INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 18: John Calipari poses for a photo with former Kentucky players during the NBA All-Star Game as part of NBA All-Star Weekend on Sunday, February 18, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
If you’ve ever played NBA 2K, you’ve likely tried to assemble a team of players solely from your favorite college team. For some schools, such an exercise ends up with a super team. For most other teams, it’s impossible to create.
Today, we’re going to rank each school that’s capable of putting together a starting five using NBA players, as well as players expected to be drafted in the upcoming draft.
29. Washington State: Cedric Coward, Klay Thompson, Jaylen Wells, Mouhamed Gueye, Isaac Jones
Thompson is obviously the headliner in an otherwise dreadful team compared to the rest of the teams who are capable of putting together a starting five.
28. Arkansas: Darius Acuff, Anthony Black, Moses Moody, Bobby Portis, Daniel Gafford
Acuff appears to have the signs of a potential star in the making. Black and Moody are also valuable bench pieces in the pros.
27. Auburn: Isaac Okoro, Jabari Smith Jr, Dylan Cardwell, Johni Broome, Walker Kessler
Kessler and Smith are nice NBA players, but Auburn’s team lacks depth, high-end talent and guard play.
26. Virginia: Ty Jerome, Trey Murphy III, De’Andre Hunter, Ryan Dunn, Jay Huff
The Cavaliers have sent a ton of wings to the NBA, but not many guards or centers. This team would be versatile but would lack scoring punch.
25. Pittsburgh: Bub Carrington, Blake Hinson, Mouhamadou Gueye, Steven Adams
Pitt has produced Carrington, Adams, and not much else. However, they technically still have enough to field a starting five, so they get to be included on this list.
24. Marquette: Kam Jones, Tyler Kolek, Jimmy Butler, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Oso Ighodaro
Marquette’s list of pro players is thin, but they have enough to make a starting five and have Jimmy Butler to provide some star power.
23. UConn: Stephon Castle, Jordan Hawkins, Liam McNeeley, Andre Drummond, Donovan Clingan
Castle is an emerging star. Clingan, Hawkins and McNeeley are still young and have quite a bit of potential. The Dan Hurley connection to the NBA is starting to grow.
22. Florida: Tre Mann, Walter Clayton Jr, Bradley Beal, Dorian Finney-Smith, Al Horford
Florida has had as much success as anyone in recent years. However, not many of their players have turned into NBA stars. Of the Gators’ potential starting five, only Beal moves the needle much.
21. North Carolina: Coby White, Cole Anthony, Cameron Johnson, Harrison Barnes, Caleb Wilson
The Tar Heels used to put more players in the NBA than anyone. However, this list is yet another indication of just how far things have fallen at North Carolina.
20. Tennessee: Jaden Springer, Julian Phillips, Dalton Knecht, Tobias Harris, Grant Williams
Despite Tennessee being a legendary program run by a well-known coach, the Volunteers haven’t produced a ton of NBA talent in recent years. Harris and Williams are serviceable bigs, while Knecht is an intriguing young player, but there isn’t much depth here.
Keegan Murray is a solid starter at the NBA level, and Stirtz may develop into an intriguing player. However, the rest of them are rotational players at best.
White is a household name, but many fans may be unfamiliar with the rest. Colorado has enough players to field an NBA starting five, but just barely.
17. Maryland: Aaron Wiggins, Kevin Huerter, Derrick Queen, Jalen Smith, Bruno Fernando
Playing Queen at the 3 would be tough sledding for the Terrapins, but a majority of the NBA players from Maryland are centers. Maryland tends to only produce centers and shooters in the NBA.
The potential of George and Edgecombe could push this group much higher on the list in the coming years.
13. Michigan State: Jase Richardson, Max Christie, Miles Bridges, Jaren Jackson Jr, Draymond Green
While fierce defenders and led by a star in JJJ, the Spartan alumni would struggle in the backcourt compared to the rest of the list. Richardson is largely unproven at the NBA level, and only Harris could even be considered to take his place.
12. Florida State: Terance Mann, Devin Vassell, Scottie Barnes, Jonathan Isaac, Patrick Williams
Headlined by Barnes, the FSU alums would be one of the stingiest defensive squads on the list.
11. Michigan: Jordan Poole, Tim Hardaway Jr, Duncan Robinson, Franz Wagner, Aday Mara
Franz is the undisputed star of this team, which is heavy on scoring and severely lacking on defense. I could have included any of Michigan’s three projected lottery picks this year, but went with Mara since center is a sore spot for the NBA Wolverines.
The Villanova Knicks are in full effect here, as Brunson, Bridges and Hart anchor this squad. Villanova doesn’t send many bigs to the NBA, but its guards and wings can match up with just about anyone.
USC has one of the better front courts on this list and has some solid depth. They won’t wow anyone, but this is a capable group.
7. Texas: Tre Johnson, Kevin Durant, Jaxson Hayes, Myles Turner, Jarrett Allen
Texas has one of the most talented rosters available in our hypothetical world. The problem is they are nearly all bigs. Floor spacing would be a problem.
6. UCLA: Jrue Holiday, Russell Westbrook, Norman Powell, Zach Lavine, Jaime Jaquez Jr.
UCLA has sent a plethora of guards to the NBA in recent years. While we had a few bigs to choose from, none are worthy of starting over the five listed above.
Leaving Brayden Burries off this starting five was tough to do, but I give the edge to Green and Mathurin for now. The Wildcat front court is one of the best you’ll find.
4. Gonzaga: Jalen Suggs, Andrew Nembhard, Rui Hachimura, Domantas Sabonis, Chet Holmgren
Mark Few has created an NBA factory. Not only do the Zags have a solid starting five, but we had to leave players such as Corey Kispert, Brandon Clarke and Julian Strawther off the list.
3. Kansas: Darryn Peterson, Gradey Dick, Andrew Wiggins, Christian Braun, Joel Embiid
We don’t yet know what Darryn Peterson will be in the pros. However, if he is a star, this could be one of the best groups of any team on this list. Embiid is one of the best players in basketball when healthy.
2. Duke: Kyrie Irving, Jayson Tatum, Brandon Ingram, Paolo Banchero, Zion Williamson
The list of Blue Devils in the NBA is comically long. This starting five doesn’t even include Kon Knueppel, Cooper Flagg, Jalen Johnson and RJ Barrett. From a pure basketball stylistic perspective, this group would be very, very tough to beat.
1. Kentucky: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Tyrese Maxey, Devin Booker, Bam Adebayo, Anthony Davis
The Wildcats are the winner of this exercise by a sizable margin. Choosing a starting five was nearly impossible, as I had to leave Karl-Anthony Towns, De’Aaron Fox, Jamal Murray, Julius Randle, Tyler Herro and others off the list. No other school’s alumni are beating Kentucky’s.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 08: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks looks on during the second quarter against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Three of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 08, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Let’s get this straight and get rid of the most stupid part of this whole story even before we get started: Jalen Brunson is not why the NBA Finals are now a series.
Brunson surely is not a problem—any problem—for the Knicks, no matter how you look at it, let alone after a run that saw the Knicks put together 13 consecutive wins only disrupted once but a couple of neophytes playing out their minds.
If next October there is a banner hanging from the MSG rafters, you damn better believe that’s mostly ‘cause of the arrival of the promised guard in Manhattan.
Hell, you don’t even need to go so far away into the future, and just check the present of the New York Knickerbockers: the Garden is back hosting the Finals for the first time since freaking 1999. The second-greatest run in postseason history, winning 13 in a row, exists only because Brunson once decided to put pen to paper when he was unemployed in the summer of 2022. The Knicks hadn’t had a captain since forever after “Captain Clutch” came and conquered and got that capital C virtually stitched on his chest.
We all stopped wandering the point-guard-searching desert that we started to explore all the way back in the early aughts, only because of Brunson’s homecoming.
All of that said, the Knicks need hella more from Jalen Brunson right now.
Dirty Victor entered the NBA Finals as the clear-cut favorite to win the Finals MVP award. Two punches in the mouth were all oddmakers needed to flip the odds, placing Brunson on top and Karl-Anthony Towns close below. As things stand after the Game 3 loss, FanDuel is still listing JB as the favorite to get the award at +105, with Violent Vic back in second place at +165.
That tells you everything about how important, impactful, and well-regarded Brunson is, even when he’s clearly, definitely, soundly not at the top of his game.
It’s not that Brunson needs to score more points, necessarily. Brunson scored 32 in Game 3 and led the Knicks at it. He dropped 20 in Game 2 and 30 in Game 1. Overall, he’s averaging 27.3 points per game, the most in the series only behind Kung-Fu Wem’s 29 PPG. The totals are fine, the averages are alike.
The problem is how hard Brunson is working to get them, how many possessions are dying in the process, and how different the offense looks when the ball sticks to No. 11 for too long and for far subproductive and stagnant stretches.
"…We just wanted to stand and watch one guy dribble a ton…"
“I liked some of the looks, but I also think we were pretty stagnant,” Brunson admitted after Game 3. “There’s definitely things that we can learn from. Especially with our approach when we start the game and with the way we start the half, I don’t think we did well and I don’t think I did well, either.”
Through three Finals games, Brunson has taken 81 shots to score 82 points. He’s hoisting 27 FGA per game to anybody else’s 20 at most. JB is 30-for-81 from the field, a meager 37.0% compared to his regular-season 46.7% and even 46% in the playoffs—games against SAS included.
Brunson has 15 assists against 13 turnovers—again, not disastrous by ordinary standards but surely down by Brunson’s own bar of nearly seven dimes a pop against barely a couple of turnovers.
Jalen Brunson’s Shot Chart – NBA Finals through Game 3
Game 3 saw Brunson finish with 32 points, five rebounds, and five assists, but he also had five turnovers and took 25 shots in a 115-111 loss to the Spurs inside MSG, the first finals game in the Mecca since 1999. No other Knick attempted more than 13 (OG) shots, with Towns and Hart both taking 10, and nobody else reaching double-digit FGA.
“Offensively, we were as stagnant as I’ve seen us all year,” Brown said after the loss. “We just wanted to stand and watch one guy dribble a ton, and then when the ball got passed, there were no quick decisions by the guy receiving the basketball. You have to be smart, you have to do a good job taking care of the basketball, you have to move the ball and move bodies, and we’ve done that quite a bit but we didn’t do a good job of it tonight, which helped with the 13 turnovers… the turnover situation, the free throw situation, and our attention to detail about keeping them out of the paint and taking away the vertical threat, not good tonight.”
Coach Mike Brown did not name Brunson directly, obviously, but the “we watched one guy dribble a ton” note was more than enough.
“[Jalen Brunson has] been the focus of the Spurs’ defense and he’s mostly had to work hard just to get tough shots… but the focus on Brunson has created opportunities for his teammates, and they’ve stepped up and made big plays and big shots.”@johnschuhmann examines how the… pic.twitter.com/tT5uPHj2mn
The Knicks’ best version during this postseason run, as surprised as it had all of us, has not been Brunson playing savior each and every possession. Far from it. It has been Brunson as the closer with Towns as the frontcourt hub in a delightful 1A-1B two-man punch that left the NBA world in awe—yet still hating and not trusting the Knicks, for some reason they only now—and the likes of Anunoby, Hart and Mikal Bridges punishing opponents on both ends of the floor with everyone making simple decisions and embarrassing rivals.
That team won 13 straight playoff games. That team moved the ball and played the best Knicks basketball we’ve seen in a million years. That team made San Antonio chase, but there were signs of concern slowly but surely percolating of late, with New York escaping Texas unscathed but close to burning them.
San Antonio deserves credit because they are bullying Brunson like absolute brutes. They are making him work more than he’s done all postseason long. They have size, they have perfected MMA moves, and they are physically abusing JB and whoever is in front of them, with no official punishment. Kudos to them.
But the Knicks still lead the Finals 2-1. The Knicks still have home court advantage. The Knicks can still win three games before the Spurs get two, and we all know that’s a virtual clinching of the title.
It’s really two, but in all honesty, all New York needs is one more win. And if they want to get there easily and in front of their fans inside the Garden walls, there is nothing the Knicks need more right now than the Jalen Brunson we all have come to know and enjoy for the past four years.
"The most important thing is that we were going to learn regardless, because we knew there were things that we were going to have to improve on going into the next game"
Jalen Brunson talks about the Knicks learning from their first loss in a month and a half: pic.twitter.com/ew5dIuZRTt
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 8: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers runs on the court before the game against the New York Knicks during Round Two Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 8, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
On Monday, the Sixers introduced Mike Gansey as their new president of basketball operations. He didn’t reveal much about his vision for the team, but it seemed clear he was going to do his best to build around the team’s “Big 4” while creating a more harmonious environment within the franchise.
Gansey won’t have much time to settle with the 2026 NBA Draft just weeks away followed quickly by free agency. As Gansey said, it’s imperative for the Sixers to nail their pick at 22 and then find the proper pieces to complement the team’s top-four players in free agency.
Hit me with your questions in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer as many as possible.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson at Game 3 of the NBA finals at Madison Square Garden on 8 June.Photograph: Ross D Franklin/AP
The New York Knicks are leading the NBA finals 2-1 against the San Antonio Spurs, much to the excitement of fans across the world. It’s their first appearance in the playoff finals since 1999, when they lost the best-of-seven series to the very same Texas team.
We would like to hear from New Yorkers and Knicks fans, both in the state and around the globe, about how they’re feeling in this current moment. With the Knicks doing so well after so long, how are you celebrating? Are you still optimistic despite the Spurs’ close win in Madison Square Garden on Monday? How are you feeling about the future?
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HOUSTON, TX - MAY 1: Austin Reaves #15 and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Houston Rockets during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 1, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
As soon as the NBA Finals are over — which could be as early as Wednesday at this rate — expect the Lakers to get to work.
The day after the Finals end, teams are allowed to legally begin negotiating with their own free agents. No team would ever dare to tamper before that in Adam Silver’s NBA, so the last few weeks of June will be the Lakers’ best chance to lock down commitments from LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and the rest of their free agents.
If they don’t have a firm answer by 6 p.m. ET on June 30, the Lakers might have to pivot elsewhere.
That’s both the gift and the curse of being able to have upward of $50 million in cap space this offseason.
Getting to that number requires some significant sacrifices, though. The Lakers would have to renounce their free-agent rights to everyone other than Reaves, including LeBron and Hachimura.
Unless both players choose to sign elsewhere, that potential $50 million of cap space is a pipe dream. That’s because until they sign somewhere or the Lakers renounce them, they’re going to count against the Lakers’ books in some capacity.
Those two in particular will prevent the Lakers from having any cap space until they decide upon their fates one way or another.
Between LeBron, Hachimura and Reaves alone, there’s a clear order of operations in which the Lakers need to work this offseason to maximize their flexibility.
Their own free agents
By June 30, the Lakers need to have a firm-ish answer on James, Hachimura and the rest of their free agents other than Reaves. Otherwise, they won’t know how much money they can realistically spend in free agency.
LeBron will count as $57.75 million (his max salary) against the Lakers’ cap until he re-signs with them, signs elsewhere, retires or the Lakers renounce his rights. Hachimura will count as nearly $27.4 million. Those two alone put the Lakers well above the cap, and that’s not even counting Luke Kennard ($13.2 million cap hit), Jaxson Hayes ($6.6 million) or Deandre Ayton and/or Marcus Smart if they decline their respective player options.
The Lakers will have at least a week-and-a-half to legally negotiate with them before any of them can begin legally negotiating with other teams. (Because again, no one would dare to tamper in Adam Silver’s NBA.) That should give them plenty of time to suss out the likelihood of bringing each of them back, and the price tag it’d likely cost.
Perhaps LeBron says he’s willing to come back and take whatever’s left over after the Lakers go free-agent shopping. The Lakers could hash out agreements with the rest of their free-agent targets, but they’d have to re-sign LeBron first to get his massive cap hold off their books before they’d have to sign anyone else.
The same goes for Hachimura to a lesser extent. If he’s getting less than $27.4 million as the starting salary of his next contract, his cap hold would count as more than his next deal will. Once the Lakers signed Hachimura to that contract, they’d carve out additional financial flexibility with which to navigate the aprons.
If they don’t have a clear answer by June 30, though, they may face the difficult decision of whether to renounce either player (or both).
If the Lakers renounced either James or Hachimura, their cap holds would be removed from their books, but they would also forfeit their Bird rights. That means they’d only be able to re-sign them via cap space or with a salary-cap exception.
Once the Lakers finish the rest of their free-agent business, they can then turn their attention to Reaves.
Reaves’ cap-hold trick
Reaves has been the skeleton key to kickstarting the Luka Dončić era for a while now. He’s likely in line for a max or near-max deal this offseason, whether from the Lakers or another team, but he’ll count as only $20.9 million on the Lakers’ books until they re-sign him.
Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Timesrecently said that from what he understands, “Austin wants the max. Is he willing to give the Lakers a hometown deal? I’m not so sure about that. Maybe he does, but maybe his reps don’t want to.”
The $50 million of cap space figure above includes Reaves’ $20.9 million cap hold. A max contract for Reaves will start at $41.25 million next season, assuming a $165 million salary cap. Once he signs that deal, he’ll count as his new salary on the Lakers’ books. Until that time, he’ll count as only $20.9 million.
So, even if the Lakers announce early in free agency — or even during the legal negotiating period after the Finals — that they’ve reached an agreement with Reaves, that doesn’t mean they’re going to sign him as soon as the July Moratorium lifts on July 6. They’ll spend the rest of their cap space first and then re-sign him afterward to take advantage of his well-below-market cap hold.
The only thing Reaves’ next contract will affect is the Lakers’ proximity to the luxury tax and the aprons. He has zero impact on what they do in free agency aside from how his next contract fits into their larger financial picture.
Depending on which of their other free agents they bring back and how much it costs to do so, the Lakers might have a walkaway price for Reaves that’s below a full max. We’ll see what they have planned for LeBron, Rui and their other free agents, along with anything else they might have up their sleeves.
But no matter what order those decisions are announced in, there is a clear chain that the Lakers need to follow once they’re ready to make those deals official.
BROOKLYN, NY - JUNE 26: The Milwaukee Bucks round 1 pick 23 during the 2024 NBA Draft - Round One on June 26, 2024 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Kostas Lymperopoulos/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Bucks fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
At last month’s draft combine, there was some intel that the Bucks were operating as if they’d have “multiple picks” in this month’s NBA Draft. Now, the rumor didn’t specify whether or not they’d necessarily be first-round picks, but naturally, the first place many minds jumped to was that the Bucks would net an additional first this month in a Giannis trade. However, there are some viable other options Milwaukee has in the first round.
There is a possibility they could trade down this year to obtain a future draft pick. For example, I’ve read some scuttlebutt online that OKC is interested in trading up from 12. If the Bucks are willing to move down two spots, perhaps they could receive one of the two firsts the Thunder controls next year (they also hold swap rights on a third and could receive a fourth if the Spurs somehow fall to 16th or lower). Milwaukee doesn’t have firsts in 2027 or 2029, but it seems like when this happens, the team trading up sends a first-rounder they own for the following year.
A likelier scenario with the Thunder is swapping no. 10 for their picks at 12 and 17, which came to them courtesy of the Clippers and Sixers. Charlotte is another possibility: they have their own pick at 14 and Orlando’s at 18. If either team wants to trade up, the Bucks should definitely listen. This is a loaded draft, and many of the prospects projected after about ninth could end up anywhere. If the Bucks are zeroed in on a particular guy, he might end up falling to them at 12th anyway, and then they’d have another mid-first selection to do with as they please.
I encourage you to read more about these names in our ongoing community draft board series. But for now, what should the Bucks do: stand pat or move down and pick up another selection?
Karl-Anthony Towns and Victor Wembanyama get tangled up on a play during the fourth quarter of Monday night’s game.Photograph: Al Bello/Getty Images
Knicks coach Mike Brown had harsh words for the officials about what he characterized as inconsistent foul calls in New York’s 115-111 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 3 of the NBA finals.
The Spurs took 24 free throws to the Knicks’ eight in the second half Monday night at Madison Square Garden. Fourteen of San Antonio’s attempts came in the third quarter, when New York took just three. In the final period, frustrations boiled over: the Knicks were whistled three times in the opening 64 seconds, and within three minutes they were in the bonus.
Brown opened his postgame news conference with comments about the officiating and returned to the topic several times. The teams will meet again in New York on Wednesday for Game 4.
“I don’t complain much. I never thought I’d see that in an NBA finals game, and I saw it tonight. That’s tough to overcome when you’re playing against a great team, Brown said. “San Antonio won the game. I’m giving their head coach and their players a lot of credit. But as a team, if you take away the fouls and the free throws that should have, in my opinion, been a little bit more even, again maybe we fouled that many times but they fouled, too. And it’s not shown at the end of the day on this box score.”
“I talked to [the officials], and they said, well, this is a foul, this is a foul,” he added. “That’s the question I had with them is, you’re right. Maybe we did foul. But they fouled, too. If they do this in Game 4 where it’s 24-8 in the second half, it’s going to be tough for us to win.
“The story is going to be there. But there are some controllables that we did not do a good job of doing. We allowed them to hit first at the beginning of the game. We allowed them to hit first in the beginning of the second half. We turned the ball over and we were stagnant offensively and we allowed them to get to the paint, and we did not pay attention to detail to what we are supposed to do defensively.”
Victor Wembanyama, who led the Spurs with 32 points, had nine free-throw attempts, tied with New York’s Jalen Brunson for the most of any player. A play in which the 7ft 4in center shoved the 6ft 2in point guard but did not result in a whistle drew criticism from Knicks fans on social media after the loss, the team’s first in more than two months.
Brunson was blunt when asked about the play: “Whatever you saw is what you saw.”
Video of Victor Wembanyama-Jalen Brunson shove
Officiating has been a storyline of these NBA finals. Across the three games, the Spurs have averaged 28 free-throw attempts to the Knicks’ 20.3. Several foul calls – including ones that were successfully overturned after challenges by both teams – swung the momentum in key moments during Game 3.
Knicks players did not have the same vocal criticism as Brown after the result. They pointed to their 13 turnovers, off which the Spurs had 21 points.
“That ain’t cost us the game. Turned the ball over. Didn’t execute. Didn’t do what got us 13 straight wins in a row. That’s how you lose a game. We didn’t do what we’ve been doing for 13,” Karl-Anthony Towns said. “We decided to do something different, and it ain’t going to work. Throwing the ball away is a clear indication of how you’re going to lose the game, especially in the playoffs.”
Brunson echoed that sentiment.
“I think we turned the ball over a lot, first and foremost, and also we were fouling a lot and put them at the line about 30 times,” he said. “With our live ball turnovers, got them out in transition. They were definitely capitalizing off of those.”
For one night at least, Mike Brown didn’t have the golden touch.
The Knicks coach earned some blowback after his decision to sit superstar Jalen Brunson for 7:11 spanning the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth quarter in Monday’s Game 3 loss.
Brunson exited with the Knicks trailing by one and returned with the team losing by five points in its eventual 115-111 defeat that sliced its NBA Finals series lead to 2-1.
Mike Brown coaching the Knicks during Game 3. Getty Images
Added CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn: “I don’t want to second guess Mike Brown too much. The last time I did that he won 13 in a row. But it felt to me like the game swung when he took Jalen Brunson out with foul trouble with 4.5 minutes to go in the third. Needed to dominate those (Luke) Kornet minutes, couldn’t without JB.”
Brown has been a wizard with his in-game decisions during this magical Knicks run, often finding the right combinations and being rewarded with stellar play from his backups.
It’s always tricky when starters encounter foul trouble, though, and it’s fair to wonder if he waited perhaps a little too long to insert Brunson back into the game after he picked up his fourth foul.
The Knicks trailed 79-78 at the time when he exited with 4:29 left in the third quarter, a key moment since the Spurs also took out Victor Wembanyama at the same time.
The Spurs took advantage when Jalen Brunson wasn’t on the court. AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin
The Spurs are more vulnerable during those moments when Kornet spells Wembanyama — he played 9:16 on Monday — and that opens chances for the Knicks.
The Knicks managed to hold court in the remainder of the third quarter to trail by one point, 92-91, entering the fourth, meaning they gained on ground with Wembanyama on the bench.
The start of the fourth then swayed the game.
The Spurs, with Wembanyama back in the fold, grabbed a 96-91 lead before Hart entered the game with 10:36 remaining, and Brunson entered 1:18 later.
The Knicks did not score their first basket of the period until 8:30 remained in the contest, which cut the deficit to 98-93, and they did not work their way back to within three points until the final minute.
They shot just 7-for-27 in the final quarter.
“I liked some of the looks, but I also think we were pretty stagnant. There’s definitely things that we can learn from,” Brunson said of the fourth quarter. “Especially with our approach when we start the game and with the way we start the half, I don’t think we did well and I don’t think I did well either.”
Tracy Morgan, Tina Fey, Christine Taylor, Ben Stiller, Timothee Chalamet, and Josh Safdie look on during Game 3 between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden on Monday night. Boardroom's Ellis Buery sat right behind Celebrity Row to catch the action. (Erick W. Rasco / Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
(Set Number: X164894 TK1)
Second row. First NBA Finals at MSG since 1999. Timothée Chalamet saved his outfit just for this. Here's how the night went from Boardroom's point of view.
It's 12:20 AM, and I just got home from Game 3 of the NBA Finals. And even though the New York Knicks lost a tough battle to the San Antonio Spurs to kill any hopes of a potential sweep, this was easily one of the best nights of my life. From getting to Madison Square Garden three hours early to (basically) becoming best friends with Timothée Chalamet, here's how it all went down.
I arrived at MSG around 5:30, and getting in was by far the worst part of the night. With President Trump in attendance, security was tighter than at any Knicks game I've ever been to — barricades and police five blocks out, and a metal detector at 29th Street just to get near the arena. I'd arrived early enough to skip the second screening, but I could see thousands of people down 32nd Street who weren't so lucky. After about an hour, we were finally let in, and the "Let's Go Knicks" chants rolling out the doors were just a preview of how loud New York was going to get.
Inside, I hit the over-the-top Delta Lounge, where I bought a hat and a jacket while Joe Budden shopped beside me. The spread was unreal: sushi, porterhouse, and lobster roll stations, the usual burgers and hot dogs, two bars, and help-yourself bowls of candy. I wasn’t hungry, so I just grabbed some popcorn and headed down to my seats.
My dad and I were in the second row, seats we never could have swung on our own. They were a gift from a friend of my dad's, and I still can't fully wrap my head around it: Comparable seats were going for north of $40,000 each, and a pair of Celebrity Row seats a few feet away had just sold for $1 million at a charity auction. I'll never forget that kind of generosity.
The last time the Knicks made it this far, these same Spurs sent them home. Now, here we were again, same two franchises, same building, 26 years later. I knew I was sitting in the middle of history; what a blessing to be at the first NBA Finals game at the Garden since 1999.
Right in front of us, pregame was the NBA on ESPN crew — Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, and Draymond Green. Then, Celebrity Row filled in, and it felt like flipping through a Knicks Fan Hall of Fame: Ben Stiller, Tracy Morgan, Tina Fey, Spike Lee, and Chalamet right in front of me; Rick Pitino, Justin Tuck, and Jadakiss right behind. Hov himself wasn't far off — for once, I knew what Jay-Z meant when he said he was Spiked-out! I could almost trip the referees! I complimented Timothée on his outfit; he dapped me up and said he'd been saving it for this game. I got selfies with Tina, Ben, and Timothée — the highlights of my night.
After the initial rush settled in, the Knicks and Spurs began to star warming up, and man, these guys do NOT miss in person. But as the game clock inched closer and closer to tip-off, things got intense. Sitting that close, I could hear and see everything: Spike Lee screaming at the refs, every foul they missed, the play calls guys shouted to each other. Every basket, we shot up and cheered; every whistle, we let the refs have it, and after a while, it stopped feeling like I was surrounded by larger-than-life figures and started feeling like I was just watching the game with my friends.
Up close, you could see the strain on the faces of Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson — the effort etched into their faces, how badly they wanted this. I could even watch the sweat drip off Victor Wembanyama's face. Then the first half ended, the lights dropped, and when I looked to my left — not five feet away — there was Cardi B, surrounded by the Knicks City Dancers, about to launch into her halftime show.
Look, I'm not here to give you a play-by-play as to how the second half played out. We all know what happened. The Knicks lost a close one that came down to the final few possessions, the kind of game that leaves you staring at the floor of the arena for a few extra minutes just trying to process it.
That's basketball. That's New York.
Eventually, my high came crashing down as I walked out. But then I reached the main entrance, heard the crowd chanting "Knicks in 5," and just like that, I was right back to as happy as I've ever been.
Bob Myers was pleased Monday to watch Mike Gansey field his first questions as the Sixers’ president of basketball operations.
He was also candid about the fact that Gansey is taking control of a flawed team.
Myers, the president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment, spoke minutes after Gansey’s introductory press conference and identified a broad problem with the Sixers.
“We’ve got to find an identity,” Myers said. “We just don’t have one. That may be a harsh thing to say, but look at the numbers. We were not elite offensively or defensively. If you’re going to win at the highest level, you’ve got to be great at something. We have the capability. We have the players and some of the talent. But in order to see what we are, we’ve got to be on the court. You have to have a consistent product on the floor and then you find out.
“And maybe that’s not good enough. Maybe it is. But we’ve got to figure out, ‘What are we? What can we stand on as a team?’ Some teams stand on both. Some teams are great offensively and defensively. But we’ve got to be great at one of them at least, and we’ve got to find out which one of them it is. And to get there, we’ve got to have guys on the court.”
The 2025-26 Sixers were indeed middling on both offense and defense. According to Cleaning the Glass, the team ranked 17th in offensive rating and 17th in defensive rating outside of garbage time.
However, Joel Embiid’s unending injury woes made it tricky for the Sixers to maintain any positive momentum. Their longest winning streak of the season was five games. The Sixers were 24-14 when Embiid played in the regular season and 21-23 without him.
“You can’t consistently develop habits and you can’t really develop an identity with that many starting lineups,” Myers said, “with that much change. … (Head coach Nick Nurse) has great ideas. … We have to become great at something. But the good news is there’s talent. We have talent. We have to find something that we can stand on that you know when you’re playing the Sixers, you’re going to have a problem either going up against their offense or (their defense).”
Nurse had suggested at training camp that the Sixers would be a speedy, guard-centric group. His vision appeared to be Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe as heavy-minutes starters, Quentin Grimes and Jared McCain as offensive weapons off the bench, and less concern than the typical team about the defensive deficiencies that come with smaller lineups.
“We’ve got two really, really good young studs in Tyrese and VJ, and then we’ve got Joel and Paul (George),” Gansey said. “Those are the four we start with. And obviously, when they play, we’re pretty good. You can see how they worked against Boston in the playoffs. We’ve just got to dive into those four and get them on the floor together. … We’ve got to stay healthy. And then try to add some depth and get better in other areas.”
The Sixers have had a few somewhat stable stylistic traits in Nurse’s three seasons.
They’ve valued winning the turnover battle and performed well in that area. The Sixers’ worst rank for offensive turnover percentage was 11th in the 2024-25 season. They’ve been a top-10 team in defensive turnover percentage every year.
For a variety of reasons, defensive rebounding has remained a glaring weakness. The Sixers have often ceded size at multiple positions and their turnover-hunting approach has tended to mean the team is a bit more vulnerable on the defensive glass.
As Gansey and the Sixers’ front office think about depth options, there’s no question they’ll have rebounding and three-point shooting in mind.
“I can give you a general answer and say that every team is like that, but we struggled in some of those areas,” Myers said. “So it’s acknowledging what you’re good at and what we need to work on. Clearly, the rebounding, especially defensive rebounding, is an area of concern and we need to get better. How can we get better? Is that personnel, is that technique, is that strategy? … Again, is this why we do it — because it’s not easy. It’s difficult.
“These answers are not simple. You wake up in the middle of the night thinking about these things. And when you get fortunate enough to win, it’s all that work and toil that make it worth it. But there’s nothing more challenging than winning. You can’t buy championships. You have to go through it together. Each decision you make, each transaction you make is hopefully moving in that direction. But that’s why you do it. That’s what makes it fun.”
This postseason has had a prevailing subplot in Victor Wembanyama’s ascent— not only as the 22-year-old cements himself as the face of the NBA, but also how the young superstar is trying to find his edge on the court. That manifested itself with an elbow to Naz Reid against the Timberwolves, and reared its head once more on Monday night against the Knicks.
Wemby was jostling with Jalen Brunson at the top of the key, and decided to throw him to the ground like he was nothing.
Brunson was obviously astonished that this even happened, because one would think that a fist-shove like this would at least warrant a whistle. I call it that, because I don’t really know how to define this move. It’s not really a push, it’s not a punch — it’s a fist-shove. Of course Wemby had to invent an entirely new way to foul someone.
We could call this him getting the superstar call, but it was wholly bizarre that he was able to get away with this against Jalen Brunson of all people. It’s not like he was manhandling someone off the bench or a role player — it was star-on-star violence. Now, while it is quite funny to see anyone get ragdolled like this, the refs definitely shouldn’t have swallowed their whistles here.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 08: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks drives against Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs during the fourth quarter in Game Three of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 08, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Knicks didn’t win a game for the first time in 14 attempts, and since CJ McCollum ignited the second-greatest postseason run in NBA history.
New York won 13 straight, and is now just two away—with four more opportunities to get those dubs—from winning the whole thing.
On balancing officiating talk with what the team can control:
“It’s going to be (a story around officiating) because I said it. The story is going to be there. But there are some controllables that we did not do a good job of doing. We allowed them to hit first at the beginning of the game. We allowed them to hit first in the beginning of the second half. We turned the ball over and we were stagnant offensively and we allowed them to get to the paint, and we did not pay attention to detail to what we are supposed to do defensively.”
On the series perspective and baffling foul split:
“I tell the guys, it’s a seven-game series for a reason. They are a great team. There are some things that we can control that I didn’t think that we controlled tonight. And then like I said, maybe we fouled 24 times, but I’m baffled that they only fouled eight in the second half.”
On allowing San Antonio into the paint:
“We allowed them to get to the paint, and we did not pay attention in detail to what we are supposed to do defensively.”
On the free-throw disparity in the second half:
“First of all, I want to get something clear. Coach Mitch Johnson and the Spurs, they won the game tonight. They came and took the game. But I will say this, I never thought I’d be in the NBA Finals and see a team get 24 free throw attempts in the second half to another team’s eight. I don’t think I complain much about officials or the fairness when it comes to the free throw attempts. San Antonio is a great team, they’re a great team. It’s going to lower our odds big time, big time, if we play Game 4 and in the second half they get 24 free throw attempts to our eight. And maybe we were fouling, maybe we were fouling, but they foul too… There were opportunities for fouls to be called. To at least try to even the free throws out.”
On hoping for a more balanced whistle in Game 4:
“If they do this in Game 4, where it’s 24-8 in the second half, it’s going to be tough for us to win… There are a lot of things that we can do better and we’re gonna have to do better. But in the same breathe, like I said, hopefully they’ll see some more fouls called against them where it’s not 24-8. This is a four-point ball game, a one-possession ball game going down the stretch and it’s tough to overcome.”
On questioning the third-quarter free-throw gap:
“I talked to [the officials]. They outshot us 14-3 in the third quarter from the free throw line. I talked to them, and they said, well, this is a foul, this is a foul. That’s the question I had with them is, you’re right. Maybe we did foul. But they fouled, too.”
On giving the Spurs credit for execution:
“I give San Antonio, their staff and their players a lot of credit. They just stayed with it, stayed with it, tried to execute, tried to execute, tried to execute, and we did not do a good job with the details. I think it’s a combination of both because they had to execute their actions, and then we had to make sure that we tried to execute our defensive responsibilities, and we didn’t do a really good job with it.”
On struggling to overcome the whistle and the Spurs’ execution:
“Now, we didn’t play good. San Antonio played great. We could’ve played better, there were a lot of things that we didn’t do that we did in Game 1 and Game 2. But to go 24 free throw attempts in a second half… compared to eight. All the shots we took, we got fouled four times roughly for eight free throw attempts. Again, I don’t complain much, but I never thought I’d see that in an NBA Finals game, and I saw it tonight. That’s tough to overcome when you’re playing a great team.”
On the stagnant offense and turnover issues:
“Offensively, we were as stagnant as I’ve seen us all year. We just wanted to stand and watch one guy dribble a ton, and then when the ball got passed, there were no quick decisions by the guy receiving the basketball. You have to be smart, you have to do a good job taking care of the basketball, you have to move the ball and move bodies, and we’ve done that quite a bit but we didn’t do a good job of it tonight, which helped with the 13 turnovers… the turnover situation, the free throw situation, and our attention to detail about keeping them out of the paint and taking away the vertical threat, not good tonight.”
On the offense devolving into drag and no movement:
“It was the way we played and the things that we were doing offensively. We were just coming down and just basically playing ‘drag.’ We’d get the first screen, and then we literally just stood and watched. There was no movement. Like, sometimes KAT has to flash to the elbow. Sometimes he’s got to post up. … They are junking the game up by just putting [Victor Wembanyama] in one of the two corners. So if they junk the game up, I can call a play. But sometimes you’re going to have to just move and cut and pass the ball quicker and drive the ball quicker, because it’s almost a zone that they are in to a certain degree, and we didn’t do a good job of attacking it.”
On Jose Alvarado stabilizing the team in Game 3:
“He was huge. We talked about it during our film session. When Jalen went out of the game, he came in and he kind of stabilized us because we were floundering a little bit. He got us into our offense.”
On his first time coaching at MSG in the Finals:
“I was like, holy crap, I can’t believe this is where I’m going to be coaching. The biggest thing was when I got to the bench where we sit, and I kind of turned and looked at the crowd; I saw my wife and family, like, three rows back, I was like, dang, thanks, Mr. Dolan; that’s pretty nice. Just obviously the building, but more importantly when you get in and you look, for me, I see my family right there, then obviously all the stars. It makes it feel different than almost any other building you’ve been in.”
On meeting Ben Stiller and telling his wife to go get a picture:
“Ben Stiller was over there. I don’t think I’ve ever met Ben, but he was over there, and she was like, ‘Ben’s over there.’ I was like, ‘Go get a picture. I’m sure he’ll take a picture with you.’ [She was like], ‘No, I can’t do it.’”
On encouraging his wife to approach Stiller:
“When you see him next time, approach him. He’s gonna take a picture with you.”
On hoping adversity helps everyone involved:
“You’re going to hit some adversity throughout the course of the season, and this is what I talked about when I said, you know, you hoped you hit adversity because you want to see how everybody reacts, not just the players. I want to see how Mr. [James] Dolan was going to react. I want to see how [team president] Leon Rose is going to react, their group, on top of the players. Because one of them, all of them, can get pissed at me and say, screw this, we’re done. Or you could try to keep fighting, stay even-keeled and try to figure it out.”
On Brunson’s MVP snub:
“He did not get the attention that he deserved during the regular season. I think he’s a top-three MVP candidate, and when it comes down to those things, his name wasn’t mentioned much.”
On the Finals elevating Brunson’s recognition:
“Playing in the Finals, leading your team to first place in the regular season in either conference, that gives you more recognition. So something like this should definitely help and help everybody wake up a little bit and understand what type of player he is and, just as importantly, what type of person he is.”
On being forced to stay at an NYC hotel before Game 3:
“I’ve never done that for a [home] game before. But it’s easier because we’re practicing here.”
On the energy brought by former Knicks legends being around the team:
“It truly means a lot, because when they’re on the sidelines or baselines or whatever, they make their presence known. They’re full of energy. That’s just who they are. They just want the best for us, and it’s a really cool sight to see. It’s an honor to play for this organization, the history it has, to see the former players around all the time, that makes it even more special.”
"The most important thing is that we were going to learn regardless, because we knew there were things that we were going to have to improve on going into the next game"
Jalen Brunson talks about the Knicks learning from their first loss in a month and a half: pic.twitter.com/ew5dIuZRTt
On learning from the Game 3 loss and the end of the 13-game winning streak:
“I think win or lose as a team, our mindset is always get better the next day. We’ve tried our best to learn from wins over the past couple of weeks, but now we have to learn from a loss. But I think the most important thing was that we were going to learn regardless, because we knew that there were things we were gonna have to improve heading into the next game, so the mindset stays the same.”
On turnovers and transition defense issues on Monday:
“I think we turned the ball over a lot, first and foremost, and also we were fouling a lot and put them at the line about 30 times. With our live ball turnovers, got them out in transition.”
On the offense becoming stagnant:
“I liked some of the looks, but I also think we were pretty stagnant. There’s definitely things that we can learn from. Especially with our approach when we start the game and with the way we start the half, I don’t think we did well and I don’t think I did well, either.”
On Wembanyama’s MMA move on him:
“Whatever you saw is what you saw.”
On seeing Luka Doncic’s effortless game early in his career:
“Just seeing how effortlessly he did everything, it really made me question myself. I had to do all this work just to be in this position.”
On learning through experience:
“The biggest experience you get is actually going through things.”
"Of course our fans brought it. They always do. Of course they lived up to the expectations and exceeded them. We didn't do our job to give them something to cheer for after the game."
On the need for starting the game and third quarters better:
“You knew they were going to come out with a sense of urgency and a sense of desperation. We should have started the game off better. We should have started the third quarter off better. So, you know, back to 0-0.”
On failing to play the game that fueled the 13-game streak:
“Didn’t do what got us 13 straight wins in a row. That’s how you lose a game. We didn’t do what we’ve been doing for 13. We decided to do something different, and it ain’t going to work.”
On the Spurs earning it and the Knicks not doing their job:
“They were great. But we didn’t do our job.”
On rejecting officiating as the reason for the loss:
“Nah, that ain’t what cost us the game. Turning the ball over didn’t do what got us 13 wins in a row. That’s how you lose a game. We didn’t do what we did for the 13, we decided to play differently, and it ain’t gonna work when you’re throwing the ball away. It’s a clear indication of how you’re going to lose the game, especially in the playoffs.”
On letting MSG fans down in Game 3:
“Of course our fans brought it. They always do. Of course they lived up to the expectations and exceeded them. We didn’t do our job to give them something to cheer for after the game.”
On ignoring skeptics about his shooting ability early in his career:
“I worked on my game. When I was younger, that wasn’t something that was supposed to happen. You’re laughed at. You’re told, ‘What are you doing? You’re wasting your time. You’re never going to make it to college doing that.’”
On walking his own path to the NBA:
“A lot of people are going to tell you, ‘No,’ what they think you need to do to make it to the NBA, to do all these things. But at the end of the day, you’ve got to walk on your own path, write your own story. And that’s what I did.”
On receiving praise from former doubters:
“People come back to me and give me all the congrats and congratulations and all this love for something they didn’t help with; they told me to do the opposite. So, that’s how life always goes. Everyone’s got an opinion until someone actually does the work.”
“Offensively, we got a little stagnant. We just gotta keep moving and spacing. They just played harder than us, more physical. It starts with me defensively. I think I did a bad job defensively. They scored a good amount of times when I was in in the beginning. And throughout the game, I think, really, for me, it starts with defense and feeding off that.”
On needing to respond in Game 4:
“We gotta be better. I gotta be better for next game. We’re gonna be all right. We’re gonna regroup and learn from our loss.”
On Wembanyama’s defensive impact on the game:
“His length is unmatched and he’s got good IQ. It definitely causes trouble. He’s DPOY for a reason.”
"They're a great team, as well. They weren't just going to lay down. All we can do is move on and learn from this and take it as adversity and just respond to it."
“They’re a great team, as well. They weren’t just going to lay down. All we can do is move on and learn from this and take it as adversity and just respond to it.”
On the Knicks not being connected defensively in Game 3:
“We weren’t as connected as we normally are. We had some mental mishaps and allowed some easy buckets.”
On transition defense slipping in Monday’s loss:
“We weren’t as connected as we normally are. We had some mental mishaps and allowed some easy buckets, and also our transition defense wasn’t what we wanted it to be.”
On failing to handle the constant stoppages and stunted rhythm:
“Yeah, the stops and go, and all the fouls, that’s just how the game went today. I guess so. I guess it affects the rhythm, but we just have to deal with it. Every game is different. Some games there’s no stoppages and some games there’s a bunch. So we just have to respond and be professional and be ready to go.”
"I feel like we didn't get enough stops to win the game. We get stops, we play our basketball, and you're not worried about makes and misses."
Josh Hart talks about the Knicks learning from tonight's loss and their struggles defensively down the stretch: pic.twitter.com/ni0BpC3OXl
“It doesn’t surprise us at all. They were down 2-0. You knew they were going to come out with a sense of urgency and a sense of desperation. We should have started the game off better.”
On learning from Game 3 regardless of result:
“There’s a couple shots that didn’t fall that we had good looks on. I feel like we didn’t get enough stops during the game. We get stops, we play our brand of basketball, and you’re not worried about makes and misses. Like I said, we’ve got to learn from it, watch it tomorrow. At the end of the day, whether we won or lost, we’re going to do the same thing. Watch tomorrow, get better and prepare for the game on [Wednesday]. Same mentality.”
On Brown’s steady demeanor as head coach:
“He’s not too high, not too low. He allows himself to be coachable in the sense of listening to other coaches and players. He has our input instilled into what we do. He’s been the same all year long. That’s what you want as a coach; you don’t want him to get too high or too low. He has a real comfort in his role.”
"We wanted to come out here and punch them first and do that. I think the turnovers were just a big part of where we messed up tonight."
“They came out, they made adjustments, they were more physical. They kicked our ass and we’ve gotta bounce back. We gotta look in the mirror and get better and we’ll do that. I feel good about knowing we can clean some things up. We’ll be better in Game 4.”
On Spurs’ paint game:
“They were really physical early. They played really fast. Got into the paint far too much for our liking. They were really aggressive. Castle had 18 points when I looked up at some point in the first half, so he had it going. Harper was getting into the paint. Fox. Wemby was catching lobs.”
On sticking to the process despite missing threes:
“Great process, got some great looks, had a few that were down and out. Process over outcome. I’m more upset about some of the things defensively that I’ve been priding myself on. I had a few possessions where I didn’t do my job like I needed to. That’s fixable. Sometimes the gods give you in and outs and the ball doesn’t go in.”
On the Garden atmosphere in Game 3:
“The city was crazy, you could feel it from Mars, I’m sure. New York was buzzing. A lot of energy. Unfortunately, we didn’t get a win from the home fans, but we’ll respond and we’ll be better.”
Jose Alvarado (6’0”) takes Wembanyama (7’4”) one on one and beats him for the swish; he also collapses the defense and extracts a foul off the ball on a he Spurs. A career highlight for Jose. pic.twitter.com/zxaxSg3mC2
On what pushed the Spurs to their first Finals win:
“The simple things. Game plan execution, starting in the right spots, early communication, good switching… and then just working through the possessions.”
On expecting a strong performance from Wembanyama:
“I don’t think any of us are surprised or expect anything different than strong performance and him being on his front foot in terms of attack mode”
On playing collectively and making strides offensively:
“I thought we made some strides in terms of ball movement, playing with our teammates, setting screens… I just thought we were in attack mode, but also as a collective group.”
"Wemby's international…they play dirty overseas…If I watch film & see Wemby throw somebody on my team, next game I'm gonna pop him so hard…After y'all watch film what he did to Jalen Brunson…you better make sure you put that knife in his neck…next game"
“I guess. I’m nowhere near Trae Young level, though.”
On the MSG atmosphere compared to playing home:
“At home it really feels like playing six against five. Here it feels like five against six. … It really shows what teams are made of.”
On Stephon Castle’s maturity on the roster:
“Steph’s role? He might be the most mature player on our team. And he’s nowhere near the oldest. He’s shown over and over again he’s capable and that we are right to put our trust in him.”
On trying to relax during the playoffs:
“I really tried to relax. The playoffs, it’s like … a whirlwind. It’s hard to put your head out of the water. Sometimes I don’t even go to watch the game back right away. I need some time off, let my brain cool down, recover. Recover as much for the body as for the mind.”
“I still feel like we haven’t really done anything.. obviously it feels good to win, especially on the road… we’re just looking forward to the next 48 minutes.”
On his last-second three and beig aware of the clock:
“Getting ready to go crash and try and rebound. At that point in the game, I feel like you gotta be alert and know the clock.”
De'Aaron Fox says that the difference for the Spurs in Game 3 versus the last two games was being able to sustain their high-level play and bouncing back quicker after New York runs: pic.twitter.com/TlI0urDnzQ
“Being able to sustain the high-level play and bouncing back quicker after New York runs.”
Charles Barkley:
"I think the Knicks are reverting back to the way they played too much Brunson eccentric. When they were blowing out teams they were getting KAT involved more. They didn't use KAT at all tonight" pic.twitter.com/UepKaJOYPG
On defending JB during the Fox altercation in Game 2:
“I’m always gonna be a father first. But at the end of the day, if there was any other player, I’d do the same.”
On the surreal nature of his son’s rise:
“It’s crazy to me. I never envisioned, you know, to this level.”
On remembering the 1999 Finals run:
“I remember like it was yesterday, being here in ’99 trying to win a championship. But now it’s more exciting for me as a father to see your son on the stage and performing.”
On the perception of his relationship with Jalen:
“People may think just because he pushes me a certain way that we don’t say things to each other. But I wouldn’t trade anything for the world.”
On keeping Jalen confident regardless of results:
“I don’t rate Jalen on if the ball goes in or not. It’s just taking the right shot, taking his shot. Just try to keep him confident.”
Stephen A Smith on Jalen Brunson:
"I'm shocked to have to say this…tonight it looked like he was playing to be an MVP rather than be playing to win game 3" pic.twitter.com/ot0r0JBTqq
“This president has no business showing up in New York City. I am dead serious. It is selfish. It is narcissistic. It is ridiculous that he is coming to this game. This is not a football stadium in some space in Texas where you got a whole bunch of outlays. This is [Madison Square] Garden. This is midtown Manhattan. Do you have any idea what the congestion is going to be like in New York City?”
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 8: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts during the game against the New York Knicks during Game Three of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 8, 2026 at Madison in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Coming off a heartbreaking Game 2 loss, the Spurs traveled to Madison Square Garden with a 0-2 deficit vs the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals. No team in NBA history has come back down 3-0 in a series, so the Spurs knew they had to play with extreme desperation. Like the first two games, the Spurs dominated the first quarter. This time, they outscored the Knicks 33-22. In the second, the Knicks and Spurs switched roles. The Knicks outscored the Spurs 42-24 in the quarter, and the Spurs faced a seven-point deficit. The Spurs fought back in the third, and their defense started to frustrate the Knicks’ offense. They took a one-point lead into the fourth, with their season on the line.
The Spurs’ defense continued to buckle down, and clutch plays were provided by Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and De’Aaron Fox in the last several minutes. Despite a comeback attempt from the Knicks, Castle drained a crucial shot clock buzzer-beating 30-footer to give the Spurs a seven-point lead with 1:53 remaining. With the lead down to three, Fox drained a clutch stepback jumper to put the Spurs back up by 5 with 12 seconds left. OG Anunoby drained a clutch three from the corner, and Castle was fouled on the ensuing inbounds pass. The 21-year-old drained clutch free throws and shut down the Knicks on the next possession. The Spurs ultimately won 115-111, and now trail the series 2-1.
Victor Wembanyama led the way with 32 points (11-18 FG, 8-9 FT), eight rebounds, six assists, three blocks, and two steals. After having the worst turnover of his career and the missed game-winner in Game 2, Wemby said that he would use it as fuel for Game 3. He turned in his best game of the Finals so far. The Spurs made it a point of emphasis to get him involved in the paint early, and his buckets came off lobs and paint touches. He’s now averaging 29 points per game and about 10 rebounds with three blocks. In his first Finals at 22, Wemby has played better each game, and he does not appear to be slowing down.
On the board! Fox drives into the paint and floats it up for Wemby to throw it down for the first points of the game!
Stephon Castle dropped 23 points (8-14 FG, 5-6 FT), five rebounds, five assists, a steal, and a block. Steph was on fire in the first half, dropping 18 of his 23 in the first two quarters. He was driving to the cup with toughness and ease, with even finishing through uncalled contact multiple times. His defense also remains disciplined (for the most part) and impressive. As mentioned before, the 21-year-old was unbelievably clutch down the stretch. He drained a bailout three-pointer to beat the shot clock buzzer and swished two clutch free throws to seal the game. After struggling from the field in Games 1 and 2, this is a welcome sight for him and Spurs fans worldwide.
HOW?! Steph drains the tough midrange jumper over Josh Hart!
Dylan Harper dropped 13 points, nine rebounds, and four assists. Even though Dylan struggled from the field, his impact on drives and on the boards was tremendous. The 20-year-old rookie continues to play like an experienced veteran every time he’s on the court. His finishing ability has fans comparing his game to other all-star guards around the league. He has been the Spurs’ best player off the bench this entire playoff run, and he continues to get extended playing time during these Finals.
Smooth as silk! Dylan splits two defenders and glides to the cup for an easy layup!
De’Aaron Fox dropped 12 points, eight assists, three rebounds, two blocks, and a steal. Fox struggled shooting the ball all game, but he made an impact defensively. He got a crucial block on KAT and stayed active on rotations. When it mattered most, Fox drained his most clutch bucket in a Spurs uniform with 12 seconds left to put the Spurs up by five. For all the criticism this man has received throughout the season, including the playoffs, moments like these are why he gets paid the big bucks.
What an amazing response from this young team. After being down 0-2, they could have easily thrown in the towel, given the odds and how they’re stacked against them. Instead, this team locked in defensively and got clutch performances from their top players. The confidence this team exudes is infectious and has reached its fanbase. With winning one on the road, the door is wide open for the Spurs to even this series and put the pressure back on New York.
Finally, here are the full game highlights.
The Spurs have a chance to tie up the series this Wednesday back in MSG at 7:30 P.M. (CST) on ABC.
ESPN anchor Pat McAfee pricelessly referred to former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg as “some very rich guy” after the billionaire was nearly crushed in the crowd when Knicks guard Jose Alvarado leapt into the stands chasing a loose ball.
“Alvarado’s sitting on some very rich guy,” McAfee joked on the alternate broadcast of Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
“Oh, that’s Mayor Bloomberg!” he quickly added after realizing who the courtside fan was.
Pat McAfee said Knicks guard Jose Alvarado is “sitting on some very rich guy” — former Mayor Michael Bloomberg. ESPN
Front-row tickets to the game at Madison Square Garden Monday night were selling for tens of thousands of dollars.
“That’s one of the founders of Bloomberg Business I believe, he was the mayor, I believe he’s worth a billion or two, and just had Alvarado in his lap.”
Bloomberg is in fact the richest person in New York City, with an estimated net worth over $100 billion.
“Sitting on some very rich guy.”
“Oh, that’s Mayor Bloomberg.”
“I think he’s worth a billion or two.”
Not even close.
Michael Bloomberg is the wealthiest person in New York City.
In fact, he’s worth more than just about everyone at the game combined.
After Alvarado landed directly on the 84-year-old billionaire in his courtside seats, he could be seen chatting with Bloomberg to make sure he was ok, and the former mayor seemed in good spirits, even flashing a thumbs-up at a referee who came by his seat to check on him.
Comedian and Knicks fan Dave Chappelle even walked over from his own courtside seats to check on the ex-politician, who was seated right near Yankees legend Derek Jeter and former Giants quarterback Eli Manning.
On Tuesday, Bloomberg had a cheeky response to the run-in with Alvarado.
“Great to meet NYC’s homegrown star, @AlvaradoJose15. But next time, Jose, just call me. Let’s go Knicks!” he wrote on X.
On Monday night, the most powerful man in the world crashed a citywide celebration 27 years in the making and almost shut it down, with barricades around midtown Manhattan, security lines outside Madison Square Garden and agents wanding Victor Wembanyama as if the San Antonio Spurs phenom were a threat off the court as well as on it. And when Donald Trump finally arrived for his grand entrance, it was in a half-mile-long motorcade. Anyone taking in the scene couldn’t help but ask the quintessential New York question: who does this guy think he is, some kind of big shot?
At this point in Trump’s presidency, it’s fair to wonder if he got into politics for the free tickets. On a night when he could’ve been dealing with far more pressing issues – soaring living costs, war with Iran, a global economy under strain – Trump flew to New York expressly to watch the Knicks play host to their first NBA finals game since he started making noises about running for office someday; he evidently couldn’t turn down the game after being invited by “numerous people.”
Monday’s trip to the NBA finals came amid a stacked sports calendar for the president during his second term that has seen him appear at everything from the Super Bowl to college wrestling championships. This weekend he will even turn the White House South Lawn into the staging ground for a UFC card on his 80th birthday. There’s no doubt Trump is a sports fan – the zero-sum contests, the dominant athletes, the spectacle of it all. But that’s not the real pull for him.
The point is social hierarchy. Sports makes that legible. The farther you are from the action, the lower you are in status – unless, of course, you’re watching from a suite, where you either have connections or are the connection. When Trump went to Knicks games in his pre-presidential days, he sat courtside between his second wife, Marla Maples, and the actor Elliott Gould. The Garden’s celebrity row was a glitzy club where he fit relatively comfortably – unlike the US Open, where New York’s old-money gatekeepers still treated him as a headline-chasing arriviste.
Becoming president changed the geometry. He was no longer just another celebrity; he was the axis around which the event now had to revolve. When Barack Obama attended basketball games during his time in office, he picked his spots, stayed out of marquee moments and tried to avoid turning the night into a logistical nightmare. He sat courtside, posed for selfies and dapped up players and coaches. The intention was always the same: don’t upstage the game.
Trump does the opposite. Sporting events are not so much something he attends as something he encroaches upon, reshapes, and absorbs into his own image – more of a black hole than a true-blue fan. He makes them fodder for political memes. Game 3 wasn’t just a high school revenge moment, his night to tell the hometown haters who counted him out after his federal conviction on 34 felony counts in May 2024: “Look at me now, bigger than ever.” It was also meant to double as a PR victory over a league that has long functioned as one of his most visible cultural antagonists.
Before Monday’s game, Knicks players tried to downplay the impact the president’s attendance would have; only center Mitchell Robinson, a proud owner of a Trump flag, didn’t really bother. “He’s welcome here,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said on ESPN before tipoff. “What makes sports so special, especially when there’s so much that divides people, is it’s something we have in common. We should look for those things and build off that.”
It was a marked retreat for a league that once had a far more adversarial relationship with Trump – one defined by the president’s public insults aimed at LeBron James, the rescinding of a White House invitation to the Golden State Warriors after Steph Curry opted out of celebrating the 2017 championship, and a broader political rupture during the player-led protests that followed George Floyd’s killing. But Silver’s comments underscore how fully the sports world bows to the Very Important President now.
That reverence was on display at MSG on Monday night. Before games, the Knicks distribute a VIP list to the press to identify who’s who – but Trump wasn’t included. Why would he be? The Very Important President looms well above such formalities. He doesn’t sit courtside next to Spike Lee and Tina Fey (Can’t risk the optics of seating a convicted felon too close to Law & Order: SVU’s Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni, after all). He watches from on high alongside Knicks owner James Dolan, from a suite encased in plexiglass shielding with extra security. But just when it seemed Trump had won the status game, the damnedest thing happened: the party passed him by.
The real juice wasn’t inside the plexiglass suite with the president, Trump’s granddaughter Kai, secretary of the interior Doug Burgum and Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff. It was down on the floor with Jay-Z, Derek Jeter and former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel – somehow both in the middle of the scene and easy to miss. It was with the Knicks crowd that endured the long lines and booed the president when he appeared on the big screen during the national anthem. For all of his clout, the Very Important President couldn’t compete with the star power.
The true gravity came from a matchup that felt as big as Ali-Frazier at MSG in 1971 or any of Michael Jordan’s signature nights. That it ended with the Knicks suffering their first loss in a month and a half gave the night a whiff of folklore. If they go on to lose the series, the Bernie Madoff curse may have to make room for the Trump jinx. There was another annoyance for fans who ponied up a few months rent for game tickets only to be delayed by all the security checks on Monday: social media images appeared to show Grandpa Donnie napping during the game. All that security theater, all the midtown revelry disrupted for something he could have done at home or on the plane – and for far less taxpayer money.
In the end, Trump got what he wanted: a prime seat for one of the hottest events in sports, attention under a harsh spotlight, and his place at the center of a league that once defied him (even if he couldn’t totally insulate himself from fan hostility). But this NBA finals foray proved the folly of his lifelong quest to be seen as the ultimate VIP. No matter how much the Very Important President inserts himself into the spectacle, it always – always – diminishes him.
