Category: Basketball

In today’s Dub Hub:

• Michigan prospects Yaxel Lendeborg and Aday Mara headline latest Warriors mock draft roundup.
• NBC Sports Bay Area’s Dalton Johnson makes the Warriors to trade down for more picks in this year’s NBA Draft.
• Victor Wembanyama scores 32 points as Spurs beat the Knicks in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, 115-111.

The 2026 NBA Draft is just two weeks away, and the Golden State Warriors continue to explore their options with the No. 11 overall pick. As draft boards begin to crystallize, several prospects have emerged as popular selections for Golden State in recent mock drafts.

Here’s a roundup of who various draft experts believe the Warriors will take:

• The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie: Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan, Forward
• SB Nation’s Ricky O’Donnell: Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan, Forward
• The Associated Press’ Aaron Beard and Brian Mahoney: Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan, Forward
• CBS Sports’ Adam Finkelstein: Aday Mara, Michigan, Center
• Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O Connor: Aday Mara, Michigan, Center
• ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel: Cameron Carr, Baylor, Wing
• Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman: Karim Lopez, New Zealand, Forward
• Tankathon: Nate Ament, Tennessee, Forward

The most common names linked to the Warriors come from NCAA national champion Michigan, with both small forward Yaxel Lendeborg and center Aday Mara appearing in multiple mock drafts. Given the Warriors’ longstanding need for positional size and frontcourt depth, it’s not difficult to understand the appeal.

Lendeborg may be one of the older prospects in this draft class at 23 years old, but he could also be among the most NBA-ready. The 6-foot-9 versatile forward averaged 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists while helping lead Michigan to a national championship. With a reported 7-foot-3 wingspan, Lendeborg offers the size, athleticism, and defensive upside that could allow him to contribute immediately for the Warriors.

Meanwhile, Mara has emerged as one of the fastest-rising prospects in this year’s class. The 7-foot-3 center measured with a 9-foot-9 standing reach at the NBA Draft Combine, providing the type of size the Warriors have lacked for years now. Mara averaged 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.6 blocks per game while shooting 66.8 percent from the field last season. While his length and rim protection already make him an intriguing option, one of Mara’s most underrated strengths is his passing ability. Mara averaged 2.4 assists per game with the Wolverines last season, showcasing a willingness to facilitate which should bode well for his potential fit within head coach Steve Kerr’s offense.

Regardless of who ultimately hears their name called by the Warriors on draft night, this postseason has only reinforced Golden State’s need for an injection of youth, size, and athleticism. Several prospects in this range could help address those concerns, but Lendeborg may be the one to watch most closely given his experience and ability to contribute from Day 1.

For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Tuesday, June 9th:

Warriors News:

2026 NBA Mock Draft 3.0: Latest intel and updates for all 60 picks with 2 weeks until draft | ClutchPoints

Along with Carr and Mara, Burries, Hannes Steinbach, and Yaxel Lendeborg are other names commonly brought up as targets for the Warriors around the league. Ament and Flemings are among the two players Golden State would give serious consideration to if they fell out of the top 10. Speaking of Lendeborg, he has a scheduled upcoming workout for the Warriors, a source said. How he performs during this workout will greatly impact whether he is truly in play for the Dubs, as he has been a hard read as of late.

How Warriors can create their perfect path in first round of 2026 NBA Draft | NBC Sports Bay Area

It’s also why the Warriors should get greedy. The best path forward for the Warriors isn’t somehow moving up in the draft. The real best outcome would be leaving the first night of the draft with multiple first-round picks. 

So, what’s the easiest way for that idea to come true? There are two teams that have two first-round picks this year: The Oklahoma City Thunder and Charlotte Hornets. Let’s start with OKC.

Warriors players give advice to their younger selves

Dear future Draft pick … ✍️@cartainc || #DubsDraftpic.twitter.com/Wmtp2cE974

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) June 9, 2026

NBA News:

Finals Film Study: Victor Wembanyama finds way to rim in Game 3 | NBA

In Game 3, Wembanyama set 35 ball-screens, the third-highest total in his 19 playoff games. Of the 35, 16 of them had two players on the weak side.

But late in the second quarter, right after the Knicks took their first lead of the game, the Spurs found something with two players on the strong side. Julian Champagnie was in the left corner, and Harper was in the left “dunker” spot (on the baseline, just outside the paint). That left Devin Vassell (deep in the right corner) as the lone Spurs player on the weak side as Wembanyama set a ball screen for De’Aaron Fox.

With Vassell so far away, the Knicks had nobody to tag Wembanyama as he rolled into the paint. Both Jordan Clarkson (Vassell) and Josh Hart (Harper) collapsed into the paint after Wembanyama caught the ball, but now the Knicks were a little scrambled.

Thunder GM Sam Presti fires back on free-throw narrative around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Sam Presti’s full 7 minute answer on the SGA free throw narrative. ⬇️

Must watch for OKC fans. Maybe even moreso for non-OKC fans. https://t.co/bzZTVjMu58pic.twitter.com/N8Bhwdz1et

— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) June 8, 2026

In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:

How long can the Warriors reign as the most recent repeat champions last?

They lost the crown the next year against the Toronto Raptors. A year later, James returned to the finals and this time emerged victorious, now a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. Giannis Antetokounmpo, years before discontent with the Milwaukee Bucks would brew, hoisted the trophy in 2021, and then the Warriors snuck back in for a surprise revival in 2022. In 2023 it was the Denver Nuggets, and in 2024 the Boston Celtics.

Follow @unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.

The 2026 NBA Finals have reached a critical juncture based on past champions.

The San Antonio Spurs struck back and took Game 3 over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden after the Knicks won the first two games of the series in San Antonio. A pivotal Game 4 awaits in New York on Wednesday, June 10, with history suggesting the winner could have a big advantage in the pursuit of a title.

This is the 64th time in league history that the NBA Finals has featured one team winning two of the first three games, and there's been an inordinate amount of volatility in these situations in recent years. But there's still just one team ever to overcome a 3-1 series deficit in the NBA Finals.

With that in mind, USA TODAY Sports combed through the NBA record books to examine all the NBA Finals since they began in 1950 to determine any trends and patterns that have emerged when a team leads the series 2-1. Here's a look at five storylines that emerged:

NBA FINALS: League admits missed foul call on Wembanyama shoving Brunson in Game 3

1) Home teams have an advantage, but not as much lately

Home teams are 29-32 in Game 4 of the NBA Finals when the series sits at 2-1, while road teams have won eight of the last nine Game 4s of an NBA Finals where one team won two of the first three games.

Though the team that's leading the best-of-seven series 2-1 after Game 3 has gone on to win the NBA Finals 49 of 63 times, the team trailing 2-1 after three games has won the NBA Finals three of the past four times it has occurred (2025, 2022, 2021).

2) The Knicks have been here before

The New York Knicks are more than 50 years removed from their last NBA championship, but that title in 1973 came under similar circumstances. The Knicks had a 2-1 series lead heading into Game 4 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden and won, then captured their second NBA championship in four years in Game 5.

The Knicks also had a 2-1 series lead in 1970 when they beat the Los Angeles Lakers for the NBA title, though New York lost Game 4 on the road in that series. The Knicks trailed 2-1 in the series when they lost in the NBA Finals in 1994 and 1999.

3) Only 7 teams have pulled off what Spurs must to win NBA Finals

There are seven teams to successfully pull off what the San Antonio Spurs must do in the NBA Finals — overcome a 2-1 series deficit facing Game 4 on the road in the NBA Finals. Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors did it twice during their recent championship run (2015 and 2022). Before that, LeBron James and the Miami Heat won the 2013 NBA championship over the Spurs in that fashion.

The 1984 Boston Celtics with Larry Bird, the 1978 Washington Bullets and Bill Russell's 1957 and 1962 Celtics' teams also won championships facing the scenario the Spurs are now dealing with entering Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals.

None of those teams, however, lost the first two games of the NBA Finals at home like San Antonio this year.

4) Could Wemby emulate Bill Russell's early NBA Finals loss?

Russell faced a 2-1 series deficit in his first two NBA Finals appearances and four times overall during his remarkable run with the Boston Celtics in which he won the NBA championship 11 times in 13 years.

He had a 3-1 record in those respective Game 4s, with the lone loss coming in 1958 when the Celtics lost the NBA Finals to the St. Louis Hawks. During Russell's rookie season the year before, he and the Celtics overcame a 2-1 NBA Finals deficit by winning Game 4 on the road against the Hawks.

5) LeBron James and 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers stand apart

A team that's leading the NBA Finals by a 2-1 series advantage and and then wins Game 4 has only failed to win a championship once. In 2016, Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers became the first (and only) team to overcome a 3-1 series deficit in the NBA Finals when they defeated the Golden State Warriors for the title. The Warriors won Game 4 on the road that year.

Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls had a 2-1 series lead in five of their six NBA Finals appearances and went 3-2 in Game 4 in those situations. They, of course, never lost an NBA Finals series.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Knicks should be wary of 2-1 NBA Finals lead given recent history

The Knicks wouldn’t be here without Jalen Brunson.

But they just might be better with him off the court in this NBA Finals.

The Knicks have been outscored by 13 points in 110 minutes with Brunson on the floor through three games against the Spurs, a jarring development for a team built around its star point guard’s playmaking.

Brunson is still putting up plenty of volume, but he’s struggled against a tough San Antonio defense with a stable of athletic guards and wings to throw at him. 

Heading into Game 4, Brunson is shooting just 37 percent overall and 31.8 percent from 3-point land. 

Turnovers have been an issue as well, with Brunson giving the ball up at least four times in all three games. 

Outside of his 27.3 points per game, Brunson’s impact on the offensive end has been limited, having dished out just 13 total assists thus far in the Finals. 

Brunson’s defense, which has never been a strength of his game, has been a problem as well. 

His 110.8 defense rating is the third-worst among players with at least 15 minutes per game played in this series. 

The Knicks’ thrilling Game 2 win overshadowed what was a rough performance from Brunson, who was a minus-10 while shooting just 7-for-25 from the field with 20 points. 

He was a Knicks starter worst minus-9 in Monday’s Game 3 loss with 32 points on 11-of-25 shooting. 

Brunson admitted after the game that the Knicks’ offense could be better, especially down the stretch. 

“I liked some of the looks, but I also think we were pretty stagnant. There’s definitely things that we can learn from,” Brunson said of the fourth quarter.

“Especially with our approach when we start the game and with the way we start the half, I don’t think we did well and I don’t think I did well either.”

After a third straight physical game to begin the NBA Finals, Knicks guard Jose Alvarado has issued a warning after Spurs star Victor Wembanyama got away with a bit of nastiness on Jalen Brunson early in Game 3.

In the first quarter, San Antonio’s center gave a shove to the back of Brunson’s head as the guard jockeyed for position at the high post, sending him to the ground.

Brunson took exception to the uncalled one-armed shove and addressed it with Wembanyama, jabbing his finger at the Frenchman during the possession.

On Tuesday, Alvarado issued a warning to the Spurs.

“I think that’s not basketball,” Alvarado said Tuesday, via The New York Post. “That’s something that they gotta look at. But he got away with one. 

“That’ll be the last one.”

After the Spurs grabbed a 115-111 win that saw Knicks head coach Mike Brown decry a free-throw discrepancy, Brunson said San Antonio’s level of physicality on the night didn’t bother him, and on the play in question, said, “Whatever you saw is what you saw.”

Monty McCutchen, the NBA’s Senior Vice President and Head of Development and Training for Referee Operations, said Tuesday the play should have been whistled for a foul.

"Well, most certainly I think we can all agree that a foul was missed on that play," McCutchen said on ESPN's "NBA Today." "A big part of our job is on-ball, off-ball exchanges between referees. We did a poor job of that here, where we've got two people on ball, and we don't see the screening action… And if we break down in our fundamentals in even the smallest amounts, we have the opportunity to miss a clear foul as we missed here."

The NBA has yet to announce whether Wembanyama will receive a retroactive flagrant foul for the action on Brunson. If the league does upgrade the foul, Wembanyama would be one flagrant foul away from an automatic one-game suspension, after he was issued a Flagrant-2 foul and ejected for elbowing Minnesota’s Naz Reid earlier in the postseason.

Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox said everybody knows playoff basketball will be physical, and nobody expects to “not have bumps and bruises” in his defense of his teammate.

“If you get hit, you hit back. That's life,” Fox said Tuesday. “If life hits you, you need to figure out a way to get on your feet and hit it back.

Every time he rolls, he gets tagged, he gets hit. If he's trying to go set a screen, box out, whatever it may be, he's getting grabbed, he's getting held. It would be crazy for him to think he's going to get open by not hitting somebody.”

Fox added: “You know that team's going to be physical with you, so you go out there and you try to hit first.”

Stacey King’s family has broken its silence after the NBA champion and beloved broadcaster’s unexpected death.

King’s sons, Erick, Garrett and Brandon, issued an emotional statement through the Bulls on Tuesday, thanking fans for the outpouring of support and remembering their father as more than the larger-than-life personality Chicago came to know.

King died Sunday at age 59.

A cause of death has not been disclosed.

ESPN Chicago’s David Kaplan said King died after a fall at his home. Medical examiners said King was found at his River Forest, Ill., home and that a head autopsy was needed to confirm the cause of death, ABC7 Chicago reported.

King’s sons said many knew him as a champion, broadcaster and “larger-than-life personality,” but they knew him as an “even greater father, friend, and man.”

The family also shared one of its favorite memories of King’s ability to connect with people.

When fans would ask if he was a professional athlete, King would smile and say, “No, I’m just a tall black guy.”

His sons said that his sense of humor and warmth never left him.

The family said the messages, phone calls, prayers and stories they have received since King’s death have brought comfort.

The Bulls selected King with the No. 6 pick in the 1989 NBA Draft out of Oklahoma, and he became part of Chicago’s first three-peat alongside Michael Jordan from 1991-93. He played eight NBA seasons before retiring in 1997.

After his playing career, King became one of the most recognizable voices around the Bulls as a longtime television analyst, known for his energy, humor and signature calls.

Jordan said Monday that he was “deeply saddened” by King’s death, remembering their years together as teammates and King’s role in defining an era of Bulls basketball.

The Bulls also paid tribute to King after his death, with owner Jerry Reinsdorf remembering him as one of the unique personalities and “unmistakable voice” in the organization’s history.

King’s family thanked the Bulls organization and Bulls Nation for embracing him throughout his playing and broadcasting career, saying his connection with the city and fans meant the world to him.

“We love you, Dad,” the family added. “Your legacy will live on.”

I’ve never been much for horror films.

Sure, I’ve always been fascinated by the destabilizing and open-ended duality of The Shining (Stephen King owes Kubrick a debt for improving on the book, the ungrateful wretch), or the bizarro excesses of a young Peter Jackson’s Dead Alive, and though I have enjoyed the return of more psychological horror over the past decade, by-and-large it’s a genre I don’t engage with much.

Most perplexing to me is the popularity of horror films that rely on the jump scare. The jump scare is a time-honored convention at this point in the genre, but there’s a very fine line between using it as an intelligently startling punctuation, and having it function as the only real draw/form of stimulation.

Personally, I adjust to over-stimulation far too quickly for these kinds of films to be very effective. As a younger man, drinking began to lose the appeal once I needed to imbibe larger and larger quantities of alcohol, even as the effect lessened.

Now, in the relative sobriety of middle-age, I find that one or two drinks can really do the trick. The same feels true for the jump scare. Too many, and I begin to lose interest. I find an extended section of growing unease to be far more effective.

Why is probably why I spent most of my weekend dreading the thought of having to write about Game 3.

Unlike the previous series against the Thunder, there haven’t been any blowouts. Losing feels bad, but in a blowout at least it goes quickly. You lose your attachment to the game pretty quickly when you’re down 20+ in the fourth quarter. It almost seems like it hurts less, or at the very least, allows you to pull the chute earlier.

Each Finals game has felt like base-jumping into the Overlook Hotel. The endless seesawing of the score starts to play tricks on your mind. How many times have the Spurs had the lead? Have they actually ever really had the lead? I could have sworn they were up by 8. Or 10. Or 6. Wait…they’re tied??

The margin starts to feel as inflationary as our national currency (or gas prices), and everything seem relative. What even is a lead? Five points ahead is basically a tie at this point. It’s all a fugazi. It’s fairy dust. Even worse, the games were starting to give me a feeling that the only slasher franchise I’ve ever regularly engaged with gives me.

Anytime something important needed to happen, the Knicks seemed to hit any and every shot in spite of the odds.

A long-distance prayer at the end of the shot clock?

They’re going to make it.

The perfect pass out of a near-perfect defensive rotation?

They’re gonna find it.

A critical rebound that mutiple Spurs are in position for, and have hands on?

They’re gonna come down with it.

It was starting to feel like the Spurs, no matter how vigilant, how disciplined, how aware, were being thwarted by fate itself. Like they were driving behind a log truck that was about randomly lose its load and annihilate everything behind it, and I was constantly in a state of having a premonition about it, only for something just as bad (or worse) to happen instead.

And in the second quarter of Game 3, the Final Destination vibes started to kick in again.

The Spurs were amazing for the first ten-or-so minutes of the 1st quarter, before the Knicks caught back up with the highest-scoring quarter of the series for either team.

New York hit 6 of their 13 threes in that quarter. They went 13/16 from the field as a whole. Everything was going in. Perfectly contested shots. Leaning shots off one leg. Shots majestically arcing over Wemby’s Lovecraftian reach. (Brunson in particular seems to have mastered this) Shots with seemingly no arc at all.

They went 8 for 8 from the free-throw line, and they didn’t even seem to need it.

The Spurs had been up by 12 at the start of the 2nd. Now they were down by 7 going into the half. Intellectually I knew that 7 points wasn’t much, but I was starting to feel like the Spurs were up against something supernatural.

Had James Dolan finally given in and sold his soul to dark forces? Was Adam Silver the demiurge? Were the current Knicks being possessed by the ghosts of Willis Reed, and Dick Barnett, and Dave DeBusschere?

Were the Spurs strapped to an out-of-control roller-coaster, or was it all in my head?

And so it continued. The Spurs would claw out a lead. The Knicks would then make impossible plays and shots and/or the Spurs would slip up in unusual ways. And even though they only ended up with eight turnovers, it felt like every pass from San Antonio was either reckless or hazarded by their opponents, to the point that I thought it might be giving me heart palpitations or angina.

If this had been a bog-standard slasher film, I’d have adjusted to it by then, but as in the case of Final Destination, it was the sheer improbability and unpredictability (or false certainty) that was keeping my blood pumping.

I was either standing or pacing for most of the fourth quarter, my daughter tucked in on the couch, a serene and innocently slumbering opposite. I couldn’t carry her to her room in the middle of that madness! Who knows what might have happened?!

I had honored my contractual agreement for pre-bedtime cuddles. What my daughter had failed to grasp was the nature of the contract I had signed in watching this potentially paranormal snuff film of my favorite team’s hopes and dreams on the apparently haunted hardwood of Madison Square Garden!!

(Who says dramatic monologuing isn’t the spice of life?)

And the Spurs clawed out one final lead. They were about to be up double digits.

And then the Knicks successfully challenged the foul, with Keldon Johnson found to be the real culprit like some awful Scooby Doo reveal, which wiped out Wemby’s make and the free-throw.

And the Brunson hit a shot. And then Anunoby. And the valiant De’Aaron Fox answered, but Brunson continued to close the gap.

An alley-oop to Victor, but it didn’t seem to matter. The fix was in, and it felt malevolently Calvinistic. The Knicks were the Elect. Everything was predetermined. We’d seen this movie before. At least twice. And I was definitely not crashing out in a pseudo-theological way at all.

And then Castle hit a three.

And it wasn’t just a three. It was an end-of-the-shot-clock plea for intercession. A life exchange momentarily shifting someone else’s name onto Basketball Death’s list in place of your own. The resuscitation of an NBA team that was flat-lining. A tiny miracle of the sort that had been evading the Spurs all series.

And you could tell the invigoration was real, because no one hung their head or checked out when OG Anunoby ended up at the free-throw line. Or when Jalen Brunson benefited from one last gasp of ludicrous magic by hitting a step-back three to cut the lead to three points.

And then Fox, the 2023 NBA Clutch Player of the Year, who’s had to pick his spots for most of the series, picked the last perfect spot of the night, with a mid-range jumper right over the formidably-defending Anunoby, and the light at the end of the tunnel was there. The edge of the maze. The weirdly rampant zombie-killing lawn mower.

And a pair of free-throws from Castle iced the game, like it was Jack Torrance out of doors in a Rocky Mountain snowstorm.

And I was relieved, which feels like the wrong word, because I wasn’t sure what to write. But also the right word, because I really had to pee.

The ending of the film version of the shining is ambiguous. We don’t actually know what happened to Jack, or who/what he even is. The Final Destination films are heading into their seventh installment, with no more hint of clarity or cessation than in the films before.

The Spurs still have to play Game 4. They’ll still be at The Garden. There’s no way of knowing if this was a respite, or a turning point. Anticipation is its own kind of psychological horror.

But for one night, the Spurs disrupted the conspiratorial delusions of at least one Spurs fan.

I don’t know what tomorrow will bring. I don’t know if they’ve broken the cycle. But I know that I can’t stop watching.

I can’t help it. It’s the best show around.

Takeways

• For most of the postseason, the Spurs have actually shot a little above (79.5%) their season average (78.7%) at the free throw line, but they shot 75% during the first two games, and it cost them. Shooting closer to their average last night (78%) was almost certainly a deciding factor when the margin is so thing, so let’s hope they continue to trend upwards in the respect. People always talk about championships being won in the margins to the point of eliciting the occasional eye roll, but that’s how much a 3% difference can matter. Maybe Mitch Johnson should set up a practice where players shoot free-throws while Sean Sweeney stands next to them doing his best Chucky Doll impression? I’ve got all kinds of ideas, if only they’d ask me.
• The Spurs also managed to finally knock down their threes to the tune of something close to their season average (35%). Variance is a beast that both teams are falling victim to in that arena, but the Spurs shot 30% from three over those first two games, and the law of averages has somewhat avenged them. Thankfully, the Knicks are finally sinking back down to just below their regular season average (with some Spursy assistance, of course) after going on a very extended hot streak over multiple rounds, but the Spurs aren’t going to win the day in MSG again if they get a repeat of those first two performances, so light your payer candles before the game, because I get the feeling they’re going to have to weather a fierce response.
• Keldon Johnson looked a little bit better after a pair of games that had me questioning how he could be effectively used in this series. But by limiting his usage, and picking his spots more like De’Aaron Fox, he ended the game with the team-high plus minus and has pulled himself out of the depths of a negative net rating. However, as much as I like the more discerning approach, I get the feeling that the Spurs are going to need *at least* one big game out of Keldon in order to bring home the trophy, so he still needs to keep his eye out for opportunities while biding his time more efficiently. Both of the previous series have featured at least one game with Keldon on a heater. Does he have one more in him against a team that has clearly prepared for thwarting him? I guess we’ll see.
• Carter Bryant hit a three! It’s his first of the series, and we like to celebrate the little victories as well here at PTR. Naturally we all expect him to instantly morph into Steph Curry and change the complexion of the series. That seems fair. Maybe I can go out and buy one of those wishing willows from Obsession. I’m sure that won’t backfire at all. It’s not like it’s a Monkey’s Paw.

Playing You Out – The Theme Song of the Evening:

The Killing Moon by Echo and the Bunnyman

President Donald Trump was booed, loudly and at length, when he appeared on the Jumbotron during the national anthem before Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden Monday night.

The arena had been chanting “U-S-A! U-S-A!” as Avery Wilson began to sing The Star Spangled Banner. The Trump’s face appeared on the screen for the first time since he had entered the arena, saluting the flag and the arena erupted in boos.

While the booing was clear on the ABC broadcast, people inside the arena also posted videos capturing the booing.

The Athletic's Esfandiar Baraheni recorded the moment it turned.

Trump booed very loudly here at MSG pic.twitter.com/IeQwwqGtop

— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) June 9, 2026

The White House press pool put it plainly: “loud and long.” The crowd didn’t let up until the camera moved and found Knicks star Jalen Brunson.

New York Post editor Mark Hale caught the booing from a side angle.

President Trump booed during National Anthem of NBA Finals Game 3 pic.twitter.com/bimQuNGgIX

— New York Post (@nypost) June 9, 2026

WFAN host Evan Roberts also caught the reaction to the president from his seats.

pic.twitter.com/YYKb63OGhm

— Evan Roberts (@EvanRobertsWFAN) June 9, 2026

Fans caught the booing as well.

Trump booed in NYC pic.twitter.com/vQFnDJhIWk

— SNEAKO (@sneako) June 9, 2026

One reporter said the booing for Trump was worse than the boos for the San Antonio Spurs.

They showed Trump on the Jumbotron during the anthem. He got more boos than the Spurs. pic.twitter.com/nYq69hGPiS

— Albert Samaha (@AlbertSamaha) June 9, 2026

Even outside the arena, Trump was booed. The watch party at Bryant Park was loud too.

Crowd at Bryant Park watch party also booed President Trump. pic.twitter.com/aV3bTxqbRa

— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) June 9, 2026

Trump wasn’t rattled, at least not publicly. Boarding Air Force One after the game, the president told reporters, “I think it was mostly cheers. It was loud. And it was enthusiastic.”

He attended as the guest of Knicks owner James Dolan and became the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game. The Knicks lost 115-111. They lead the series 2-1. Game 4 is on Wednesday at MSG, ESPN reported that Trump will not attend.

Joining Trump in the suite were White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino, EP Administrator Lee Zeldin, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Trump's granddaughter, Kai Trump. Also in the suite was Envoy Steve Witkoff, Director of White House Oval Office operations Walt Nauta, longtime Trump adviser Boris Epshteyn, and executive assistant to the president Natalie Harp.

CNN reported that his son-in-law Jared Kuschner was also in the suite.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Donald Trump booed at NBA Finals in Game 3 at Madison Square Garden

Madison Square Garden waited 26 years to host an NBA Finals game, but the home fans saw a loss on Monday night when the San Antonio Spurs beat the Knicks in Game 3 to trim New York’s series lead to 2-1. After the game, there were multiple reports of Knicks fans physically attacking Spurs fans on the streets. The viral videos of the assaults are so ugly that Victor Wembanyama, Karl-Anthony Towns, and others players pleaded with fans to stop the violence.

In separate incidents, Knicks fans jumped men wearing Spurs jerseys around the city after the loss. The videos are horrifying. This is totally unaccepted behavior from some stupid, young members of the fanbase. No should should be assaulted just because they are wearing another team’s jersey.

The videos elicited a response from star players on both teams. Here’s Wembanyama’s comments on the incidents, via ESPN:

“My thoughts of course [are] that we can’t forget it’s a game,” Wembanyama said. “We’re just playing a game out there. I am all for passion, but [with] the respect of each other. It’s unacceptable.”

Spurs teammate Julian Champagnie added: “I feel like, for the fans, it should never be that serious where you have to jump people, beat people up, follow people home. Whether we win, they win, it doesn’t really matter. Everybody should be able to come and enjoy the game, no matter who they’re rooting for.”

Towns encouraged fans to “Leave the physicality to everyone on the court.”

Warning: The video below contains violence that readers may find disturbing.

New angle: Knicks fans claim wearing a Spurs jersey in NYC is considered disrespectful 👀😳💥 https://t.co/ix0vhGAkpupic.twitter.com/91GzvxZPw8

— Rain Drops Media (@Raindropsmedia1) June 9, 2026

🚨INSANITY🚨

SPURS FAN gets ASSAULTED by a rabid mob of New York Nicks fans

Police is nowhere to be found… pic.twitter.com/p57KAD8vln

— PartiKing (@parti_king) June 9, 2026

View from a balcony pic.twitter.com/5yz3MfrqP1

— King_Mach (@KingMach) June 9, 2026

Spurs fans standing behind the police in New York to stay away from the angry Knicks fans. 😳

(via @Raindropsmedia1)

pic.twitter.com/BdCJQsjOco

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) June 9, 2026

Obviously this is not all Knicks fans, but a few bad apples are the giving the fanbase a bad reputation. This type of behavior is never acceptable.

Game 4 is Wednesday. Let’s hope this doesn’t happen again.

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The San Antonio Spurs have officially made the 2026 NBA Finals a series after taking Game 3 on the road in Madison Square Garden. However, their victory may have come at a heavy cost. After reviewing a first quarter shove of New York's Jalen Brunson by Victor Wembanyama, the league's head of officiating, Monty McCutchen, has admitted they missed a foul call on the play. Even worse for San Antonio is that it could turn into a retroactive flagrant.

NBA head of officiating Monty McCutchen, appearing now on ESPN, acknowledges that a foul was missed on Victor Wembanyama's first-quarter shove of Jalen Brunson and says the league's review is still ongoing regarding whether the play will be deemed a retroactive flagrant foul. https://t.co/W4wAe20h0F

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 9, 2026

While there is no trouble just yet, Wembanyama has put himself in danger with this foul. Should the league upgrade it to a flagrant 1, Wembanyama would be subject to suspension if he were to commit another similar foul.

Wembanyama's absence from the Spurs would almost certainly mean defeat in the NBA Finals. Wembanyama cannot afford to play so recklessly for the remainder of the series.

Here's what to know about the foul and what it could mean for the Spurs.

What happened between Wembanyama and Brunson?

The play in question came in the first quarter of the Spurs' Game 3 win over New York. Brunson and Wembanyama got tangled up during a possession and video shows Wembanyama tossing Brunson to the ground during the play.

Brunson on Wemby shoving him in Game 3:

"Whatever you saw is what you saw." pic.twitter.com/BA8b1tTk5u

— ESPN (@espn) June 9, 2026

Will Wembanyama be suspended?

Not yet. In the NBA playoffs, players are allowed three penalty points before a suspension is enacted. Wembanyama has already obtained two penalty points for his Flagrant 2 foul against Naz Reid in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals.

Should the NBA determine that Wembanyama's shove warrants a Flagrant 1 distinction, Wembanyama would have three penalty points for the postseason, meaning one more flagrant foul (1 or 2) would lead to immediate suspension.

What determines a Flagrant 1 or 2 in the NBA?

Per NBA Rule 12, a Flagrant 2 is called when contact with an opposing player is determined to be "unecessary and excessive." A Flagrant 1 is called when the contact is only unecessary.

A Flagrant 2 is also grounds for an immediate ejection from the game and comes with a minimum $2,000 fine.

Seeing a lot of confusion right now about whether Victor Wembanyama will be suspended for Game 5, so here’s what NBA rules say might happen:

Wembanyama was ejected under NBA Rule 12 for a Flagrant Foul Penalty 2, which officials determined involved “unnecessary and excessive”… https://t.co/KVkHqAvDNWpic.twitter.com/0gPPAxWIOG

— SpursRΞPORTΞR (@SpursReporter) May 11, 2026

When is Game 4?

Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals is scheduled for Wednesday, June 10 at 8:30 p.m. ET from Madison Square Garden.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: NBA admits they missed a foul call on Victor Wembanyama in Game 3

The Dallas Mavericks are trying to figure out what direction to go in this offseason, especially after the dismissal of head coach Jason Kidd.

The decision to move on from Kidd suggests that the Mavericks might be trying to go in a brand new direction, which could lead to a total youth movement that’s led by Cooper Flagg. However, veterans like P.J. Washington, who was crucial to the team’s 2024 NBA Finals run, remain on the roster and provide value both on the court and in trade talks.

ESPN analyst Zach Kram questions whether the Mavs would trade Washington this offseason or keep him on the roster.

“Washington is a great stylistic fit next to Cooper Flagg in Dallas’ frontcourt. Now the only question about his place in the Mavericks’ starting lineup is whether they keep him to try to win next season — with a healthy Kyrie Irving back in the fold — or trade him for picks or young players who are closer in age to Flagg,“ Kram wrote.

Washington signed a four-year extension worth $88.76 million last September, and it kicks in at the start of the season. He’ll make just under $20 million this season, with a pay bump to $21.3 million, then $22.9 million, followed by $24.5 million in the final year of the contract for the 2029-30 season.

It’s a pricey contract, but for someone who averages 14.2 points and seven rebounds per game, the value is fair. Given the contract extension, the Mavs could ask teams for an expensive offer right now and his value might not exceed where it currently is.

At the very least, general manager Mike Schmitz needs to listen to offers if they come in, but they shouldn’t shop him at the moment. Let the offers come to them and then make a move if the price is right.

Mavs Moneyball community, what do you make of Washington’s future with the team? Let us know in the comments below.