Charles Barkley went back to his high school days to remember a time when, as a young basketball star he was unexpectedly dominated by another player. The feeling was shocking, the Hall of Fame forward said.
Barkley said that San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama was "in shock" after the first half of Game 2 of the 2026 NBA Finals, which the visiting New York Knicks led 56-52 after 24 minutes of play.
"It's probably been a long time since he got his ass kicked like this."
The physicality that Karl-Anthony Towns and the Knicks played with clearly took Wembanyama off his game in the first half, as he tallied only 7 points of 2-for-4 shooting to go with 5 rebounds at the half.
Meanwhile, Towns poured it on to lead the Knicks, scoring 17 points before halftime, including a trio of key three-pointers.
A masterful performance by Towns and the Knicks shouldn't be shocking to anyone at this point as New York looks to extend its undefeated streak in these playoffs.
Charles Barkley didnât hold back with his criticism of Victor Wembanyama during halftime of Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Friday night in San Antonio.
âWembyâs in shock right now,â Barkley, the Hall of Famer and âInside the NBAâ analyst, said before the Knicks won 105-104 to take a 2-0 series lead over San Antonio. âItâs probably been a long time since he got his ass kicked like this.
âBut right now, big KAT is taking his ass to the woodshed.â
"It's probably been a long time since he got his ass kicked like this."
Victor Wembanyama reacts during the first half of Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the Knicks and Spurs on June 5, 2026 in San Antonio. Imagn Images
Barkley said Wembanyama looked flustered during the first half and was throwing the ball all over the place.
He finished the half with seven points and ended the night with 29 points on 11-for-21 shooting.
But Wembanyama had a critical turnover and foul that helped give the Knicks the lead for good in the final seconds of the fourth quarter. He then missed the gameâs final shot at the buzzer.
âPersonally, I think I couldâve been better in recovering from the high of the conference finals, but here we are,â Wembanyama said after the loss. âWe canât change the past now. Weâre already focused on Game 3.â
Towns had 21 points and 13 rebounds as the Knicks took a critical win to move two wins away taking the NBA Finals.
Game 2 between the Knicks and Spurs on Friday night has seen a marked increase in physical play by both teams as they seek an edge at the Frost Bank Center.
Itâs the Knicks, however, getting most of the attention from the officials.
In a span of just 16 seconds of gameplay, Josh Hart was hit with a Flagrant 1 foul and Mitchell Robinson got a technical for his troubles.
Hart, diving for a loose ball, let his hand linger perhaps a little too long on Devin Vassellâs ankle, sending the Spurs guard tumbling to the floor.
âThe contact was unnecessary,â the lead official said, much to the delight of the San Antonio crowd.
Robinson, no stranger to foul trouble, was the recipient of a dubious and one-sided call as he got into a shoving match with Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, with the French center selling his end of things a little better to the official.
âI donât like that call,â ESPN analyst Richard Jefferson said on the broadcast. âTheyâre both being physical⊠Wemby pushes him, and then they push each other back, and thatâs where the technical occurs on Mitchell Robinson.â
âThat should be a double technical,â play-by-play man Mike Green opined.
Bringing some attitude to the proceedings seem to be working for the Knicks, who trailed by as much as 12, but ended the first half leading 56-52.
The San Antonio Spurs are in a must win situation in Game 2 of the 2026 NBA Finals after blowing a 14-point lead in their Game 1 loss. The Spurs responded by turning up the ball pressure in the first half of Game 2, and it caused one Knicks player loose his cool enough for a flagrant foul.
New York forward Josh Hart was called for a flagrant-1 with under six minutes left in the second quarter when he grabbed Devin Vassellâs leg as the Spurs wing tried to race off with a loose ball. Vassell was pressuring Hart as he attempted to bring the ball across halfcourt, and he poked it free just before the 8-second rule could have been called. Vassell had a beat on the ball, but Hart grabbed his ankle to trip him before he could get a breakaway layup.
The refs reviewed the play, and determined it should be a flagrant-1 for Hart. Watch the play here:
Stiller, wearing a Knicks shirt and a black jacket, was spotted recording warmups with his phone â videos that the actor, director and producer has become known for during the postseason run â near the baseline, while Chalamet donned customized Chrome Hearts jeans that featured blue and orange.
Chalamet and Stiller, especially, have become staples at Knicks games during recent postseason runs and their current sprint to the NBA Finals â which has been fueled by 12 consecutive wins entering Game 2 in San Antonio.
Former Spurs point guard Chris Paul and big man David Robinson were also in attendance.
The Knicks nearly blew a late lead in the fourth quarter, but held on to take Game 2 in a thriller. Plenty of more A-listers should be on hand when the series shifts to Madison Square Garden for the Knicksâ first NBA Finals home game since 1999.
CLEVELAND, OH - JUNE 08: Kevin Durant #35 and Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors celebrate after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers during Game Four of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena on June 8, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Warriors defeated the Cavaliers 108-85 to win the 2018 NBA Finals. 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 Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On June 8, 2018 â almost eight years ago to the day â the buzzer rang at Quicken Loans Arena. By that point, the stars of the game were all on the sidelines, getting ready for what would come next. Nearly three minutes of action had eclipsed since Steve Kerr sent Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Kevin Durant, and Andre Iguodala to the bench, replacing them with Nick Young, Pat McCaw, Jordan Bell, Kevon Looney, and Zaza Pachulia. More than four minutes had passed since Ty Lue had pulled LeBron James off the court following his final stint as a Cleveland Cavalier.
The garbage time minute eaters battled it out until the buzzer sounded, concluding a dominant 108-85 win for the Warriors, and an even more dominant sweep in the NBA Finals.
Golden State was on top of the world, having won their third championship in four seasons and, most impressively, their second in a row.
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.
It felt like something changed when the Oklahoma City Thunder won it all in 2025, and then opened this season by winning 24 of their first 25 games. For the first time since those world-beating Golden State teams, the NBA had a the potential for a dynasty. The Thunder were young, elite on both sides of the court, had immeasurable chemistry, were loaded with stars who played their role, and, in perhaps the most apt comparison to the Dubs, had a magical point guard who was winning MVPs and laying a solid argument for the claim of best player on the planet.
After those first 25 games of the 2025-26 season, many started anointing the dynasty in Oklahoma. The conversation shifted away from if the Thunder could repeat, and into whether or not they would break Golden Stateâs single-season record of 73 wins along the way. It was morbidly humorous that everyone crowning the Thunder before the calendar flipped to 2026 apparently forgot what happened to the Dubs in that famous and infamous season one decade ago.
Ultimately, Oklahoma City suffered a similar fate. Just as the Warriors did in 2016, the Thunder dealt with injuries to a few key players, and lost in a Game 7 to one of the most unique, talented, and athletically alarming players in NBA history.
And so we get a new champion. As I write this, the San Antonio Spurs are in the midst of an attempt to even up the NBA Finals against the New York Knicks, who stole Game 1 on Wednesday. We donât know who will win the series, but we do know that it will give the league remarkable parity: eight different champions over the last eight years, with only three teams (the Warriors, Celtics, and Miami Heat), even making multiple Finals appearances during that time.
That means weâll have to wait until 2027, at the very earliest, to see the first repeat champion since the Warriors in 2018.
Repeat champions are, it goes without saying, special. And they are a singular entity that go down in basketball lore. The teams who have repeated since 1990 are teams that every basketball fan can identify in seconds: Curry and Durantâs Warriors; the Heatles; Kobeâs last push with Pau; Kobe and Shaqâs threepeat; Jordanâs pair of threepeats; and Hakeemâs pair while MJ was tightening his batting gloves.
It will happen again in the NBA, and maybe even soon. The Thunder with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Spurs with Victor Wembanyama both look prepared to play at the highest level for the better part of the next decade. But then again, they do exactly as they did this year: play each other so well, that each side keeps the other from ever truly dominating. I expect both of those teams to win championships in the next few years, and probably even multiple. But will they achieve NBA history with the hardest thing in sports, a repeat? Will the Knicks, or anyone else?
That will be a storyline heading into next season, and probably into the next season as well. The Warriors may no longer be championship favorites, and their dynasty may be snuggly closed, but for a while longer they get to hold onto a title that certainly means something to those in the league: theyâre the last team to repeat as champions.
New York, which withstood a late charge from San Antonio, stunned the Spurs on their own home, 105-104, on a free throw by Jalen Brunson with 9.5 seconds left to play to win the game.
Brunson got to the line on a bad pass from Victor Wembanyama in the final seconds of the game, as the Spurs were trying to get up the floor on a defensive rebound. Wembanyama tossed a pass ahead, but Stephon Castle wasnât looking, so the ball bounced off his back, allowing Brunson to scoop it up. Wembanyama then fouled Brunson, putting him on the line.
Later on, the Spurs had the chance to win the game, but Wembanyamaâs would-be game-winning jumpshot rimmed out.
So now, with Madison Square Garden set to host the the next two games, the Knicks are just a pair of wins away from a sweep and from claiming their first NBA championship in 53 years.
New York has won 13 consecutive playoff games, including eight consecutive on the road.
Here are live takeaways from Game 2 of the 2026 NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs:
Just like he was in Game 1, Karl-Anthony Towns lifted the Knicks on both ends of the floor. And with the Knicks now carrying their 2-0 lead, his dominance over Wembanyama across stretches has New York close to erasing its 53-year title drought.
His offense has been stellar. Towns led the Knicks with 21 points â 17 of which came in the first half â on 8-of-12 shooting, adding 13 rebounds and 4 assists.
Towns stretched the floor, opening up the space for his teammates to attack.
But itâs his defense that is going to get the Knicks their first title in 53 seasons â as long as New York keeps this up.
Towns has been dominant on Wembanyama, using his size and strength to body Wembanyama and make him feel Townsâ presence. In the first half, Wembanyama played timidly, apparently perplexed about how to break through Townsâ physicality. Frankly, itâs determining the outcome of the series.
At the half, Wembanyama had just 7 points on only 4 shot attempts. Wembanyama did drop 22 in the second half, but the early struggles put San Antonio in a hole.
And while Mitchell Robinson also had massive defensive possessions against Wembanyama late in the game, Towns is the reason Wembanyama looked lost early in the game.
KAT IS HOOPIN' IN GAME 2 đ„
17 PTS (6-8 FGM) 7 REB 3 AST 3 3PM
After trailing by as many as 12, the Knicks have a 4-point lead at the break! pic.twitter.com/nJMKAS0nk8
At the half, after the Knicks had made several runs, Wembanyama had taken just four shot attempts. New York, of course, deserves credit for showing bodies any time Wembanyama touched the ball, but his response, mostly, was to drift around the perimeter.
He tried to drive and create opportunities for his teammates, but that led to two turnovers. During one of those, late in the second quarter, Devin Vassell passed him the ball on the right wing. Almost immediately after he saw the Knicks defense approaching, Wembanyama tried to dump the ball back to Vassell, who had started to relocate. The ball skipped out of bounds.
In short: Wembanyama was just out of rhythm in the first half.
Itâs often difficult, when opponents are game planning for a single player, for that person to find the balance between taking a steady diet of shots but not forcing them.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson will also need to find ways to manufacture easier offense for Wembanyama, because having him standing around, watching other players operate will make it difficult for the Spurs to win.
Wembanyama did pick it up in the third quarter, taking 8 shot attempts and scoring 12 points in the period, but the slow start put San Antonio in a position where they need to play from behind.
Not only is he one of the toughest defenders in the NBA with his length and shiftiness, but Bridges has been on a generational heater this postseason â at least after he struggled early in the first round.
Bridges entered the fourth quarter 8-of-9 â having made eight consecutive shots â and finished the game with 20 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 1 steal. He hit his first 4 3-pointers of the game and hit timely basket after timely basket.
Having another potent scorer on the floor mitigated the tough shooting night from Jalen Brunson, who shot just 7-of-25 from the floor.
The natural response was always going to be for San Antonio to play with a different level of urgency in Game 2. The Spurs, from the very first seconds of the game, played with a level of force and physicality they didnât have two nights ago.
For one, San Antonioâs speedy and aggressive guards DeâAaron Fox and Stephon Castle picked up full-court pressure on made baskets. Once the ball crossed half court, the Spurs also stayed in front of New Yorkâs players with lateral quickness.
Then, once the Knicks tried to foray into the paint, Spurs defenders collapsed to show bodies and clog the area.
The Knicks opened the game shooting just 6-of-17 (35.3%) from the field and New York scored just 2 points in the paint in the first 7:44 of the game.
In Game 1, San Antonio backed down from New Yorkâs physical defense and settled for jumpers. In the first quarter of Game 2, the Spurs spammed attacks in the paint to space the floor, setting up sprays to perimeter or high-percentage looks near the rim.
This is San Antonioâs recipe for success. The Spurs led in points in the paint in the first quarter by a 18-8 margin.
The Spurs shot a blistering 65% from the field in the first.
For Game 2, there is a mix of style statements. It's hard to beat the iconic habit that the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco will be wearing to cheer on the Spurs. But we have suits and sweats, a statement jacket and some shorts that are simply happy.
The Knicks are back in the Finals for the first time since 1999. This year's championship is a rematch of that series, which the Spurs won. Sports media didn't embrace fashion like we do now, so fans don't have a record of who won the fashion in that series, but we are here to make sure we have a winner of this one.
Here is the NBA Finals Game 2 Fit Check:
7. Jeremy Sochan - New York Knicks
Starting us off is Jeremy Sochan. He wanted to be free and wore this breezy black V-neck button-up without a shirt. The tan shorts are a little wrinkly, but with the snappy patent dress shoes, we appreciate the effort to be different.
Jeremy Sochan gets an A for effort and daring to be different for his Game 2 fit.
Mikal Bridges kept it clean and we have no notes. He went with an easy chore jacket in a really pretty cornflower blue color. It's from JW Anderson's collab with Guinness. The Knicks guard isn't Irish like the two brands, but with some well-fitting cream cargo pants and white Air Force 1s, he wears it well.
5. Stephon Castle - San Antonio Spurs
If we told you Stephon Castle wore a graphic tee and sweats for Game 2, you would probably ask what's the big deal? The key here is color coordination. The Spurs guard perfectly matched the details of his Harley-Davidson t-shirt to the blue color of his sweatpants and we love it.
Stephon Castle showing how color coordination can really elevate a simple graphic tee and sweats.
After turning heads with the perfect amount of glitz for Game 1, Jordan Clarkson delivered again for Game 2. The Knicks guard wore a custom Who Decides War jacket repping his team with orange and black color blocking and a studded collar. The sleeves of the jacket have the brand's signature stained glass design and the back features a silhouette of the Statue of Liberty. He let the jacket be the statement piece with long leather shorts and black boots.
3. Bismack Biyombo - San Antonio Spurs
Bismack Biyombo has been quietly killing the suit game. He JUST missed out on the Game 1 fit check because you have to draw the line somewhere, right? But this luxe satin forest green suit he wore for Game 2 HAD to be included. It fits well, the brown tie and pocket kerchief ground the look and the single-breasted jacket keeps it cool.
Bismack Biyombo has been dominating the suit game and this luxe green one for Game 2 is beautiful.
Devin Vassell's look was all about the details. The Spurs guard was straight heat in a white suit that was just enough oversized. The burnout texture at the bottom of the jacket and pants also kept this far from boring. The pops of color with the key lime Louis Vuitton duffel, little flower brooch and gemstone rosary necklace make this outfit a must-see.
Devin Vassellâs look for Game 2 of the NBA Finals is all about details. The pops of color are perfect.
Karl-Anthony Towns looked effortless, which is the best way to be. He wore an oversized white button-up with a single chain around the collar. The statement piece was a pair of excellent oversized shorts from Joshua Samuels. The London-based brand specializes in upcycling and plants a tree with every order. The flowers are the perfect proportion on the shorts and just make us happy. What more could you want?
Linsanity is returning to The Garden for Games 3 and 4 of the NBA Finals.
Former Knicks guard Jeremy Lin, who set the city ablaze in Feb. 2012 as an undrafted rookie out of Harvard, has only been back at Madison Square Garden as an opposing player after his unceremonious departure from the team â until now.
Lin told The Post in an exclusive interview that he has accepted an invitation from the team to return as a spectator for Games 3 and 4.
Jeremy Lin will be returning to MSG as a fan for the first time. Anthony J. Causi
âI will be going back as a spectator for the first time ever,â Lin said. âAfter leaving the Knicks, I did play against the Knicks multiple times, but I have never been back to The Garden as a spectator. This will be my first time in 14 years back at The Garden, not as an opposing player. I canât wait. I really genuinely canât wait for Game 3 and 4.â
Lim had a somewhat contentious split from the Knicks. He electrified the Garden for a month in 2012, becoming an instant fan favorite while shooting from anonymous bench player to stardom.
His star fizzled out upon the return of Carmelo Anthony from injury and he signed a deal with the Rockets in the offseason â the terms of which made it difficult for the Knicks to match in restricted free agency.
âA big shoutout to the Knicks, they have been really adamant and consistent about trying to get me to go back to a game,â Lin said. âIâve always had the desire. Itâs not that I didnât want to, I was just always still playing. ⊠I wonât be courtside but I will be in the first two rows.â
When asked about the potential crowd pop he gets from the Knicks faithful, he added that he has âno expectationsâ of cheers or applause â or even being shown on the Jumbotron.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JUNE 3: Josh Hart #3 of the New York Knicks drives to the basket during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Game One of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 3, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE(Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Where: Frost Bank Center (San Antonio, TX)
When: Friday, June 5 at 8:30 PM EST
How to watch: ABC
Betting Line: SA -6.5 (subject to change), O/U 214.5 (subject to change) via FanDuel
The NBA community awaits a decision on whether LeBron James plans to return for a 24th season in the league.
The 41-year-old star had stated on his âMind the Gameâ podcast that he would contemplate a decision, but nothing would come before he spent time with family over Memorial Day weekend.
âObviously, I understand that Iâm a free agent and I can control my own destiny ... but like, I havenât even really got to that point,â James said in mid-May. âI havenât even taken my family vacation yet. ⊠Thatâs kind of the thing at the forefront of my mind.â
Memorial Day weekend has come and gone, but things have remained fairly quiet publicly. A decision from James will be crucial to how the Lakers (and other teams) then approach free agency.
Charles Barkley was asked about Jamesâ future when appearing on ESPNâs âGet Upâ on Friday, June 5.
âLeBron only has one play and thatâs to go back to Cleveland,â Barkley said. âThatâs his only smart and logical choice.â
Barkley believes that James shouldâve never left Cleveland after the 2017-18 season.
âTheyâll probably be the favorites in the East or in that conversation,â Barkley said. â... It doesnât do him any good to stay in L.A. Because No. 1, they arenât going to be competitive in the West, and also it's time for the Lakers to turn the team over to (Luka Doncic).â
The Lakers were swept 4-0 by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals. James showed a glimpse of his younger self during the postseason, but it wasnât going to be enough without Doncic.
âThey are not going to be competitive,â Barkley said. â... If (James) stays in L.A., he is doing it for off-the-court reasons.
âIf he goes to any other teams, it would just be like him trying to win championships to catch Michael Jordan. It wouldnât make sense. ⊠He canât catch Michael Jordan as a mercenary in my opinion.â
James has won four NBA championships during his career, bringing at least one to every team he's played for (Miami in 2012 and 2013; Cleveland in 2016; Los Angeles in 2020).
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - JUNE 03: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks and Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs get tangled up during the third quarter in Game One of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 03, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It is still surreal to see Finals in the headline of these articles.
Tonight, the Knicks face the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center in Game Two of the NBA Finals. Our heroes lead the series after rallying from 14 down to win on Wednesday. Perhaps you heard? Now they can bring a 2-0 lead back to Madison Square Garden. Jalen Brunson is expected to play after a knee/ankle scare. The Spurs are favored at home, with oddsmakers predicting Victor Wembanyama to bounce back from a meh Game One performance.
Tip-off is 8:30 pm EST on ABC. This is your game thread. This is Pounding the Rock. Please donât post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Enjoy yourselves while treating each other with respect. And go Knicks!
According to the NCAA, the four athletes â Amarr Knox, Shawn Fulcher, Corey Hines and Tony Madlock â accepted and were paid a total of $2,000 (or $500 per player) from two bettors to partake in game manipulation in the Hornetsâ Dec. 5, 2024 matchup against Southern Miss. Alabama State lost, 81-64, in a game in which they were a six-point underdog.
Knox, Hines and Matlock were the Hornetsâ top three scorers that season, with each player averaging at least 12.5 points per game.
That squad ultimately advanced to the 2025 NCAA Tournament, where it earned the first March Madness victory in program history in a 70-68 win against Saint Francis in a play-in game. Knox scored the winning basket in that game with a layup with one second remaining.
None of the four former Alabama State athletes played during the 2025-26 season.
The NCAA said its enforcement staff had been notified by Temple in July 2025 that Hines, who had transferred there from Alabama State after the 2024-25 season, was contacted by the FBI and shown text messages concerning a sports integrity issue from his time with the Hornets.
The two bettors were indicted in January by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on wire fraud and bribery charges related to sports contests. Knox told NCAA investigators that Fulcher had put other teammates in a group chat in December 2024 with one of the bettors, who offered them money to throw the game against Southern Miss the next night.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JUNE 3: (EDITORS NOTE: This image has been converted to black and white) Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs high fives teammates during the game against the New York Knicks during Game One of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 3, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE(Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, donât troll and donât swear too much. The rule against trolling also applies to members of this site that visit other fan sites.
The Knicks are on a historic run in the playoffs, having won 12 in a row culminating in a Finals Game 1 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on the road, where they outscored the home team 29-19 in the fourth quarter and outscored the Silver and Black 11-0 in the last 1:57. Both teams shot poorly for the game, but the Knicks took control late. A critical hustle play by Brunson to tap the ball to Bridges started the final Knicks push, and the Spurs couldnât answer, missing 3 shots and turning the ball over twice in the final two minutes.
Even though the Knicks didnât have the best shooting night, they excelled in a lot of other areas. Karl-Anthony Towns didnât commit his usual complement of head-scratcher fouls, and was the best version of himself as he hustled to every loose ball and made the right pass every time he was double teamed. Anunoby made key plays in the fourth quarter, and Josh Hart hustled his ass off. The Spurs are going to have to play better tonight and not have the extended lapses of Game 1 to even up the series tonight. The alternative to that is bad.
In this yearâs playoffs, the Spur have been resilient, following up a close loss to the Timberwolves in Game 1 in the series with a 133-95 blowout in Game 2. San Antonio also lost their first home game in the Thunder series, and responded by holding the Thunder to a season-low 82 point output in Game 4. Tonightâs game is an almost must-win scenario, because if the Knicks return home with a 2-0 series lead, the Madison Square Garden fans will be feeling entitled to see the the Orange and Blue pull off their third sweep in a row. No team has won the NBA Finals after losing Game 1 and Game 2 at home1, although it has happened a few times in the earlier rounds. The Spurs have to avoid that situation with a win tonight.
Both Victor Wembanyama and DeâAaron Fox had below average games on Wednesday, and the Spurs have to find ways to open up their games without forcing the ball to them. Julian Champagnie was great scoring in the first half of the opening game, and contributed by rebounding and defending in the second half. Dylan Harper was the best player for the Spurs on Wednesday night, but he wasnât on the court during crunch time, which could change in tonightâs game, Mitch willing. GO SPURS GO!!
The road team losing the first two games and coming back to win the series isnât unprecedented, most recently the Bucks did it in the 2020-2021 season, defeating the Suns. Bill Walton and the Blazers also did in their 76-77 championship season.
Game Prediction:
Jeremy Sochan gets his first minutes in the NBA Finals and has two shots blocked by his former teammates.
San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks, NBA Finals, Game 2 June 5, 2026 | 7:30 PM CT Streaming: ESPN TV: ABC Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
NBA investigator interviews have begun for Los Angeles Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard and his uncle and business adviser, Dennis Robertson, per ESPN.
Leonard, Robertson, and Clippers owner Steve Ballmer are under investigation after a series of podcasts from the show âPablo Torre Finds Outâ revealed Ballmerâs company, Aspiration, was accused of receiving a $50 million investment from his personal LLC in September, 2021.
Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and star Kawhi Leonard have been interviewed for their roles in the Clippers-Aspiration scandal currently being investigated. NBAE via Getty Images Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and star Kawhi Leonard have been interviewed for their roles in the Clippers-Aspiration scandal currently being investigated. NBAE via Getty Images
Shortly after the investment was made, Leonard and Aspiration agreed to an endorsement deal of $28 million. Torre recently revealed on Friday that in March of 2023, Ballmer invested another $10 million, which suggests these investments have been recurring.
According to the article by ESPN, the interview process has been lengthy. Ballmer and other Clippers executives have also sat in for interviews by the NBAâs private investigation team.
Before game 1 of the NBA Finals, this past Wednesday, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said that the investigation was far along and that he thinks theyâre getting close to putting an end to it.
âThe investigation is being conducted by a law firm independent of the NBA,â Silver said before Game 1. âI mean, yes, ultimately we are paying their bills, but they are doing the work independent of the league office. My instruction to them is we canât be investigating forever, and at some point, we have to wrap it up, but at the same time, I think the most important thing is we get it right.â
Silver has not given a timeline for when the investigation will be finished, but did say the Clippers need âto understand what situation they are going to be operating under, and so do the other 29 teams.â
The federal prosecutor who launched the DOJâs investigation into Aspiration renders his verdict on the Kawhi Leonard scandal:
âItâs very hard to imagine a scenario where rational actors would take these routes, but for the sake of this outcome. And that would be salary-cap⊠pic.twitter.com/KTWhsBTawZ
â Pablo Torre Finds Out (@pablofindsout) June 5, 2026
Since the allegations were made public, Ballmer and the Clippers have denied them and have remained adamant that there is no evidence supporting them.
In the article, ESPN says they have spoken to people in and close to the NBA about potential outcomes from the investigation, and that the NBA could receive some pushback from the National Basketball Players Association or from the other 29 owners.
