Category: Basketball

The Lakers aren’t wasting any time building out their front office.

During his exit interview, Lakers President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka said the franchise would hire two assistant general managers, and they have moved quickly to do so. On Monday, the franchise announced the hiring of an assistant general manager, naming former Pelicans executive Rohan Ramadas to the position.

Now, it sounds like they’re quickly moving onto the other assistant GM spot and are targeting Philadelphia 76ers vice president of player personnel, Prosper Karangwa.

On Monday, longtime NBA beat writer Marc Stein first reported the team’s interest, revealing they had secured permission to speak with him.

League sources also say that the Sixers remain hopeful that they can retain vice president of player personnel Prosper Karangwa as part of their revamped front office even though Karangwa has also drawn interest from the Los Angeles Lakers as well as Dallas.

League sources say that the Lakers has officially secured permission to speak with Karangwa while Dallas has not yet formally lodged that request, but Ujiri’s interest in bringing both Karangwa and Raptors executive Patrick Englebrecht is certainly anticipated. The Lakers have stated that they plan to hire two assistant general managers this offseason and already secured one of them by striking a deal with New Orleans Pelicans analytics ace Rohan Ramadas.

Dan Woike of The Athletic backed up that reporting later in the day on Monday as well.

It’s no surprise that Karangwa is a popular figure with plenty of teams wanting him in their front offices. He has plenty of basketball experience. He played professional basketball in France and after his playing days were done, he rose through the ranks with the Orlando Magic. He started as a scout back in 2012 and was promoted to the Director of College Scouting in 2016.

Karangwa’s been with the Sixers since 2020, when he was hired in his current role. Since 2021, he has also been the General Manager of the Sixers G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats. They won the G League championship under his leadership in 2023.

The Lakers getting permission to speak with him is a good sign that they are in the running for another quality hire from a basketball mind that’s well-regarded around the league and not already associated with LA.

This is in stark contrast to how the team was run under Jeanie Buss, where many hires had some connection to the franchise.

Lakers fans should be excited that the Lakers are overhauling their front office and infusing it with more brainpower from outside the purple and gold family tree.

If all goes well, perhaps Karangwa can join the Lakers, and they can have their two assistant general managers hired before the offseason fully kicks off with the NBA Draft and free agency.

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

Jordan Clarkson’s role for the New York Knicks looks a lot different than it did with the Utah Jazz.

The now 33-year-old, 12-year NBA vet only comes in for a few minutes a game, and is not the flamethrower that he once was in Utah.

But on Monday night, in a game in which he only played nine minutes and scored three points, Jordan Clarkson clinched a ticket to the NBA Finals as the Knicks swept the Cavaliers to reach the franchise’s first NBA Finals since 1999. In his first season away from the Jazz since 2019, Clarkson has reached the place that many thought he could have reached in Salt Lake City.

However, this won’t be his first trip to the NBA Finals, as he was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to Cleveland midseason in 2017-18. The last of four straight Finals appearances for LeBron James and the Cavs, that 2018 Cleveland team was a shell of its 2016 squad. By the end of the postseason, Clarkson had been taken out of the rotation entirely against the Warriors.

Two seasons later, he was traded to Utah, where he won the NBA’s sixth man of the year award with the Jazz, but failed to ever reach a conference finals.

While Clarkson likely won’t play many crucial minutes for the Knicks when they face the daunting task of playing either San Antonio or Oklahoma City, making it to this point in the playoffs should be seen as a victory for him, regardless of team impact. For three seasons prior to this Finals run, Clarkson was a starter on three different tanking Utah teams, that had no realistic shot of making it this far.

In five and a half seasons, Clarkson became one of the more beloved Jazz players in recent history and was an amazing member of the Utah community during his Jazz tenure.

Clarkson averaged 8.6 points per game in the regular season and is averaging 5.4 in the playoffs.

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The New York Knicks made quick work of the Cleveland Cavaliers to sweep the Eastern Conference Final, punching their first ticket to an NBA Finals since 1999.

Now, the question that remains is, who will play the Knicks in the NBA Finals for the Larry O'Brien Trophy, the Oklahoma City Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs?

Let's explore the options below, ahead of Game 5 of the Western Conference Final.

Who will face the Knicks in the NBA Finals?

How the Western Conference Final was won

The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs have traded body blows through four games of the Western Conference Final, with both teams looking like the definitive favorite at various times.

After the Spurs opened the series with a 122-115 victory in OKC, the Thunder answered with back-to-back victories before San Antonio returned serve with the most lopsided win for either side of the series, taking Game 4 103-82.

The Thunder, who hold the homecourt advantage for the final three games, are favored to advance to their second straight championship series. Kalshi has OKC listed at 60% probability of winning the seven-game set with the Spurs.

Wemby can change the tides

However, Victor Wembanyama is, unsurprisingly, the ultimate X-factor. In San Antonio's Game 1 win, Wemby went for 41 points and 24 rebounds. In Game 4, he scored 33. In the two losses, he's gone for 21 and 26 points, respectively.

The Spurs lack the Thunder's depth, but Wembanyama is such a dynamic player who has shown an ability to take over games like no one else has in this series, even back-to-back NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Buckle up for Game 5

Kalshi's series odds mirror the lines for Game 5, with OKC listed as having 60% probability to win tonight at Paycom Center. The Thunder have only lost once at home during the NBA playoffs, but that came in Game 1 of this series.

So, if you are confident in the Spurs, consider investing in the outcome of tonight's game by backing San Antonio. 

No team has exhibited a stronger ability at counter-punching OKC than Wemby & Co., dating back to the regular season. It'll probably be the best value you'll get on the Spurs from here on out, too.

Knicks will be well-rested underdogs

The conventional wisdom has appeared to be that whichever team escapes the West will ultimately win the NBA Championship. The New York Knicks will be the underdog no matter who stands across from them, but they distribute the ball extremely efficiently, with five players averaging double-digit scoring during these playoffs.

Jalen Brunson leads the way with 26.9 points per game, but OG Anunoby (19.7) and Karl-Anthony Towns (16.9) aren't far off. The Knicks will also have the rest advantage after eliminating the Cavaliers on Monday.

During the regular season, New York went 0-2 vs. OKC and 1-1 against San Antonio. The Knicks will adjust their game plan depending on which team makes it through.

Brunson will almost definitely be used as a counterweight to SGA if the Thunder advance, where Towns will need to be his best big self to even slightly slow Wembanyama (you can't fully contain him).

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Six people were hauled off in cuffs when celebratory madness erupted outside Madison Square Garden as the Knicks clinched the NBA finals for the first time in 27 years. 

The raucous crew — among thousands of Knicks diehards who partied like it was 1999 outside The Mecca Monday night — allegedly climbed on light posts and other structures, blocked cars, jumped over police barriers and refused to disperse, law enforcement sources said. 

They were issued summonses for disorderly conduct and processed at the NYPD’s Midtown South Precinct, authorities said. 

Video from the jubilant scene showed one reveler — who appeared no older than his early teens — hoisting himself up a light pole, before two cops immediately slapped cuffs on him when he jumped down.

The crowd of partying fans then erupted into jeers of “Let him free!” and “Boo!

Another video showed people standing on the iconic arena’s marquee, and the outdoor lit-up signs, as one bystander yelled, “You’re going to jail.” 

But an unfazed member of Knicks nation relished the joyful mood – as the hometown team bludgeoned the Cleveland Cavaliers 130-93 at Rocket Arena, punching their ticket to the championship. 

“This is amazing! I waited years for this. I love Jalen Brunson,” he gushed, referring to the Knicks’ guard who was unanimously named the series MVP.

The mob of revelers descended on the Garden despite the NYPD’s move to call off the venue’s usual outdoor watch party during Monday’s playoff game because unruly fans had been clogging the sidewalks during the team’s historic run. 

MSG’s permits for the Eastern Conference Finals Game 4 shindig were summarily denied by the city’s Street Activity Permit Office, sources with knowledge of the situation told The Post, with cops reportedly refusing to participate unless fans tone it down a notch. 

“Games 1 and 2 have seen progressively more problematic issues at the watch parties outside MSG — six arrests last night alone — so the NYPD will not support more watch parties outside the stadium,” a police department spokesperson confirmed Friday.

“But we will continue to review requests to support parties at alternate sites, like Summer Stage,” the spokesperson added, referring to Central Park’s outdoor amphitheater.

No one was taken into custody outside Radio City Music Hall, which remained under control as orange-and-blue clad fans gathered there Monday night for a watch party, cops said.

Brooke Rose captured a candid moment of some of the Knicks’ WAGs, and diehard fan, Timothée Chalamet, after the New York’s Eastern Conference finals sweep of the Cavaliers on Monday night.

Taking to her Instagram Story, Brooke, who is the daughter of Knicks president Leon Rose, shared a photo of Ali Brunson, Shannon Hart and Jordyn Woods all smiling during the team’s celebration on the court at Rocket Arena — with Chalamet and his girlfriend, Kylie Jenner in the frame.

“The best wives in the world,” Brooke wrote and tagged the women, as well as Chalamet.

Woods and her fiancée, Knicks center Karl-Anthony, posed together while holding the Eastern Conference finals trophy.

Shannon, who is the wife of Knicks guard Josh Hart, gushed over the team in an Instagram Story post for reaching the 2026 NBA Finals on her birthday.

Another clip by Brooke showed Chalamet and her father shaking hands and hugging after the Knicks’ 130-93 Game 4 clincher.

One image included Brooke and Wynn Wesley, the daughter of Knicks executive, William Westley, aka “World Wide Wes.”

Chalamet wasn’t the only Celebrity Row staple who made the trip to Cleveland to support the Knicks.

Comedian Tracy Morgan, rapper Fat Joe, actor Ben Stiller, and director Spike Lee all attended Game 4.

Knicks legends, Walt “Clyde” Frazier and Patrick Ewing were in the building to witness New York extend its win streak to 11 games.

The pair presented star guard Jalen Brunson with the 2026 Easter Conference Finals Larry Bird MVP trophy.

Brunson and his wife Ali sealed the win with kiss, as seen in photos taken after the game.

The Knicks — back in the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years — have nine days off before the series begins June 3, and will face either the San Antonio Spurs or the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Western Conference finals is tied at 2-2 heading into Tuesday’s Game 5.

The New York Knicks continued their torrid run through the playoffs Monday night with a 130-93 demolition of the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. It wrapped up a 4-0 sweep and punched the team’s ticket to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.

While the Knicks stayed hot on the court, the club is amid a plan to unlock its full potential off the court by splitting the Knicks and New York Rangers into separate publicly traded companies—both are currently part of Madison Square Garden Sports.

More from Sportico.com

• Sporticast: How to Interpret a Knicks/Rangers Spinoff
• Rest vs. Rust: Will the Knicks' Week Off Hurt?
• Knicks, Rangers Split Advances With SEC Filing

Here is a look at the who, what, when and why behind this potential transaction, which is still subject to league approvals and other conditions.

What is MSG Sports doing with the Knicks and the Rangers?

In February, the MSGS board approved a plan to explore a split. “We believe this proposed transaction would provide each company with enhanced strategic flexibility, its own defined business focus and clear characteristics for investors,” MSGS CEO James Dolan said when announcing the news.

The firm took the next step last week when it filed a Form 10 Registration Statement with the SEC for the proposed spin-off. It continued a long history of the Dolan family splicing up their business empire in the hopes of creating more value, i.e. a higher stock price.

Dolan family patriarch Charles built the family’s first fortune on the back of cable television by founding HBO and building Cablevision into a behemoth that was sold to Altice in 2016 for $18 billion. Dolan died in 2024 at 98; by that point, his son, James, had been running the family’s businesses for nearly three decades.

Cablevision acquired 50% of the Knicks, Rangers and related businesses in 1994 and the rest of the MSG properties three years later. In 2010, Madison Square Garden was spun off from Cablevision into its own publicly traded company.

“This enables MSG to freely pursue its business plan while providing shareholders with the benefit of being able to more clearly evaluate the company’s assets and future potential,” James Dolan said in announcing that split.

The MSG spinoff was the first domino in what is now three unique companies. In 2015, Dolan split MSG in two with the sports teams and venues (Madison Square Garden, Beacon Theater, Radio City Music Hall and Chicago Theater) in one and Madison Square Garden Network (MSGN) in the other.

The next machination was to split the teams and venues in 2020 under MSGS and Madison Square Garden Entertainment. This transaction forced the Knicks and Rangers to sign leases with their new landlords, MGSE. Meanwhile, Dolan launched his Sphere business at MSGN and renamed the company Sphere Entertainment in 2023.

Why is MSG Sports splitting the Knicks and the Rangers?

MSGS has long been pegged as having a “Dolan discount” for the stock trading at a steep discount to its enterprise value. MSGS’ current EV is $9.6 billion, a 29% discount to the $13.5 billion combined total from Sportico’s most recent valuations of the Knicks at $9.85 billion and the Rangers at $3.65 billion.

The reality is that sports teams have historically traded at a discount to what they might fetch in a private transaction. The Boston Celtics and Cleveland Indians—now Guardians—both traded at steep discounts before they went private.

Manchester United shares languished at $13 and below its 2012 IPO price but more than doubled on hopes of a sale when the Glazers hired Raine Group to explore their options in late 2022. Jim Ratcliffe ultimately bought 25% of the common stock at $33 per share in early 2024, implying a valuation of more than $6 billion. The stock sank back to $14 after the transaction closed, although it recently rebounded to a two-year high of $20.

There are a couple of strikes working against publicly traded sports teams. Soaring valuations are partly driven by scarcity value, and there is no scarcity value as a publicly traded stock. There are 8,000 securities traded on U.S. stock exchanges, including exchange traded funds, yet just 124 teams in the four biggest U.S. sports leagues, which have added only two new franchises during the past 20 years.

The other issue is sports teams are not great businesses by themselves. Team ownership opens doors for other investment opportunities and are a great tax break when you buy them, but there is reason that investment bankers started valuing teams on revenue multiples—still the standard today—instead of earnings ones, like most companies with a price-to-earnings ratio. Sports teams historically lost money, and while today’s collective bargaining agreements are more owner-friendly and TV deals have soared, teams still have low profit margins or can lose money, with the exception of the NFL.

The Knicks and Rangers lost a combined $22 million after taxes and interest during the 2024-25 fiscal year, per Madison Square Garden Sports’ financial filings, despite the Knicks’ run to Eastern Conference finals.

MSG Sports’ plan to potentially split the teams sent shares up 16% the day it was announced in February. MSGS shares are up 89% during the past year, bringing the public and private valuations more in line.

Why is MSG Sports splitting the Knicks and Rangers now?

A transaction 3,000 miles away last year helped heat up spinoff talks when Mark Walter agreed to buy the Los Angeles Lakers at a $10 billion valuation, months after the sale of the Boston Celtics for $6.1 billion. Before the rise of the Golden State Warriors, the Knicks and Lakers were the NBA’s financial titans in a league of their own.

“The spin enhances the possibility of raising capital, and [it] makes minority stake sales easier, as there are two distinct teams’ business models, which makes for a clearer investment vehicle,” Seaport Research Partners analyst David Joyce wrote in an April research note.

Sportico recently spoke with multiple investors who think Dolan could move beyond just an LP stake deal and sell one of the teams outright. Someone familiar with the spinoff details pushed back on the premise of a control sale of either team.

A spokesperson for MSGS declined to comment on the possibility of a control sale of one of the teams.

Dolan has long prioritized his sports teams, but the 71-year-old has increasingly spent time on the Sphere, a project that was his creation and described as his “baby” by those close to him. Dolan envisions a global network of Spheres, using the same IP, with the next two iterations already in the works for a mini-Sphere outside Washington, D.C. and a full-size version in Abu Dhabi.

What potential issues could arise in the Knicks-Rangers split?

The spin-off is expected to be structured as tax-free for shareholders, but there are other tax consequences to this deal.

A new federal tax law expands a 2017 tax provision that limited the compensation public companies could deduct for tax purposes. The 2017 provision capped the deduction at $1 million each for the CEO, CFO and the next three highest-paid officers. The new law expands the number of employees to also include the next five highest-compensated ones starting with the 2027 tax year.

An independently traded Knicks team would pay its top five executives and top five players $195 million—nearly 90% of that to players—triggering $55.4 million in taxes, per Joyce, after excluding the $1 million per employee in maximum compensation. The Rangers would incur a post-spinoff incremental tax of $19.8 million on $76 million in salaries.

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Welcome to our Wizards player review series. We’ll go through each guy that played meaningful minutes and look back on their season. Here’s Sharife Cooper.

Sharife Cooper has had a winding basketball journey, bouncing around China, Turkey, Greece, and France after a year of sparse minutes as a rookie with the 2021-22 Hawks. The Wizards brought him in this season on a two-way deal.

In some ways, he was a classic tank captain — a journeyman guard who struggled defensively and primarily played big minutes in late-season games.

To Cooper’s credit, his numbers would place him above that status. He put together a 61 percent true shooting percentage, well-above-average for position, and he knocked down 38 percent of his threes. He was able to get to the basket consistently and finish. He’s capable of playmaking, too.

When the Wizards gave him the ball, good things generally happened. He put up positive numbers when he created out of the pick-and-roll and in isolation. When he iso’d, he managed an even one point per possession, an upper-percentile number. 

Cooper plays with darting speed and a score-first mentality. He can score at all three levels, including a fairly efficient midrange shot, and he did a better job than the Wizards’ other young guards of penetrating the defense on a consistent basis. 

That’s the good news. The flip side is that Cooper is not a particularly threatening off-ball player and doesn’t provide enough as a playmaker to offset that. His three-point shot, while efficient last season, came on low-volume despite his heavy offensive role. He has a low, somewhat labored shot-put release, lightly reminiscent of a Ball brother. He is not seeking out threes, and defenses at times sagged off him.

While he ran a solid volume of pick-and-rolls and produced a respectable number of assists, he did not turn that usage into consistent shots for his teammates. Per Databallr, he ranked in the 28th-percentile in potential assists per on-ball time — measuring how often he created shots, relative to how much he had the ball.

It’s likely for that reason that Cooper rarely broke into the team’s healthy rotation, and did not navigate his way to a standard NBA contract, unlike Tristan Vukcevic and Jamir Watkins. Small, defensively-challenged guards have to be higher-end playmakers in today’s NBA.

And Cooper was certainly defensively challenged. Defensive metrics can be wonky, but they point to him being one of the worst individual defenders in the league. 

On a team with Trae Young and Tre Johnson, he is duplicative, which likely makes it an uphill battle for him to stick with the Wizards as they look to elevate out of tank territory.

The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t trade for a one-year rental. All indicators point towards James Harden returning to the team this summer after opting out to restructure his deal.

“Yes. 100%,” said Harden on whether he wants to be back in Cleveland. “Definitely want to be here. I think we found something. It’s tough not ending how we wanted to, but I think we found something.”

That’s as strong a commitment as you’ll get from a player in today’s NBA. That type of clarity on someone’s future can actually be relieving. Reports suggest the Cavs are just as certain that they want Harden back for next season.

“This is not theoretical, James Harden will be back with the Cavs next year,” said ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. “It will be for multiple years guaranteed.”

This should come as no surprise. It was unlikely that Cleveland would have traded Darius Garland for half a year of Harden. This was always going to be a multi-year relationship.

Harden averaged 19.2 points and 5.5 assists in 18 playoff games this year. Everything he did was on the fly after joining the Cavs midseason. In some ways, that makes their run to the Eastern Conference Finals impressive. But I don’t think anyone is handing out brownie points at this time.

“We showed a lot, we could have folded a few times, especially in the second round,” said Donovan Mitchell after the season ended. “Game 6 [loss to Detroit] was tough. That’s an organizational altering series, and for us to rally around each other and execute on the road, that tells you everything you need to know.”

The Cavs have work to do; New York made that painfully obvious. They don’t have the continuity or cohesion that’s required of winning at the highest level. Another year with Harden could help them achieve that. That’s what you have to tell yourself, at least.

Harden carries with him all the baggage of a legendary player who has never made it to the top of the mountain. This was understood before trading for him. Harden tied Karl Malone for the most playoff wins without a championship this postseason. That’s a narrative that’s come to define him for many fans.

“We ignore leadership, we ignore the human character of who he is, we ignore the empowerment he gives people, and we ignore his greatness in a major way,” said Mitchell. “It’s really unfair, now more than ever, now that I see it on a regular basis, we have a ‘ring culture’ society, and that’s just who we are.”

There’s merit to Harden’s on-court resume. He’s a first ballot Hall of Famer, no matter how hard you criticize him. Still, there’s always only been one way to shut people up. He has to win.

“I’m still here, right? Still alive, still going. That’s all I can do,” said Harden of his shortcomings in the playoffs. “As much as we want to feel sorry or doubt our journey, whether it’s you guys or me, you just gotta keep pushing.”

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The New York Knicks, recently an afterthought in the NBA championship picture, have surged to have an implied 30.1% chance to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy. 

BetMGM’s NBA Finals odds show the Knicks are up from +2200 when the playoffs began to their current value of +225.

Key Takeaways

• The Knicks fell from +900 on opening night to +2200 in Finals odds when the postseason began.
  
  
• No NBA team produced a better 10-game point differential than the Knicks just did.
  
  
• The OKC Thunder are still favored to win the Finals, and the Spurs likely would be too if they take the West. 

The Knicks’ 37-point Game 4 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals — their 11th straight victory of the playoffs — resulted in them becoming the first team to reach the 2025-26 NBA Finals. They will face either the Oklahoma City Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs, depending on who comes out of the West.

Oddsmakers had their eyes on the Knicks when the season began. A losing six-game series with the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals a year ago still positioned them as one of the best teams in the East, especially after Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles in Game 7 of the 2024-25 Finals.

Oddsmakers installed the Knicks at +900 odds to win the championship by the time that opening night arrived. Only the Thunder (+240), Denver Nuggets (+600) and Cleveland Cavaliers (+750) had shorter odds, according to SportsOddsHistory.

The Knicks went through the majority of the regular season in the top three in the Eastern Conference standings, eventually finishing third at 53-29. 

Despite their relatively high standard, the Knicks’ NBA Finals odds slowly dwindled with time. They fell to +1200 on New Year’s Day, +1700 on March 1, and their +2200 odds (4.4% implied chance) when the postseason arrived. That’s when everything changed.

Eliminating the Atlanta Hawks in six games and witnessing the Philadelphia 76ers upset the Boston Celtics in the first round led to the Knicks receiving +900 Finals odds at the start of the conference semifinals. Their first sweep of the 76ers left them at +550 before the conference finals, and their second against the Cavaliers shortened them to their current line of +225.

Knicks make NBA playoff history

The Knicks’ Finals run had nothing to do with good fortune. Their 11-game winning streak is tied for the third-longest in NBA playoff history, trailing only the 2017 Golden State Warriors (15 games) and the 1999 Spurs (12 games). They are tied with the 1989 and the 2001 Los Angeles Lakers.

They also just posted the best 10-game postseason point differential in league history — and it wasn’t close.

Their +246 mark means they outscored their opponents by an average of nearly 25 points per game over their last 10 outings. They finished 32 points (15%) clear of the previous record-holders, the 1974 Milwaukee Bucks (+214), and 40 points ahead of the 2017 Warriors (+206), who hold the record for the longest playoff winning streak.

The New York Knicks just played the most dominant 10-game stretch in NBA history, and it's not even remotely close pic.twitter.com/5qaLngvQLE

— Lev Akabas (@LevAkabas) May 26, 2026

The Knicks’ record-breaking run:

• 126-97 (+29) vs. Hawks
• 140-89 (+51) @ Hawks
• 137-98 (+39) vs. 76ers
• 108-102 (+6) vs. 76ers
• 108-94 (+14) @ 76ers
• 144-114 (+30) @ 76ers
• 115-104 (+11) vs. Cavaliers
• 109-93 (+16) vs. Cavaliers
• 121-108 (+13) @ Cavaliers
• 130-93 (+37) @ Cavaliers

Despite their sheer dominance, oddsmakers still believe the Thunder are the team that is the most likely to win the Finals. The Spurs, who are +155 series underdogs against OKC, also aren’t that far behind the Knicks in Finals odds, suggesting that they would be favored if they reached the championship stage.

Lookahead NBA Finals odds

The NBA Finals don’t begin until Wednesday, June 3. However, oddsmakers have provided a glimpse of what is expected when the final best-of-seven series begins.

FanDuel’s lookahead lines show that the Thunder would be 6.5-point home favorites (-240 moneyline odds) in a potential Game 1 against the Knicks. The Spurs would be 4.5-point favorites (-166 moneyline odds) in Game 1 if they reach the Finals. Hypothetical series odds are not available.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Just as soon as the Eastern Conference Finals began for the Cleveland Cavaliers, it ended. 

The Cavaliers were swept by the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. Now they begin to plan for next season as they try to go even further in the playoffs because Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert was not satisfied with the outcome 

“We took a step ahead this spring, but we are nowhere near where we need to be. I can’t thank the fans enough for the support this year. We will dig in all summer and do everything we possibly can to take the next step. We will grind until we get there,” Gilbert wrote on X. “Congrats to the @nyknicks, and best of luck in the Finals.”

The Cavaliers have now made the playoffs for four straight seasons, and this year, expectations were higher than ever. Cleveland boasted the highest payroll in the league and had superstars across the roster 

Forward Evan Mobley and guard Donovan Mitchell led the charge at the beginning of the season. Then the Cavaliers acquired James Harden in a blockbuster trade with the Los Angeles Clippers on February 4th. 

With that roster, the Cavaliers finished fourth in the Eastern Conference, eventually taking down the 1st-seeded Detroit Pistons in seven games to reach the Eastern Conference Finals. But that is where the playoff run ended. 

For the players, it was a disappointing end to a good season. However, some viewed it as motivation for next year. 

“I have no doubt that this group can get there,” Mitchell said after the game four defeat on Monday. “I’ve said that all year. The biggest thing is you just use it as a learning lesson. It’s a tough learning lesson, but now we know.”

Other star James Harden reiterated that he would be open to returning as the guard enters free agency this offseason. 

“Definitely want to be here,” Harden said on Monday. “I think we found something. It’s tough. It’s not ending how we wanted to, but I think we found something.”

While it is not a foregone conclusion that the same core will run it back next season, Cavalier fans will hope that the team can take the next step. 

The Houston Rockets enter the NBA offseason with a definite desire for improvement because of the general belief that the previous season was disappointing. Despite having the highest expectations heading into the season, the Rockets were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the second year in a row, and while Houston could run it back next season, hoping a healthy Steven Adams and Fred Vanvleet with another season of devolopment for the young core would be enough, I think it would be foolish to not consider making a trade if the price is right. Additonally over the weekend, insider Marc Stien said this:

“There is a belief in some corners of the league that Atlanta, Houston, and Portland all have legitimate trade interest in Brown.”

Enter Jaylen Brown, a 29-year-old guard/forward coming off the best season of his career, and helping to lead the Boston Celtics to the second-best record in the Eastern Conference despite superstar Jayson Tatum’s absence for much of the season. Brown has always been the Robin to Tatum’s Batman, as fans and media alike always seem to view Tatum as the star of the Celtics, and Jaylen Brown as his co-star, but this season showed that Brown could lead his own team. There has been a lot of discussion about Brown and the Boston Celtics possibly splitting ways during the past month. The Rockets have organizational ties to Brown through head coach Ime Udoka, who coached Brown during Udoka’s only season as head coach of the Celtics in 2021–2022.

Brown averaged 47.7 percent from the field, 34.7 percent from outside the arc, 79.5 percent from the free throw line, 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists. When the teams were announced on Sunday, Brown was chosen to the All-NBA team even though he made the Second Team. In addition, Brown finished sixth overall in the MVP competition. The Rockets have enough salary to pay Brown’s $53.1 million salary by trading Clint Capela, Jabari Smith Jr., and Alperen Sengun.

Now, for what everyone wants, my opinion. I am on board with trading for Jalyn Brown IF the price is right. If Boston asks for Amen Thompson, I am hanging up the phone faster than you would hang up a call from that one relative asking for money. I would, however, give up one of Alperen Sengun or Kevin Durant. Now, obviously, Houston just traded for Durant last summer, but all Houston really gave up was Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the draft rights to Khaman Maluach, and some second-round picks. With that being considered, Houston did not really give up too much for KD, so while it would be unfortunate to pivot off him after only one season, it makes sense. Additonally, I would obviously at the moment rather give up Durant than Sengun, as Sengun is younger and allows the team to have young talent for after Brown retires. Sengun does have shortcomings: he can’t shoot from three, and he is not the best defender, but I would rather keep the player who is able to play another 5-10 years than the one who has maybe two or three years left at most.

What do you all think? Should the Rockets trade for Jaylen Brown? How much is too much to give up? Let me know, and as always, be sure to check back at The Dream Shake for all your Houston Rockets news needs.

Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals was without a doubt the Spurs’ worst showing of the playoffs, and possibly even their worst game of any capacity since January. After a blistering 15-0 run to open the game, the law of averages came back with a vengeance, and they showed very little fight or urgency the rest of the way as the Thunder quickly recovered to take over the game and regain homecourt advantage.

This Spurs team has proven to be resilient all season, so it wasn’t too surprising to see them make adjustments and come out more determined in Game 4, which they won comfortably. However, there’s more to the story than that. As was revealed by De’Aaron Fox in the postgame show following Game 4, none other than Gregg Popovich made a locker room appearance immediately after Game 3, and let’s just say anyone who had not had the privilege of playing for him (or didn’t for long enough) can now say they’ve had the full Pop Experience.

Pop officially resigned as head coach last summer after suffering a stroke early in the 2024-25 season but is still President of Basketball Operations and has been seen around practice plenty of times, as he also does physical therapy at the Spurs’ facility at The Rock at La Cantera. But as Fox said, this was the first time he came storming into the locker room after a game, and they knew what they were in for before he even said a word. From players to coaches, staff and even General Manager Brian Wright, everyone listened with appropriate fear as El Jefe told them their performance “was BS” and “not how we play basketball”. He’s still the same ol’ Pop.

Someone who can relate and was often on the other end of Pop tongue-lashings was former Spurs champion Danny Green, who was often credited with being willing to take his wrath and improve from it, just like Pop’s original target: Manu Ginobili. But even Green jokingly told Sports Center that he was scared of Pop then, still is now, and he felt for the current Spurs over what that experience must have been like.

That being said, just because Pop still has a presence doesn’t mean Mitch Johnson is just some nice, soft-spoken guy (since he’s always lost his voice by the time we hear from him) who is simply following orders. His sideline demeanor may not be as pronounced or dramatic, but he comes from the coaching tree of Pop and was his chosen predecessor for a reason. He and his staff still coach the game, call the plays and make adjustments, and they’ve done a masterful job all season. Before Game 4, they appeared to make the switch from “make everyone but SGA beat us” to “make SGA and no one else beat us,” and it worked well. Defensive rotations were more crisp, and on offense, there were more pick-and-rolls and an asserted effort to get Victor Wembanyama the ball on the move instead of too many forced drives and iso-ball.

Also, like Pop, Mitch is not afraid to coach his players hard, from his star all the way down. Rookie forward Carter Bryant may have gotten “the Pop Experience” just like the rest of his teammates after Game 3, but he also experienced what Green and many other Spurs often did on the sidelines during Game 4, when Mitch got on him hard after a couple of careless fouls, including biting on an SGA pump fake and barreling into Jaylin Williams on the fast break for a charge. Bryant has had some bright moments in these playoffs, but it has also understandably been a massive learning curve for him, and despite the team being up big in that moment, he appeared on the brink of tears.

However, there’s another invaluable experience he got in that moment that Green and plenty other Spurs also experienced: the team’s unselfish superstar jumping in with leadership and words of encouragement to balance things back out. In Green’s day, it was Tim Duncan who would help perk his teammates back up after they experienced the Wrath of Pop. For Bryant, it was Wemby who came over to encourage him on after he felt the Wrath of Mitch. Different coaches, different stars and different role players, but the same culture lives on.

The narrative this postseason has been that the Spurs are ahead of schedule, and based on preseason predictions, that is true. However, it’s not just talent alone that has gotten them two wins away from the Finals, but also coaching, leadership and a completely egoless roster. If that sounds like the Spurs of Pop and Tim, it’s because it is, but even if those two still have a presence and plenty of influence within the organization, this is now the Spurs of Mitch and Wemby, and they are ready to build upon the legacy their predecessors created — from winning all the way down to being yelled at. It’s the Spurs way.

Knicks fans are ready to watch their team in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.

But the question is: How much will it cost to get into MSG?

Get-in prices for Games 3 and 4, as of Tuesday morning, are the highest in NBA history, according to one ticket outlet.

The cheapest ticket for Game 3 at MSG on June 8 costs $3,686 at SeatGeek including fees, at the time of writing.

For Game 4 two days later, the cheapest ticket costs $3,543 at SeatGeek.

TickPick revealed after the Knicks secured their sweep of the Cavaliers in the conference finals Monday night that the get-in prices for Games 3 and 4 were $3,745 and $3,464, respectively, which would be “the most expensive NBA tickets on record.”

If the Finals reaches six games, fans would have to fork up over $4,984 at SeatGeek for that June 16 clash.

It’s a stark contrast to 10 years ago when Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors faced off in the 2016 NBA Finals and the average price to get into those games was $880. 

Last year, when the Thunder and Pacers clashed, the average ticket price was $1,147, according to TickPick.

For some, that price could be worth it. For younger Knicks fans, this is first time their team has reached the Finals and the 27-year gap shows it’s not a lock to happen again anytime soon.

The Knicks have dominated since falling behind 2-1 to the Hawks in the first round, winning 11 straight games thanks to their back-to-back sweeps of the Sixers and Cavaliers. 

Jalen Brunson led the way against the Cavaliers, bringing home Eastern Conference finals MVP honors. He’s averaging 26.6 points and 6.6 assists per game this postseason.

But the dominant playoff run was a team effort.

Josh Hart had a crucial Game 2, scoring 26 points in a 109-93 win. 

Bench spark plug Landry Shamet went 11-of-12 from deep during the conference finals, which broke an NBA playoff series record.

Center Karl-Anthony Towns has averaged a double-double throughout the playoffs.

Even if not all Knicks fans can get into Madison Square Garden during the Finals, Knicks fever will still be felt all through the city and beyond. 

The end for the Cleveland Cavaliers was cruel, with Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner celebrating on their court dressed in New York Knicks gear and embracing Knicks' players like they were part of the win. The Knicks' blowout put them in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 and sent the Cavaliers into an uncomfortable offseason.

Though Cleveland advanced to the Eastern Conference finals without LeBron James for the first time in almost 35 years, its unceremonious exit – and how arduous this whole postseason run seemed – has clouded what path the team should take in the weeks and months ahead.

The Cavaliers took perhaps the biggest swing of any team this year at the NBA trade deadline, flipping oft-injured 26-year-old Darius Garland for durable 36-year-old James Harden to pair with Donovan Mitchell in the backcourt. Cleveland had the most expensive roster in the league. Whether it worked – or can work – is up for debate. The final impression this season was a dud.

After blowing a 22-point lead in the fourth quarter of Game 1 against the Knicks, the Cavaliers lost the last three games of the Eastern Conference finals by an average of 22 points.

Just 322 days into his tenure as the New York Knicks’ head coach, Mike Brown has the franchise in the NBA Finals.

The Knicks have not seen the NBA Finals in the 21st century, but Brown has been there numerous times. Brown’s first Finals experience came in 2003, when he was an assistant on Gregg Popovich’s San Antonio Spurs staff. The team beat the New Jersey Nets to claim a championship, but Brown left the team following the season to join the Indiana Pacers. While Brown came close in Indiana, he eventually returned to the Finals in 2007 with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Brown and the Cavs came up short in 2007, but it wouldn’t be Brown’s last dance.

It took a decade for Brown to return to the Finals in 2017, when he was the associate head coach for the Golden State Warriors. He began a dynastic run that saw him reach the NBA Finals in four of the next six seasons.

The 2026 Finals will mark Brown’s seventh time on basketball’s biggest stage, which should come in handy for a Knicks team that hasn’t been there before.

Players like Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby have been there with their previous teams, but the Knicks’ biggest change this season is a big reason why they find themselves where they are.

While there was chatter about his job security throughout the season, Brown has proven why the Knicks made the right choice in hiring him as head coach.