On the 556th Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including some takeaways from the NBA Finals-bound New York Knicks, who are playing for a title for the first time since 1999. They haven’t won a championship since 1973.
Soshnick, who covered that 1999 Knicks team, discusses what he remembers from the run to the NBA Finals. He also compares it to this year’s team, which is on a historical 10-game winning streak that rivals any stretch for any team in the history of the league.
One major difference: the availability of officially licensed merchandise has changed dramatically. The shift to e-commerce—and in particular, the shift of sports e-commerce to a Fanatics-dominated market—has severely limited the amount of places where fans can buy title merch in person. New York City is currently a bit of a wasteland for big box stores like Dick’s Sporting Goods or even Walmart that often sell that merchandise.
The hosts debate which Knicks player has historically sold the most jerseys—is it an old timer like Patrick Ewing or a current star like Jalen Brunson? They also talk about the Knicks’ two potential opponents, both of whom have a very different in-game atmosphere than Madison Square Garden.
Next they discuss Princeton winning another men’s lacrosse national title, the school’s first in two and a half decades. It’s possible that changes across the NCAA, particularly those that are forcing the richest athletic departments to divert as much money as possible to athletes in football and basketball, have re-opened the door for smaller schools to excel in niche sports that they care about.
They close by talking about an expansion of women’s pro volleyball. Billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong is buying a new MLV franchise in Los Angeles for a fee in the $15-$20 million range. Soon-Shiong, who is a minority investor in the Lakers, compared this moment to the launch of the Lakers in the 1940s.
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“No one remembers the wins (Goliath gets),” Calipari said during an interview with USA TODAY Sports and a few other media outlets at SEC spring meetings. “If you said, 'Who did we beat in the national championship?' They would not know. You know what they know? Saint Peter’s beat us. That’s what they know.
“That’s what makes this tournament. Don’t take that away.”
Don't take that away, because David and his 3-pointer give March Madness its soul.
Calipari looks at this from a perspective of, if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it. March Madness wasn’t broken. It was beautiful.
But, if you must make an unnecessary expansion from 68 to 76, why couldn’t that expansion uplift power-conference teams and mid-majors in equal proportion? That's what Calipari would like to see.
Alas, “no one listens to me,” said Calipari, now the coach at Arkansas.
John Calipari: March Madness expansion should uplift Cinderellas, too
I sure wish NCAA Tournament powerbrokers would listen to Calipari as a voice of reason.
Because, he’s right: Cinderella gives March Madness its spirit, even as upsets dwindled the past two seasons in the wake of NIL and transfer free agency.
If anyone listened to Calipari, here’s what they’d hear: Take these eight extra bids created by tournament expansion and split them into two groups:
Four bids go to power-conference teams. Four go to Cinderellas.
“I don’t think that’s how it’s going to operate,” Calipari said, “but that’s what I would say.”
NCAA Tournament expansion will add the dregs of power conferences
In the absence of an idea like the one he’s pushing, Calipari worries these eight bonus bids mostly will go to lower-end teams from power conferences.
Who wants that? Not anyone who truly loves the tournament, and not the guy who accelerated his career by taking UMass to the Final Four.
“I just think half of (the extra spots) should go to the non-Power Five. So, four of them. That would have people in our room saying, ‘Speak for yourself,’” Calipari said. “I get that, but I’ve been at UMass, and I’ve been at Memphis, and I know how hard it is to schedule. You can’t schedule your way in.”
To Calipari’s point, Miami (Ohio) encountered difficulty getting power-conference teams to agree to play the RedHawks last season. They slipped into the First Four as one of the last at-large teams selected.
Mid-majors are good theater. Mid-majors beating Goliath are great theater.
But, will anyone other than Calipari take up for the little guy?
You can bet your basketball SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey and Tony Petitti, his Big Ten counterpart, won't throw their weight behind Calipari's idea. They want these bonus bids going to the dregs of their conferences.
Here's how to spice up the 'First 12'
I’d take Calipari’s suggestion a step further. Don’t just split the final eight bids between high-majors and Cinderellas. Make sure to pit those teams against each other in the "First 12."
Think of it as a miniature Power Conference vs. Mid-major Challenge.
Or, just call it David versus Goliath.
So, Power Four teams won’t schedule the likes of Miami (Ohio) in November? Fine, but you’ll see ‘em in March.
If CBS wants to make the “First 12” a worthwhile product (rather than filler until the real tournament starts on Thursday) that's how you do it — by creating matchups that involve an underdog like the RedHawks against a power-conference brand, rather than matching up two 17-16 teams from power leagues.
It’s as Calipari said, though. Nobody will listen to him. The power conferences run college sports, and the dregs of those conferences will gobble up most of these bonus bids.
An expansion that could otherwise give us more Cinderella stories will instead mostly admit more access to weak and vulnerable Goliaths, with no David to contend with.
James Dolan attends a Knicks game during the 2024-25 season. Photograph: Rich Graessle/Getty Images
The most stunning part about the Knicks snapping their 27-year NBA finals drought isn’t the 22½-point average margin of victory they posted over an 11-game playoff winning streak, or New Yorkers somehow resisting the urge to tear the city apart in celebration, or even the fact that neither the iPhone nor Facebook existed back in 1999.
No, the most surprising aspect when they sealed the Eastern Conference finals on the Cleveland Cavaliers’ home court was the Knicks’ star guard, Jalen Brunson, talking about his pride in a winning culture that “starts with Mr Dolan”.
It’s one thing to shout out the boss when cornered in public, but placing Knicks owner James Dolan at the very top of the list of people responsible for the team’s dramatic turnaround feels like thanking the iceberg for the movie Titanic. The Knicks’ redemption arc doesn’t hit as hard, or quite deliver the same catharsis, without Dolan’s special blend of chaos and dysfunction.
This may come as a shock to fans boarding the Knicks bandwagon, but before Kylie Jenner and the influencer set started turning up courtside, Dolan had spent decades in a race with Dan Snyder (formerly of the NFL’s Washington Commanders) and Bob Nutting (of MLB’s Pittsburgh Pirates) for the title of worst owner in US sports.
In 2018, Bleacher Report described him as “masterful at destroying two beloved franchises”, the second being the NHL’s Rangers, who haven’t won the Stanley Cup since 1994. In a lengthy interview with ESPN’s Ian O’Connor in 2018, Dolan said Knicks fans who spotted him around town would “shout something horrible and run away. It’s not fun.” In another digression about selling the team, an idea he has long insisted is well off the table, Dolan spoke more urgently about his responsibility to shareholders than to fans.
At the turn of the century, Dolan was a New York nepo baby poster boy – a recovering addict who inherited a multibillion-dollar cable TV and sports empire and ran it with a rumpled authority that carried through even to his personal presentation: he painted himself as the Long Island boy who owns Madison Square Garden and once had his blues-rock band, JD & The Straight Shot, open for the Eagles. For Knicks fans, he was a byword for chronic mismanagement more commonly known as “Jim Fucking Dolan”. He traded away franchise cornerstone Patrick Ewing in 2000 and signed Allan Houston to a $100m extension that prompted a league exemption for teams buried under bad contracts. Under Dolan’s ownership, the Knicks found themselves in salary-cap purgatory time and again, something that left them too constrained to pursue top free agents and too mediocre to rebuild through the draft.
There’s more. Under Dolan, the Knicks traded for middling center Eddy Curry despite his documented heart condition, hired Phil Jackson a decade too late for the wrong job, and reportedly benched the cheerleading squad during a grim loss to Charlotte (a team source later denied the story was true). Rather than attend the 2017 draft, which took place in New York, Dolan chose to play a JD & The Straight Shot gig across town. While we’re on the subject of his music endeavors, in 2018 he wrote a song about not knowing his former friend Harvey Weinstein was a sexual predator.
Then there’s the treatment of the fans themselves. Knicks fans who voice frustration with Dolan – whether on picket lines outside Madison Square Garden or during in-game “sell the team” chants – risk permanent banishment. Famously, MSG security denied Spike Lee entry to the Garden on a whim in 2020 when he arrived through a gate reserved for Garden employees and media – as had been his custom for nearly 30 years.
Beat writers are careful not to be too critical of Dolan or the team, as MSG staff hawkishly manage access. In a recent interview with investigative reporter Pablo Torre, one Knicks beat reporter, speaking on the condition of anonymity, suggested the team’s media workroom may be bugged. Even former players tread lightly: Charles Oakley has been a ghost at MSG since he was hauled out of the arena for heckling Dolan at a 2017 game.
Dolan’s abiding loyalty to Detroit Pistons great Isiah Thomas was another staggering low point. In 2007, Dolan’s Madison Square Garden company was ordered to pay $11.6m to settle a lawsuit brought by a female team executive who had alleged sexual harassment by Thomas; Dolan, who had reportedly fired the woman, personally contributed $3.5m to the settlement. In 2015, Dolan brought Thomas on to the New York Liberty – his WNBA franchise. Former NBA commissioner David Stern, noting both the controversy and the Knicks’ lack of success during Dolan’s tenure, described him as “not a model of intelligent management”. (Dolan sold the Liberty to billionaires Joe and Clara Wu Tsai in 2019).
Only the tools Dolan uses to indulge his worst instincts have become more intelligent. Last month, a damning report in Wired revealed the extent to which Dolan has transformed his vast entertainment empire into a surveillance state, one that uses biometric surveillance technology to track perceived enemies in real time – from Oakley to a graphic designer who sold “Ban Dolan” T-shirts years ago to a fan whom Dolan personally deemed a security risk, monitoring her movements down to drink orders and bathroom trips before banning her from the Garden. MSG dismissed the Wired report, which stemmed from a lawsuit brought by a former member of the company’s security team, as “reckless”.
It is hard to look at Dolan’s digitally driven paranoia without being reminded of another New York nepo baby poster boy. Sure enough, it was only a matter of time before Donald Trump climbed back aboard the Knicks bandwagon, confirming reports that he plans to attend the finals at the Garden next week – another instance of a major sporting event being conscripted for his presidential stagecraft. Of course Trump made sure to add that the Knicks “have really suffered for years”, and that he was “invited by numerous people” including Dolan. Incidentally, Dolan, who married his second wife at Mar-a-Lago, remains a fierce Trump supporter despite the president undercutting his grand plans to redevelop Madison Square Garden.
So how does one of the worst owners in sports wind up not only riding herd on the NBA’s hottest team, but drawing credit for the turnaround? Well, Dolan may have his faults, but cheapskating the Knicks is not one of them. After burning through one basketball executive after another – from Thomas to Jackson to Indiana Pacers architect Donnie Walsh – Dolan turned to Leon Rose, a former agent who had closed a number of client-favorable deals with the Knicks, Curry’s albatross contract among them. Dolan then largely stayed out of the way as Rose reshaped the roster: trading for Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns, drafting the rangy center Mitchell Robinson, and ponying up to bring in Brunson from the Dallas Mavericks in an above-market deal that, in retrospect, looks like one of the NBA’s biggest bargains. Broken clock and all that.
It’s to the point now where any fantasy about this Knicks team winning the NBA title has to reconcile with the jarring reality of the Larry O’Brien trophy being handed to Dolan – a truly strange image to consider. And while some fans now politely applaud Dolan for finally getting the Knicks on the right track and may even endure a JD & The Straight Shot performance to mark the occasion, most are not inclined to excuse the years of emotional punishment it took to get here. After the Knicks came back to beat the Cavaliers in Game 1 of the East finals, Dolan gave away an Anunoby-signed game ball to a young fan waiting for him outside MSG afterward. Lucky kid can hardly fathom the Knicks’ misery Trump speaks of so authoritatively.
In the 2018 ESPN interview, Dolan said he didn’t think he would take part in a parade if the Knicks ever won a championship. Some free advice: stick with that plan. It’s one thing to thank the boss after a game in Cleveland – which, to be fair, coach Mike Brown (another brilliant Rose addition) did as well. But in New York, celebration and grievance can’t help but ride the same subway car. True blue Knicks fans can forgive, but they shouldn’t soon forget.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 25: Knicks fans celebrate winning the eastern conference championship against the Cleveland Cavaliers on May 25, 2026 in New York City. The Knicks last reached the NBA Finals in 1999, falling to the Spurs, and are seeking their first championship since defeating the Lakers in 1973. (Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) | Getty Images
You know what’s poppin’?
The Spurs and the Thunder are five deep going seven.
On Jalen Brunson’s work ethic and leadership after yet another sweep:
“His work ethic is second to none. On top of that, he’s pretty even-keeled. Never gets too high, never gets too low. And when your leader is that way — which you need to have, especially when you hit adversity — it’s easy to get everybody else to follow.”
On the identity and sacrifice behind the Knicks’ Finals run:
“Our identity lies in our intangibles. And I go back to what our standard is. Guys on [the Spurs and Warriors], they all sacrificed. They all had a competitive spirit that was unmatched. They all stayed connected through tough times. They all believed in each other and the process while holding each other accountable. Those intangibles are what I’m starting to see with our group as being what our identity is, which is similar to some of the other teams I’ve been fortunate, blessed and lucky to be a part of that have made it that far.”
Jalen Brunson
On the team’s collective sacrifice during the Finals run:
“We have good character guys in there. We have guys that want to win. We have guys that are willing to sacrifice. It’s a team effort.”
On keeping the ECF celebrations muted and getting back to work:
“The celebrations were minimal. We really wanna get back to work. We know what happened last time we had the long layoff, so we already talked after the game right away about preparing, getting to practice, back to the work. That’s what’s made us special and it’s what’s gonna give us a chance to win the next series.”
On adjusting to yet another long break before the Finals’ Game 1:
“We’ll do a better job this time around of just preparing for that kind of situation to happen. I think obviously the coaches have done an amazing job getting us ready for Game 1, but obviously we didn’t go out there and shoot well. I think I looked up at one point and we were at four percent from three. So we just got to figure out a way to get those kinds of game-like reps. I think the coaching staff heard us loud and clear: We want to get back to work to keep the rhythm and maybe change up the philosophy of how we have those scrimmages that we didn’t do last time. I think we’ll be better prepared. But at the end of the day, it’s all about execution, desperation, energy. We got to bring it Game 1. This team’s hungry, and that’s the most important thing. Even with an amazing, historic win we had tonight, the celebrations were at a minimum. We really want to get to work. We asked Coach [Mike Brown], can we get back to work quick. We know what happened last time we had a long layoff, so we already talked after the game right away about preparing, getting to practice, getting back to the work. It’s what made us special and it’s what’s going to give us a chance to win the next series.”
On reviving hope in New York as a lifelong Knicks fan:
“When I was growing up, watching the Knicks, it was just hoping one day you could just put the jersey on. [I] Never knew I’d be in this position at this mic talking about us going to the Finals and the city believing in us. There’s nowhere better in the world when [Madison Square] Garden has hope.”
On the collective effort behind the Finals run:
“We got to this point because we worked together. We’ve been a team. We unified. The collective group has shown up in spots when we need to.”
On acknowledging fans’ celebrations but recognizing there’s still work to do:
“Experience teaches you a lot. This is my third conference finals in a row, and I finally got over the hump, finally got to the Finals. I’m gonna enjoy this moment. It’s OK for New York, the fans, us, our fan base to enjoy this moment and be jubilant about this. But for us as the players, we understand that the job’s not done, we’ve got to get back to work.”
On Brunson’s commitment to the work behind the scenes:
“The magic’s in the work; he’s a testament of that. He believes in that. He showcases that every single day to all of us and drives us all to be better.”
On his own willingness to sacrifice for winning:
“I’ve always said I’m willing to sacrifice and do whatever it takes to impact winning and help this team win. That’s the blessing of our group.”
Wings, Wings and More Wings!@AdamSchein breaks down how he prefers his chicken wings!
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) May 26, 2026
Josh Hart
On the chicken-wing man:
“You got chicken wings. You supposed to be asking questions, and you went and got chicken wings. Hell no. You don’t get nothing. Then wings are hitting though.”
On keeping a selfless mindset through the Knicks’ 11-game win streak:
“I don’t think a switch flipped per se. This is a selfless team. Being unselfish, I think that’s the biggest thing. And where we’re at right now, everyone is unselfish. We’re willing to sacrifice numbers and stats for the betterment of the team. And I think when we do that, we’re playing our best basketball.”
On the surreal journey from Villanova to the NBA Finals:
“Yeah, it’s something that is surreal. When you’re in college and you’re in that locker room, you always kind of — you know, the goal is the NBA. And you know the percent chance that you guys are gonna be on the same team is very slim, if not none. And it’s always something you talk about and dream about, but you know the reality is almost impossible. So the fact that it actually came to fruition is super cool, because I know the time that these guys put in. I know where their hearts are. We already share a bond and a brotherhood for life, and this is just another step there. Obviously, this is not the ultimate goal. But, you know, you just keep adding memories to that, and these are memories that we’ll have for a lifetime.”
On whether self-doubt crept in during his journey from joining the Knicks in 2021 to making the Finals:
“For sure. For sure. It was some tough, long nights.”
On the ups and downs of his role this season:
“Shout out to God for keeping my head right. Been a lot of ups and downs individually. From not playing to getting thrust into a rotation. High minutes, low minutes. It’s been a lot. But it’s all worth it in the end.”
"It's definitely a blessing to be a piece of the puzzle, especially in this organization… no other player, no other guard that I want to be along besides JB so I'm just very grateful to be in this position."
On embracing his role after the Eastern Conference clincher:
“Everybody out there is trying to do just one thing: win. All trying to play hard, at the end of the day, just trying to get a Knicks win.”
On being grateful to be part of the Knicks’ core:
“I think it’s definitely a blessing to be a piece of the puzzle, especially in this organization. You know, like JB was saying, just grateful to be in this position, the organization believing in me personally, you know, bringing me over here. But there’s no other player, no other guard that I wanna be alongside besides JB. So I’m just very grateful to be in this position, and you know, I just gotta keep it going.”
On his message to Jalen Brunson after the ECF title:
“I just told the maestro to keep doing it. He’s very level-headed, always wants to do team-oriented things. He’s very focused.”
On the Knicks’ pride and momentum during the Finals run:
“They have a lot of pride in there. A lot of pride. Let’s see what happens. They’re on a roll.”
On how the Knicks have elevated their pace and performance:
“The last 11 games, the way they’re getting up and down the court, everyone is moving and grooving. Every game they seem to get better and better (with) movement, defense. I think the pace is what’s really changed. They can go on runs now, 10 or 15 points, and just blow the game right open. And they weren’t doing that during the regular season.”
On sharing history if the Knicks win a title:
“It’s good for me. It’s a resurrection. They’re talking about me more now than then. It’s the same thing now with these guys. When they start winning, they got to bring us up. That’s what we’re comparing. They’re saying Brunson is better than Clyde or he’s better than [Patrick] Ewing, [that] he’s the greatest Knick.”
On adjusting to life after being traded to Cleveland:
“I was preparing myself for my retirement. I was reading self-help books, something I would have never done if I stayed in New York. It turned out to be a blessing, but I was devastated when I got traded.”
On how long it took to forgive the Knicks for trading him:
“It took me about seven or eight years. I didn’t follow the game after I retired. I was trying to adjust to life. The biggest thing I found was that I had to control my ego. My phone isn’t ringing off the hook no more and the Knicks had moved on to the next Clyde.”
“The last 11 games, the way they’re getting up and down the court, everyone is moving and grooving."
“Just enjoy the moment, the most important thing that these guys do. You never know when you’re gonna get back. When we lost the Finals in ’94, I thought we’d be back a couple of times, [which] didn’t happen for me and my teammates, for some of us. Just enjoy the moment.”
On why this roster understands what it takes to win:
“A lot of these guys have been through a championship in college with the Villanova guys. They understand what it takes. We’ve got a great leader in Jalen [Brunson] and Karl-Anthony Towns. I’m excited about it. These are such even-keeled individuals. All those guys. I think Leon [Rose] and [William Wesley] did a great job putting together like-minded individuals. And that’s what it takes. Guys that are not gonna get too high, get too low, and they cheer for one another and they like one another. That’s what it takes, to have that togetherness, because things can get tough. You got to know who’s in the same boat as you. You don’t want to see guys jumping ship. And these guys don’t jump ship. If the boat’s gonna go down, they’re gonna go down together.”
On the Knicks’ historic 11-game run and two-way dominance:
“I haven’t seen nothing like this. You probably have to go back to the 76ers, when Moses [Malone] said, ‘Fo,’ Fo,’ Fo.’ ’ … We’re rolling right now. The team should feel good, and all the work that they put in over the year has culminated into what you see. In order to do what you’re doing, both sides of the ball have to be played very well. And those guys are playing both sides of the ball very well — defensively, offensively. They’re executing, cutting down on the turnovers, just enjoying one another. The atmosphere that’s in this arena, wherever we go — on the road, at home — New York is just representing. They understand the moment.”
On seeing franchise legends hand out the 2026 Eastern Conference trophy:
“That’s legacy there. Those two guys was pillars of this organization for so many years. To be able to see them hand out the trophy, it means a lot.”
On celebrating the Knicks’ return to the Finals:
“Just a special moment. I’m happy for those guys because they did it together.”
The back page: ULTIMATE 'WARRIOR'
Mess: No drought about it, Brunson's Knicks can repeat after 1994 Rangers
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) May 27, 2026
Mark Messier
On what it takes to end a championship drought:
“It’s a selfless endeavor trying to win a championship. And the Knicks have figured out a way to play together and sacrifice themselves for the team, and it’s being led by a warrior in Brunson.”
On the city rallying around the Knicks:
“It’s just great to see. Everybody is caught up in it.”
On staying relaxed under pressure and trusting yourself in championship moments:
“If you’re thinking about consequences, that’s when things are not going to flow for you. You have to trust yourself. You have to do what you’ve done 1,000 times and not let the moment and pressure tighten your instincts, your natural motion that you’ve done thousands of times. Jalen has shown that he’s not afraid to fail. And I think, because of it, he’s able to get himself in that relaxed state under the most pressurized moments. And you see that when you’re talking about Jordan or Kobe or Larry Bird or any of the great players who’ve played the game. Magic Johnson. They trusted themselves implicitly in those moments because they’ve done it so many times and they’re able to stay in that flow state. And they’re not afraid.”
On embracing the weight of ending a long championship drought:
“Trying to do something that hadn’t been done at that time in 54 years was an amazing opportunity for me. It was something I really leaned into and felt the enormity of it. Generations of fans who have been waiting to see a Stanley Cup on the Madison Square Garden ice. And then to win it at home in a Game 7 [against the Canucks] was just incredible.”
On why the Knicks are easy to root for during this run:
“They’re an easy team to root for when you watch them. They’re celebrating each other. They’re seemingly devoid of ego, which sometimes can be a problem. And then it has to be coached and taught and mentored to the team, to the culture, and it seems like Brunson is doing that. And of course he can always lead by example. And nobody is playing harder on the court or wants to win more than him.”
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 26: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs works against Isaiah Hartenstein #55 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the fourth quarter in Game Five of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 26, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Facing elimination for the first time this postseason, the San Antonio Spurs come into this pivotal Game 6 with their backs against the wall. With 10 games already played between them and the Thunder this season and Game 6 looming, both of these teams are way passed the point of being surprised at what the other is trying to do. They’re both also worn down and beaten up, which means still finding a way to lock in and do the little things that are needed to come away with playoff wins, all while dealing with heavy legs, will be more important than at any point this season for either team.
Considering that they’ll need to win two games in a row including what would surely be a chaotic Game 7 on the road against the defending champs, the Spurs are in as good a position as possible given the circumstances. They’ll have a raucous San Antonio crowd behind them tonight that can hopefully give them any juice they might currently be lacking in these latter stages of the Western Conference Finals as they look to force that Game 7. The Spurs have surprised not only Silver and Black fans this season, but also the entire NBA audience as a whole. Do they have another surprise in them?
San Antonio Spurs (2-3) vs Oklahoma City Thunder (3-2) May 28 2026 | 8:30 PM CT Watch: NBC, Peacock | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM) Line: San Antonio -3.5
He caught the attention of headlines afterwards for failing to address the media after Game 5, but Victor Wembanyama didn’t have the sort of performance in that game that the Spurs need him to have if they want to get to the NBA Finals, let alone win them. He went just 4/15 from the field, with a lot of that offense starting at least 18 feet out from the basket. When he has his outside shot falling, Wembanyama looks like the basketball demigod that people imagine him to be, but when he isn’t knocking down jumpers he still has a tendency to play far from the hoop. This is not new criticism of him: casual fans and analysts alike just assume that the 7’4 Wembanyama should just be able to dominate a game inside whenever but the Thunder have done as good a job as anyone to this point at keeping a body on him to either push him away from the basket or to contain him on his drives. Time and time again Wembanyama has responded to adversity defiantly. Expect him to rise to the challenge tonight on his first career elimination game.
With tonight’s game a do-or-die situation, Mitch Johnson’s bench rotations will be of great interest. It’s no secret that this hasn’t been a great series for Luke Kornet. Kornet, who played a pivotal role throughout the regular season as a competent back up big to Wembanyama, has a cumulative plus-minus of -52 in the first five games of this series. He played just 8 minutes in the Game 5 loss, his fewest of the series thus far. Perhaps there’s a chance Mitch decides to cut out his minutes entirely in a game of this magnitude, riding Wemby as long as he can while maybe going small in the odd minute where Vic isn’t on the court.
Kornet is far from the only one who’s struggled on San Antonio’s bench in this series though. Dylan Harper had that 24 point explosion in Game 1 as a starter, but he hasn’t looked the same since suffering an adductor strain in Game 2, while Keldon Johnson and Carter Bryant have also been kept on a relatively short leash by the San Antonio head coach. If it’s a tight game, especially in the 2nd half, it seems to this point that the guy Johnson trusts the most is the rookie Harper.
If you’d like to, you may follow along with the game on our Twitter profile (@poundingtherock) or visit our Game Thread!
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - MARCH 22: Tre Donaldson #3 of the Miami Hurricanes dribbles against the Purdue Boilermakers in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Enterprise Center on March 22, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The 2026 NBA Draft is about a month away, and for the Golden State Warriors, the draft represents a prime opportunity to retool as they seek to re-open their competitive window. The Dubs currently hold the No. 11 and No. 54 picks in the 60-selection draft, though that could certainly change between now and draft day.
While three teams continue to fight for an NBA title, the Warriors are deep in draft prep, and six names have recently emerged for workouts with the team. According to a report from Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area, the Warriors are working out Miami guard Tre Donaldson, Texas Tech forward Dillon Mitchell, Vanderbilt forward Tyler Nickel, Grand Canyon guard Jaden Henley, Michigan State center Carson Cooper, and Purdue forward Oscar Cluff.
As is the case with so many pre-draft workouts, none of these players are in contention for the Warriors with their first-round selection. In fact, none of the six were projected to be drafted at all in the latest ESPN mock draft. That doesn’t mean that Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Co. are only looking at this group as potential undrafted free agents, as a lot can change in the next month (and contract situations can impact the second round fairly dramatically). But these are all players that the Warriors are doing due diligence on for the second round, or after the two-day draft has concluded.
But, as the Warriors have shown plenty of times in recent seasons — including with Will Richard a year ago — overlooked players who aren’t Day 1 selections can still be mighty fine hoopers.
He grew up a Mets fan about 15 minutes away in Brooklyn during the years that Reyes manned shortstop.
Jose Alvarado on the field before the Mets’ 4-2 win over the Reds on May 27, 2026 at Citi Field. Ryan Dunleavy/New York PostJose Alvarado had his own jersey. Ryan Dunleavy/New York PostKnicks guard Jose Alvarado (5) before the game. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Alvarado was presented with a Mets jersey with his name and No. 5 on the back as well as other Mets memorabilia.
He practiced his imaginary swing in the dugout and signed an autograph for a thrilled young Knicks fan before going to the clubhouse to meet some players.
Alvarado is averaging 4.2 points and 1.1 assists in 8.5 minutes per game during the playoffs.
The Eastern Conference champion Knicks will visit the winner of the Thunder/Spurs series June 3 in their first NBA Finals game since 1999.
Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton weighed in on the ongoing discussion around flopping in the NBA, saying on “The Pat McAfee Show” that it’s “for sure” being taught.
“Yeah for sure, it’s being taught. I don’t think it’s as much head coach teaching as much as it is like player development,” he said on the ESPN program “Even before you get to the NBA, it’s just something that you kind of work on by nature. I think the best scorers are usually the guys that get to the free-throw line the most. It’s definitely something they work on, even in pickup, they’re working on how they can draw fouls. I think that’s a part of the game.”
Tyrese Haliburton says players are being taught how to flop:
“It’s for sure being taught. I don’t think head coaches are, but it’s a part of player development before you get to the NBA. It’s something you naturally work on. It’s now a part of the game.” (via @PatMcafeeShow,… pic.twitter.com/2WZF7OCQQX
Concerns about flopping have continued to permeate around the NBA, with Yahoo Sports’ Tom Haberstroh going as far as to do an extensive breakdown of Gilgeous-Alexander’s attempts to sell foul calls.
His report found that Gilgeous-Alexander fell down 51.4 percent of the time when a foul was called.
“I think more times than not there’s embellishing going on, more so than falling over out of nowhere, but does it happen? Of course it happens and it’s talked about, no question,” Haliburton said.
The Pacers star wasn’t the only one to address the flopping issue on McAfee’s show.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives around Julian Champagnie of the San Antonio Spurs during the fourth quarter in Game Five of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 26, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Getty Images
NBA commissioner Adam Silver, during his appearance on the Worldwide Leader, made the distinction between trying to embellish contact to draw a foul and trying to trick the officials.
“Even as I sit in the stands at games, players may be falling down, players may be reacting to a call,” Silver said. “But to me, if they’re not fooling the referees, it’s OK.
For all the talk about matchups, defense, rotations and depth (not to mention a poorly officiated game), the real difference in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals was much more basic:
Oklahoma City made the play harder adjustment. The Spurs did not.
"I just think [the Thunder] were the more desperate team tonight," Julian Champagnie said. "I think they wanted the game more than we did."
Oklahoma City wasn't perfect, but they showed real game-plan discipline and went hard, like a team that has been in this moment before and knew how to respond. San Antonio looked tired and a step slow.
Six games into any series — let alone this situation where these teams have now played each other 10 times during the season and playoffs — there are no more surprise adjustments to be made. There are no secrets. It's about playing harder. It's about executing the game plan better than your opponent.
If the Spurs don't do that on Thursday night, their season ends.
"I feel like we've been great when we're desperate all year," Stephon Castle said. "I'm excited to see how we'll respond."
You can watch that response starting at 8:30 p.m. ET on Thursday night, a gam you can watch on NBC or stream on Peacock.
Starts with Wembanyama
If San Antonio is going to make the play harder adjustment in Game 6, it has to start with Victor Wembanyama. The math in this series is straightforward:
• The Spurs are 30-4 this season when Wembanyama scores 12 or more points in the paint. • Wembanyama scored 26 points in the paint in Game 1, a Spurs win. • Since then, with Isaiah Hartenstein drawing the primary defensive assignment (and with a lot of help), Wembanyama has averaged 10.5 in the last four games. • He scored just eight points in the paint on 4-of-9 shooting in Game 5.
It's not just shots in the paint, it's getting up shots period. Wembanyama took 25 shots in Game 1 and 22 in Game 4, the two Spurs wins. In the three losses, he took 16, 15 and 15 shots.
"He's got to take more than 15 shots, even with the free throws. He's going to have to score more than 20 points, for sure..." Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said after Game 5. "OKC did a good job. We've got to do a better job."
It has to be more than just Wembanyama. De'Aaron Fox is playing through an ankle sprain and scored a playoff career low nine points on 4-for-15 shooting (26.7%) in Game 5. Dylan Harper has not shown the same ability to get to the rim and finish since his adductor injury, and he had five points on 1-of-5 shooting in Game 5.
The one standout was Stephon Castle, who scored 24 points on 7-of-11 shooting with six assists. San Antonio needs to get him some help.
Does experience matter?
It's easy to read into Game 5 and say that experience won out. It's more than just poise in the moment, it's the understanding of conditioning and level of effort and commitment required to reach this level and win. The Thunder are leaning into that.
"The thing that you take from those experiences is the mental part of it — not getting too high, not getting too low and just going in there knowing you have to come with a certain sense of urgency," Hartenstein said. "I think our group does a great job of just not being too emotional with it. I think when you go into any playoff game and your emotions are too high or too low, that’s kind of when it doesn't work for yourself."
Just don't tell the Spurs that experience matters.
"That experience does not matter," Devin Vassell said. "Experience does not matter. We're here. We've had all the experience we've needed this regular season, and we're going to keep proving everybody wrong."
One thing we have seen in this series is that the Thunder bring the effort every game. Even in Game 4, when OKC lost by 21, it was more about execution — and an ice-cold shooting night — than effort. On the Spurs side, the effort has been less consistent game to game.
Expect the Spurs to feel desperate and bring that effort in Game 6 at home. Will that be enough is another question, the Thunder have been here before and know how to close a team out.
The only thing that seems certain is that Game 6 is setting up to be a classic.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said the league will use AI to automate a category of calls such as out-of-bounds decisions to speed up games and reduce disputes over possession.
Silver compared the system to Hawk-Eye technology used in tennis, where electronic line-calling quickly determines whether a ball has landed in or out.
Jalen Johnson defends an in-bounds pass to Josh Hart during the first quarter of the Knicks’ Game 5 win over the Hawks in the first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Brad Penner-Imagn Images
“It’s going to be Laker ball, Knick ball, whatever it is. Those calls will be done by an AI, automated system with cameras lined around the court.”
The technology would make such decisions instantaneous and allow referees to focus on calls for contact and fouls.
“It will take all those so-called objective calls out of the hands of the referees,” he said. “You won’t have to deal with challenges on those calls.”
Silver did not provide an exact timeline for the introduction of the system but said it would be “fairly quickly.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaking to the media. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The NBA has increasingly leaned on replay review and centralized decision-making to improve officiating accuracy, though reviews can slow the pace of games.
Silver said referees would remain essential for interpreting physical contact, where judgment is required to determine whether a player has been impeded.
“There’s often contact on every play, but that doesn’t mean there’s a foul on every play,” Silver said. “That’s something that can’t just be done on camera.”
The Knicks and MSG Sports announced Wednesday they will donate at least 500 tickets to underprivileged youth in New York City for their home Finals games through the Garden of Dreams Foundation, a nonprofit that serves children facing illness, homelessness, extreme poverty and other obstacles across the tri-state area.
The foundation will receive 205 tickets per home game for Games 3 and 4 on June 8 and 10. If the series extends to a Game 6 on June 16, the total will reach 750 tickets. They will be distributed to underserved New York families affiliated with the foundation.
The Knicks are in the Finals for the first time since 1999, chasing their first championship since 1973. Tickets for the home games have reached Super Bowl-level prices on the secondary market. It makes getting inside the Garden out of reach for most average New Yorkers, let alone those who are dealing with extreme poverty and homelessness.
For kids who could never afford the ticket prices to get through the doors at MSG normally, the Knicks just gave them a chance to see history.
Miller was questioned about his comments on Wednesday when he appeared on ESPN’s “Pardon the Interruption,” where co-host Tony Kornheiser asked him, “In your heart of hearts, don’t you hate the Knicks?”
Reggie Miller clarifies his take that the Knicks will be the favorite in the NBA Finals:
"The sentimental, people I think are pulling for the Knicks because it's been a bazillion years since they go to the Finals … that's what I was trying to say last night." pic.twitter.com/oho17DhuUS
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 27, 2026
“Hate is a very strong [word],” Miller started off saying coyly. “I love the players. I love the organization. It’s the fanbase at times that makes me scratch my head. … Those guys, the way they play, the way they carry themselves, it’s all about business.”
Miller then continued on to clarify what he meant about the Knicks being favored.
While the Knicks have won 11 straight games during their postseason run and dispatched their opponents with relative ease, the Spurs or the Thunder are widely viewed as stronger teams.
The Knicks are 4.5-point underdogs against the Spurs going into a hypothetical Game 1 matchup and 6.5 underdogs against the Thunder, according to FanDuel.
The New York Knicks holding the Eastern Conference trophy. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“They won’t be the betting favorite,” Miller said. “Obviously, that will be the Spurs or the Thunder. They will be the betting favorite, either one of those teams, but the sentimental people, I think, are pulling for the Knicks because it’s been a bazillion years since they’ve gotten to the Finals. All of New York is on board. That’s what I was trying to say last night.
“And the way they’ve been playing right now, 11 in a row, they are so connected at both ends of the floor, that’s why I think they would be favored, not in the betting aspect of, but in terms of winning a series because of how well they’re connected.”
Miller became one of the biggest villains in New York sports during the 1990s.
He has leaned into the role at times while appearing as an analyst for NBA coverage, which is how the “Pardon the Interruption” co-host was shocked to hear Miller favoring the Knicks.
The Knicks will know their NBA Finals opponent by Saturday night at the latest.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 26: Julian Champagnie #30 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts during the first quarter of a game during the first quarter of a game against Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Five of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 26, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The playoffs are all about toughness, getting great performances from your stars, and standout games from your role players. In Game Five of the Western Conference Finals, the Spurs only got one of those things. The result was a 127-114 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Julian Champagnie had the best game of his playoff career, but it was wasted thanks to dud performances from the majority of the team, especially Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox. Now, down 3-2, the Spurs will head back home with their backs against the wall. San Antonio is a -158 favorite on FanDuel to win Game Six and force a Game Seven.
We’ll break down how each player performed in today’s player grades. As a quick reminder, player grades are based on each player’s on-court performance, going beyond just the stat sheet. A “B” grade represents the average performance for an individual. If a player logs fewer than 5 minutes or plays only in garbage time, their grade will be incomplete.
This was Wembanyama’s moment. Coming off a stellar Game Four performance and facing a beat-up Thunder squad, this was his chance to cement himself as the best player in the league and take a 3-2 advantage back to San Antonio. That did not happen.
Wembanyama looked tired, floating around the perimeter, getting out of position defensively, and not rising to block shots he’d usually contest. The result was by far his worst offensive night of the postseason and his least impactful defensive game.
To make matters worse, Wembanyama ducked the press after the game. Spurs fans should hope that this is the low point before Wembanyama’s rise in Games Six and Seven. If not, this will be a game that haunts Wembanyama and the Spurs for a while.
Fox settled for bad shots for most of the night. He hit a couple of nice shots in the paint over the top of the defense, but was an inefficient 4-of-15 from the field. He picked up 3 steals, but didn’t feel all that impactful defensively. Fox deserves a lot of credit for playing through his ankle injury. San Antonio needs him to find his shot if they are going to win two straight games against the Thunder.
Castle was one of the few players who understood the moment and rose to it. He was a force all game on both ends, playing fast in the pick-and-roll and in transition, and playing tough defense on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He still committed some silly fouls on defense, but that can mostly be forgiven when he’s getting bullied on screens nearly every possession.
This was the Champagnie game. After struggling to hit threes for most of the series, he finally found his stroke. Champagnie came out of the gates on fire and finished the game with four three-pointers. He got to the basket and scored with touch around the rim. On defense, he played with active hands. Hopefully, this was a sign of things to come, rather than a single-game flash.
Vassell played a strong defensive game but missed a lot of shots. The Thunder seemed to key in on him a bit on the perimeter, as he didn’t get as many open looks.
For the first time in these playoffs, Harper looks like a rookie. Since suffering an adductor injury, he hasn’t been able to get to the rim. That’s forced him to take some tough mid-range jumpers and threes. He had some silly turnovers, including one where he crossed over right in front of the defender, leading to an easy bucket on the other end.
Johnson led the team with his effort. He made some awesome plays around the basket on offense and competed defensively. There has been a lot of talk about his ability to play in this series. He answered with his best game in the WCF.
Kornet got screwed out of his only shooting attempt, a clear goaltend that the officials missed. Even without that, his minutes have been rough. OKC is pushing him around inside and getting to the basket any time he is in the game.
Grade: D
Harrison Barnes
4 minutes, -6
Mitch Johnson went away from Barnes in Game Five after he played so well in Game Four. They probably could have used his hustle and offensive playmaking ability.
Bryant made bad rookie mistakes on defense, like helping off SGA and allowing an open three. He did make a nice three-pointer and a powerful dunk in meaningful minutes. Bryant has moments of impact, but Barnes may be the safer option for Game Six.
Grade:C
Jordan McLaughlin
2 minutes, 4 points, 1-for-1 shooting, +1
McLaughlin got to the basket and knocked down a pair of free throws to get 4 points in garbage time.
Grade:Incomplete
Kelly Olynyk
2 minutes, 2 points, +1
Olynyk to the free-throw line in a somewhat chippy garbage-time run.
Grade:Incomplete
Bismack Biyombo
2 minutes, 1 rebound, 1 turnover, 1 foul +1
Biyonbo got into it with the Thunder bench in the final minutes of the game. Had a hard foul on Jared McCain, hitting him in the face.
Grade:Incomplete
Mason Plumlee
2 minutes, 1 rebound, 2 fouls +1
Plumlee will get a lot of flak for his hard foul on McCain. It’s hard to imagine that it was intentional.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 11: Dillon Brooks attends Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena on May 11, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Phoenix Suns have numerous decisions ahead of them this upcoming offseason, including multiple restricted free agents, unrestricted free agents, and players with trade value. The following series will examine those decisions as our writing team presents both a point and a counterpoint for each.
Dillon Brooks was a revelation for the Suns this season. After years of watching basketball teams that had no fight in them, we got to see the NBA’s second biggest villain join the Suns. I won’t put him above Draymond, but he is top two.
Brooks not only brought attitude and leadership to this team, but he also brought volume scoring as well. This, however, is not the Dillon Brooks season in review. Brandon Duenas did a great job breaking down Brooks’ season in this article and I highly recommend you read it.
No, today we aren’t discussing Dillon Brooks’ past, but his future. Brooks has one season left on his contract. This upcoming season, he will make $20.9 million dollars, then he will be a free agent. Should the Suns pay him at 31 years old?
If you take Mat Ishbia at his word, then you can expect the Suns to extend him at some point this year.
Suns owner Mat Ishbia sees Dillon Brooks as an important cog as he enters the final season of a four-year contract.
"I do see expect to figure out a way to keep Dillon long term," Ishbia told @BurnsAndGambo, adding he'll be part of a championship in the "next 3-4 years." pic.twitter.com/VjIXmytihQ
But once again, should they? Let’s examine the best arguments against extending The Villain.
Championship teams are built on youth
Take a look around the conference finals right now and tell me what you see. OKC, San Antonio, and Cleveland all built out their core through the draft. It is true that all teams are then augmented via trade and free agency. Obviously, neither Donovan Mitchell nor James Harden was drafted by Cleveland, and neither was Alex Caruso drafted by the Thunder. But the fact remains that if you want to reach the mountaintop, you need to flesh out your core through the draft.
Dillon Brooks is at the age where he is exiting his prime, not entering it. He isn’t going to get better from here, but probably worse. By the time the Suns have their own draft pick again, in 2033, he is likely to be retired or close to it. Unless the Suns see themselves as contenders in the next year or two, he is not the long-term fit in the Valley. Of course, given Ishbia’s quote, I would not be surprised if the Suns see themselves as contenders in the short term.
As of now, though, Dillon Brooks is coming off a career year. This could be the perfect time to sell high on Dillon Brooks to bring in a draft pick that could end up being another core piece. Keep in mind that the Suns are expected to attempt to trade into the first round of this year’s draft. He’ll be 31 years old at the end of his current contract; it may be time to move on.
Positional redundancy
The Suns have too many wings. Booker, Green, Royce, Allen, Dunn, and Fleming are all solid wing options. Meanwhile, as it seems I say in every article I write, the Suns still have no power forward on the roster that they can start. Letting Brooks walk frees up roster space to bring in a new player to fill that role. It is worth noting that letting him go does not free up cap space, as the Suns are too far over the cap for his contract to mean anything in that regard.
The Villain gimmick gets old
Dillon Brooks led the NBA in technical fouls this season and was tied with Russell Westbrook for third in flagrant fouls. Did that bother you at all during the season? It didn’t bother me. But, how will you feel about it when it is year two of a four-year extension, Brooks is 33, and his production has dropped? High performance covers a multitude of sins. But what happens when that high performance is gone?
I think Draymond Green is a good blueprint for this. When the Warriors were winning championships, Draymond Green was the glue guy. A leader in the locker room and on the court. In the past few seasons? He is now a headache that has been in trade rumors.
The Villain character can’t last forever. You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become…a nuisance.
Is it time to move on?
Still not convinced that the Suns should move on from Dillon Brooks? Me either.
Are there drawbacks to having Dillon Brooks on your favorite basketball team? Yes, there are. But is Dillon Brooks a breath of fresh air on a team that spent multiple years acting like basketball was their side hustle? Yes, he is. I think at this point we know enough about Devin Booker to know that he isn’t the type of leader anyone would describe as an “enforcer.” But, he doesn’t need to be. That is why the Suns have Dillon Brooks.
I could see an argument for trading Dillon Brooks, but I see no reason why the Suns should just let him walk after next season. The arguments I managed to come up with are flimsy at best.
Brooks has become the beating heart of this team, and the Suns should absolutely extend him.
The Larry O’Brien trophy is unlikely to make its way down East Jefferson Street anytime soon. We probably are going to have to wait until Phoenix has some of its own draft picks again before that happens. In the meantime, it is nice to watch a basketball team that cares. And that starts with Dillon Brooks.
