Category: NBA

The boss of Philadelphia’s Pat’s King of Steaks wore a “Philly Sucks” T-shirt and worked at a Long Island eatery Wednesday after betting against the red-hot New York Knicks.

Pat’s owner Frank Olivieri worked at cheesesteak joint Dario’s in West Hempstead to make good on a wager he made as the Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers faced off in the Eastern Conference Semifinals — with New York eventually bludgeoning its way to a sweep.

“I’m over here, and I’m having a ball. I’m sweating my butt off in the kitchen, making cheesesteaks,” Pat’s owner Frank Olivieri told The Post, admitting he’s now pulling for New York to finish the job.

“If they beat the Sixers, they should definitely win the Finals.”

The bet came as Dario’s and other spots temporarily banned “Philly cheesesteaks” from their menus, with the restaurants owner and Knicks season ticket holder Louis Cretella rebranding their sandwich the “Philly sucks” cheesesteak.

The name went out on DoorDash menus on its way to going viral. It eventually caught the attention of Olivieri, whose family takes credit for inventing the cheesesteak. He placed the bet with Cretella while Philly was down 2-0 in the series, hopeful the perennial underdog would rise from the canvas.

“We’re used to saying ‘maybe next year,” Olivieri woefully said.

But he showed nothing but brotherly love while keeping his word after a mid-day ride up I-95.

“He’s been a real gentleman since he got here. We’ve been busting his chops for at least an hour,” Cretella said. “He just takes it in stride, laughs, keeps going.”

Olivieri even invited the staff down to his Jersey Shore house and couldn’t help but be happy inside the Long Island spot, which was packed with Knicks faithful.

“I’ve cooked for presidents … this was the best event I’ve ever done,” he said.

Dario’s sold close to 200 cheesesteaks for the three hours while Olivieri was slicing away, making both Pat’s and Dario’s style steaks: cheese whiz for true Philly style and Cooper sharp cheese for LI’s finest.

“This is one of the wildest lunch rushes we’ve ever had,” said Cretella. “Energy for the Knicks is off the chart.”

Adelphi professor Zachary Pournazari, who first heard about the “Philly Sucks” steak in The Post, risked being late to administer a final because he had to have one while sporting a Jalen Brunson jersey.

“We have the Philly fans bringing their culture here, it’s nice being able to enjoy their culture – just like how we got to enjoy the four-game series against them,” he said with a cheek-to-cheek smile. “Any student wearing a Knicks jersey gets a bonus point today.” 

He’s not the only academic with a running case of Knicks fever — especially after the squad took a 1-0 series lead over the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals with a 115-104 overtime barnburner Tuesday night.

Daniel McCabe, principal of Nesaquake Middle School in Saint James, is jamming the classrooms with hoop dreams.

The diehard changed his the building’s front sign, which usually posts uplifting messages, to read “let’s go Knicks” earlier in the playoffs. 

“Bus drivers have given the thumbs up … but when parents come on and go is when we’re getting the ‘let’s go Knicks chants,’” said McCabe, a dedicated fan who has been wearing at least four different jerseys to school on game days.

Students were so excited they had McCabe do one better this week with the sign, changing the message to “GO NY GO NY GO” as a nod to the team’s iconic theme song.

McCabe also declared a blue-and-orange spirit day for Thursday, when the Knicks are set to play Game 2 against Cleveland.

“The dress code is rock your absolute best Knicks attire. Nesaquake is bringing the hype,” said McCabe, who is educating kids on his own heroes, the legendary players of the 1990s like John Starks and Patrik Ewing. 

“The kids and the faculty and staff are getting into it. The energy in the hallways right now is louder than Madison Square Garden.”

The Central Islip district held a similar energetic spirit day on Tuesday ahead of game one. 

That evening, superintendent – and super fan – Dr. Sharon Dungee was “running to her office” while splitting her time between a budget vote and the game 1 thriller.

“It’s been long overdue,” she said. “We’re really excited.”

Chet Holmgren is the textbook definition of a basketball unicorn. The Oklahoma City Thunder’s 7’1 center cashed 36.2 percent of his three-pointers this season on 243 attempts while also being one of the very best shot-blockers in the NBA. NBA teams will tank for years to get a player like Holmgren who can provide stout rim protection defensively while also spacing the floor on offense. The Thunder did tank to get him with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, and it resulted in a championship in the big man’s third pro season last year.

If Holmgren is a unicorn, Victor Wembanyama is an alien. There’s never been a player in league history quite like the 7’5 French sensation. He’s probably already the most dominant defender in the history of basketball, and he hits logo threes from Steph Curry range, uses his 8-foot wingspan for an unprecedented offensive catch radius on interior finishes, and plays with a non-stop motor. I compared Wemby to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar a full year before he entered the NBA, and he hasn’t made me regret it yet. Kareem is, by the way, the third best player in NBA history.

Wembanyama is 22 years old. Holmgren just turned 24 years old. These two players have been battling since they were teenagers on the international stage, and there’s clearly some bad blood between them. As Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs meet Holmgren’s defending champion Thunder in the 2026 Western Conference Finals, their rivalry is coming back into focus. Here’s why there’s so much hostility between these great young bigs — and why Wembanyama is the one driving it.

The 2021 U19 FIBA World Cup started it all

Want to get a first-look at the next generation of basketball stars? Lock in to the FIBA youth tournaments in the summer time. Back in 2015, I wrote that a 17-year-old Jayson Tatum had the basketball world in the palm of his hand after watching him on the FIBA stage. He’s just one of many examples of future stars who had their first big breakout in these events. I’ve been following this stuff closely for a long time, and I can never remember a more anticipated matchup than the United States vs. France showdown in the 2021 gold medal game at the U19 FIBA World Cup. It’s an important first chapter in the Wembanyama vs. Holmgren rivalry.

The United States won the game, and Holmgren was named tournament MVP. What I remember about that game is that it wasn’t Chet who out-dueled Wemby — it was Kenneth Lofton. Lofton was a 6’6, 275-pound big man who played his college ball at Louisiana Tech, signed with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2022 as an undrafted free agent, and played 45 NBA games before now continuing his career in China.

Lofton won the U.S. the gold medal game, but Holmgren was still that team’s best player.

Victor Wembanyama vs. Chet Holmgren head-to-head in the NBA

Holmgren was the No. 2 pick in the 2022 draft but missed his entire rookie season with a Lisfranc injury. Wembanyama entered the league the next year as the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

The Thunder demolished the Spurs in the first two games between Holmgren and Wembanyama in the NBA. The Spurs won the third matchup in their shared rookie season with Wemby going off for 28 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists, while Holmgren had 23 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in the loss.

Wemby and Chet only matched up once in the next season during the 2024-25 campaign. The Thunder won an Oct. game and would go on to win the NBA championship while the Spurs missed the playoffs after Wembanyama had to be shutdown after the All-Star break with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.

“I was told by somebody inside that room that Wemby is motivated by Chet. Chet having one up on him on the championship,” ESPN reporter Marc Spears said.

Marc Spears:

"I was told by somebody inside that room that Wemby is motivated by Chet. Chet having one up on him on the championship" 👀 pic.twitter.com/E0lACvh2X6

— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) October 27, 2025

Wemby takes the upper hand in the rivalry this season

The Thunder looked like a potential dynasty coming off their 2025 championship. Victor Wembanyama had other ideas.

The Thunder started the year at 24-1. Then the Spurs beat them three times in just about two weeks, including knocking them out of the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas in a game where Wemby came off the bench to score 22 points in 21 minutes. Watch the way Wembanyama reacted when Holmgren missed a key free throw late.

The Christmas matchup between the two teams was another fantastic showcase. The Spurs beat the Thunder, 117-102, for their third straight win against mighty OKC. Holmgren only had 10 points in the loss, and Wembanyama was clearly trying to get in his head.

Watch this hard foul by Wemby, and his reaction when Chet missed another free throw.

The Thunder did win the final regular season matchup. Everyone knew we’d see these two again in the Western Conference Finals.

Wembanyama vs. Holmgren in the Western Conference Finals is pure theater

The Spurs’ Game 1 double-OT victory in the 2026 Western Conference Finals was one of the greatest basketball games you will ever see. Wembanyama had 41 points and 24 rebounds in a career-high 49 minutes. His logo three will be the shot remembered forever, but he also served Chet a facial with a dunk in double overtime to essentially clinch the win.

Wembanyama knows he’s one of the few people alive with a physical advantage on Holmgren. He also seems to play the mental game against his rival relentlessly.

This tweet summed it up perfectly:

I understand Chet just wanna hoop but unfortunately he’s mentally gonna have to participate in whatever this is Wemby got going on with him

— Dom2K (@Dom_2k) May 19, 2026

This Wemby vs. Chet TikTok edit also went viral after Game 1. It’s such a good watch:

I was unaware it went this way back omggg 😭 pic.twitter.com/J41Ksj0ySb

— devkon. (@devkonn) May 19, 2026

After Game 1 of the WCF, Wembanyama holds a 5-4 edge in head-to-head matchups against Holmgren.

Spurs vs. Thunder is cinema. We’re watching the next great rivalry in not just the NBA, but all of sports. Wembanyama taking it personally against Holmgren makes it even better.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have had many demoralizing playoff losses in the past four seasons. Game 1 against the New York Knicks was among the worst.

After proving through 40 minutes that they’re more than ready for the bright lights of the conference finals and a road game at Madison Square Garden, they reverted to their old ways. The offense got stagnant. The defense left much to be desired. And questionable coaching decisions cost them.

Fortunately for the Cavs, they have a chance to put that all behind them. The goal at the start of the series was to split one of the first two on the road. Bouncing back and winning on Thursday wouldn’t erase the mistakes of Game 1, but it would get them into the driver’s seat of the series with the action shifting to Cleveland for Game 3.

We’ll see if this Cavs team can put that bad loss behind them.

Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (0-1) at New York Knicks (1-0)

Where: Madison Square Garden – New York, NY

When: Thur., May 21 at 8 PM

TV: ESPN

Point spread: Knicks -6.5

Cavs injury report: None

Knicks injury report: None

Cavs expectedstarting lineup: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

Knicks expected starting lineup: Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, Karl-Anthony Towns

Previous matchup: The Cavaliers coughed up a 21-point fourth-quarter lead.

Here’s a look at both teams’ regular-season impact stats via Cleaning the Glass.

	Offensive Rating	Defensive Rating	Net Rating
Cavs	118.9 (8th)	115 (15th)	+3.9 (9th)
Knicks	120.2 (4th)	114.2 (10th)	+6 (6th)

If I put “LeBron James” in quotes, at least half of you can hear the meme I’m referencing. The King is The King for a reason, after all.

But with the NBA’s Conference Finals featuring a new generation of stars, and superstars, we’re getting an idea of how the Hobby is reacting to the passing of the torch. If the eBay search bar is any indication of who’s heating up, who’s hot, and who just helped someone retire, there are few players more valuable than the one and only Victor Wembanyama.

Fresh off of his 41-point, 24-rebound, 3-block masterpiece in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, a winning performance that handed the Oklahoma City Thunder their first loss of the entire postseason (!), the hobby has responded accordingly to Wemby’s otherworldlyness: On May 18, “Victor Wembanyama” was searched for more than 5,300 times per hour on eBay.

While the Alien is leading the charge, he’s somehow not the most-searched player on eBay this postseason. Take a look at the data provided by eBay below:

The Playoff Search Leaderboard

From the start of the NBA Playoffs (April 18) through May 17, the top-five most-searched NBA players on eBay are: 

1. Cooper Flagg: This year’s #1 draft pick…whose Dallas Mavericks haven’t played a single playoff game this season after finishing with just 26 wins. That’s what winning ROY will do for you. 
2. Victor Wembanyama: He’s got next, and all 29 other teams should be terrified.
3. LeBron James: The Lakers’ run ended early, thanks in part to Luka Doncic’s injury, but The King’s gravitational pull on the hobby did not.
4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: The reigning, and now back-to-back, MVP, who just put up a real stinker in Game 1 against Wemby, and will be looking for redemption in Game 2.
5. Anthony Edwards: The Ant-Man might not’ve been able to get it done against the Spurs, but his playoff performances further bolstered Minny’s hope for the future.

On the team side, the San Antonio Spurs led the league in eBay searches from May 1-17, with the Detroit Pistons (shoutout Cade and them) and the New York Knicks (my goodness, Brunson) rounding out the top three. 

The Moments That Moved the Market

Sometimes a stat line is louder than a series, and it appears that a few stellar playoff performances sent search bars into orbit:

• April 25: Ayo Dosunmu’s 43 off the bench in the Wolves’ 112-96 Game 4 win over the Nuggets spiked searches for the new Minnesota guard more than 25x the prior week’s daily average, the biggest single-game spike of the postseason.
• April 30: OG Anunoby’s 29 points that helped closed the door on the Raptors in Round 1’s Game 6 cranked his eBay traffic up 180% vs. the prior week.
• May 17: Donovan Mitchell dragging the Cavaliers past the #1-seed Pistons and into the Eastern Conference Finals pushed Spida’s search rate 80% above his prior-week average.
• May 17: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s second straight MVP more than doubled (+100%) his daily search rate vs. the week before, on the same night Wemby led his team to victory over the Thunder.

Read the Search Bar

The clear takeaway is that the hobby is chasing moments more than anything else.  A 40-20 outburst in San Antonio, a closeout-game 29 in Toronto, a 43-bomb off the bench in Denver, every one of them moved the eBay needle. The names that help their teams win in the playoffs win the hobby, and with the NBA Finals just a few weeks away, we could see cards from Wemby, Brunson, Spida, and Shai reach insane new heights.

In the meantime, make sure to use Mantel’s SLAM score to monitor the liquidity of your collection throughout the Playoffs.

Who are you buying ahead of the NBA Championship? Let us know on Mantel.

The San Antonio Spurs stole Game 1 of the Western Conference finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder in clutch fashion, without perhaps their most clutch player.

De'Aaron Fox didn't suit up in Game 1, missing the contest with right ankle soreness. That didn't slow the Spurs down, as they leaned on superstar Victor Wembanyama, who put on a playoff performance for the ages with 41 points, 24 rebounds, and 3 blocks as he led San Antonio to a 122-115 double-overtime victory.

The Spurs will need Wembanyama to have a repeat performance and continued additional contributions from guys like Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie. Because, for the second straight game, the Spurs will be without Fox.

According to the league's 7:45 p.m. ET injury report, Fox is out for Game 2 versus the Thunder with right ankle soreness. Tip-off is at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Spurs coach Mitch Johnson had said that Fox would be a "game-time decision," according to San Antonio Express-News reporter Tom Orsborn.

"Pretty (much) status quo moving forward, I believe. Regardless of if he plays the games or not, this will be just kind of the world we live in," the coach said of the All-Star guard being listed as questionable.

Fox has played 11 postseason games through the first two rounds for San Antonio. He's averaged 18.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 6.2 assists on 48.6% field goal shooting.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: De'Aaron Fox injury update, status for Spurs vs Thunder Game 2

Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much. The rule against trolling also applies to members of this site that visit other fan sites, especially sites of the opposing team. Be polite and don’t insult your hosts.

I just don’t have words to describe what happened in Game 1. Well, I actually did, because I wrote the final score article for that game that was published shortly after it ended, but words just don’t do the experience of having watched the game justice. Seeing greatness develop in front of your eyes is something so rare and pure that it can bring a pure joy that’s ineffable and indescribable. I’ve had more important things happen to me in my life, but the intensity of watching an athlete transcend our expectations of what a human can do is a pure joy to watch, and the miracle of sports is that you can feel like you’re a part of it by just being a fan. It’s not often that a single person can lift an entire city, but we saw that happen on Monday night when Wembanyama hit the miracle shot that tied the game late in the first overtime, a shot that made the improbable victory possible.

It’s almost unfair that there’s another game so soon, a little less than 48 hours after the double overtime classic that put the Spurs up 1-0 over the Thunder. There are a lot of factors that might explain why OKC was in position to lose Game 1: They had a lot of rust after their first and second round sweeps over inferior competition, they were adjusting to a lineup change with JDub returning from injury, and mostly because nobody on the Thunder played particularly well besides Alex Caruso, who played the game of his life in the loss. Perhaps the real reason could be that the young Spurs were better prepared mentally and physically by a rugged first two rounds of the playoffs, the leadership of their young coach, and the confidence and swagger of the best player in the world, Victor Wembanyama, along with a supporting cast that were perfectly prepared to perform under pressure.

The Spurs have a chance to press the advantage tonight and open up an almost insurmountable 2-0 lead before going home for two games in the Frost Bank Center. The Spurs team has to be tired tonight, with Wembanyama logging almost 50 minutes and Harper and Castle not far behind, while the Thunder is more rested because they relied on a deeper roster. De’Aaron Fox is listed as questionable on the injury report with right ankle soreness, which is the same status he had before Monday’s game before he was ruled out. Hopefully he can return tonight at full strength to give the marathon players from Monday a little more rest. Carter Bryant did a great job defending Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Monday, and he could get even more run tonight. Lindy Waters III has only played in garbage time in the playoffs, but he’s got a deadly shot, and he could do well against his former team tonight. I look forward to Mitch Johnson adding some more wrinkles to the plan as the Spurs aren’t satisfied with one win in OKC and try to keep the pressure on. LETS GO SPURS!

Game Prediction:

Tonight’s game goes to an incredible 6 overtimes, with Wembanyama logging over 60 minutes and scoring 65 points as the Spurs win 154-153 with after all of the Thunder starters foul out. Tomorrow, there will be an epidemic of Spurs flu, as many Texas establishments will have to curtail business when most of their staff calls in sick.

San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma Thunder, Conference Championship Round, Game 2
May 20, 2026 | 7:30 PM CT
Streaming: Peacock
TV: NBC
Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.

NEW YORK (AP) — Dallas' Cooper Flagg, Charlotte's Kon Knueppel and Philadelphia's VJ Edgecombe were unanimous first-team selections for the NBA's All-Rookie team, which was unveiled Wednesday night.

Also making first-team All-Rookie: San Antonio's Dylan Harper and Memphis' Cedric Coward. Harper also appeared on all 100 ballots, with 93 first-team nods and seven second-team votes.

Those five players were also the only ones to get votes in the Rookie of the Year balloting, where Flagg edged Knueppel for top honors.

The All-Rookie second team included New Orleans' Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen, Utah's Ace Bailey, Sacramento's Maxime Reynaud and Toronto's Collin Murray-Boyles.

The NBA will announce the All-Defensive team on Friday and the All-NBA team on Sunday, with Coach of the Year set to be announced Tuesday.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

It's the offseason for most NBA teams, where everything means something — but a lot of the time, nothing at all. However, that's not going to stop conversation and cease speculation about player movement and team transactions.

The latest conjecture features a usual culprit: the Los Angeles Lakers.

It's a running joke that every player is rumored to be on the Lakers' radar, but after the Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade in February 2025, it's almost seems as if nothing is off the table and anything can happen.

So, when restricted free agent Peyton Watson appeared at the Lakers practice facility for Klutch Sports Pro Day workouts, speculation among fans began, hoping the 23-year-old might sign with the purple and gold.

NBA teams appear to smell blood in the water and are circling the Mavericks.

ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Wednesday that “multiple contenders” are “monitoring” Kyrie Irving’s status with the Mavs after Jason Kidd was ousted as head coach Tuesday. 

Charania suggested the Mavericks seemed to be moving on from those brought in under former majority owner Mark Cuban. 

General manager Nico Harrison was fired in November, Luka Dončić was traded to the Lakers in a highly controversial deal last season and Kidd was let go this week, leaving Irving as the last major piece from the Cuban era. 

"The only Mark Cuban guy left on the Mavericks is Kyrie Irving..

There's multiple contenders around the NBA that are very much monitoring what happens with Kyrie Irving in Dallas" ~ @ShamsCharania#PMSLivehttps://t.co/m3jxOPUDFkpic.twitter.com/kNKAUqfwbj

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 20, 2026

“We’ve seen Patrick Dumont, the owner, essentially flush away anyone that was even around the Mark Cuban regime,” Charania said. “Nico Harrison, Jason Kidd they were all brought in by Mark Cuban. Luka Dončić, a Mark Cuban guy. The only Mark Cuban guy left on that team right now is Kyrie Irving. Kyrie Irving is a generational player, a generational talent. Masai Ujiri did his press conference today and he said we want to see Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg on the court together. 

“But there’s no question, there’s multiple contenders around the NBA that are very much monitoring what Kyrie Irving’s future is right now with the Mavericks. Whether it’s the summer, whether it’s into the season, that’s all going to play out over the course of the year.”

Irving, 34, did not play a single minute for Dallas in 2025-26 due to a torn left ACL he suffered late in the previous season. Hope that the NBA star would be able to play in the second half of the 2025-26 campaign disappeared when the Mavs and Irving’s agent announced in February that he was done for the year. 

Irving can be a game-changer when he’s on the court and healthy, and his future in Dallas is certainly going to be one that rival teams monitor. 

Irving has plenty of accomplishments next to his name, which include Rookie of the Year, nine All-Star nods and an NBA championship.

Kawhi Leonard is entering the final year of a three-year, $149.51 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Clippers, potentially making him an unrestricted free agent next summer. For the 2026-27 season, Leonard is owed $50.3 million.

Leonard, 34, is coming off a season where he appeared in 65 games and averaged 27.9 points on 50.5% field goal shooting, 38.7% 3-point shooting and 89.2% on free throws. The Clippers finished the season 42-40, good enough for a No. 9 seed, but were eliminated in the NBA Play-In Tournament by the Golden State Warriors.

Looming around the Clippers-Leonard era is the NBA's ongoing investigation into allegations that LA and owner Steve Ballmer allegedly facilitated a $28 million "no-show" endorsement deal for Leonard with Aspiration, a now-bankrupt sustainability company, in an effort to circumvent the NBA salary cap.

The team denied those allegations in a September 2025 statement and maintained their stance in a second statement, accusing Aspiration of engaging in "fraudulent activity."

“There is nothing unusual or untoward about team sponsors doing endorsement deals with players on the same team,” the second statement reads. “Neither Steve nor the Clippers organization had any oversight of Kawhi’s independent endorsement agreement with Aspiration. To say otherwise is flat-out wrong.”

The Clippers now find themselves in an interesting position to make a decision on whether they are still in "win-now" mode or if its time to consider rebuilding their roster.

LA made a blockbuster splash trade just before the trade deadline this season, shipping James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland, who just turned 26. They also sent Ivica Zubac and Kobe Brown to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, two first-round picks (2026 and 2029), and a second-round pick. The 2026 pick turned out to be the No. 5 overall pick.

The Clippers can decide to package that No. 5 pick in a trade to bring in either another superstar or key pieces to surround Leonard. But they can also go another route and bring in one of the draft's top prospects, which could signal they could move off of Leonard and could put him on the trade market.

If Leonard is dealt from the Clippers, it would mean the end of an era that began in 2019. Leonard signed with the Clippers after leading the Toronto Raptors to a NBA championship where he was named Finals MVP.

In seven seasons in LA, he helped lead the team to the playoffs five times, including the franchise's first conference finals appearance in 2021. But since then, the Clippers have been eliminated in the first round or missed the playoffs altogether.

When on the floor, Leonard is as dynamic as anyone in the league. He shows up on both sides of the ball. There would be many suitors across the league that would give the Clippers a call.

Here are potential Leonard landing spots:

More NBA: Warriors mock draft roundup: Golden State eying Mexican prospect

Kawhi Leonard potential landing spots, if traded

There's a distinct list of teams that Leonard would fit in with if he was traded from the Clippers. No matter where Leonard could go, he would have to agree to an extension with that team for the trade to work. Here are the teams that should get in the sweepstakes for Leonard, if there is one.

Los Angeles Lakers

Rumor has it that Leonard was leaning towards becoming a Laker in 2019, but opted for the other LA team instead. Leonard, a Los Angeles-native, was adamant years ago about wanting to play basketball close to home. After the semi-failed experiment with the Clippers, a cross over to the purple and gold with Luka Doncic could be a breath of fresh air for Leonard. If that happened, championship expectations would continue to drive conversations, though there would be some decisions to be made about Austin Reaves, LeBron James and Rui Hachimura.

Golden State Warriors

It's not sunny, Southern California, but it is still the West Coast. Pairing Leonard with Stephen Curry would give the Warriors a defensive presence who is on the level of Draymond Green, while simultaneously providing them another scorer and go-to option in late-game situations. The Warriors are trying to hang on to their No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, but that would have to be the first asset the Clips target if Golden State was serious about a potential trade. With Leonard expecting $50 million, the wonder is whether the Warriors have the cache to make it happen. One player who made the case? Green on his podcast.

Toronto Raptors

It's a reunion. This would be cool not just for a homecoming sense, but because the Raptors are currently constructed to be a Leonard-type player away from being a team contending for the Eastern Conference championship. This season, Toronto dropped a hard-fought, seven-game first-round series to the Cavaliers. There isn't any speculation of a Leonard return to T-Dot, but it could be the perfect closing chapter to a future Hall of Fame career.

Detroit Pistons

With the Pistons recent playoff elimination, their flaws were on national display — specifically missing another guy who can get his own shot and make plays for others. The Detroit offense looked lethargic when the Cavaliers keyed in on Cade Cunningham. Adding someone of Leonard's caliber will fill that void tremendously. Not only that, he fits within the mold of Detroit's style of play. He's physical, thrives defensively and is no pushover. Detroit might be a little too far from home for Leonard, but the fit basketball-wise is nearly perfect.

Miami Heat

There are questions that the Heat need to answer, one of which is whether they will get back to their identity and represent Heat culture. Bringing in Leonard answers those questions. It would give them a consistent inside-outside game to pair Leonard with Bam Adebayo. Not to mention, he would team up with former Clippers teammate Norman Powell again. The Heat are made up of guys who aren't afraid to get scrappy and Leonard is the same, despite his quiet demeanor.

Sacramento Kings

A long shot? Yes. However, as long as the Kings hang on to the No. 7 pick in the draft, they have a little leverage in the trade, especially if a rebuild is the direction the Clippers are headed. Sacramento has been known as basketball purgatory, but there are incentives for Leonard: the board man could get paid, he can be a short flight from home and he would not have to deal with the pressure of championship expectations. The Kings are in the midst of their own rebuild so Leonard may not fit the timeline, but owner Vivek Ranadivé has a fascination with big-name players, so don't count Sac out.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kawhi Leonard potential trade destinations

The Cleveland Cavaliers are not even 24 hours removed from their gut-punch of a loss in the Eastern Conference Finals, and there is already offseason talk. Once again, it involves LeBron James.

Sometimes, James is cryptic in his moves and thoughts. Other times, he just likes a post about a potential return to play next season in Cleveland. That is not so cryptic.

Sure enough, James “liked” an Instagram reel that featured in bold letters “Come Home” with a still of him banging his chest in the black Cavs uniforms they wore during his 2017-2018 season. The rest of the reel was about his most recent game in Cleveland.

LeBron liked a short IG reel posted about his last game in Cleveland which features this image. pic.twitter.com/RvDd8bryG7

— Jackson Flickinger (@JacksFlickinger) May 20, 2026

The rumors of James returning to Cleveland have gathered steam seemingly for years, gaining more traction after the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Luka Doncic as the ultimate baton hand-off from one superstar to another. With the Lakers’ prioritization of equipping Doncic, not James, with players that fit his style of play, the rumblings of his unhappiness grew. This, coupled with the Cavs’ hole at small forward and dire need for LeBron’s mental toughness in playoff situations, just adds fuel to the fire.

Do the Cavs blow a 22-point lead with James on the roster, getting in people’s faces and commandeering his head coach’s decision-making ability? It is hard to say for sure, but it would have certainly been helpful to have one of the game’s smartest ever to calm the nerves and stop the bleeding.

ESPN’s Shams Charania adds that James is expected to play another season, with the Lakers “probably” being his preference. However, this liked post from James may hint otherwise.

LeBron will be a free agent this summer.

On most nights in Silverlake, the scene inside 33 Taps is what you would expect from a quintessential Los Angeles sports bar. Beers are chugged out of pint glasses.

Lakers highlights flicker across the televisions. Half the crowd is wearing Dodger hats as they chat and share boneless wings. 

But on Tuesday night, during Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals between the New York Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers, the place transformed into something completely different. 

This was no longer Los Angeles. 

This was Madison Square Garden. Only with better weather. 

There were rumors that a group of New York transplants had turned a neighborhood sports bar into a Knicks pilgrimage site during playoff games. They weren’t wrong.

From the moment you walk up to the bar you can see the overflow of Knicks fans seated outside. The line to get inside wraps around the corner. As soon as you enter through the doors, the energy hits you in the chest like a subway train pulling into Times Square during rush hour. 

Orange and blue Knicks jerseys flood every corner of the bar. Ewing. Starks. Camby. Houston. Anthony. Brunson. Towns. From throwbacks to current players, these were legit Knicks fans. A guy sitting at the bar wore a vintage Knicks bomber jacket like it was a suit of armor. 

As the Cavaliers took the lead at the half, another fan in a Knicks’ hat screamed at the television while clutching his beer. His accent was easily recognizable.

These were definitely New Yorkers, no matter where they lived now.  

Through conversations, most of them had migrated west years ago chasing acting careers, writing jobs, music gigs, or a clean beach and sunshine. But regardless of the reason, all roads led back to Manhattan. 

Only now, the 32nd & 7th in Midtown Manhattan was across the street from a taco stand and tucked between a sushi place and a Salt & Straw. 

“Everyone knows this is a Knicks bar,” said one fan who has lived in LA for over 10 years.

Another fan from The Bronx, said he started coming to 33 Taps back in 2023.

“Back then, it was maybe five or six people,” he said. “Now look at this.”

He motioned towards the standing-room-only crowd packed shoulder-to-shoulder at communal tables all staring at the giant television along the back wall. 

Knicks fans going crazy at the official New York Knicks bar in Silverlake at 33 Taps.

NYK erased a 22-point deficit. Wow. What a comeback pic.twitter.com/Goz6qkopdM

— Michael J. Duarte (@michaeljduarte) May 20, 2026

It all started with Peter Agoston and Dre Anderson.

Two self-proclaimed Knicks superfans who started coming to 33 Taps in Silverlake to watch Knicks summer league games in 2021.

“I came to the bar and asked a bartender very nicely if they’d put on the Knicks game for me,” said Agoston. “I looked over and saw a Yankee hat. That was Dre. It was pre-destined. Knicks fans in Los Angeles desperately needed a home.”

Agoston and Anderson created the Left Coast Knicks Instagram account and began letting fans know when and where the watch party would be. 

For decades, being a Knicks fan felt like inherited trauma disguised as basketball loyalty. The Knicks haven’t won a title since 1973 (over the Lakers). Players and coaches changed, but the losses never stopped coming. Between 2001-2022 they missed the playoffs 15 times. 

Then came 2023. 

The Knicks beat the Cavaliers in the first round before losing to the Miami Heat in six games. But that postseason run changed everything. More fans started showing up. Agoston told them to come back next season. They did. 

“We’ve been humbled by countless years of ups and downs,” he said. “Most of our community here is very far away from their hometowns and families, this space we’ve created transcends just watching a game.”

And 33 Taps has its own version of Celebrity Row.

One of the regulars since 2023 is Desus Nice, the sharp-tongued comedian and former co-host of the “Desus vs. Mero” show. He moved to LA that year and didn’t want to watch games alone in his apartment. 

Actor Jerry O’Connell, a lifelong Knicks fan born in Manhattan began showing up to 33 Taps during last year’s playoff run. The Knicks upset the reigning champion Boston Celtics before eventually losing to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals. 

“We’re a community now,” said another fan who arrived two hours early Tuesday night just to secure a table. “Some people moved here 20 years ago. Some moved here two months ago. But this became home.”

And nothing epitomized that home away from home more than Game 1. The Knicks, who had eight days of rest after sweeping the 76ers, trailed by 22 points in the fourth quarter before detonating one of the wildest comebacks in playoff history, storming back to force overtime in what turned into a stunning 115-104 win.

The reaction inside 33 Taps was absolute chaos. Beer flew through the air. Fans jumped up and down, shouting, screaming and high-fiving strangers. Fans poured out into the orange and blue sunset as if they had just witnessed a religious experience. 

And maybe they had. Because for one night in Silverlake, the night belonged to New York.

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Wemby-mania is here!

And Topps is capitalizing on it.

The trading card company announced on Wednesday, May 20 that it got possession of a game-used ball from Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. Yes, the double-overtime matchup where Victor Wembanyama recorded a historic 41 points, 24 rebounds and 3 blocks as the San Antonio Spurs beat the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

Topps will feature a portion of the ball in trading cards of the Spurs center and his teammate, guard Dylan Harper, with a printed autograph. Harper, who is a rookie, also had a standout night with 24 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists and 7 steals. At 20 years old, he became the youngest player to notch a prestigious 4x5 game in the NBA playoffs.

The special edition cards will be released randomly to customers who purchase the Topps Now cards commemorating each player's landmark performance. The collectible items are on sale now at the Topps website through Thursday, May 21 at 7 p.m. ET and for $11.99.

And that's not all! The day before, Topps said that it had acquired one of the nets from the heart-pounding matchup and it will be used in a one-of-one Wembanyama card, with the French star's autograph. Similar to the cards with the rock, the net autographed card will be given to a random customer acquiring the Defensive Player of the Year's Topps Now card.

The hype around Wembanyama is so high right now even Wendy's was considering changing its name and menu to honor the Spurs star.

Topps also made headlines earlier this month when FIFA switched its longtime collectibles partnership with Panini to join the Fanatics-owned brand.

Game 2 of the Western Conference finals tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Topps releases special edition Victor Wembanyama ball and net cards

The Cleveland Cavaliers have fallen apart late during several postseason games. That is their own doing. However, those collapses have usually been accompanied by missed calls down the stretch. Blowing a 22-point lead in the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks in Game 1 was no exception.

The NBA’s Last Two Minute Report shows that the Cavs were on the wrong end of two missed calls late and the beneficiary of one missed call. Let’s go through these.

The first missed call benefited the Cavs. Evan Mobley should’ve been called for an offensive foul for the screen he put on Landry Shamet with just over a minute left in regulation.

The report says: “Mobley (CLE) extends his elbow outward and delivers contact to Shamet’s (NYK) head/face during the pick.”

If called correctly, this would’ve given the Knicks the ball right back.

The next missed call happened on that same possession. The awful Donovan Mitchell floater that didn’t hit the rim wasn’t out on the Cavs. The report says that the missed shot was off OG Anunoby instead of Jarrett Allen, as it was called on the floor.

It’s difficult to get too worked up on this one. If things were called completely accurately on the floor, the ball would’ve already been with the Knicks due to the missed foul by Allen.

Still, this was a missed call and one that you would’ve liked to have seen Kenny Atkinson use a challenge on, although there wasn’t much time between the ball going out and the Knicks inbounding it.

The final missed call was the one that hurt the Cavs the most. The game-tying basket by Shamet shouldn’t have gone.

The Cavs tried to hedge and recover on Brunson near half-court. Sam Merrill, Brunson’s primary defender, tries to work around the screen. Anunoby makes sure that he can’t get around the screen because he was moving on the pick.

The report says: “Anunoby (NYK) establishes a wide screening position in Merrill’s (CLE) path and the contact occurs to his leg.”

If the screen isn’t moving, Merrill has a better chance of staying with Brunson, and the rotations would’ve been cleaner. More importantly, if this was called correctly, the Knicks would’ve lost possession.

There’s a lot of factors that go into blowing a 22-point lead. It’s fair to say that the Cavs might’ve won this game if these three calls were ruled correctly on the floor. At the same time, they should’ve never allowed the game be influenced by the officials in the first place.

Game 2 is Thursday at 8 PM.

When Jake LaRavia had it going for the Lakers, he looked like a genius signing for the franchise. He was knocking down so many threes against the Wolves to start the season that Anthony Edwards was asking who he was.

Then the lights got brighter, and LaRavia began to dim.

His shooting struggles from the perimeter became a problem. From January to March, his 3-point shooting percentage dropped each month. Once the playoffs started, things got worse for LaRavia. He struggled massively in the postseason, only attempting seven shots as his shooting woes were clearly on his mind.

With LaRavia unable and unwilling to shoot, Lakers head coach JJ Redick was forced to bench him for the last two games of the postseason. During LaRavia’s exit interview, he discussed his year with the Lakers.

“I thought I had a good season in certain areas, and I think there’s a lot of things that I can work on in other areas,” LaRavia said. “Obviously, now seeing what the playoffs are like and stuff like that and falling out of rotation these last two games, it just makes me excited. Not looking at it negatively but just, I’m excited to go into this offseason and work on the things that I need to.

“Obviously, I didn’t shoot the ball in any capacity that I wanted to this year. Having months where you’re shooting sub 30% is just not going to cut it and I know I’m a way better shooter than that. So, just going into this offseason, working on specific things to be able to bring in next year.”

Since LaRavia started his career with the Grizzlies and then had a short stint with the Kings, this was his first time in a playoff setting and on a contending team. Some players are playoff risers, and others are fallers. LaRavia ended up on the wrong end of that spectrum.

However, his career isn’t over, and this playoff stint doesn’t have to be a forever status. He shot 42% from deep last year, and if he locks into the gym and has the right mentality, there’s no reason to believe he can’t get back to that level of play.

This offseason is a big one for the Lakers. They have a ton of cap space and are looking to add depth to their roster. LaRavia can either be a part of that depth or be one of the players the Lakers trade for new pieces.

For now, it’s time for LaRavia to control what he can control and lock in. There’s proof in performances like his against the Wolves and his 26-point game against the Grizzlies that he can be a great player. There’s also evidence like this postseason run that he’s not up to par.

It’s up to him to prove which player he can consistently be.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.