Harper, the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft who turned 20 in March, became the youngest player in Finals history to score at least 10 points in a game. Harper has now scored 251 points during the 2026 playoffs, passing David Robinson's 243 points for most points in a single postseason by a Spurs rookie.
Right from Game 1's opening tip, Harper played with a poise and intensity that belied his inexperience on the NBA's biggest stage. In the first quarter, he shot a perfect 3-for-3 from the field and scored 10 points in just six minutes. According to ESPN Research, it was the most points by a rookie in the first quarter of Game 1 of the Finals since the play-by-play era started in 1998.
Harper's early scoring outburst helped the Spurs end the first quarter up 27-19, the only quarter in which they outscored the Knicks.
The only other Spurs rookie besides Harper to score double figures in a Finals game is Manu Ginobili, who did it three times in 2003.
Magic Johnson holds the rookie record for most points scored in an NBA Finals game, which he set in 1980 when he scored 42 points and delivered the Los Angeles Lakers the championship with a decisive Game 6 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JUNE 3: Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket during the game against the New York Knicks during Game One of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 3, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Spurs came onto the biggest stage in basketball and encountered a team that was tough as nails mentally and physically. Jalen Brunson took a licking and kept on ticking, and Karl-Anthony Towns got to every loose ball and turned them into points. The Spurs had some great performances as Dylan Harper was able to get to the hoop on demand, and Julian Champagnie hit some great shots, while Wembanyama was off with his shot, Fox had a tough night. The Spurs were able to come back and lead by a point with 2 minutes left in the game, but were put away by the Knicks 11-0 closing kick as the visitors took home court away from the favored Spurs.
For the Spurs to beat the Knicks, they are going to need Wembanyama to dominate, because the Knicks have so many good players that they can neutralize the rest of the Spurs roster, and if De’Aaron Fox can’t hit his shots, it’s a bad night for the Silver and Black. Hats off to Jalen Brunson, who didn’t let some poor shooting to start off discourage him, as the Knicks took over the game in the last two minutes left the home court fans bereft, except for a loud Knicks fan contingent who were ecstatic with their team’s road victory.
It was a tough night for the Silver and Black, but not the first time they’ve lost the opening game of a playoff series, and they’ve been able to overcome it before in the Timberwolves series. They’re going to have to do it again if they want to win the championship, and they will need to break the Knicks 12 game winning streak on Friday night to get started on that task. Four more wins, people, and that starts with the first one in Game 2 in a couple of days.
Observations
“Impatience can be a virtue ..”—Victor Wembanyama. He’s ready to win now, and doesn’t see the need to wait to ‘pay his dues.’ Because even at his young age, he’s already paid his dues, with talent and dedication.
“Pressure busts pipes.”—Shaquille O’Neal. He oughtta know. It’s a little different twist on the saying about diamonds, but I’ll allow it. The prevalent narrative is that the Knicks are the veteran team that can handle the pressure of a finals more, but I think that Mitch Johnson has done a great job of preparing the team to be able to perform under pressure.
KAT won the opening tip and got the ball to Brunson for a quick triple. NYC got off to a quick 12-7 start as the Spurs started off cold and the Knicks red hot after their long layoff.
Luke Kornet took over for Wemby halfway through the first as the Spurs won the first quarter minutes with the big guy on the bench, retaking the lead on a Dylan Harper and-one with a little over 4 minutes left in the quarter, and the Spurs led 22-17 when Wemby returned with a little over 2 minutes left.
Brunson had to go to the locker room in the first quarter when Barnes fell into his leg after being fouled, and looked like he might have hyperextended his right knee.
The Spur led 27-19 at the end of the first quarter, completely negating New York’s hot start with a 10 point explosion from Dylan Harper.
NYC was tough to start the second quarter, as they stepped up the defense and made some hustle plays to cut into the deficit. Brunson re-entered the game after a puzzling challenge from the Spurs where Victor knocked KAT on his ass. Shows what I know, the Spurs won the challenge.
The Spurs were in the penalty for 8 minutes in the second quarter, but they couldn’t take advantage with only 4 free throws in the quarter.
Brunson brought the Knicks back into the game with his scoring, until the Spurs finished on a late surge to lead 55-48 at the half, with Julian Champagnie getting open looks and knocking them to become the game’s leading scorer with 15 points at the half.
The Knicks only scored 2 points in the first 5 minutes of the second half, and it felt like a missed opportunity that the Spurs only scored 8 to take a 13 point lead. Wemby had to sit, and a 6-0 run from the Knicks brought them back within 6 of the home team, 61-67.
Towns took control of the game in the third quarter as he got to every loose ball and punished the Spurs on the offensive boards to cut the deficit to two, with Brunson tying it up 71 each with 2 minutes left in the third.
The score was tied 76-76 at the end of the third, due to a Deuce McBride circus shot that somehow went in after bouncing off the backboard on it’s way in from the short corner.
Anunoby went nuclear to start the fourth, and did something you hardly ever see, beating Wembanyama one-on-one for a pure three point shot … nothing but net, as the Knicks took a five point lead. The Spurs tied it up on a Castle three and a Vassell tip-in and the game was tied 86-86.
An unfortunate incident happened
The Knicks took an eight point lead with 5 minutes left with the Spurs looking a bit like the pressure was too much for them, and the NYC contingent in the crowd going wild as Brunson took over for the Orange and Blue. It was definitely the low point of the game for the Silver and Black.
The Spurs retook the lead with an 8-0 run to lead 95-94 with a little over 2 minutes left. A critical tip from Brunson on the next possession allowed him to get the ball back for a cold-blooded triple to retake the lead for the Manhattan team.
The Knicks scored 9 in a row and led by 8 with 20 seconds left, and it was capped with a couple of Anonuby free throws as the Knicks won by double digits.
Up next
The Spurs are back in the Frost Bank Center on Friday night at 7:30 PM. That’s right, same Bat Time, same Bat Channel. See you there.
Jalen Brunson fends off Dylan Harper as he leads his team to victory in Game 1 of the NBA finals.Photograph: Eric Gay/AP
The New York Knicks entered Game 1 of this year’s NBA finals on one of the hottest streaks in playoff history: 11 games won in a row with opponents humiliated, humbled and crushed along the way. On Wednesday night in San Antonio many believed that streak would end as they faced the Spurs, who had knocked out the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the previous round, and are led by the most exciting player in the world, Victor Wembanyama.
The Knicks won anyway, keeping Wembanyama quiet for long stretches in a 105-95 victory on the Spurs’ home court. They are now just three wins from their first title since 1973.
Not that it was easy. At one point in the third quarter the Spurs led by 14 points but the Knicks, who overcame a 22-point deficit to beat the Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, fought back to lead 78-76 early in the fourth. The Spurs briefly threatened to take control as the clock ticked down before the Knicks went on an 11-0 run to close out the game.
Jalen Brunson, an inspiration for the Knicks throughout these playoffs, came alive once again when it mattered as he saved his best for the closing minutes, ending the game with 30 points, 13 of them coming in the fourth quarter.
“Just sticking together – it wasn’t really our night and wasn’t really my night most of the night but we kept finding a way, kept chipping away,” Brunson said when asked how his team had managed to pull away from the Spurs. “Just knowing we have each other’s back – there’s a lot of things we could have done better, but I think our togetherness was really the biggest difference.”
Wembanyama, who briefly limped off court in the third quarter before returning, led the Spurs with 26 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks. However, he was far from his dominant best and shot just 6-of-21 from the field.
It wasn’t just Brunson who delivered for the Knicks in the final minutes though. OG Anunoby scored 12 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter and the team had no turnovers in the fourth quarter. The Spurs wilted in front of their home crowd though: they committed five turnovers in the fourth quarter while shooting 28.6%.
“I was bad tonight, it’s not more complicated than that,” said Wembanyama, who denied that the occasion had got to the Spurs. “It definitely felt special for sure, but nothing close that could be an excuse. [Nerves were] not a factor in our performance.”
Brunson had an injury scare of his own. At the end of the first quarter, he collided with San Antonio’s Harrison Barnes and left the game with a knee injury. He returned in the second quarter and appeared to hurt his ankle after a layup but stayed in the game.
The action was briefly interrupted in the second-half when a man ran on to court and attempted to take a selfie with Wembanyama. He was quickly removed by security but the Spurs will be concerned how easily the person was able to get so close to the players.
Game 2 is on Friday night in San Antonio before the best-of-seven series heads to what is sure to be a raucous contest at Madison Square Garden on Monday.
In their first NBA Finals game in 27 years, the Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 105-95 on Wednesday night.
New York has won 12 straight games, as they open a 1-0 series lead.
Here are some takeaways...
- Both teams were ready to go from the opening tip, as expected. The stars were letting it fly early, as Jalen Brunson and Victor Wembanyama scored the first two buckets of the game, and New York's hot shooting continued to open a seven-point advantage just over five minutes into the contest.
- After a sloppy stretch, though, the Spurs were able to get into a rhythm. Starting with the non-Wemby minutes, they put together a thunderous 20-3 run to push their first lead of the game all the way out to double-digits, led by Dylan Harper's 10 points off the bench in his first NBA Finals action.
- Brunson had a nightmare opening quarter, hitting just one of his seven shots, and he was forced to limp back to the locker room late in the frame after appearing to injure his right knee after Harrison Barnes fell on him.
- Jose Alvarado stepped up nicely for New York with four points and four boards off the bench in the opening minutes of the second, before the captain was ready to make his way back onto the floor (without a knee brace) in a one-possession game just four minutes into the quarter.
- Brunson went down again and had to limp to the Knicks' bench minutes later after Luke Kornet stepped on his ankle on a drive to the basket, but he was right back out there after a timeout. He immediately showed no ill-effects, giving the Knicks a brief lead with three consecutive buckets.
- New York's eighth turnover and a red-hot Julian Champagnie helped the Spurs carry a seven-point lead into the break. The St. John's product led all scorers with 15 first half points, drilling five of his six threes, with everyone else shooting a combined 26 percent from behind the arc.
- Momentum stayed in San Antonio's favor coming out of the break, as the Knicks scored just two points to open the third, making just one of their first 10 shots from the field. Wemby's presence was being felt down-low, and the Spurs were able to open their largest lead of the night at the time (13).
- Wemby limped to the bench after appearing to injure his knee, but immediately waved off trainers. New York took over from there, though, as an aggressive Karl-Anthony Towns led them on a much-needed run and a Miles McBride banked corner three evened things at 76 heading to the fourth.
- The teams traded buckets early in the fourth, then it was Brunson time. The reigning Clutch Player of the Year award winner returned to the floor just over five minutes into the quarter and immediately took things over, scoring the next eight points to create some separation.
- New York then missed their next eight shots as Wemby led the Spurs on a run, before Brunson and the Knicks counterpunched one last time with a splurge of their own to put this one away. Captain clutch scored 13 of his 30 points in the fourth to lead the way for New York, once again.
- Wemby finished with 26 points and 12 boards on 6-of-21 shooting from the field. Josh Hart had just three points but did a tremendous job on the star big man and once again chipped in everywhere else, pulling in a game-high 15 rebounds while dishing out six assists and swiping four steals.
- Towns had 18 points and 12 rebounds, Anunoby 17 points, and Shamet 13 points off the bench.
Game MVP: Jalen Brunson
Brunson came alive when the Knicks needed him the most, as always.
It doesn’t matter. Jalen Brunson is a bad, bad man.
You knew it was coming.
Anyone who has watched the Knicks this postseason should have known it was coming.
Brunson carried the Knicks as they erased a 14-point third-quarter deficit to steal Game 1 of the NBA Finals with a 105-95 win over the Spurs on Wednesday night. It marked their 12th straight win and an important first punch in the series.
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson celebrates hitting a 3-pointer against the Spurs during Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 3, 2026. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
It wasn’t at quite the same scale, but it felt similar to Game 1 of the conference finals against the Cavaliers. The familiar script felt like it truly got started midway through the fourth quarter.
The score was tied 86-86 with 7:37 left in the game as Brunson checked back in. The Knicks have broadcast this same movie so many times before. The Brunson takeover was inevitable.
“We put the ball in his hands and said we are going to live and die with him,” coach Mike Brown said. “And he got it done for us, and that’s happened time after time after time.”
Right away, Brunson got into the paint and made a layup to reestablish the Knicks lead. After a stop, Josh Hart corralled the rebound, led a fast break and dished to Brunson, who drew a foul and made both free throws to put the Knicks up four. Hart stole the ball on the other end, started another fast break and once again passed to Brunson, who finished it off.
Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns (32) goes up for a shot against Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) during Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 3, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The Knicks led by six as Spurs coach Mitch Johnson called timeout. The first real audible “Let’s go Knicks” chants could be heard inside the Frost Bank Center.
Another stop after the timeout. Another Brunson bucket. It was an 8-0 Knicks run, with all points scored by Brunson.
It was like clockwork.
But it wasn’t straightforward. The Spurs immediately responded with a 9-0 run — seven of which were scored by Victor Wembanyama — to retake the lead.
No problem. Brunson went back to work.
He batted OG Anunoby’s missed 3-pointer to Mikal Bridges, got it back, then drilled a 3-pointer to put the Knicks back ahead. De’Aaron Fox missed on the other end, and Bridges subsequently got fouled and hit two free throws. Wembanyama then dribbled the ball off his leg, and Brunson came down and hit a circus-like fadeaway over Devin Vassell to put the Knicks up six. That pretty much put away the Spurs.
The Knicks closed on an 11-0 run. They outscored the Spurs by eight points in the fourth quarter. Brunson had 13 points in that quarter.
“I don’t want to say calmness, but I think we know what we have to do,” Brunson said about the Knicks’ comfort when trailing. “I think we are a pretty together group. Be able to trust each other and still have each other’s back and know that we just have to keep chipping away, chipping away. It’s just a credit to the mentality that we have as a team.”
Brunson hurt his right leg — Landry Samet pushed Harrison Barnes into him — in the first quarter, checked out with 1:27 left in the period and went back to the locker room. He returned with 8:03 left in the second quarter. Brunson said afterward that he is “fine.”
New York Post New York PostKnicks guard Jalen Brunson puts up a shot in the paint against the Spurs during Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 3, 2026. Jason Szenes for the New York PostJalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks shoots against Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs in the first half of the 2026 NBA Finals – Game One at Frost Bank Center on June 3, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. Getty Images
He was 7-for-22 overall and 1-for-8 from 3-point range across the first three quarters. Then, as he seemingly always does, he figured it out down the stretch.
Chalk up another win for David vs. Goliath, as Brunson, who finished with a game-high 30 points, bested Wembanyama. The Spurs star had 26 points but on rough 6-for-21 shooting from the field. His defensive presence in the paint was felt early, but Brunson and the Knicks found ways to avoid him as the game went on.
“I was bad tonight,” Wembanyama said. “It’s not more complicated than that. … I think we let that one go.”
It wasn’t just a one-man Brunson show, though. Anunoby, who had been a nonfactor up until that point, had 12 points in the fourth quarter and finished with 17. He drilled back-to-back 3s early in the period, the second of which was right in Wembanyama’s face.
New York Knicks guard Josh Hart and San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama fight for a rebound. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Karl-Anthony Towns added 18 points, 10 of which came in the third quarter. It was really him who sparked the comeback and powered the offense for stretches when Brunson was struggling.
Towns and Hart had 12 and 15 rebounds, respectively, bravely battling Wemabanyama on the boards.
Landry Shamet provided 13 points off the bench, drilling 5 of 9 3-pointers. Mitchell Robinson played 12 minutes and grabbed six rebounds. Miles McBride and Jose Alvarado provided important minutes off the bench.
Brunson’s supporting cast answered the call when needed. But this comeback doesn’t happen without Brunson delivering his latest — and so far, most important — signature clutch-time performance.
Jalen Brunson goes up for a shot in the fourth quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Knicks fans had to wait 27 years to get back to the Finals. Forget that now, though.
It’s been 41 days since the Knicks last lost. The dream run has reached new heights.
A fan ran onto the court in the fourth quarter of the Knicks’ Game 1 win in the NBA Finals, seemingly attempting to get a selfie with Spurs star Victor Wembanyama and New York’s Mitchell Robinson.
Security at Frost Bank Center quickly descended on the interloper and ushered him off the court.
Wembanyama seemed to enjoy the bizarre scene, while Robinson was visibly befuddled. The fan ran onto the court with 6:32 left. It was a pivotal moment as the Knicks just took the lead 92-86, and the Spurs looked to answer back.
The fan seemed to have come from the opposite side of the team benches, and play was halted for roughly a minute.
“A fan just ran on the floor and wants to take a selfie. Security quickly takes him away. Crowd gives him the appropriate boo, fortunately nobody hurt,” ESPN broadcaster Mike Breen said on air as the whole thing went down.
A fan just ran on the court during the NBA Finals to take a selfie with Victor Wembanyamapic.twitter.com/IyLFgK9dAy
— internet hall of fame (@InternetH0F) June 4, 2026
A fan runs onto the court and takes a photo with Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs during the fourth quarter in Game One of the 2026 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks at Frost Bank Center on June 3, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. Getty Images
“It’s just too good for that to happen,” analyst Tim Legler added on-air.
The referees were left to sort things out in the aftermath, opting to give the Spurs possession at midcourt. With the momentum altered, the Spurs, after the delay, went back on offense and missed a key shot.
The Knicks continued their strong second half and finished it out, winning 105-95.
The moment seemed to be more reminiscent of something that might happen at a soccer match than an NBA game.
Wembanyama seemed to enjoy the scene, while Robinson was befuddled. ESPN
In the fourth quarter of Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs, a young man ran onto the court and pulled his phone out to take a selfie. Security quickly swooped in and escorted the fan off the court in San Antonio.
Victor Wembanyama, who the fan was seemingly trying to get in the selfie, was standing next to Mitchell Robinson. The Spurs center laughed while the Knicks big man looked confused.
A fan runs on the floor during a live game to take a selfie with Victor Wembanyama (with a replay).
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — A fan ran onto the court midway through the fourth quarter of Game 1 of the NBA Finals, appearing to try to take a selfie next to San Antonio star Victor Wembanyama.
The fan came from the sideline opposite the team benches, starting from behind the play and running into San Antonio's offensive end. The person was quickly pulled from the court by two security guards and it did not appear the person made any contact with Wembanyama or any New York players.
Play was stopped for about a minute before the game resumed with a jump ball. The fan was taken out of the court area through a baseline tunnel.
The Spurs nuns have been a presence during San Antonio’s run to the NBA Finals, and ahead of Game 1, they shared a viral moment with one of the team’s biggest stars.
The NBA’s social media account posted a video of the group of nuns appearing to pray with Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama at Frost Bank Center on Wednesday.
The 7-foot-4 Wembanyama bowed his head and bent over to get close to the nuns as they prayed.
Wemby shares a moment with the Spurs Nuns ahead of Game 1!
The Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco have been supporting the Spurs for decades and went viral earlier in the playoffs after they were spotted blessing Spurs center Luke Kornet ahead of Game 4 against the Thunder in the Western Conference finals.
Their fandom dates back to the 1990s, and the group started cheering on San Antonio’s basketball team to share common interests and understand the students at St. John Bosco School.
“And, of course, Wemby,” she told the outlet, highlighting her admiration for the respect and care he shows toward his mother. “And, he’s an incredible athlete, too.”
Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs talks to the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco before the game against the New York Knicks during Game One of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 2, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NBAE via Getty Images
Natal told the outlet that the nuns often pray for the Spurs.
“We keep them in prayer, and it’s not, you know, for them to win,” Natal said. “It’s about good sportsmanship, that they remember who they are. That they are role models. We pray that they play to the best of their ability. We pray that they understand their responsibility.”
Dylan Harper is making his NBA Finals debut during his rookie season, as the San Antonio Spurs guard took on the New York Knicks in a rematch of the 1999 Finals. Game 1 was on Wednesday, June 3 in San Antonio.
The former Rutgers standout has been a key element of the Spurs' playoff run. He made a statement in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Harper had a standout night with 24 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and seven steals. At 20 years old, he became the youngest player to notch a prestigious 4x5 game in the NBA playoffs.
People might be wondering where he gets his skills, and it turns out he has good genes.
Is Dylan Harper related to Ron Harper?
Yes, Dylan Harper is related to Ron Harper. The Spurs rookie is the son of the five-time NBA champion. Ron played 15 years in the NBA. He was teammates with Michael Jordan and won three titles with the Chicago Bulls from 1996-1998. He also played with Kobe Bryant and finished his career winning back-to-back championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000 and 2001.
Both Dylan and Ron were named to the All-Rookie team for their impressive accomplishments in their first professional seasons.
Dylan's older brother, Ron Harper Jr., plays in the NBA as well. He was the first brother to play at Rutgers and has spent time with the Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons, and he is currently on the Boston Celtics.
Ron's ex-wife and the mother of his two sons is Maria Harper. She has basketball in her blood, too, and played at the University of New Orleans.
This time, Gregg Popovich didn’t have to worry about the x’s and o’s needed to beat the Knicks.
The legendary Spurs coach attended Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Knicks and Spurs on Wednesday night in San Antonio in a rematch of the championship series from 1999 that earned him his first Larry O’Brien trophy and ignited the Spurs’ dynastic era.
The ABC broadcast captured the 77-year-old Popovich, who serves as San Antonio’s president of basketball operations, sitting in a suite at Frost Bank Center.
Gregg Popovich in the building supporting his Spurs
For Popovich, this series offers an enjoyable trip down memory lane since he won the first of his five championships 27 years ago when the Spurs beat the Knicks in five games.
San Antonio also won championships under the Hall of Famer’s tutelage in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014.
Popovich coached some of these Spurs last year before he stepped away from his position after just five games following a health scare.
He posted a 1,390-824 record in his 29 season leading the franchise.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich talks with Victor Wembanyama on the bench during the first half of their game against the Rockets March 5, 2024, in Houston. AP Photo/David J. Phillip
Popovich still stays close to the team, especially with phenom Victor Wembanyama, and helped the team upset the defending champion Thunder in the semifinals.
The former coach gave the team an earful after its Game 3 home loss to Oklahoma City, and the Spurs responded with a resounding 103-82 Game 4 win to even the series at 2-2.
The Spurs ultimately triumped in seven games to earn their first Finals bid in 12 years.
“We lost Game 3 … but that was the first time he walked into the locker room and was like, ‘Nah, that’s BS. That’s not how we play basketball,’ and obviously he had some choice words for us,” Spurs star guard De’Aaron Fox told NBC after the May 24 victory. “That was the first time all season that he came into the locker room right after a game and told us how he felt.”
The Spurs are hoping this postseason run can begin a similar dynastic era to the one Popovich oversaw, with the new core of Wembanyama and young guards Dylan Harper and Stefon Castle leading the way.
With the Knicks playing in their first NBA Finals in 27 years, the commissioner was asked about the one Knicks legend missing from the alumni that have been filling Madison Square Garden this spring. Oakley, the bruising forward who spent a decade as a fan favorite in New York, has been at war with the controversial Knicks owner since his 2017 ejection from the Garden and the lawsuit that followed.
Silver said he wishes it were different.
“It is a shame in that I tried, Michael Jordan tried too, to broker peace between Charles and Jim Dolan,” Silver said before Game 1 of the Finals at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. “Our efforts were unsuccessful. I think it’s unfortunate for the NBA that this is an ongoing situation."
Oakley was forcibly removed from his seat at the Garden during a Knicks game in February 2017 and arrested. He later sued Dolan and Madison Square Garden Entertainment, alleging assault and defamation. The case has dragged on through the federal courts for years.
Silver said the litigation has tied his hands.
“As you know, it’s currently wrapped up in litigation,” Silver said. “I tried my best. So I don’t really see anything else I can do at the moment.”
The absence stings.
Silver opened his pre-Finals news conference by rattling off Patrick Ewing, Allan Houston, John Starks and Walt Frazier among the Kincks alumni active around the franchise during this postseason run. Oakley, a fixture on the 1990s Knicks teams that reached the 1994 Finals, has not been part of that group.
“I think that’s one of the things that makes this league so special is this family environment that we have,” Silver said.
Charles Barkley was frustrated with the Knicks’ first-half defensive performance in Game 1 of the NBA Finals — but had kudos for one bright spot on the other side of the ball.
During the “Inside the NBA” halftime show on Wednesday night, the Suns great laid into the Knicks for allowing wide open 3-pointers through the first half of Game 1 where the Knicks ended down 55-48.
“It’s really been terrible defense on the Knicks,” Barkley said when asked what the story of the first half was. “Cause if you actually look at [Julian Champagnie’s] threes. Why is he wide open? There’s no reason to be leaving him wide open.”
Charles Barkley crushed the Knicks poor perimeter defense in the first half. Getty Images
Champagnie led all scorers with 15 points in the first half, going 5-of-6 from the field, all of which came from 3-point range.
The Knicks were outshot from distance by the Spurs, who went 9-of-24 from three, while the Knicks ended the first half 6-of-20.
Barkley was impressed with Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored eight first-half points.
Julian Champagnie shot the lights out in the first half of Game 1. NBAE via Getty Images
“The Spurs can’t guard the pick and roll. When [the Knicks] run the pick and roll with KAT they get something good everytime,” Barkley said. “We have to give KAT his flowers.”
Adam Silver is not budging on the 65-game rule. Stars and agents have pushed back since it took effect in the 2023-24 season, tying eligibility for the league’s biggest individual awards to playing in roughly 80% of the regular season. Speaking before Game 1 of the NBA Finals, the NBA commissioner said the rule is doing exactly what the league wanted.
“I’m frankly not ready to support a change,” Silver said. “I just take a step back to the situation we were dealing with when we went into the last collective bargaining negotiation and put in place the 65-game rule.”
Silver said roughly a third of All-NBA players in the seasons leading up to the rule did not play in 65 games. The league and the National Basketball Players Association built in exceptions for players who fall short by a game or two.
Two exceptions were granted this season. Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, who missed time around the birth of his child, and Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, who suffered a collapsed lung, were both ruled eligible for awards after appeals. Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards applied for an exception and was denied.
“I think the rule is working,” Silver said. “Of course when we sit down to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement with the players, we are happy to talk about it.”
Silver did leave one door open. Asked whether the league should announce regular-season award winners at the end of the regular season rather than dribble them out across the playoffs, he said it was worth a look.
"That’s an interesting thought,” Silver said. “So we should look at that. “
Kawhi Leonard, Aspiration probe nearing end
The independent investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers, Kawhi Leonard and the now-bankrupt company Aspiration is close to wrapping up, Silver said.
The probe, launched in September, centers on a four-year, $28 million endorsement deal Leonard signed with Aspiration in 2022 through his personal company, KL2 Aspire. Independent journalist Pablo Torre alleged that Leonard did no promotional work for the company, and that the contract was structured so it would void if he left the Clippers.
If proven, the arrangement would amount to salary cap circumvention. Leonard had already signed a four-year, $176 million maximum contract with the Clippers in 2021. Owner Steve Ballmer, separately, had personally invested $50 million in Aspiration around the same time the Clippers entered a $300 million sponsorship deal with the company. League rules bar teams and owners from funneling money to players outside the cap.
Ballmer and the Clippers have denied any wrongdoing. Ballmer has said he was a victim of fraud by Aspiration’s founders and had no role in the Leonard endorsement deal. Aspiration co-founder Joseph Sanberg was sentenced Monday to 14 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to two counts of wire fraud in a related case.
Silver said neither the Pulitzer Prize that Torre’s reporting won nor the sentencing should shape the outcome.
“I wouldn’t be doing my job if ultimately I issued a determination based on perception,” Silver said. “My job is to follow the facts.”
The law firm running the investigation, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, will deliver its findings to Silver, who will decide on discipline.
“I think we are close to the point now where I think we need to wrap this up, because you also need finality,” Silver said. “The team has to understand what situation they are going to be operating under and so do the other 29 teams."
From drama of the heart to drama on the hardcourt.
Actor and diehard Knicks fan Jerry O’Connell opened up to Page Six about the roller coaster of emotions leading to him attending Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night in San Antonio.
“I’ve had such a week,” O’Connell, the former “Jerry Maguire” actor, told Page Six while on the court at Frost Bank Arena. “First of all, that ‘Summer House’ reunion and the bombshells that people who have not been intimate with each other for years and years and now we’re here at Game 1.”
Bravo AND Knicks superfan Jerry O'Connell went from watching the "Summer House" reunion part 2 to NBA Finals Game 1 pic.twitter.com/xbLaqw5qZu
O’Connell, 52, loves the orange and blue, often having fun with members of Barstool Sports about the team’s rise to the premier franchise in the Eastern Conference.
With his favorite team in the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years, there apparently was no way he would be missing this moment — especially after the conference finals.
O’Connell admitted to turning off the television with the Knicks trailing the Cavaliers by 22 points in Game 1 before one of the most legendary comebacks in franchise history.
“I need to admit something… I turned off @nyknicks last night in the 4th quarter,” he posted on May 20.
“I will never miss another minute of this post season. I am ashamed.”
Kyle Cooke (r) during the “Summer House” reunion show. Clifton Prescod/Bravo via Getty Images
O’Connell spent the early hours of Wednesday seeing the sights in the region, posting regularly to his X account before the scheduled 8:30 p.m. ET tip-off.
His trip to Texas came one day after he clearly enjoyed the second part of the emotional “Summer House” Season 10 reunion on Tuesday night.
Exes Kyle Cooke and Amanda Batula told the world that they did not have sex once during their four-plus-year marriage. They announced in January that they would be splitting.
“Kyle and I were bickering. I didn’t go to New Year’s with him, I spent it by myself,” Batula said during the show, according to Page Six. “He spent it deejaying at a restaurant. I woke up the next morning, I saw he was at a hotel in Hoboken. I’m going into 2026 wanting to have a fresh start and he’s doing the same s–t that he was doing that was pissing me off before.”
