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The San Antonio Spurs are backed against the wall. If they want to stop the New York Knicks from capturing their first championship since 1973, they must defend their home floor and force a Game 6. 

Ahead of this high-stakes Game 5 clash, our advanced NBA player prop projections have identified the absolute best value spots on the board. By crunching the data and auditing the latest market lines, we’ve pinpointed exactly where the sharpest betting edges lie.

These Knicks vs. Spurs predictions are driven by numbers instead of guesswork.

If you’re building your card, here are the model’s top NBA picks for Saturday, June 13.

Knicks vs Spurs computer picks for Game 5

Knicks	Spurs
Anunoby u18.5 points  -125	Fox o14.5 points -130
Towns o11.5 rebounds +110	Champagnie o2.5 3-pointers  +125
Brunson o5.5 assists -130	Wembanyama o11.5 rebounds +100

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Knicks Game 5 computer picks

OG Anunoby Under 18.5 points (-125)

Projection: 17.51 points

The San Antonio Spurs' top priority tonight? Neutralizing OG Anunoby. In Game 4, Anunoby spearheaded a monumental 29-point New York Knicks comeback, sealing the thrilling win with a historic, miraculous put-back shot. 

He finished the night with 33 points on absurd efficiency by shooting 67% from the field, 78% from deep, and 100% from the free-throw line. San Antonio has its hands full with New York’s offense, but limiting Anunoby is the absolute focus for Game 5, making his Under a highly compelling look.

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Karl-Anthony Towns Over 11.5 rebounds (+110)

Projection: 11.80 rebounds

Outside of New York’s lone defeat in Game 3, Karl-Anthony Towns has consistently cleared—or come incredibly close to—this rebounding line all series.

He fell just short with 10 boards in the unforgettable Game 4, but with a historic championship on the line, expect KAT to dominate the glass. He has been the driving force for the Knicks throughout this postseason run, particularly against San Antonio's frontcourt.

Bank on him coming up big on the boards tonight to smash the Over.

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Jalen Brunson Over 5.5 assists (-130)

Projection: 6.40 assists

Jalen Brunson has been the engine of New York’s offense, most recently logging 36 points and seven assists in Game 4.

As the Knicks look to close out the series, Brunson’s assist prop presents a major betting edge. He has hit the Over on this line in two of the four matchups during this series and neared it in Game 3. 

Because the Spurs' top defensive priority tonight will be forcing the ball out of Brunson’s hands, look for him to turn playmaker and easily clear this total. Back the Over.

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Spurs Game 5 computer picks

De'Aaron Fox Over 14.5 points (-130)

Projection: 17.72 points

De'Aaron Fox loves playing in front of the home crowd, averaging 22.5 points over his last eight games in San Antonio (4.7 points higher than his season home average).

He’ll need that hometown cooking after a highly criticized final sequence in Game 4 pushed the Spurs to the brink of elimination.

San Antonio’s coaching staff is sticking by him, but the message is clear: protect the rock. Look for Fox to slow things down and play a highly strategic, low-mistake style to keep the season alive on Saturday.

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Julian Champagnie Over 2.5 3-pointers (+125)

Projection: 2.5 3-pointers

It was a rough outing for Julian Champagnie in Game 4, as he struggled to a 1-for-7 performance from three-point range.

His inability to stretch the floor was a key component of San Antonio's heartbreaking loss, but a return home for Game 5 might be the exact remedy he needs. 

The Spurs are facing elimination, and they need Champagnie to snap out of this slump immediately. If you’re looking at his props tonight, keep in mind that he’s historically a much more potent perimeter threat—expect a focused effort from him as he looks to redeem that Game 4 performance.

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Victor Wembanyama Over 11.5 rebounds (+100)

Projection: 13.54 rebounds

Victor Wembanyama has split this rebounding line right down the middle so far, clearing it in two of the first four games of the series.

Now, back on his home floor, he has the perfect opportunity to exact some revenge. Expect the young superstar to fully embrace the villain role tonight; New York fans will find plenty of reasons to resent him as he crashes the glass with a vengeance to keep San Antonio's season alive.

Take Wemby on the Over for a dominant performance on the boards.

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How to watch Knicks vs Spurs Game 5

Location	Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX
Date	Saturday, June 13, 2026
Tip-off	8:30 p.m. ET
TV	ABC

Not intended for use in MA.
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Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden was arrested in Houston and charged with a misdemeanor of carrying an unlawful weapon on Saturday, June 13, according to documents from the Harris County (Texas) District Clerk.

Harden was arrested at 3:41 a.m. CT after a handgun was observed on a seat of a car he owns.

He was released on bond and is scheduled to appear in court on June 22 at 9 a.m. CT.

REQUIRED READING: Will Spurs or Knicks win Game 5? NBA Finals expert picks, predictions

James Harden arrested: What we know

The offense is a misdemeanor.

According to the conditions of release, the terms of his bond ban him from possessing any firearms, ammunition, or other weapons, and from using, possessing, or consuming any alcohol, controlled substances, dangerous drugs or marijuana, unless prescribed by a doctor. He must also submit to random urinalysis.

The court documents noted that Harden had “unlawfully, intentionally and knowingly” had the weapon.

The 36-year-old Harden is an 11-time NBA All-Star who recently wrapped up his first season with the Cavaliers, who acquired him in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers on February 4. Harden averaged 20.5 points and 7.7 assists per game for the Cavaliers while helping lead them to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they were swept by the New York Knicks.

"The Cleveland Cavaliers are aware of the arrest of James Harden this morning and are in the process of gathering additional information," the Cavaliers said in a statement. "We are in contact with James and his representation and will continue to monitor developments as they become available. At this time, we will have no further comment."

Harden spent nine seasons of his 17-year NBA career with the Houston Rockets, with whom he was named the 2018 NBA MVP.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA star James Harden arrested, charged with carrying unlawful weapon

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The New York Knicks are on the verge of capturing the NBA championship after taking a commanding 3-1 series lead, but closing out a Finals opponent is rarely easy.

San Antonio returns home for Game 5 facing elimination, putting the spotlight on stars like Victor Wembanyama and Dylan Harper to keep the Spurs alive. On the other side, Karl-Anthony Towns continues to play a pivotal role in New York's offense as the Knicks look to finish the job.

Before placing your NBA picks, check out my Knicks vs. Spurs predictions and best bets for Game 5 on Saturday, June 13.

Knicks vs Spurs Expert Picks Tonight

Pick	Odds
Jason Logan: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 17.5 points	+100
Jason Logan: Victor Wembanyama Over 28.5 points	-105
Douglas Farmer: Dylan Harper Over 3.5 assists	+125

Odds courtesy of bet365.

Jason Logan's expert pick: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 17.5 points

Price: +100 at bet365

Karl-Anthony Towns sat for most of the first half of Game 4 but was ready to roll in the second half, playing 18 of 24 minutes.

His offense, however, was understandably spotty, and much like Game 3, Towns couldn’t get into a rhythm. Mike Brown’s plan for Game 4 was to get Towns going early, but that went out the window.

I’m not backing off KAT in Game 5. He salvaged 13 points Wednesday, not too short of his total of 17.5, considering the circumstances. 

Projections sit as high as 21+ with my number at 18.7 points, which should have Over 17.5 listed at -118.

Jason Logan's expert pick: Victor Wembanyama Over 28.5 points

Price: -105 at bet365

Victor Wembanyama scored 16 of his 24 total points in the opening half of Game 4, shooting 54.5% from the floor while collecting all three of his free-throw chances.

A glance at his shot chart in that opening 24 minutes shows a very efficient and analytics-friendly fire rate. He either attacked at the rim or let it fly from beyond the arc, shooting just 1-for-5 from deep in the first half.

Once the Wu-Tang Clan had finished igniting the Big Apple crowd during the halftime break, fatigue seemed to settle in for Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. On top of more careless turnovers, the team’s shot selection was passive and leaned on long 3-pointers rather than the aggressive action that built the big lead.

Douglas Farmer's expert pick: Dylan Harper Over 3.5 assists

Price: +125 at bet365

Obviously and memorably, De’Aaron Fox had an ugly closing few minutes in Game 4 that likely cost the Spurs a win. But San Antonio head coach Mitch Johnson should already have been playing Fox fewer minutes and turning to Dylan Harper more often.

Harper is clearly the Spurs’ best guard in this series, outplaying both Fox and Stephon Castle. He has notched at least three assists in each of the last three games, playing 32 minutes in each and with a usage rate of at least 22.1% in them after playing only 28 minutes in Game 1 with a usage rate of 19.0%.

More Knicks vs Spurs Game 5 picks

• Knicks vs. Spurs prediction
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• Victor Wembanyama odds and props
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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The NBA Finals returns to San Antonio for Game 5 on Saturday, June 13.

Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks will have a chance to repeat what they did in the first two games in the series – but with the stakes much higher this time around. The Knicks won both games in San Antonio to take a commanding 2-0 lead against the Spurs.

Another road win for New York will result in the team’s first NBA championship since 1973.

The Spurs are looking to rebound from a devastating loss to the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.

San Antonio held most of the lead throughout four quarters of play and led by as many as 29 points in Game 4 before the Knicks stormed back in the final minutes to steal Game 4 and take a 3-1 lead.

Here’s when Game 5 of the series will be played:

The “Italian Wemby” saga has finally come to an end.

After weeks of hype, anxiety and anticipation, the 19-year-old center from Tradate, Varese, Italy has finally made it official: he’s a Villanova Wildcat for the 2026-27 season. Suigo flirted with the NBA Draft process, hoping to get a top-20 guarantee from a team. But after receiving feedback, he has decided to play in college next season with the hopes of improving his stock.

The 2026 NBA Draft is considered by many to be one of the best in years, so from Suigo’s perspective it makes sense to wait a year. With even a relatively-successful season at Villanova, Suigo would position himself well for a weaker 2027 NBA Draft. From a Villanova standpoint, this unlocks another ceiling level for Kevin Willard and co.

Up to this point of the offseason, Willard has been able to retain two of his best players from a year ago, in addition to adding depth, experience and talent at all forward and guard spots. The one question mark was in the middle, with only redshirt-freshman Nico Onyekwere returning. That question has been answered in emphatic fashion with the commitment of Suigo.

The 7’3” big man had until June 13 at 5 PM to withdraw his name from the NBA Draft, and he took almost all of that time to make his decision. But the wait and gamble was worth it for Villanova, who secures an NBA-caliber center who will be able to add floor spacing on offense, while also providing elite rim protection on the other end. The happiest person in the building right now might be incoming senior Kwame Evans Jr., who gets to strut his stuff more as a pure forward with this addition.

There’s still work to be done with the depth up front, with both the international route and the high school route reportedly being considered. But otherwise, the roster appears set for a top-25 ranking and a return to national relevance for the Wildcats.

Up until Wednesday, we knew Madison Square Garden was the Mecca of Basketball.

There were loud Garden nights. There were celebrity Garden nights. To be fair, there were all sorts of nights inside the Garden because there is no event—no cap to its greatness—the Garden hasn’t graced.

But then, there was Game 4.

Like many, most of y’all, I wasn’t there on Wednesday night. Not that I needed it, because even watching from my bed—games are tipping off at 2:35 am in my place—I could still feel everything percolating inside the Garden.

If you just woke up from a week-long coma, let me put it in context. The Knicks were down 29 points in an NBA Finals game. That’s doubly stupid, considering the Knicks were in a Finals game, and that they somehow found a way to go nearly 30 damn points behind. At home, to put the cherry on top.

There they were, your Taylor Swift, Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Timothée Chalamet, Kylie Jenner, Spike Lee, Tracy Morgan, Chris Rock, Jimmy Fallon, Larry David, Fat Joe, the whole damn Wu-Tang Clan, Carmelo Anthony, Patrick Ewing, John Starks, Larry Johnson, Metta Sandiford-Artest, and I don’t even know how many more names. It was absurd before the game, let alone the comeback, even started.

It turns out, the Knicks are nuthing ta f**k wit!

Jalen Brunson kept pushing. OG Anunoby kept making threes. Jose was more like Jesus. The lights and the crowd started to become too bright and too loud. San Antonio looked more uncomfortable each passing second, even if they kept hoisting three-pointers like missing them was raising money for their charity of choice.

By the fourth quarter, the Garden was not reacting to the game as much as dragging the Knicks back into it by force, and the other way around.

Then came the final sequence: Anunoby blocked De’Aaron Fox, followed Brunson’s missed shot on the other end, molly-tracked the rebound and tipped the rock in with 1.2 seconds left, somehow giving the Knicks a 107-106 lead and their eventual win in the largest comeback ever witnessed in NBA Finals history.

MSG lost it.

“It’s good! It’s good! It’s good! With 1.2 remaining, Knicks take the lead! OG Anunoby! It’s 107-106!”

This is what made the night feel different, unique, one for the ages, and for generations to remember and remind future beings of.

It was not just the flashy stars sitting courtside. The massive ticket prices keeping blue-collar New Yorkers from entering the venue. The noise. The first Knicks Finals run in 27 years and first legitimate, win-and-win shot at a title for the first in 32 years.

It was the collective feeling that after all of the years of suffering, after every bad season we’ve endured, after every failed rebuild and stunted retool, every fake addition we claimed as the next franchise savior, every bonkers loss, all the Knicks-for-Clicks, and every “same old Knicks” joke got squeezed into one impossible comeback, vaporized, demolished, destroyed, pulverized, and smoked forever.

Entering Saturday’s Game 5, FanDuel is acknowledging the Knicks have all going their way and placing -500 odds on them to hoist the trophy to San Antonio’s +385. The Knicks lead the Spurs 3-1. The Knicks, the goddam New York Knicks, sit just one win from their first championship since 1973 and third in franchise history.

The Garden has had better teams, seen bigger legends, and battled endless ghosts.

Hopefully, the next time the Knicks step into MSG, it’s with a banner waiting for its hanging and unveiling.

It’s a party foul.

Tickets to the Knicks watch party at Radio City Music Hall are selling on the secondary market for 140 times the sticker price.

The official watch party at the iconic Rockefeller Center venue went on sale for just $10 at 10 a.m. Saturday, and were quickly scooped up.

It didn’t take long for the profit-hungry to try and make a buck.

Follow The Post’s live updates on the Knicks’ historic Game 5 quest for glory

One ticket close in the theater’s pit at the Game 5 watch party was going for $1,450 on secondary marketplace Vivid Seats.

Higher up seats on the mezzanine level were listed for as much as $604, according to the site.

Another hawker was asking $484 for a seat in the middle mezzanine.

Even the cheap seats in the theater were gouging eager Knicks fanatics – asking for as much as $424 for the highest-up section in the theater.

Here’s the latest on the Knicks’ historic 2026 NBA Finals run

• NBA agitator believes Wemby has done enough to be suspended during NBA Finals: ‘Been shown a lot of grace’
• Victor Wembanyama allegedly had Knicks fan kicked out of $20,000 Ritz-Carlton penthouse after innocent five-word comment
• Tip-off rip-off: Knicks watch party tickets listed for over $1,400 as insane prices flood secondary markets
• Knicks’ art pops up all over NYC as fans turn the city orange and blue during historic championship run

Radio City Music Hall is the venue for the official Knicks Game 5 watch party because of a previously scheduled 5 Seconds to Summer concert at Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks will also be hosting free, ticketed, and secured events right outside the Garden for 3,000 lucky orange and blue fans and at Wollman Rink in Central Park.

Game 5: Knicks, and their fans, are in San Antonio, hoping to close out the NBA Finals with a title originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Larry O’Brien Trophy will be in the building. The rehearsals for the presentation ceremony, if one is needed, are complete. Thousands of New York fans have made the trip to Texas, looking to see something that hasn’t happened in 53 years.

The rest is up to the Knicks.

New York can win its first NBA championship since 1973 on Saturday night, with the Knicks holding a 3-1 lead going into Game 5 of the NBA Finals against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.

The Knicks are 3-0 in closeout opportunities this season, winning them by an average of 39.3 points — all of them on the road.

“We’ve been preaching all year it’s about the next possession, the next possession, the next possession,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “We understand any time you try to play a closeout game, the level of desperation — for your opponents — increases (and) the level of desperation for the fans of your opponents is increased. You have to bring your best effort because even if you bring your best effort, it may not happen, especially on the road.”

New York got to the brink of this title by rallying from 29 points down in Game 4 to win 107-106 on OG Anunoby’s tip-in with 1.2 seconds left. It was the largest comeback in NBA Finals history and the biggest comeback in any game this season, regular season or playoffs.

The Spurs have led each of the four games entering Saturday by double figures and let three of those games become losses.

“The biggest thing for us is just can’t take our foot off the gas in a sense,” Spurs guard Dylan Harper said. “Can’t get comfortable with a lead. It’s the NBA Finals. Anything could happen, like we just saw. But just at the end of the day, we’ve just got to stay together as a group.”

The referees selected for Saturday’s game were Scott Foster, James Capers and Tyler Ford. Foster and Capers both worked Game 1 and Ford worked Game 2 of the series.

If the Spurs win, Game 6 would be Tuesday in New York.

Game 5: Knicks, and their fans, are in San Antonio, hoping to close out the NBA Finals with a title originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Larry O’Brien Trophy will be in the building. The rehearsals for the presentation ceremony, if one is needed, are complete. Thousands of New York fans have made the trip to Texas, looking to see something that hasn’t happened in 53 years.

The rest is up to the Knicks.

New York can win its first NBA championship since 1973 on Saturday night, with the Knicks holding a 3-1 lead going into Game 5 of the NBA Finals against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.

The Knicks are 3-0 in closeout opportunities this season, winning them by an average of 39.3 points — all of them on the road.

“We’ve been preaching all year it’s about the next possession, the next possession, the next possession,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “We understand any time you try to play a closeout game, the level of desperation — for your opponents — increases (and) the level of desperation for the fans of your opponents is increased. You have to bring your best effort because even if you bring your best effort, it may not happen, especially on the road.”

New York got to the brink of this title by rallying from 29 points down in Game 4 to win 107-106 on OG Anunoby’s tip-in with 1.2 seconds left. It was the largest comeback in NBA Finals history and the biggest comeback in any game this season, regular season or playoffs.

The Spurs have led each of the four games entering Saturday by double figures and let three of those games become losses.

“The biggest thing for us is just can’t take our foot off the gas in a sense,” Spurs guard Dylan Harper said. “Can’t get comfortable with a lead. It’s the NBA Finals. Anything could happen, like we just saw. But just at the end of the day, we’ve just got to stay together as a group.”

The referees selected for Saturday’s game were Scott Foster, James Capers and Tyler Ford. Foster and Capers both worked Game 1 and Ford worked Game 2 of the series.

If the Spurs win, Game 6 would be Tuesday in New York.

The streets of New York City are set to be dotted with NBA Finals watch parties for Game 5 on Saturday, June 13, as 130 LinkNYC kiosks tune into the Knicks vs. Spurs game.

The news comes as the whole city is set to transform into essentially a giant watch party as the Knicks play the San Antonio Spurs away in Texas, in a game that could win the Knicks their first championship in over 50 years. There's a free event outside of Madison Square Garden, the kiosks will stream the game across the city on their 55-inch screens, and a myriad of private watch parties will likely again spill onto the streets.

Across the city, televisions or projectors have been propped up on porches allowing passersby to watch from the sidewalk. Fans have also huddled around bars and restaurants, peeking at screens indoors.

At first, you don’t see him. Like the rest of the 19,812 people in the Garden, or the 23.2 million viewers watching elsewhere, you’re following the ball. Jalen Brunson takes one jabbing step forward before Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox rush to converge on him, and then he uses the momentum from springing back to jump and lightly launch the ball on a rainbow arc toward the basket. There are a few milliseconds where nobody on the floor appears to move or react and then, as they reflexively all fall in toward the basket, OG Anunoby is there.

It’s hard to track even in replay because Anunoby is moving so fast there isn’t a point you can pause the tape and his body won’t be blurred. All the regular metaphors don’t work. He’s not an arrow, nor a missile (easy, warmonger), maybe the closest is a diving bird of prey, but then we can’t know for sure if a raptor factors in faith with its instincts. 

In about five strides, starting from the end of the scorer’s table where he inbounded to Brunson, Anunoby catches up with the ball. By then Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper are also jumping after him, so that three long arms are tangling toward pebbled orange leather. Anunoby is not first because he’s fast, or because he didn’t hesitate to start his thundering run toward the rim, or because he’s stronger or more athletic. They’re all factors, but the main reason is that each component — the long stride, knowing when to lift from the floor, the ability to soften touch just enough to tip a ball rather than swat it with momentum’s full force — is reflexive. Practiced alone or in sequence hundreds of times. In games, in actual practice, in his head, stakes varying but stakes not really a factor. He did it all not knowing whether Castle or Harper would throw him off course with their bodies, or whether the ball might bounce wide. He did it because Anunoby’s career arc that led to, well, that arc, has been one of effort, willingness and the ability to take himself out of any given moment as its main actor, even if he is. Benevolence, you could say (Karl-Anthony Towns did: “The right hand of god, can’t spell god without OG”), but mostly, very mortal work.

OG Anunoby didn’t officially play in the AAU tournament where he was discovered and recruited by Indiana University. He was on the floor grabbing steals, sprinting up and down the court, dunking, hitting threes, and of course, tipping the ball, but his name wasn’t listed in any of the Atlanta tournament’s programs. Tom Crean, Indiana’s then-coach, was posted at the baseline with his assistants to watch a couple other highly touted prospects and found themselves instead captivated by Anunoby. They flipped through the tournament’s compiled player guides and found no record of him. 

Anunoby had initially been scratched because of a broken wrist that ended his junior year at Jefferson City early, so his name wasn’t in any of the tournament material. Crean tracked him down through the tournament’s director and invited Anunoby to campus, then recruited him. 

There is the sense with much of the NBA draft and scouting pipeline that beyond the more highly touted names, you have to go searching. Not only for talent, but for fit, style, skill, all weighed against a young athlete’s health and longevity, prospects must be “future-proofed.” Even the very best at this kind of scouting get it wrong, and the very best also acknowledge how much luck and timing play a part. When you really start to consider the conditions necessary for a person to get drafted, and then land on a team that will have a complementary development program or a plan for that person at all, it becomes even more of a wonder who makes it and who sticks around in the league.

Anunoby wound up being drafted by the Toronto Raptors because he was coming off a devastating ACL injury that ended his sophomore year at Indiana after 16 games. Masai Ujiri, then the Raptors President, admitted it, saying on draft night that “If he doesn’t have that injury, I don’t think we have a shot.” Anunoby had slipped to 23rd. 

Even if the Raptors weren’t expecting Anunoby, they were ready for him. A group that had doggedly lost in only the most wrenching ways for seasons, even before the three sequential postseason defeats that coined the term “LeBronto”, the locker room Anunoby joined had a particularly honed hard-nosed ethos with the bone-deep understanding of what it means to chip away. The Raptors were pests. For an athlete who used to call his high school coaches relentlessly to let him into the gym, and then call the middle school coaches when the high school coaches stopped answering, the fit felt like home. 

The Raptors’ style was all ugly intangibles, cumulative play that pushed high-touch, share-the-ball offense that while not blistering, was as relentless as the defense that sparked it. All of it backed by high-IQ decision-making, driven by floor savant Kyle Lowry. 

There is perhaps more elegance in the way the 2025-2026 NBA Finals Knicks are playing — have evolved throughout the postseason to play — but there is also a familiar DNA coursing through the team. Jalen Brunson is the engine and the ballast, Karl-Anthony Towns the wily big able to shift opponents around him at whim; Mikal Bridges the ace shooter, and Josh Hart the Swiss Army knife skillset deploying what’s needed beyond the boxscore. If trying to mirror this Knicks team with that Raptors group, then Anunoby is the player he was comp’d to in his own draft’s scouting: Kawhi Leonard. And yet, he’s more.  

In his rookie season, Anunoby started his first NBA game on November 14th because Norman Powell suffered a hip injury that had him out for four games. A month later, Anunoby led all starter rookies in offensive and defensive rating, had the best turnover-to-assist ratio for a non-guard position, and held the third highest true shooting percentage.

“Sometimes, as a young player, you think too much and you try to get everything right. But when he comes in, he just plays,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey said at the time. “That young man is doing a good job.”

Anunoby cut his professional teeth on basketball that required repetition, work for the sake of the work. Those Raptors also had the kind of self-awareness that only comes after suffering big losses together, the sort of knocks that force the ego out of you. The team had plenty on the court, then lost DeMar DeRozan, and just before his second season began in Toronto, Anunoby’s father, his namesake, died. Anunoby was away from the team twice that fall, for a memorial for his father in Jefferson City and then for his burial in Nigeria. 

As in life, lows — and loss — can bring clarity. There was a deep level of care and regard for each other within that Raptors group. It only crystallized as the season continued. The saying “play for each other” is leaned on a lot in basketball, but with how changeable NBA rosters are teams don’t consistently do it; unlikelier still that when watching, you can actually see it happening. Anunoby also missed Toronto’s championship run with what felt like the flukiest appendicitis timing on earth; there’s a sensation watching him win for, play for his Knicks teammates now that it’s that past version of Anunoby merging with the present one, finally unleashing the moves and motivation he had to put on ice in 2019.

Of course, that’s oversimplifying it. As The Athletic’s senior Raptors writer Eric Koreen laid out, Anunoby has come this far, improved to this point, because he works steadily on what needs improvement until he fixes it. It sounds simple, but it’s a rare and mercurial trait. It’s common for a player to add one skill to their utility belt at a time – a passable three-point shot, or getting better playing through contact – and be finished for a while. Anunoby has worked with the same quiet persistence on his entire toolkit, and has flashed one or more of those sharpened and polished improvements in each game of this series.

Going all the way back to his ghostly appearance in that AAU game, where he was a presence without a name, Anunoby has always been good at unsettling his defensive mark. He’ll hang out in the corner, lulling opponents to think the defense is set, only to pop in and deflect the ball, or suddenly be behind them, a brick wall of a screen they turn right into. He’s been menacing Stephon Castle, De’Aaron Fox, even Victor Wembanyama the same way. But Anunoby’s also guarded every NBA superstar with the cool unflappability on display now. 

It’s been beautiful to see so many more people get acquainted with Anunoby’s nonplussed demeanour, a trait that’s either a long-running bit or goes back to Anunoby Sr., who told his children to choose their words precisely and that “if you have to talk, you should say something that doesn’t take away from the conversation, but enriches it.” 

There’s so little space given to one of the most common emotional phenomena felt as a fan, which is when a favorite leaves you. Whether the departure is drawn out or abrupt, amicable or acrimonious, the only constant is the recognition that it’s all part of the NBA’s larger machine. A churning system. A system that, in its speed and mechanisation, enforces the idea that you are not supposed to care so much about what happens to a person whose footwork you memorised like steps to a dance.

Perhaps that’s the silver lining in losing a favorite player to a trade, that when they go on to bigger things, on much larger stages, you see flashes that take you back in your own fandom. Still, it’s disingenuous to Anunoby to suggest that what he’s showing in this series is somehow out of nowhere, or wholly unexpected. It’s just as false to point to the draft, or development, as ways to get the same result in a new form.

NBA arcs aren’t replicable, as much as GMs and scouts pine for that to be true. There are beautiful, fleeting moments where an athlete’s past lines up with the present to flash a clear view back to potential as it unfolded, but that clarity is all in retrospect. 

The chain of events that led Anunoby to what could be his second title and first played-in Finals run are so individually keyed to his development: the physical setbacks, the group he grew with in Toronto, patience he had playing behind Pascal Siakam, then Kawhi Leonard; arriving in New York and to some degree starting again — then again with Mike Brown. His competitive profile is just as tied to his lived experience, his family and upbringing, the dual confidence and necessity to be of service to others instilled in him by his father and mom, a Nigerian national track athlete, who he lost at just a year old.

It’s the singularity that makes him — any athlete’s arc that traces these unique-as-fingerprint highs — so special, that makes watching it happen all the more astonishing. It’s only going to happen once.

NBA superstar James Harden was arrested in Houston on Saturday morning.

The 36-year-old was taken into custody by the Houston Police Department at 3:41 a.m., according to court records obtained by The California Post, and booked on one misdemeanor charge of unlawful carrying weapons.

Harden, a former Los Angeles Clippers guard who now plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers, was accused of “unlawfully, intentionally and knowingly” having a handgun in his vehicle, according to a copy of the complaint.

Authorities alleged in the document that “the handgun was in plain view” and “was not carried in a holster.”

Further details surrounding the allegations against Harden were not made immediately available, though sources told The Post that the basketball player was out a Houston hookah lounge before the arrest with a large group of friends.

Harden was released on bond later Saturday morning, according to records. He’s due back in court on June 22 for arraignment.

Harden, who was traded from the Clippers to the Cavaliers in February in a swap that included Darius Garland, has plenty of ties to Houston.

Following a trade to the Rockets from the Thunder in 2012, Harden played nine of his NBA seasons in the Texas city. He was an All-Star selection in each of his Rockets years, and in 2017-18, he won the league’s MVP honors in a Houston uniform.

Since his time with the Rockets, Harden’s also played for the Nets, 76ers, Clippers and Cavaliers.

In his first season with Cleveland, he helped the Cavs advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they were swept by the New York Knicks.

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Win or lose, when the NBA Finals are over, Victor Wembanyama is going to need a nap on his comically large bed.

The San Antonio Spurs’ superstar center has carried his team throughout the playoffs, but despite his “alien” persona, Wemby is very much human.

He looked it in the second half of Game 4, when San Antonio blew a 29-point lead to the New York Knicks with a fatigued Wembanyama slogging through 23 of 24 minutes. 

With the finals swinging back to San Antonio, an extra day off between games allows the 7-footer to recharge his batteries before tonight's do-or-die Game 5 showdown.

Although we're not getting any deals in the Victor Wembanyama odds at this point in the postseason, it’s tough for my Knicks vs. Spurs predictions to turn away from his points total.
 
My NBA picks are taking Wemby to best his scoring prop on Saturday, June 13.

Victor Wembanyama prop pick for Game 5

Victor Wembanyama best bet: Over 28.5 points (-105 at bet365)

Victor Wembanyama scored 16 of his 24 total points in the opening half of Game 4, shooting 54.5% from the floor while collecting all three of his free-throw chances.

A glance at his shot chart in that opening 24 minutes shows a very efficient and analytics-friendly fire rate. He either attacked at the rim or let it fly from beyond the arc, shooting just 1-for-5 from deep in the first half.

Once the Wu-Tang Clan had finished igniting the Big Apple crowd during the halftime break, fatigue seemed to settle in for Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. On top of more careless turnovers, the team’s shot selection was passive and leaned on long 3-pointers rather than the aggressive action that built the big lead.

Wembanyama’s energy got lower with every miss, and he seemed bothered by stiff defense from the New York Knicks. That pushed him further out on possessions. The second half shot chart shows Wemby drifting for mid-range jumpers, finishing just 3-for-14 in the closing two frames for eight points.

We’ve seen this from a gassed Wembanyama in these last two rounds, but we’ve also seen him return with well-rested vengeance. 

He scored 26 points in Game 1 of the NBA Finals after a three-day break and dropped 32 points after a two-day gap ahead of Game 3. Wembanyama also poured in 41 points (27 in regulation) in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals following a three-day buffer between series.

The most telling part of those efforts was Wembanyama’s numbers after halftime, scoring a collective 61 points on 16-for-35 shooting while getting to the foul line for 24-for-26 success from the stripe.

When aggressive, there’s very little the Knicks have done to bottle up San Antonio’s star center. And in the wake of his off nights, head coach Mitch Johnson has made a focused effort to get Wembanyama going early on. 

With the Spurs’ season on the line in Game 5, expect Wembanyama to leave it all on the floor. I see him landing on the high side of his shot attempts, with fresher legs helping him finish those looks and carry that production deep into the second half.

Victor Wembanyama same-game parlay

I might be one of the rare ones who likes San Antonio to survive Game 5. The two-day break gives Wemby rest and also allows the young Spurs to put the Game 4 collapse behind them. 

New York’s comeback benefited from some lucky bounces, friendly rims, and self-inflicted wounds from San Antonio. Wembanyama will get aggressive from the opening tip, both attacking the rim and cleaning the glass.

Models call for 29+ points and as many as 15+ boards tonight.

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For the past 25 years, any remotely good New York Knicks team would eventually get compared to the 1990s Knicks. Makes sense, considering they were the most modern-era squad close to going the distance after New York last celebrated a title in 1973.

If you’re like me, you weren’t around back then. If you’re like my father, you weren’t either. So yeah, the ‘90s are the golden Knicks benchmark for contemporary NYK teams because that is what happens when a franchise spends 50-plus years mostly selling fans hope but ultimately dealing them pain. Alas.

Now, however, this comparison can’t make any more sense.

The 2026 Knicks will play Game 5 of the freaking NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs tonight, heading into it up 3-1, one win from their first championship since forever, and with a chance to topple the heights reached by both the 1994 and 1999 Knicks mobs.

As stupid as it might have sounded just two months ago, the Knicks are the favorites to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy when all is said and done, with FanDuel giving them -500 odds to the Spurs’ +385 entering Saturday’s matchup. See it to believe it!

The 1994 Knicks were the true big one. Patrick Ewing, John Starks, Charles Oakley, Anthony Mason, Derek Harper, all of them led by Pat Riley on the sideline, and coming off a 57-win regular season. The Finals run? Seven games against Hakeem Olajuwon’s Rockets. The ending? A title being close enough to hurt Knicks fans forever.

Then came 1999, the weirdest miracle run. After a shortened regular season following an infamous lockout, the Knicks entered the playoffs as a true underdog with the No. 8 seed out East, beat Miami, beat Atlanta, beat Indiana, and reached the Finals against 2026 dance partners the Spurs. By then, Ewing was hurt, and that was as damaging as what happened five years earlier, with neophyte Tim Duncan and admiral David Robinson pulverizing New York’s hopes in five outings.

These Knicks feel a bit different from those two historic squads in NYK lore. Those two Finals-bound teams were tough as nails, and while the current Knicks can put the clamps on anybody, there’s a distance there, and it’s fair to say that the Julius Randle-RJ Barrett stage of the roster was closer to that than the current version of it.

Jalen Brunson, as the face of the franchise, gives the Knicks the late-game guard those ‘90s teams never really had, in a clear contrast to the forward-and-big-heavy talent crammed into the past iterations of the winning Knicks.

Yes, Karl-Anthony Towns is in the paint these days, but you can’t even start to compare as he’s more of the finesse variety and gives New York a shooting touch who changes everything on the floor.

OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges are two of the best two-way wings in the Association and clear-cut models of modern basketball, compared to the grittier and darker and dirtier 1990s wrestling-ball.

Perhaps Josh Hart—with a s/o to Jose Alvarado too—is the latest remnant of that nearly glorious era, only just born 20 years after he should, but lucky to find his way to New York, blossomed into the Energizer Bunny we came to know and love.

The ’90s teams built the standard for Knicks toughness and togetherness, but they will always be remembered for coming oh-so-close, as endearing as they are and will ever be to our hearts.

The 2026 Knicks, however? Oh, boy, these dudes have a chance to cross all t’s and dot all i’s.

One more win, and the 2026 Knicks will forever stop being compared to the 1990s Knicks. They will pass them, put themselves on par with the golden ’70s Knicks, and force new comparisons for the near and distant future.

Game 5. Saturday. Let’s bring it home.

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What can we say about Jalen Brunson that hasn’t already been said about Tecmo Bowl Bo Jackson?

Absolutely unstoppable.

Brunson’s late-game heroics have the New York Knicks knocking on the door of their first NBA title since 1973 when they visit the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

I’m not rushing to bet the Under on his points total in my Knicks vs. Spurs predictions, but I will fade assists when it comes to the Jalen Brunson odds.

Find out more in my best NBA picks for Saturday, June 13.

Jalen Brunson prop pick for Game 5

Jalen Brunson best bet: Under 5.5 assists (+110 at bet365)

Jalen Brunson is coming off his best passing performance of the NBA Finals, dishing out seven assists on a potential 15 dimes in the New York Knicks' ridiculous Game 4 comeback.

This is a notable swing in passing production, with Brunson registering just nine potential assists in each of the first three games of the series and finishing with totals of two, six, and five helpers versus the San Antonio Spurs.

Those seven assists in Game 4 marked the first time in the past six postseason games that Brunson finished Over his assists total. It also has this prop market skewing toward six dimes, with Over 5.5 carrying a hefty ask and some books up to 6.5 O/U.

This sudden shift in sharing the basketball wasn’t really Brunson’s doing but was more a result of the Knicks having to scrap their initial offensive schemes for Game 4, as well as suddenly hot shooting from New York in the second half.

Coach Mike Brown was aiming to run the ball through center Karl-Anthony Towns and have Brunson play off-ball more in Game 4 to create space for his shots, but KAT got whistled for two quick fouls in the opening minute.

That had Brunson back as the primary ball handler for a good chunk of time. His 115 touches were a series high after posting 95, 95, and 109 touches in the opening three contests.

Game 5 has Brown going back to his game plan of running Towns as a facilitator at the high post and involving Brunson in screen action away from the ball. That prevents his dribble-heavy slop from Game 3’s loss and exposes the switching issues that plagued the Spurs during the Knicks’ rally on Wednesday.

Brunson's early projections sit above six assists for Saturday, which is nothing new. His projections have repeatedly landed north of this number during the playoffs, yet the Under on assists is 6-2 in his last eight postseason showings.

The prop markets are overcorrecting to a unique game scenario in Game 4. I feel confident that Brunson will be focused on firing up shots and won’t give up the ball with the game on the line.

You can find the Under 5.5 assists paying out as big as +118 or go low on the taller total at Under 6.5 (-160).

Jalen Brunson same-game parlay

Brunson’s seven assists in Game 4 had a lot to do with Towns’ foul trouble. New York wants to take the ball out of his hands and create space for his shots as a cutter.

That scheme will lead to more 3-point looks, with Brunson bagging three triples in each of the past two games, and the game script saying the Knicks are fighting from behind.

Brunson has been big on the boards, with five rebounds in each of his last three outings while putting himself in place for an average of 10.0 rebounding chances in those games.

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