used.
19. Jordan Clarkson, G, Knicks
Clarkson has had quite the rollercoaster season, but he can still score even though his role has narrowed. If the jumper is not falling, New York has cleaner options because his game goes in the negative quickly.
20. Carter Bryant, F, Spurs
Bryant has size, defensive tools, and long-term value. His current Finals role remains limited.
21. Ariel Hukporti, C, Knicks
Hukporti gives New York extra size if foul trouble hits. That matters more against Wembanyama, and given Robinson’s hand injury.
22. Mohamed Diawara, F, Knicks
Diawara is more future piece than Finals factor. The rotation is too tight for developmental minutes.
23. Kelly Olynyk, C, Spurs
Olynyk has playoff experience and offensive skill, but his current Spurs role is small.
24. Jordan McLaughlin, PG, Spurs
McLaughlin can lead possessions in an emergency, but San Antonio’s guard depth should keep him buried.
25. Jeremy Sochan, F, Knicks
Sochan’s role has been minimal since joining New York. The Finals are not the place to invent one, even less knowing he’s already bagged a ring no matter what.
26. Lindy Waters III, G, Spurs
Waters can shoot, but minutes are scarce. San Antonio’s perimeter rotation has simply left him out.
27. Tyler Kolek, PG, Knicks
Kolek did something in the regular season but has now turned into no more than an emergency ball handler.
28. Pacome Dadiet, G/F, Knicks
Dadiet remains a young developmental wing, and New York is surely not running a prospect showcase in the Finals.
29. Mason Plumlee, C, Spurs
Plumlee gives San Antonio emergency veteran size, that’s probably it.
30. Bismack Biyombo, C, Spurs
Biyombo brings depth, some interior insurance, and is the perfect Hack-a-Mitch partner.
Do the Spurs have the best player? Yes. Do the Knicks have the early win, the best team, and the best leader when it matters? You bet.
LeBron James is an unrestricted free agent after coming off an expiring contract. NBAE via Getty Images
Add in Rui Hachimura, Luke Kennard and Jaxson Hayes and the Lakers have several unrestricted free agents who’ll draw interest from other teams.
That’s before getting to Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart, both of whom have player options for next season.
The Lakers have made it clear they aren’t satisfied with how the 2025-26 season went after falling short of their ultimate goal of competing for an NBA title. And they need roster upgrades to achieve the championship roster they’re looking to surround superstar guard Luka Doncic with going into the 2026-27 season.
Unrestricted free agency is one of the many tools to make those upgrades.
Top teams have signed unrestricted free agents in their quest for a championship — from role players such as Spurs big man Luke Kornet during the 2025 offseason to stars such as Knicks guard Jalen Brunson during the 2022 offseason.
Besides James and Reaves, there won’t be any realistic star-level players available for the Lakers to potentially land.
But there are impactful ones.
Which unrestricted free agents who weren’t already on their roster should the Lakers target this summer?
One of the Lakers’ biggest offseason priorities should be acquiring a center — or multiple big men — who better fit alongside Doncic.
A rim runner and lob threat who’s efficient with finishing at the basket.
A shot blocker and rim protector.
Someone who can make an impact on the offensive and defensive boards.
A center who’ll still make an impact with their energy and effort even if they’re not consistently getting touches offensively.
Williams checks many of these boxes as an ideal big man target for the Lakers.
The biggest concern is his availability after several injury-riddled seasons, primarily to his knees.
Williams’ 59 regular-season games played for the Trail Blazers last season are his most since 2021-22 and the second most of his career (behind the 61 he played as a full-time starter for the Celtics in 2021-22) since being the No. 27 pick in the 2018 draft.
And he’s averaged just 17.4 minutes in 85 games (four starts) over the last three regular seasons with the Trail Blazers — far from a workload expected of a starting center.
But in a limited role and for the right salary, Williams could make an impact for the Lakers in the ways they need.
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson has had some durability issues. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
Similar to Williams, Robinson comes with his own durability concerns.
His 60 regular-season games played are his most since 2021-22, when he played a career-high 72 games including 62 starts.
He also played 59 games (58 starts) in 2022-23 before back-to-back injury-truncated seasons in 2023-24 (31 games played) and 2024-25 (17 games played).
But Robinson is a rebounding machine on both ends of the floor, a reliable rim protector and a strong finisher who remains a vertical threat near the basket.
And he has more experience with a higher workload compared to Williams, averaging 24.5 minutes from 2019-24 before coming off the bench regularly the last two seasons (19 minutes per game).
Robinson, the Knicks’ second-round pick in 2018, may be difficult to pry from New York after his contributions to its postseason success over the last few years, including this dominant run to the NBA Finals against the Spurs.
The Lakers know as well as any team the kind of impact Goodwin provides.
He was a key part of the Lakers’ rotation to close the 2024-25 season, showcasing his offensive rebounding talent, disruptive perimeter defense and improved 3-point shooting.
But the Lakers waived Goodwin last summer to make financial room to sign Smart, with Goodwin showing the improvements he made last season were here to stay.
Goodwin’s in line to receive a more lucrative contract this offseason after making $2.3 million in 2025-26.
Cavaliers guard Keon Ellis is one of the better young 3-and-D guards in the league. NBAE via Getty Images
It wasn't hard to spot the pair of viral Spurs fans, who've made their presence known at Frost Bank Center throughout San Antonio's playoff run, at Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals.
The female fans, who made waves online when they were seen on the broadcast for Games 3 and 4 of the Western Conference finals, stood out once again when they were spotted behind the Spurs’ bench.
One wore a bright body-con dress, and the other had on a plunging top and white capri pants while standing in a crowd of San Antonio fans, all wearing the same bright yellow shirt.
The team gave away shirts to fans in the arena — but the two women opted not to wear them.
“Can someone tell those chicks to wear their shirts! You know who you are,” one fan wrote on X.
The pair of viral Spurs fans returned to Frost Bank Center for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 3, 2026. X/@MarGOSFFL
“He said he takes back what he said about San Antonio women,” @bluebeari3 shared in an X post, referring to the Barkley’s remarks when he said that San Antonio is the home of “some big ol’ women” while on-air in 2014, along with other digs at San Antonio women over the years.
The ladies first captured the public’s attention when the were spotted sitting behind the Spurs bench during the Western Conference finals against the Thunder.
The pair of viral Spurs fans, (L) @juliejswan and (R) @bluebeari3, at Game 1 of the NBA Finals in San Antonio on June 3, 2026. Instagram/juliejswanThe pair of viral Spurs fans, (L) @bluebeari3 and (R) @juliejswan at Game 1 of the NBA Finals in San Antonio on June 3, 2026. TikTok/juliejswan
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JUNE 2: Mason Plumlee #45 of the San Antonio Spurs passes the ball during 2026 NBA Finals Practice and Media Availability on June 2, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In Game 1 of the NBA Finals, New York basically out-toughed San Antonio late in the game to pull out a 105-95 win.
As we’ve seen during the rest of the playoffs, former Blue Devil Mason Plumlee rarely gets off the bench, and Wednesday was no exception, as he got another DNP.
In general, you could argue that this game was a great example of the value of experience.
The average age of the Knicks starters is about 29. The average age of San Antonio’s are closer to 22. The overall average age of the Knicks is 27.2; for the Spurs, it’s 25.2.
The Spurs, and particularly Victor Wembanyama, are the future of the league, but it may not happen this year. Wembanyama, for example, shot just 6-21 Wednesday night, and said bluntly that he had a bad game.
Game 2 is on Friday, and is again in San Antonio. If the Spurs lose twice at home, they’ll have a major problem.
He had just finished playing his first career NBA Finals game – an achievement that, when realized just four days prior, had brought him to tears – and he sat at the podium and calmly took questions.
The Spurs had lost, 105-95 Wednesday, June 3, and it wasn’t emotion Wembanyama was showing. This time, it was poise.
"Nothing," Wembanyama said after the game when asked if he was kicking himself over anything. "We’ve been down in a series before. Never in the Finals, obviously, but I'm not kicking myself about anything, really. I'm not worried in the slightest."
It was, by basically any significant metric, a flop.
The Spurs blew an eight-point lead in the fourth quarter, lost by 10 and ceded homecourt advantage. Historically, teams that lose Game 1 of the Finals have gone on to lose the series 69.6% of the time (24-55).
Wembanyama finished with 26 points, but he shot just 6-of-21 from the field. He committed six turnovers and forced shots down the stretch when Knicks centers Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson clamped him up on defense.
"I was bad tonight," Wembanyama said. "It's not more complicated than that."
Perhaps Wembanyama’s calm and measured approach is merely posturing. Perhaps he understands that the rest of the Spurs take his lead.
The more likely scenario is that Wembanyama, who has proven time and again this season to own competitive maturity well beyond his 22 years, understands that the Spurs can still win these NBA Finals.
How Wembanyama and his teammates respond to this Game 1 loss will merely be another opportunity for him to express his greatness.
Because that’s one of the indelible marks of the all-time greats, the ability to adjust and bounce back from defeats. The reality is Wembanyama is still learning, and how he comes responds in Game 2 will be indicative whether the Spurs can legitimately threaten the Knicks, who have won 12 consecutive playoff games in historic fashion.
Wembanyama did try to set the tone early; he was heavily involved in San Antonio’s actions in the first minutes of the game and appeared intent on establishing urgency. But the Knicks responded with physicality, using the extra heft that Towns and Robinson wield, to put their hands on him and body him every time he tried to establish position in the paint.
Wembanyama started to back out of the paint and settle for outside shots; he’d convert just four field goals in the paint. He never appeared comfortable, and some of his shots late in the game, as New York carried a lead midway through the fourth, were wild and off-target.
Victor Wembanyama hits the side of the backboard on the driving attempt, and shortly after, hits the top of the backboard on the corner 3 attempt pic.twitter.com/beBasVXUgo
Step one for Wembanyama in Game 2 should be to aggressively attack Towns, who is prone to falling into foul trouble, at the rim.
"It felt like he missed a few shots early," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said after the game. "We got to get him moving in space and toward the rim, whether that’s on rolls or running in transition. But we need the pressure on the rim and the force in the paint. They did a good job of obviously being physical and showing crowds. We need to do a better job of establishing that early on, for sure."
San Antonio’s response to New York’s physicality manifested itself in other ways, too. The Knicks were able to scoop up timely offensive rebounds that led to debilitating second-chance points, a statistic the Knicks led, 23-14.
The Spurs, inside the final minute of the game, committed a pair of turnovers.
It’s why Wembanyama said, of Game 1, that he thought the Spurs "let that one go."
It’s also why, as Wembanyama has said previously this postseason following defeats, it’s all about adhering San Antonio’s system and identity.
"It’s almost not like I have anything to figure out," Wembanyama said. "It’s almost like I have to play normal – not even good. It’s, like, just doing the right things is enough. When we play bad, when I play bad, is when we shoot ourselves in the foot. This is why I’m not worried. We’re going to be so much better. I’m going to be so much better."
Warriors coach Steve Kerr shares a moment with Steph Curry (30) and Draymond Green (center) after Golden State bowed out of the play-in tournament against the Suns. NBAE via Getty Images
Those words struck a chord with Kerr, who signed a two-year contract extension with Golden State last month. Over the last decade, there’s so much that stands out about the league’s modern-day dynasty.
There are the four championships in eight years. Steph Curry’s unconscious scoring sprees. The Splash Brothers. Draymond Green’s lockdown defense. Shimmies. The “Night Night” celebrations. The joy.
But above all else, what makes the Warriors unique is their loyalty.
Kerr has coached Curry and Green for 12 years. Curry and Green have played together for 14 years. Before Klay Thompson left the Warriors in free agency in 2024, he, Curry and Green were the longest-tenured trio in the league.
It’s remarkable when you think about it.
In a league with constant turnover — where players don’t hesitate to undercut organizations by requesting trades and franchises deal personnel as though they were used furniture — the Warriors stand out.
It’s obvious that when Kerr was pondering whether he wanted to remain on the treadmill of marathon NBA seasons, under the scrutiny that accompanies fading dynasties, there were two beacons of light that guided him toward the more difficult option: Curry and Green.
The three of them are family.
They’ve been atop the league. They’ve been in its cellar. They’ve fought against each other. They’ve fought for one another.
Through it all, something was deeply understood: There’s a lot of love there.
Kerr and Curry have shown up at Green’s house and talked to him for hours when he has struggled. Green has put his body on the line for them. They’ve spent more time together than with their own families, including 152 postseason games since 2015, which is the equivalent of nearly two extra NBA seasons.
Green (23), Curry and Kerr have been in 152 postseason games together since 2015. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Kerr talks about Curry with awe. He describes Green as the best defender he has seen. When Kerr was unsure about his future, Green said he hoped he’d return. Curry added that all he wants is for him to be happy.
“He knows how I feel about him,” Curry told reporters in April. “That shouldn’t even need to be said.”
Green’s relationship with Kerr is more nuanced.
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They’ve had public outbursts. They’ve had screaming matches behind closed doors. The Warriors’ success was inextricably tied to Green’s fire and sometimes it raged, clashing with Kerr’s infamous intensity.
“There’s things he’s done that I could never forgive him for,” Green said of Kerr on his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show.” “And yet I will do anything for him.”
As for Curry and Green, they basically grew up together. They became winners together. They watched each other become fathers. Green’s job was to ignite passion, while Curry’s was to remain effortlessly unbothered. They became each other’s ultimate complements on the court.
Nowadays, it’s wild for a coach and players to have that kind of staying power together.
There are only two NBA coaches who have held their jobs for at least five years, Kerr and the Heat’s Erik Spoelstra.
As for Curry and Green, they’re the NBA’s longest-tenured active duo. They’ve played together longer than many of the most famous duos in NBA history, such as Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen (11 years) and Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (10 years).
Kerr recently signed a two-year contract extension to stay with the Warriors. NBAE via Getty Images
Things are now greatly shifting for the Warriors.
For the first time in Green’s career, he was involved in trade rumors in February. He’s 36. Curry is 38. Since winning their last championship in 2022, they haven’t gotten past the second round of the playoffs.
But this much is sure: The bond between Kerr, Curry and Green runs deep. That was never more palpable than when they feared their days together were coming to an end.
After their season was derailed by Jimmy Butler suffering a torn ACL in January and Curry missing 27 straight games because of an ailing knee, their playoff hopes came down to a pair of play-in games.
In their do-or-die contest against the Clippers, Curry and Green showed their championship DNA, stunningly clawing their way back from a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit in a 126-121 win.
Curry had 35 points on 7-for-12 shooting from beyond the arc, including making a step-back 3-pointer with 50.4 seconds left and the score knotted at 117.
Curry had 35 points on 7-for-12 shooting from beyond the arc, including making a step-back 3-pointer with 50.4 seconds left and the score knotted at 117. NBAE via Getty Images
Green held Kawhi Leonard to 1-for-2 shooting in the fourth quarter, leaving the two-time NBA champion completely flummoxed. “It was hard to even get shots up,” Leonard said.
After a slog of a season, Kerr overflowed with pride at something that had been reawakened in some of the greatest competitors on the planet.
“For one night, we’re us,” he said. “We’re champions again.”
The magic was gone in the Warriors’ next play-in game, as their season flatlined in a 111-96 loss to the Suns.
After the final buzzer, Kerr put his arms around Curry and Green. He said a few words. And then the three men who had been through nearly a decade and a half of battles together shared a hug.
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“I don’t know what’s going to happen next,” Kerr told them. “But I love you guys to death.”
Weeks of uncertainty followed. Did Kerr want to return? Did the Warriors’ long-term goals clash with his win-now approach? Did we just witness the official end of one of the greatest dynasties in sports history?
But ultimately, Kerr decided to return for his 13th season with Curry and Green.
The Warriors haven’t been contenders for four years. Their goal post has shifted from championship or bust to trying to see how far they can take things together. If they’re all healthy, they believe no one would want to face them.
And they’re not wrong.
It’s hard to walk away from that. It’s difficult to close the door on such a stunning chapter.
But as Kerr pondered his options, his wife reminded him of the ultimate reason he decided not to walk away.
He wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Curry and Green.
You know who you are,” one fan wrote on X.
(@bluebeari3) 
