Ahead of Saturday's pivotal Eastern Conference Finals Game 3 between the Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers, stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges said team's mindset is to continue "playing desperate" despite their 2-0 lead in the series.

"We got to execute at a high level, have that desperation that we had in Philly and Atlanta," Towns said. "We just got to, obviously, shoot the ball well."

"We just got to keep playing desperate," Bridges added. "I know it's easier for the team that's down 0-2 to play more desperate, but that can't be us. Keep doing what we've been doing. All playoffs, just staying desperate no matter what the situation is. To us, it's 0-0."

While New York has won the first two games of the Conference Finals by a combined margin of 27 points, the contests have been closer than meets the eye. The Knicks trailed by 22 points in the fourth quarter of Game 1 before Jalen Brunson went on a scoring tear to force OT and steal the win, and they were down again after the first quarter of Game 2, but dominated the second and third quarters to earn the 16-point victory.

One of the keys to the Knicks' first-round and semifinal series wins over the Hawks and 76ers was Towns quarterbacking the offense. After going down 2-1 in the first-round matchup against Atlanta, Towns averaged 8.6 assists and posted two triple-doubles over the final three games. His assist numbers continued to guide the team against the Sixers, averaging 7.5 assists per night in the four-game sweep. 

With Cleveland having a bit more size to match up better defensively against Towns, New York's style of play has changed. Brunson is back in charge of the offense, dishing out six assists in Games 1 and another 14 dimes in Game 2. Luckily that change in playing style does not bother Towns, as the former No. 1 overall pick made it clear he'll do "whatever it takes" to help New York win.

"I've always said I'm willing to sacrifice and do whatever it takes to impact winning and help this team win," Towns said. "That's the blessing of our group. We have multiple ways and systems that we can utilize to help us get the win. And I've been happy because we continue to win, so there's nothing to be sad about." 

Towns was asked if he thinks that lack of selfishness helps makes the Knicks' offense more dangerous, saying it shows the team's character and allows for them to be great.

"I think that the guys in the locker room, the characters, they speak so highly on the court and off the court, is what makes us special," Towns said.

For New York to continue its pursuit of reaching the NBA Finals, Towns said the team needs to keep trusting each other and displaying their "cohesiveness." 

"At the end of the day, regardless if we're home or away, it's about us executing and being disciplined in our gameplan. So that's the most important thing," Towns said. 

Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals tips off at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday night at Rocket Arena in Cleveland.

"We got to execute at a high level, have that desperation that we had in Philly and Atlanta"

Karl-Anthony Towns talks about the keys to success for the Knicks ahead of tonight's Game 3 in Cleveland: pic.twitter.com/qwQAgJhfuq

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) May 23, 2026

In an effort to calm my nerves before the game on Friday, I went to an art museum.

I wasn’t sure what I was looking for other than a distraction. Anything to stop myself from listening to one more increasingly obscure basketball podcast.

The exhibit on display was titled “International Surrealism: 50 Years of Dreams,” something I was passingly familiar with in the sense that if someone asked me if I know what surrealism was I’d say, “sure” and then if they pressed me on it, I’d probably go on to say, “It’s like, when something is surreal.”

Now, as I learned during this rainy afternoon stroll through the Frist Museum in Nashville, the artistic movement grew out of Paris in the 1920s, and its practitioners were super into the teachings of Freud, obsessed with the unconscious mind. However, where Freud was interested in this concept for therapeutic purposes, the surrealists were more like, “sure man, whatever, but what if we actually just used it to unlock the mysteries of the universe? Or at the very least, maybe paint some cool stuff?”

I passed through the galleries, nodding along, armed with my newfound knowledge and ready to be enlightened or inspired. I saw shapes. I saw colors. I saw sculptures. I then turned a corner and was, all of a sudden, alone in a room with Salvador Dalí’s Autumnal Cannibalism.

Like most things with Dalí, it was weird.

This painting…it’s somehow bright and yet muted, vivid and yet enshrouded in this deep grey darkness that pulls everything in the landscape towards it. Two figures, front and center, are locked together in some kind of unholy embrace, consuming each other. It’s somehow violent and peaceful at the same time. They’re melting into each other. I still don’t even know what I was really looking at, but it held me there for a long time, locked in that same embrace.

As the Spurs raced out to that 15-0 lead in the first quarter, I felt like I was having an out of body experience. It was exactly what I wanted. I’d spent two days obsessing with how the Spurs were going to respond to that Game 2 loss and this was the stuff dreams were made of. Our guys were everywhere. The Thunder looked like they couldn’t breathe. There wasn’t a shot that wouldn’t fall. A pass we couldn’t steal. Every single person in the crowd seemed like they were about to exit the physical realm and spend the rest of the game having to astral project into the AT&T Center.

The furthest reaches of my DNA felt like they were on fire. Flames were shooting out of my ears. I could feel my body shaking. I think I’ll remember that stretch of basketball for the rest of my life. I’ve never seen anything like it. When Hartenstein finally hit a floater, I thought to myself, surely, the game has got to be wrapping up soon considering I’ve lived a thousand different lifetimes since tipoff. I’d been to the molten core of the earth. I’d travelled to the outer reaches of the cosmos. I’d traversed through the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Surely, Mike Tirico was moments away from telling us, “So long, from San Antonio.”

It had been 4 minutes.

Four. Minutes.

I just wasn’t sure what to do with that information. My brain couldn’t process it. The Spurs had done it, you know? They’d figured out how to beat the Thunder and they’d gone out there and done it. Who cares if they’d taken care of the job in only four minutes? Stop the count. This was over. It had to be.

I spent the rest of the game, as I’m sure most of you did, melting into the floor, the euphoria slowly draining from my body as the cold realization came into focus that this thing was unraveling in front of us. It wasn’t even some kind of spectacular blow up, just a mundane, systematic dismantling of everything we’d built. The Thunder had grabbed ahold of the thread, and walked away.

Lying on the floor, lying on the floor, we’d come undone.

Surrealism, at its core, is the belief that two contradictory things can be simultaneously, uncomfortably true.

Something can be beautiful and horrible at the same time, occupying the same space. Terrifying and comforting. Completely fictional and utterly real.

It can be a pipe, even when it’s not.

I keep thinking about those two figures in the Dalí painting. Huge. Looming over everything. The act of destroying each other is grotesque in nature, but feels at home in their warped reality. Like they were meant to be here all along. The closer you look at it though, the more you realize the endgame. This isn’t a fair exchange between equals, not really. They take from each other, sure, but the darkness is overwhelming the light, threatening to consume it all.

The Spurs and Thunder are devouring each other in these games. It was a fight that, two days ago, felt like it was on equal ground. Today it’s starting to feel like the Thunder are absorbing everything the Spurs have to offer and the Spurs are simply trying to hold their shape.

It doesn’t feel like this can be the end. It doesn’t feel like it should be. Not yet.

Then again, none of this was the way it was supposed to go in the first place. The Spurs weren’t supposed to be this good, this fast. They weren’t supposed to get the 2 seed. They weren’t supposed to be able to challenge the Thunder. They weren’t supposed to be ready for any of this.

The Spurs are as good as we think they are. The Spurs are not as good as we thought.
The Spurs are flawed.
The Spurs are perfect.

I watched the Spurs go up 15-0 and then I watched them lose 123-108. I’m being asked to tell you which one was real.

The answer, as best I can tell, is both.

Takeaways

• It feels pretty simple really. Guys just didn’t have their legs. I know that’s just my uneducated, guy on the couch analysis but like, were any of you seeing something else going on out there? Shots that normally drop were coming up short. Drives that usually end at the rim were stalling out. Things I’ve seen the Spurs execute all season long, including against this very same Thunder team, just weren’t working. I don’t think there’s an issue with our schemes or our talent or our heart. Like, we’re good on those fronts. We’re just out of gas. Again, it feels pretty simple.
• The Thunder are really good. (barf). They remind me of watching Novak Djokovic play tennis. (barf). Making them bleed only seems to steel their resolve. You can take a set off them, sure, but they have these wells of energy fueled by spite that seem to endlessly spring forth whenever they need them. They are mechanical and brutal and technically perfect. They are taking something beautiful, tearing it down to the studs, and showing us how it works. I hate it. I’m offended to my very core. Congrats to them on the enormity of their success.
• Alex Caruso makes me want to throw rotting fruit at passing cars just so that someone else in the world can experience my pain. That’s right. Every time Caruso hits a three it feels like a moldy peach just slammed into my windshield while I was trying to change lanes on the interstate. If this series goes 7 I might have to go take a walk every time he checks into the game.
• I really wish I had something more substantive to give you from an analysis perspective, but if we’re being real, I do not want to think critically about this thing any more than I have to. I don’t want to see the stats. I don’t want to see the highlights. I don’t want to see the tweets or the pods or the shows. Nothing. In fact, as soon as I hit publish on this thing I’m going to endeavor to never think about this game again for as long as I live. Cheers.

WWL Post Game Press Conference

What goes into the decision to start a recap like this with a total non sequitur?

Well. See. What happened was that the game ended and I immediately sat down at my computer and started typing in an effort to avoid having to sit, think, and process what I had just watched.

So you sat down and started typing your piece, a piece that is, by nature, designed to help Spurs fans process their feelings about the game, in an effort to avoid processing your own feelings about the game?

That’s right.

So it wasn’t intentional to spend 400 words recapping your field trip to the museum instead of the Spurs game, it’s just what came out?

That’s right. Look, I knew I would have to talk about the Spurs eventually, but I also knew I wasn’t ready to do that yet so I decided to let my subconscious take a little walk before we got there. See what that turned up.

Honestly, that feels like it’s pretty in line with something the surrealists would approve of.

Their approval means the world to me.

Speaking of looking for approval, some guy in the comments of your last piece called your writing “middle school girl sludge.” How did that make you feel?

Hey, if I could actually ever write something with half the ethos, pathos, or logos of a middle school girl I’d basically pack up shop and call it a career.

So, really, he paid you a compliment?

It can be both.

First road game of the Eastern Conference Finals for your New York Knickerbockers.

Will the Cavs just bend, or will they molly-break?

Here’s the latest from a wide variety of Knicks-related personalities.

Mike Brown

On the overall Game 2 performance:

“A lot of of guys stepped up; Jalen [Brunson] had a double-double. They’re sending double teams at him, and he has 14 assists. And again, he did what he was supposed to do. KAT with a double-double, 18 points, very efficient shooting and 13 rebounds. Mikal [Bridges] was huge: 19 points, especially catching the ball in the pocket versus their double teams or their tilts. OG was awesome, too. And then, Josh — we had 32 assists on 44 buckets. Josh had seven assists, one turnover, and 33 plus minutes.”

Mikal Bridges

On entering Game 3 with a 2-0 lead:

“We gotta keep playing desperate. Keep doing what we doing, keep playing desperate no matter what the situation is. To us, it’s 0-0.”

On his mental toughness amid his early postseason struggles:

“I know it’s tough, but you gotta be great at whatever you gotta do. A lot of toughness comes from the mental part, and I think I’ve been raised the right way, been coached by a lot of great coaches who talked a lot about mental toughness.”

On his big-game experience having played those in college and past NBA seasons:

“Especially being here last year, just know what it takes, learning from that—you got to be real grateful for be in these moments, and don’t take it for granted. Take every possession by possession, don’t skip a possession, don’t skip a play. Go out there and give all you got, because it’s not easy to get here and you’re not guaranteed to be here all the time.”

On Josh Hart’s toughness:

“Josh is always tough on himself, cause he wants to be great, he really does. That’s gonna be tough sometimes when you struggle. He’s been like that ever since I’ve known him, so I don’t think there’s been a change that he started to change himself if he got upset or anything. I think he’s always been mentally tough and he’s showing it.”

Jalen Brunson

On how defense sparked a sublime transition offense in Game 2:

“I think we were able to get stops and run and get easy baskets. So our offense is definitely — the way we were able to play in transition was a credit to our defense.”

On the Knicks’ growth during the playoff run:

“I think the most important thing is that we’re growing and learning together. No matter what the situation is, whatever the series is or whatever, we’re open to learning, we’re open to getting better, open to figuring out how to win games, trusting each other. So it’s a lot of different things, but I think the most important thing no matter what is that we’re sticking together.”

Karl-Anthony Towns

On what the Knicks need to do in Game 3:
“We got to execute at a high level, have that desperation that we had in Philly and Atlanta. We just gotta shoot the ball well.”

On Jalen Brunson’s leadership:

“He’s our cap. He knows when we need to be told something and when we don’t need to be told something and let the game play itself out. He’s done a great job, and we have a tremendous belief in him.”

On Mikal Bridges’ role within the Knicks:

“There is little worry in the locker room about Mikal. He does a lot of things that don’t end up on the stat sheet, that he doesn’t get credit for. Right now, the stat sheet’s giving him the credit for it, but we always know the impact he has on our team.”

On staying grounded even being up 2-0:

“We don’t feel any closer than we did last game or any game. In our minds, it’s back to 0-0. We gotta win the next game, it’s the most important game of the year. That’s how we treat it. We’re hungry to go out there and play basketball at the highest level. But we also understand that you can never be satisfied in these positions in the playoffs. The mindset is gonna continue to be 0-0 every single time we step on that court.”

Kenny Atkinson

On praising Donovan Mitchell’s leadership:

“Not just your on court, but your leadership. Your positivity when things were really not going great. Whether we won or lost tonight, we never celebrate you in these things – you don’t want that, you don’t want the praise – but tonight you deserve the praise.”

On leaning heavily on Mitchell:

“I know I leaned on him. That’s the first place to go when you’re struggling, to your leader. We had a lot of conversations, just talking through things, how we can get this thing back on track. And again, he never kind of swayed towards the negative.”

Donovan Mitchell

On staying calm being down 0-2 to New York:

“I’m not sitting here like, oh man, scrambling and trying to figure things out. At the end of the day, we make some shots, we’ll be in good shape. … We’ll make our adjustments. We’ll be at home and protect home court.”

On avoiding discouragement:

“No need to get discouraged. We just got to go to Cleveland and handle business.”

On Cleveland’s experience falling behind in other postseasonseries:

“I think it helps, from a mentality standpoint, this isn’t our first time at it. This isn’t our first time facing adversity, we’ve been to two Game 7s. So being down 2-0, it’s not the biggest challenge. It’s right here, so let’s go ahead and take advantage of it. I understand that they’re gonna make adjustments, we are as well. … It’s really as simple as we have to protect home court, that’s really it.”

On the foundation built through work:

“It’s the work you put in. In tough moments, in anything, life or the game, if you don’t have anything to pull from, if you don’t have a foundation or something that you work hard at – Kenny was stressing that throughout the whole playoffs, it’s like, ‘This is why we work harder. This is why we’ve did the extra sprints. These are all the things that we’ve done.’ This is why you do those things. So you don’t waver.”

Evan Mobley

On the Cavaliers having dealt with adversity before:

“We’ve been here before. We know what it takes.”

Jarrett Allen

On Cleveland’s gamble leaving Josh Hart open:

“Sometimes the plan doesn’t go to plan. He got hot, not even at the three-point line. He did everything on offense for them. Kudos to him for changing the game and having an impact in a different way.”

Dan Gilbert

On rallying Cavaliers fans after going down 0-2:

“OK Cavs fans, feel familiar? Clearly it’s not ideal, but we have done this twice already. We go home, win 2 and then it’s a 3-game series and we win it in 6 or 7. Keep believing. Let Em **C**** Know?”

Jeremy Lin

On supporting Karl-Anthony Towns during the Knicks’ playoff run:

“I haven’t been back to the Garden since Linsanity…Finally could make a game…but Knicks swept Sixers so I didn’t get to go to Game 5…My outfit was gonna be a KAT jersey…I’m a big supporter of KAT.”

Jazz Chisholm Jr.

On Josh Hart’s Game 2 performance:

“I don’t think anyone in sports in general doesn’t have respect for that guy — even if they aren’t in New York. To be able to come back at a time like this, in the playoffs, and do what he did? That’s kind of legendary.”

On his friendship with Hart in New York:

“We’re just two athletes who understand New York and are trying to learn a little bit more about New York: the excitement of it, the way the city moves and the way the city works. When he has a good game, I’ll hit him up. I was supposed to call him today to see how he’s feeling but I’m late.”

On the possibility of a Knicks-Yankees title year:

“For the city, it would be cool to have a Knicks-Yankees NBA Finals-World Series thing in the same year.”

On bonding with Knicks players:

“Those are my guys over there. It’s pretty cool to have a friendship in the same city.”

Metta World Peace

On predicting a Knicks championship:

“They’re going to win it. I think this is going to be the time. I knew I wanted to see it in my lifetime, and it feels like Jalen Brunson is the best player in the playoffs right now even though [San Antonio’s Victor] Wembanyama is really good. But right now, Jalen Brunson is the best player in the playoffs.”

On his loyalty to the Indiana Pacers:

“With the Pacers, when somebody hold you and your family down, you’re always going to be in debt. So it’s the Pacers, for sure. Because people were trying to really harm me physically, and the city and the coaches and the players, they had my back. So that’s just like Queensbridge-type s–t.”

On what a Knicks title would mean for New York:

“S–t, you already know what it’s going to be. The city is about to be all turned up. It’s about to be turned upside down. Just be ready to pay that big bill, New York City. The energy — it’s time. We’ve been waiting for this.”

On Jalen Brunson’s potential legacy with a title:

“He’d get a statue. He’d be the best Knicks player ever. … If he wins the title in this era, with these players, players playing against him right now like SGA [Shai Gilgeous-Alexander] and Wembanyama — it’s never been this difficult.”

On missing his chance to lead the Knicks to a title:

“I wanted to be the one to bring the Knicks back and be a real core piece in my prime. Being the Defensive Player of the Year in the Garden, I just felt like that would’ve been a helluva — if you would’ve come to the Garden with me on the other side in my prime, good luck to you. I’m always going to go back to me, personally. But for the Knicks to win the championship now, you can’t take it away from nobody. You can’t take it away from anybody from New York. You can’t take it away from the players. You can’t take it away from the coaches. You can’t take it away from the owners. You can’t take it away from the fans. We want to see that because we’re from New York.”

Walt Frazier

On James Harden’s legacy in this series:

“This is where Harden is now. He’s come to the fork in the road. Which way is he going to go? His legacy is on the line. If he gets torched again, he’s done. His career is over. This is all people are going to remember, this series. Not what he did in the regular season, but what he did in the playoffs.”

On how Kenny Atkinson should handle Harden:

“So if I’m Kenny Atkinson, I put Harden back in the game [in crunch time]. I don’t punish him, I encourage him. When we were in the playoffs and we were playing the Bullets, Red Holzman pulled me in the corner [and said], ‘Hey, Clyde, forget about offense, just focus on defense on Earl [Monroe]. Forget about offense. Don’t think about offense.’ Explore More If I’m Kenny Atkinson, I go to Harden, and say, ‘Hey, man, I’m putting you back in there. This is why we acquired you. Look at your career. I know what you’ve done, you can do it.’ I leave it all up to him. This is what coach [Mike] Brown did to [Mikal] Bridges. Remember when Bridges was floundering? Everybody said take him out of the lineup. He didn’t take him out; [he] put him out there and now look at what Bridges is doing.”

Rick Brunson

On Jalen being around him daily when coaching began:

“It was new because my dad was there all the time now. He’s here every day with me, and we’re starting to actually work on my game.”

On Jalen’s early seriousness about basketball:

“This was a job for him, this is what he wanted. I didn’t know where it would go from there, but I knew he was serious about it. Most kids play, go home and enjoy the rest of the day. He cared about winning and losing. Losing bothered him. He wanted to be perfect, he wanted to play well, he wanted to win.”

On pushing Jalen in workouts:

“I wanted to see if he would fold or if he would keep coming back. Are you going to give in? Are you going to talk back? Or are you just going to work and keep showing that you can do it? I would always tell him, ‘This is what a college coach is going to do — the difference is I love you, he doesn’t.’”

On Jalen responding to pressure:

“He kept coming back. He wanted to prove me wrong.”

On Jalen’s physical limitations and mental edge:

“He didn’t have the athleticism. He didn’t have the size. So what gets you over? Mental toughness, hard work and being very, very skilled.”

On wanting Jalen under the radar in New York:

“I didn’t want him to be great, just solid. Go under-the-radar but be respected. Maybe he didn’t get credit for the winning, but he wasn’t going to get blamed for the losing. Remember, I’m a father first, coach second.”

On soaking in the Garden atmosphere:

“I want to be around it and embrace it. I want to smell it. I want to be a part of it.”

On watching Jalen’s introductions:

“I take time to look around the arena, and it’s a surreal feeling. That he’s here on this stage, (the fan reaction) never gets old.”

On advising Jalen during a slump in Utah:

“I said, ‘Hey man, everything’s good. You’re playing well, you’re playing a good floor game. You’re just missing your shots, so now you’ve got to concentrate on why you’re missing. You’ve got to do more of everything — exaggerate your follow-through, exaggerate how high you jump, exaggerate the ball coming off your finger. You’ve got to walk that ball to the hole. You’ve got to visualize it. You’ve got to come out in the second half and just get back to who you are. I’ve seen you go 6-for-6, 7-for-7 in a half. You’ve got to block out what happened in the first half.’”

On challenging Jalen during a game in Toronto:

“He starts yelling back and I said, ‘You need to shut the f–k up and let me coach you. Don’t get too good to let me coach you. Because if you don’t want me to coach you, I won’t say s–t. You’ve got to play harder, you’re bulls–ting.’”

On Jalen’s response afterward:

“Afterward he said, ‘You’re right. I needed that,’”

On what matters most:

“It’s about winning. That’s all I care about. One of my closest friends is the (team) president — I want to win for him; I want to win for myself; I want to win for my son.”

Stephen A. Smith

On being worried about the Knicks’ chances against both Western Conference contenders:

“Because when I look at Oklahoma City and San Antonio, I see the two best teams in basketball. Now, there some that believe that Knicks would lose to OKC. I’m one of those people. But that they would beat San Antonio. I’m not so sure. I’m not so sure and it ain’t because of Wemby. If you got all your ducks in order, if De’Aaron Fox can play… San Antonio and OKC are probably the two best teams in basketball.”

On San Antonio’s guard depth:

“It’s because of Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell and Dylan Harper and [Julian] Champagnie and Sixth Man of the Year, Keldon Johnson. I mean San Antonio’s got weapons all over the place at the guard spot, maybe not the point guard spot because of De’Aaron Fox being out, Stephon Castle has on-ball responsibilities and he’s had 20 turnovers in the first two games.”

Jaxson Dart

On dreaming of similar success for the Giants:

“I mean, I’ve been dreaming about that since the day I got drafted here. Those are conversations I even had with Coach Harbaugh before he even took the job here. I think everybody in the facility wants that. We’re all supporting the Knicks right now and what they’re doing. It’s been really cool to see. We want that for ourselves as well.”

On New York as the best place to win:

“It was very prevalent last year as well … but this year I think they’re on a whole ’nother level. This is the best place to be to win.”

On attending playoff games at the Garden:

“I would like to … only thing is some of those games are really late.”

One of the most important parts of the bull riding industry is the stock contractors who raise, maintain, and supply the bucking bulls to the arena. The PBR works with many different contractors, each one supplying its own unique bulls. Recently, there has been a new stock contractor to enter the business who has simply left the rodeo community in awe. Her name is Addi Drury.

This 16-year-old has taken over her dad’s ranch, Nothin But try Ranch, and taken the world by storm. Not only is she supplying the PBR with some of the best bucking bulls in the world, she is doing so while re-writing the narrative for what stock contractors will look like. A major part of this impact is her deep love and affection for the bulls, and how she has been able to showcase the sweeter, tamer side of these rank athletes, showing the world that even the toughest bucking bulls are still gentle in nature.

This love for her bulls started at a very young age, as Addi grew up around bulls and the rodeo community. She would always help her dad around the ranch, especially with the bulls. One bull in particular, however, stands out to the pages of Addi’s history: Hard Labor. As a calf, this bull had issues nursing, so Addi would spend hours caring for him. She quickly began to call this bull her best friend, and their bond was undeniable. This sweet, gentle bull, however, was one of PBR’s best bucking bulls. This contrast in personality from home to the arena is one that rodeo fans rarely get to see. However, as Addi began to take on a more present role in the stock contracting, she brought with her a very open display of her level of care for these bulls.

Furthermore, Addi has caught the eye of the rodeo community because, at such a young age, she has already made a prominent name for herself in the arena as a “bull-whisperer”. Her deep love for the animals she raises has opened the eyes of many, allowing them to see the true gentle nature of these bulls when they are outside of the arena. This reinforces the fact that the bulls are not simply animals, but athletes. Just like the riders, they have a job to do, and they love doing it.

Addi does her job extremely well, raising her bulls to be strong-performing athletes. But she does this without removing her caring nature and love for her friends (the bulls) in the process. As she continues her career as a stock contractor, Addi Drury is undeniably laying the foundations for the future of stock contracting. Her openness with her process and level of care has shown the world a new side of the rodeo industry that won’t simply fade away. As new stock contractors move into the arena, we are sure to see a lot more who chose to live and work like Addi: with love and care for her bulls.

The good guys hoped to open their home game in the Western Conference Finals with a win, but alas victory eluded them. Victor Wembanyama led the team with 26 points while Devin Vassell poured in 20 points along with 7 rebounds and 4 steals.

De’Aaron Fox was a sight for sore eyes, although after the game I’m sure his ankles will be even sorer. Here’s hoping ice and elevation helps Swipa remain available for Game 6. He did return to the game after all of Lu Dort’s 220 lbs. landed on that tender ankle.

These highlights are more of a live in the moment and enjoy the 15-0 run to start the game sort of highlights. Like Game of Thrones, Daredevil (Netflix), or The Boys, enjoy the early versions and ignore the second half.

Defense, ball movement, swish, oh my. Devin Vassell, in particular, was playing well this game especially after the hard flagrant foul on Stephon Castle that ignited a moment where I looked in his eyes and could see the Flame of Anor burning in Vassell’s soul as he stepped up to defend his boy.

It was also nice to see Dylan Harper back in the fold. Although it seemed like his minutes were dialed back a bit perhaps due to his adductor injury, the effort and toughness we’ve come to expect was still there.

George Gervin called. He wants to know the best place to get alambre in San Antonio. Tell him it’s Guajillos off of 410. They also have the best salsa I’ve ever had. Ever. He also called to ask who that bad mother shut your mouth is who’s doing his moves.

I want to think even the Iceman was impressed by Vassell’s smooth finger roll that drew the foul. Nothing but ethical basketball played within these walls.

Look, there’s no guarantees in life. Not even taxes. Especially if you don’t pay them! I’m kidding of course. I pay taxes. (Ron Howard voice over: “He does not.”) (nervous laughter) I pay taxes. But take it from me, a person who definitely does not wish to be audited, I guarantee you that Victor Wembanyama will be more aggressive in the paint in Game 4.

As soon as I said to myself that this game was missing something I cannot quite think of, this lob happened. We were missing these lobs from Stephon Castle to Wembanyama like I miss the salsa from Guajillos ever since I moved out of San Antonio. Also salsa macha. I need to learn how to make salsa macha like these two need to find more alley-oop opportunities in the next game.

Fear not, Spurs fans. The boys will need to pick themselves up, dust off their shoulders, and get ready for the next match-up against the defending champions. It’s like at the end of The Empire Strikes Back when Luke and Leia are looking out into space and Luke puts his arm around Leia as a gesture of hope, comfort, and optimism that their group of rebels can face the tough challenge of toppling the empire. It’s exactly like that without the siblings making out scene.

If that analogy doesn’t stew your cereal, perhaps think of the final scene at the end of Game of Thrones Season 6 when Daenerys Targaryen stands before her fleet, army, and trio of dragons setting out for Westeros looking out across the sea with hope and optimism that she will bring order and peace to the realm (gotta fight for peace). It’s exactly like that without the siblings or aunt and nephew . . . ah never mind. I’ll see you all for the next game!

If you missed the game because you were too busy wielding the Flame of Anor, here are the full-game highlights:

Next up, the Spurs remain at home for Game 4 as they take on the Thunder on Sunday, May 24, 2026.

The Philadelphia 76ers have made many terrible transactions during my lifetime as a fan. (Some good ones, as well. I am old and eventually things pile up on both sides of the ledger.)

I count trading Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder as one of the really bad ones. When the deal went down, it seemed like such an own goal by the organization. Here you had a talented 22-year-old at the nadir of his value coming off a pair of injuries, beloved by his teammates and universally lauded for his work ethic, and you’re shipping him off for draft picks which, in all likelihood, won’t bring back a player of his caliber.

People argued for the trade (they were wrong), because you can’t even get everyone to agree that the sky is blue anymore, but eventually, things kind of got back to normal. We all have lives and there were still games to watch and the Sixers miraculously beat the Boston Celtics and then got curbstomped by the New York Knicks and I was ready for the offseason with one eye on the draft and some hope about a Tyrese Maxey-VJ Edgecombe backcourt in the future. I would love to never think about the Jared McCain trade and how dumb it was ever again, unless I’m reading some sort of “worst moves of the Daryl Morey era” article once every couple of years.

Except…I can’t.

Because Jared McCain plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are objectively the best team in the league, and currently leading the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals. So two or three times per week, my timeline is flooded with stats about McCain scoring 24 points, going toe to toe with Victor Wembanyama at the basket, and quotes from Thunder teammates and coaches (who already won a championship last summer!) glowing about what a tremendous competitor and human being McCain is. It’s tortuous. It’s like if I had a huge scab, but right before it could finish completely healing the wound, somebody rips it off again and pours rubbing alcohol over the entire area. And this happens every couple of days.

If McCain had been traded to somewhere like Sacramento, this wouldn’t be an issue. He probably would have had a couple 25-point games, and people would have said it was a dumb trade, while others said to move on and called them empty stats on a bad team. Ultimately, it wouldn’t have mattered too much and it would have been done in April and we wouldn’t have needed to think too much about it. Instead, McCain was sent to the Thunder (which, again, maybe if the best team in the league wants your guy, you shouldn’t trade him). So we’re probably going to have to watch him through May and often June for the next few years.

Right now, I can’t even watch what is an amazing playoff series for a neutral observer without Mike Tirico asking how people in South Philadelphia are doing (not great, Mike!). And the arguments that Jared couldn’t live up to the physicality of the playoffs and would be played off the floor because the postseason exploits every weakness look increasingly ridiculous by the day. He’ll probably get to hoist the trophy during a parade in Oklahoma City next month and it will be a flashing billboard reading, “the Sixers will never win a title in your lifetime because they keep making boneheaded moves like trading Jared McCain.”

Some of you are probably reading this and nodding along in agreement. I imagine there are others saying, “Who cares? He hasn’t been a Sixer for three months, why are we still talking about this?” For the record, I would love to not talk about it, because that would mean this particular organizational failure wasn’t constantly being thrown back in my face. But with as good as the Oklahoma City Thunder are and project to be for the foreseeable future, it’s probably going to be a long time before Jared McCain isn’t “the one who got away”.

The very first article I wrote for CelticsBlog was titled, “Is Baylor Scheierman a viable starter for the Celtics?” I started that article with a confession: I wasn’t a Baylor believer at the beginning of the season.

That was probably too simple of a take. Looking back, I don’t think I disbelieved in him as much as I had absolutely no clue what drawer to put him in.

With most players, even the imperfect ones, your brain is able to find a quick label. Jordan Walsh is the lanky chaos wing. Hugo González is the endless motor who looks more natural in a locked-and-loaded defensive stance than upright. Sam Hauser is the shooter.

Baylor didn’t give me that kind of shortcut. He came into the season with leftover Summer League shine, a shaggy haircut that inspired strong feelings online, and a game that seemed to change shape depending on the possession. Sometimes, he looked like a shooter. Other times, he looked like a defensive stopper. Most of the time, he looked like someone who had been dropped into an NBA game after spending the afternoon playing pickup at the Y.

By the end of the season, the lack of a clean label stopped feeling like a problem, and more like the point.

Scheierman did not become one of the central stories of Boston’s season, nor did he make some gargantuan leap that forces the Celtics to redesign their plans to account for him. But he did something that matters a whole lot for a team with very expensive stars and very little room to waste cheap contracts.

He made himself harder to ignore.

The weirdness started to work

Scheierman’s season numbers won’t make anyone spit out their coffee. 5.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 18.6 minutes per game. But the year-over-year jump tells the better story.

As a rookie in the ‘24-’25 season, he shot 35.5 percent from the field and 31.7 percent from three. This year, those jumped to 45.3 percent and 39.9 percent. His true shooting climbed from 49.0 to 61.6. His minutes went from 12.4 to 18.6 per game. That is the difference between “maybe he’ll figure it out” and “oh, he might actually be figuring it out right now.”

The improvement didn’t arrive in one giant, obvious burst. It felt more like a slow drip over the course of the season. 10 points and 13 loud rebounds versus the (I’m sorry to even be mentioning them) Knicks on February 8. Another double-double in the form of a 16-point, 10-rebound effort on March 8 versus the Cavs. A career-high 30-point night on the last day of the regular season in a feel-good bench-mob victory over the Magic on April 12.

In his exit interview, Scheierman described his season as “a constant level of growth throughout the entire year,” which is exactly the kind of quote that sounds boring until you realize it’s probably the most accurate way to describe what actually transpired. Baylor just kept getting a little more comfortable until the Celtics were using him in real games and nobody had any issues with it.

That matters because Scheierman’s game can be kind of a trust fall. He plays with confidence that occasionally arrives before the justification. I respect it. I fear it. I understand why Joe Mazzulla sometimes looks like he is doing long division in his head before subbing Baylor in.

The funny thing is, the Celtics started trusting him too.

After Scheierman fractured his thumb, his whole celebration package boiled down to a good ol’ fashioned thumbs up. Looking back, there’s something perfect about that. Baylor’s season was not especially loud. It was not smooth enough to be boring or explosive enough to be obvious. It just kept flashing a thumbs up at you until you finally had to acknowledge the play was working.

He gives the Celtics a different kind of wing

The easiest way to undersell Scheierman is to call him another wing in Boston’s pile of wings.

That pile is getting crowded, to be fair. Walsh, Hugo, Hauser, Scheierman, Ron Harper Jr. hovering around the edges. At some point, Brad Stevens may have to decide how many “interesting but imperfect” wing types one roster can reasonably hold before the locker room turns into an airport terminal.

In my opinion, Baylor brings things to the table that the other wings do not, at least not yet.

Walsh and Hugo are more obviously disruptive defensively, but with clear offensive limitations. Hauser has real shooting gravity, but looked a step slower after the championship run. Baylor’s best value might be that he gives you a little bit of everything, all of the time.

He can rebound and push. He can throw the hit-ahead pass. He can come off a pindown and see the next read. He can pump fake, take two funky lefty dribbles and find a pass that wasn’t there half a second earlier. The handle can still get loose. The finishing needs work. There are possessions where his creativity and his body seem to be negotiating in real time.

That last part is what the offseason is for.

In his exit interview, Scheierman said he wants to keep building his strength, quickness and change of direction. He also mentioned finishing at the rim, floaters, slow steps and finding angles. That sounds less like a player trying to reinvent himself and more like one who knows exactly where the loose screws are.

The most interesting part came when he talked about becoming a secondary or third playmaker.

Boston doesn’t need him to become a diet point guard. Nobody is asking Baylor to bring the ball up against playoff pressure while Payton Pritchard stands in the corner wondering what crimes he committed. But if Scheierman can become a wing who hovers around 40 percent from three, rebounds well for his role, and gives you just enough ball handling and passing to punish a rotating defense, that is a very useful player.

Especially on his contract.

Cheap only matters if playable comes with it

Scheierman is set to make $2.74 million next season, with a club option just under $5 million the year after.

Boston already has a massive amount of money tied to Tatum, Brown and White. Pritchard’s next contract conversation is coming. Hauser’s salary makes him both useful and potentially relevant in trade math. Every offseason idea sounds fun until you remember the tax line exists and Brad Stevens and Bill Chisholm are certainly mindful of it.

That is why Scheierman’s season matters beyond the box score.

Cheap contracts are easy to celebrate when you’re looking at a spreadsheet, but they only help if the player gives you more than the number suggests. I looked up NBA players making similar money to what Baylor is earning right now, and you tell me whether you’d rather have Scheierman or these other guys:

• Kobe Brown, Pacers, 1-year, $2.6 million
• Cole Anthony, Suns, 1-year, $2.6 million
• Yanic Niederhauser, Clippers, 4-years, $14.1 million
• Brice Sensabaugh, Jazz, 4-years, $12.5 million
• Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Bucks, 1-year, $2.8 million

I’ll be honest, I watch a lot of NBA basketball, and there are names on that list that I had never heard before. Perhaps some of you may argue for Thanasis because of who his +1 would be. I respect the hustle, but we’re not going there in this article.

Ultimately, Baylor is a guy who can survive in games that actually matter. Let’s not forget, he started Game 7. When he was asked about that wacky starting lineup after the season ended, he said the group was “super excited” and “super confident” because the Celtics had done it all year. That’s a very Baylor answer. No hand-wringing. No “Gee whiz, what an honor to have started Game 7 against Joel Embiid and Paul George.” Just confidence and on to the next rep.

That approach probably explains part of why Mazzulla trusted him in the first place.

Scheierman said the coaching staff did a good job detailing how the team wanted to play, which allowed him to play freely because he understood what was expected of him. He described himself as someone who has always tried to play hard and do whatever it takes to win. Usually, that kind of quote would be easy to toss into the athlete-speak drawer.

With Baylor, it actually matches the film.

He is not always pretty. In fact, part of the appeal is that he often looks like he’s making basketball look more difficult than it needs to be before suddenly making the right play anyway. But he competes, sees things early, and annoys people on a nightly basis. He has enough swagger to take shots that make you briefly check the score and situation to make sure you didn’t miss something.

The question now is whether the Celtics clear enough room for that to keep growing.

Scheierman does not need to be treated like a future star. That would be unfair to him and slightly stress-inducing for the rest of us. But he also shouldn’t be treated like a random cheap wing who happened to have a decent year. Boston needs low-cost players who can give Mazzulla real minutes. Baylor spent this season proving he might be one of them.

Back in February, I wondered if he could be a viable starter.

I’m less interested in that label now. The better question is whether he can become the kind of rotation player who makes the roster math easier around the stars. After the season he just had, it’s a much easier case to make.

Somewhere along the way, I became a Bayliever. Or a Schei Guy. Still hate my nickname ideas. Still very much workshopping.

Fortunately, the player now makes more sense than the potential nicknames.

The first two games of the series have had a little bit of everything so far for the Knicks. The Cavaliers jumped out to a 22-point lead in Game 1 thanks to a strong game from Donovan Mitchell, only for the Knicks to mount a historic comeback where Jalen Brunson put on a shot-making clinic.

Game 2 was far less dramatic, but it was still an incredibly encouraging one. Brunson, instead of his usual barrage of baskets, helped defeat the Cavaliers with his patience, decision-making, and precision passing as he picked apart Cleveland’s multiple looks. Josh Hart made the Cavaliers pay for their ghost coverage with five threes, which probably felt more like 10 threes to the Cavaliers and their fans. Karl-Anthony Towns, despite going up against some physical coverage, poured in 18 efficient points. OG Anunoby, who was able to play fewer minutes than usual, still ended the game with the highest plus-minus despite scoring a quiet 14 points. And we cannot talk about this series, and really, any playoff game since game six of the Hawks series, without mentioning Mikal Bridges. The much-maligned wing has turned in an impressive postseason for the second straight year, and he’s now looked like the prime version of Bridges that the Knicks had hoped to see when they traded for him two summers ago. He’s defending at an elite level, playing with more physicality on both ends, and is playing not only with an absurd level of efficiency, but a level of confidence and aggressiveness we’ve seldom seen during his Knicks tenure.

While momentum is real and can carry over from game to game, in the playoffs, games can often be treated as a self-contained event. It doesn’t mean that the Knicks can’t, or won’t, transfer their wave of momentum, confidence, and focus onto game three. Or that the Cavaliers, who, regardless of what they tell you, have to feel at least some dejection after losing Game 1 the way they did, and then losing Game 2 to a barrage of Hart threes. But the Cavaliers will also be returning home for the first time since game six of the second round, which took place eight days ago. They may be fatigued after playing back-to-back seven-game series, but they, and their crowd, should have some added juice heading into what for them will be a must-win game.

Is it a must-win game for the Knicks? No. But, during this time of year, one game, scratch that, one play can change everything. Having dealt with injuries and heartbreak over their last few playoff runs, they know that more than anybody. And since their game three loss to the Hawks, they’ve looked like they know it, too. Game after game, practice after practice, despite setting records this league has never seen, the players and coaches have looked and sounded happy, and at times even displeased. They’ve known that defeating the Hawks was expected. They’ve known that dominating the 76ers was just a stepping stone. And they seem to know that advancing to the finals is also not their ultimate goal.

The Knicks enter tonight up 2-0, but they’ll likely continue approaching each game with the required focus and energy as if the series were 0-0, and that should make for another close game between two teams fighting for two different things. One team is looking to crawl their way back into the series and find some life, while the other is looking to come within one game of delivering the final blows and reach the finals for the first time in over two decades.

Prediction

The big man duo of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen should play better. As should role players Dean Wade, Sam Merrill, Max Strus, and Dennis Schroder. They’ll likely also bank on Hart not making five more threes or Brunson scoring 38 points. And they may be right. But then again, they may not be. That’s the beauty of sports-we never really know until they roll the ball out and play.

What we do know, though, is that despite all the shot-quality data and the “what if” narratives Cavaliers fans have thrown around, the Knicks have straight up been the better team so far. Yes, the Cavaliers had a large lead in Game 1, and were eight minutes of even decent basketball away from winning that game. But it’s not like they were dominating the other quarters. The Knicks have won six of the nine periods (overtime of Game 1 included) in the series, and are a +27 in the series now.

And the Knicks have done that despite shooting poorly from three for the first three quarters of Game 1, Hart being an unwilling shooter before Game 2, the Cavaliers dominating the Knicks on the offensive glass 13-5 in Game 2, and the Cavaliers outshooting the Knicks 32-14 from the free-throw line in that game. The Cavaliers have done some nice things, and some of the Knicks’ flaws and shortcomings this series have been a product of what Cleveland has done. But the same can be said for why the Cavaliers have played the way they have.

I expect a stronger overall effort from the Cavaliers and a better shooting game from their role players. But Brunson is still the best player in the series, Hart knows what he needs to do, Landy Shamet is there if Hart struggles, Bridges, and Anunoby remain elite two-way players who are defending at a high level, and scoring efficiently, Towns realized that he still cannot be guarded if he plays smartly, and patiently, even when he is out there in suboptimal lineups, and maybe most importantly, these Knicks are arguably better on the road than they are at home. Cleveland will be up for portions of the game, but the Knicks, with their hunger higher than ever, keep marching. Knicks win 105-100 to take a 3-0 lead and make it 10 playoff wins in a row.

Game Details

Who: New York Knicks (2-0) vs Cleveland Cavaliers (0-2)
Date: Saturday, May 23, 2026
Time: 8 PM ET
Place: Rocket Arena, Cleveland, OH
TV: ABC
Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky

He didn’t score any points with her — but who can blame him!

A Brooklyn woman went viral after she was stood up by her blind date, who blew her off at the last minute after snagging Knicks playoff tickets.

Sarah Stone arrived at Café Carmellini in NoMad an hour early for her 6 p.m. date earlier this month, settling in and ordering a glass of wine while she waited for the man.

It also happened to be Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Madison Square Garden, where the Knicks played the Philadelphia 76ers.

Suddenly, her phone lit up with a message.

“He texted me and said, ‘Don’t kill me,'” she told The Post.

Once she saw his ominous words, she decided to call him.

“He pretty much said, ‘Hey, so, my boy, he got me tickets to the Knicks game. So I’m not gonna be able to make it,'” she recalled.

View this post on Instagram

“I’m like, ‘What are you talking about? I’m already here. I’m having a cocktail. I was looking forward to seeing you.’ But he was like, ‘Yeah, but it’s the playoffs and we got some good tickets.'”

Stone then asked if she could tag along for the game, which the Knicks ultimately won 108-102.

“I was like, ‘OK, so are you gonna take me with you? Ask him for an extra ticket!’ Cause I wanted to go. And he was like, ‘No, I’m his plus one.'”

The man, whom she initially connected with through a mutual friend, then apologized, asking to reschedule and offering to pay for her drink, but the damage was already done.

“He was like, ‘I’m sorry, please let me make it up to you. Let’s reschedule. I’ll send you money for your cocktail,'” she said.

“But I was like, ‘No.’ Because I was pissed off.”

After the disappointing call, she decided to film the now-viral video from her seat at the restaurant.

“I was looking cute and I needed to vent to somebody, because I was like, ‘Can y’all believe this?'”

She was shocked when it went so viral — with even the Knicks’ official page commenting, “Forgive him please.”

“Spike Lee commented, [former Knick] J.R. Smith,” Stone added.

Most agreed with the man, saying they wouldn’t give up the once-in-a-lifetime tickets either.

“He got his priorities straight,” one wrote, while another added, “He made the right choice.”

Others thought his decision showed good character.

“Girl, those are actually green flags! It shows he has commitment and loyalty,” one said.

Some joked that she needed a reality check.

“She think she bigger than the KNICKS?!?!” one asked.

“Man if Kylie Jenner can get left at the Met Gala for the Knicks game, so can you,” someone else said, referring to when Timothée Chalamet chose to attend Game 1 of the Knicks-76ers series instead of attending the star-studded event with his girlfriend.

“Everybody’s Team Knicks. They hate me,” Stone said, laughing at all the comments.

“But it’s like you just feel played and stupid. I was literally there. Did my hair, makeup, got a cute little outfit.”

Stone revealed that she actually did end up going out with the Knicks fan who stood her up.

They met up two days later — but she wasn’t impressed.

“Nah. I wasn’t interested. I was already turned off and he wasn’t that cute,” she said, laughing.

Her video caught the attention of many other men who have asked her out — but so far, she hasn’t accepted any offers.

“I got a lot of DMs saying, like, ‘I would have never done that to you,’ ‘How about I take you to a Knicks game,’ or ‘You’re too pretty for that,’ or ‘I hate the Knicks anyway.'”

This is it, the final bow on the gift that was the 2025-26 Phoenix Suns. Over the past few weeks, our team has worked diligently to author player recaps for every member of the roster, and now that everything is complete, we have the final report card for this version of the Suns.

The first thing that jumps out when looking at the grades is honestly how good the report card looks. This is the kind of report card you’d actually want to bring home and show your parents, assuming that’s even still a thing anymore. It’s been so long since I was in school, I’m assuming everything is online now and kids no longer have to make that dreadful walk home from the bus stop holding an envelope that you know is about to disappoint your parents.

When you scan through these grades, the lowest mark handed out was a C- to Ryan Dunn. No D’s. No F’s.

Think back one season ago, and the report card was flooded with C grades (Tyus Jones, Monte Morris, Cody Martin), D’s (Bol Bol, Vasa Micic, Damion Lee), and an F+ (Bradley Beal). That wasn’t the case this year. Across the board, both the Bright Side writing staff and the community largely agreed that what we witnessed from this Suns team was a quality season.

And honestly, it was.

It’ll be fascinating to look back on this season a few years from now and determine what it actually represented. Was it a flash in the pan? Or was it the beginning of real organizational growth and development tied to a consistent vision?

Night to night, you could feel it. Even though the season stumbled near the finish line, you still walked away feeling like the organization was finally moving in the right direction. Only time will tell if that feeling proves accurate.

As the story of the 2025-26 Suns goes though, it was fun. It was enjoyable. It was digestible. I found myself excited to tune in every night rather than emotionally preparing for disappointment before tipoff. That alone qualifies as success to me. In the grand scheme of things, this season absolutely felt like a step in the right direction.

Maybe that’s the biggest takeaway from this entire season. For the first time in a while, the Suns actually felt like a basketball team again, rather than a collection of expectations duct-taped together, hoping talent alone could solve everything. There was an identity forming. There was a visible progression from the younger players. There was an understanding of what this organization wanted to become, even if the finished product still feels miles away from championship contention.

No one is hanging banners for “encouraging progress,” and nobody should. Still, after the chaos and frustration of recent years, simply restoring a sense of direction and watchability felt like an important first step toward building something sustainable.

The Houston Rockets have been stress-testing the concept of the point guard for a long time.

Astute Dream Shakers will know that I’ve taken this angle before. Let’s speed run it. Mike D’Antoni moved James Harden from the two to the one. Harden left, and Kevin Porter Jr. larked as a point guard for a while. When it was time to be serious, the Rockets brought in Fred VanVleet, who is as undeniably a point guard as epistemologically possible.

VanVleet gets hurt for the year. Back to square one. We’re finding out if a non-point guard is a point guard again. This time, it’s Amen Thompson. There’s only one question left:

How did it go?

Thompson’s future is bright but unclear

Statistically, Thompson’s 2025-26 season is a bit difficult to parse out.

The basic counting stats all improved with increased volume. Thompson averaged 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game to last season’s 14.1, 8.3, and 3.8. Yet, his Box Plus/Minus (BPM) dropped from 4.1 to 2.6.

There’s a statistical explanation that aligns with the eye test. Thompson’s stocks (steals and blocks, not financial measurements) dropped. That affects his metrics.

There were a couple of reasons why that happened. With Dillon Brooks gone, Thompson was responsible for guarding the other team’s best player more frequently. That gives him less leeway for defensive playmaking. Yet, it also felt like he had to conserve some effort for his increased offensive responsibility. Thompson has never taken a defensive possession off in his life, but he wasn’t as relentless a ball hawk in 2025-26.

Was that trade-off worthwhile? The numbers lean no. Thompson’s 0.98 Points Per Possession (PPP) in isolation were in the league’s 68.2nd percentile. His 0.89 PPP as a pick-and-roll ball-handler landed in the 61st percentile.

How else do we measure point guard-y-ness? Thompson’s 23.1% Assist Ratio was 44th in the NBA. That’s a fine percentage in general, but it’s lower than most marquee point guards.

In fact, that’s broadly true for most of these numbers. They’re great if you look at Thompson as a tertiary ball-handler + perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate. They’re considerably weaker if he’s your starting point guard.

So, it would be extreme to call his season a failure. Thompson demonstrated some capacity to increase his offensive workload. Yet, this front office should also be realizing that Thompson is closer to (if you’ll forgive imperfect historical comparisons) supercharged Andre Igoudala than he is Penny Hardaway. They should view him as a cornerstone, but he’ll be able to maximize his impact alongside a primary ball-handler:

Unless the Rockets reinvent the position (again).

Duke fans knew that Philadelphia made a mistake letting Jared McCain go, but Oklahoma City was glad to snatch him up, and on Friday, that decision paid off big time for the Thunder.

McCain scored 24 off the bench, outscoring San Antonio’s bench by himself, 24-18, pacing OKC to a 123-108 win.

It was much more than that though, as OKC’s bench scored a staggering 76 points. Still, McCain was the best of the bunch, and he played with the verve we saw in Cameron.

Mason Plumlee did get off the bench for San Antonio for a minute and a couple points after the game was decided.

Tyrese Proctor and the Cleveland Cavaliers take on the New York Knicks Saturday night.

• Jared McCain sparks OKC off the bench as Thunder take series lead vs. Spurs
• Thunder get 76 points off the bench, the key to a Game 3 win over Spurs in West finals
• Jared McCain outscored the Spurs bench 24-18 
• Former Sixers guard Jared McCain makes impact as Thunder beat Spurs
• Jared McCain brings ‘contagious energy’ to Oklahoma City Thunder
• Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jared McCain take down Spurs in Game 3
• OKC showcases depth to take Game 3 from Spurs
• Jared McCain erupts as Thunder weather Spurs’ fast start, seize 2–1 series lead

Go to the DBR Boards to find Blue Healer Auctions || Drop us a line

Friday was the first time in nine years that the San Antonio Spurs hosted a Western Conference Final on their home court.

After kicking off the series with a double overtime win in Oklahoma City, the Silver & Black brought high hopes down I-35 in hopes of maintaining the home court advantage.

When the game tipped off, the Spurs had an overflow of adrenalin pumping. They scored the first 15 points of the game, putting on a clinic and raising expectations. For nearly four minutes, OKC did not score. The Thunder spent the latter half of the quarter closing the gap. Once they did, they never looked back.

From the moment the Spurs conceded the lead, they could not put a cohesive run together. OKC kept the Spurs at arm’s length for the remainder of the game.

One unsettling statistic was the output of the Spurs bench. Not counting the five points Kelly Olynyk and Mason Plumlee put up in garbage time, the quartet of Dylan Harper, Keldon Johnson, Luke Kornet, and Carter Bryant scored 18 points in a combined 52 minutes on the floor.

The Spurs starters, all of whom played 30 minutes or more (Wemby played 39 minutes), looked gassed by the end of the game, just as they were at the end of Game 1.

With less than 48 hours to recoup and reset, the Spurs will need to determine how to incorporate the bench as more than a stopgap to give Wembanyama some rest.

Keldon Johnson, the newly crowned Sixth Man of the Year, had a +/- of negative 23, scoring one basket and a pair of free throws. KJ has struggled throughout the postseason. His scoring has decresed steadily throughout the series while his +/- has worsened.

Luke Kornet’s presence is the most obvious as he steps on the court as Wemby sits down. Like clockwork, opponents recalibrate their game to incorporate attacking the paint. When Kornet receives the ball, he generally holds until he can handoff to a guard. He rarely dribbles or uses his body to clear space in attempts to get to the basket. He either waits outside the restricted area for lobs or sets picks for guys heading downhill.

Carter Bryant has had brief moments of brilliance throughout the playoffs illustrating just how he has earned his minutes. Last night he strggled to hit the strings, making only one shot. His efforts were doubly muddled by three personal fouls and a turnover.

Dylan Harper, still nursing adductor soreness, was unable to snake his way to the basket with the ease he’s exhibited all season long. While his injury should continue to improve, he was visibly not himself.

By comparison, four of the Thunder bench players scored in double figures, highlighted by Jared McCain’s 24 points. Caruso continues to be a defensive menace while knocking down timely shots. And Jaylin Williams added 18 points in his 22 minutes.

Overall, the Spurs fell behind the Thunder in field goal percentage, three-point percentage, rebounds and assists. They had more turnovers (15 to the Thunders 10) and more personal fouls to add to their woes.

It should be notes for all the complaints about officiating, the Spurs and Thunder each shot 33 free throw attempts. That’s not to say there isn’t disparity in the class themselves, but the game was not won at the free throw line.

Tomorrow the Spurs will watch film to readjust and have their morning shoot around.

Game 4 tips off on Sunday at 7:oo CST.

Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.

Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.

Good morning, BBN!

Things are about to pick back up in terms of recruiting for college basketball as the NBA Draft withdrawal deadline is quickly approaching. For Kentucky Wildcats fans, the most important decision comes from center Malachi Moreno.

Things seem to be trending in the right direction for the Georgetown native to return to Lexington, but a first-round guarantee could still be on the table, meaning what once seemed like a lock is now still up in the air.

With plenty of speculation swirling, one prediction might help ease the minds of the BBN. That comes from the voice of the Wildcats in Tom Leach.

Leach joined BBN Tonight this week and had this to say when asked about making a prediction on the future of Moreno;

“I’m still where I have always been. I always thought he would be back at Kentucky next season. I think that makes the most sense, and I continue to feel that way. So hope I’m right,” Leach said of Moreno.

Once again, a return from Moreno would be huge. Let’s hope we get to see him back for his sophomore season.

Tweet of the Day

Get to know the newest Cat.

Headlines

Avery Pope Joins Kentucky Women’s Tennis- UK Athletics

Congrats to the daughter of UK head coach Mark Pope!

Bam Adebayo, Cason Wallace named to NBA All-Defensive Teams- KSR

Congrats to the former Cats!

Kentucky Contends for a NCAA Women’s Golf Championship Beginning Friday- UK Athletics

Let’s go!

NBA executives believe Malachi Moreno and Milan Momcilovic should pull out of the draft- KSR

This would be great for Kentucky.

DL Griff Galloway commits to Kentucky over Clemson, Virginia Tech- Cats Pause

Another one!

NBA free agent rankings: Bobby Marks’ top 20 players for 2026- ESPN

Some big names of the market this season.

2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson leaderboard: Si Woo Kim nearly shoots 59; Scheffler, Spieth in the hunt after Round 2- CBS

A fun day in Texas.