Category: Basketball

An Indiana Pacers fan has been charged with stabbing two supporters of the New York Knicks on the night of their teams’ playoff series.

According to court documents, 24-year-old Jarrett Funke of Hamilton county in Indiana, was charged with battery by means of a deadly weapon, battery resulting in serious bodily injury, and criminal recklessness committed with a deadly weapon.

Officers were called to a brewery in Carmel, Indiana, on the evening of 23 May, when the local NBA team, the Pacers, were playing the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The Pacers beat the Knicks to take a 2-0 lead in the series.

Funke is said to have knocked the Knicks cap off one of the alleged victims. After Funke was removed from the premises, he is said to have returned and confronted the two alleged victims. One of the men who was stabbed said he showed a knife to Funke but did not intend to use it and put it back in his pocket. An altercation ensued during which Funke allegedly stabbed the two Knicks fans. Court documents said one of the fans had a wound to his back, and the other a laceration on one of his legs.

Funke claims the Knicks fans were “talking shit” and punched and shoved him, before he swung his knife in self-defence. According to court documents, several witnesses say Funke was the aggressor in the situation.

Funke was scheduled to appear at a hearing in Hamilton county on Tuesday afternoon.

The incident is not the first involving friction between Pacers and Knicks fans during the playoffs. A Pacers fan was pelted with garbage near Madison Square Garden after the Knicks’ victory over the Boston Celtics in the previous round.

MINNEAPOLIS –Isaiah Hartenstein is one win away from the NBA Finals. The Knicks have a chance to make their first NBA Finals in 25 years. Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo have helped Minnesota reach the Western Conference finals for the second straight season.

“It’s funny when you see all three teams, I think for everyone it was a win-win,” Hartenstein told SNY from the visitor’s locker room at the Target Center late Monday night. “…. Then you see Obi (Toppin) with Indiana. I think it’s bittersweet for everybody.”

With the Thunder up 3-1 in the Conference Finals, Hartenstein didn’t want to look ahead to a potential Finals matchup with the Knicks.

But he still believes New York had a chance to do something special last season – if healthy. 

“I think we got unlucky that (OG Anunoby) got hurt," Hartenstein said. "I think we had a chance last year if we had the same team … don’t want to live in the hypothetical, but I felt like when we were all together, we were a really good team.”

Hartenstein is on another really good team at the moment. The Thunder are the favorite to win the title this season, regardless of who they face. The Thunder have been dominant all year long behind incredible depth, two-way talent, and MVP play from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. 

This is exactly what Hartenstein was looking for when he signed with the Thunder in free agency last summer.

He inked a three-year, $87 million deal with Oklahoma City in free agency. Due to CBA rules, the Knicks were limited in what they could offer Hartenstein. They could offer him a four-year, $72 million contract. But the $72 million total includes several incentives. So the guaranteed money is under $65 million. If you factor in state taxes, Hartenstein had more guaranteed money in two years of his Thunder contract than the four-year Knicks offer. 

“What a lot of people don’t get in our space is that it’s a business at the end of the day. Everyone gets kind of mad when you make a decision for yourself. But at the end of the day, you can get traded,” Hartenstein said. “There’s been so many examples of guys taking less money and they get traded to the team that was going to pay them more.”

Hartenstein still hears some hate from Knicks fans who are upset that he left.

“I get a little bit (of hate), but I still love them,” Hartenstein said.

(As an aside: If you would turn down the money Hartenstein was offered, more power to you. I think nearly everyone would have done what Hartenstein did.)

Hartenstein’s departure and Mitchell Robinson’s injury motivated the Knicks to trade for Karl-Anthony Towns. The club also re-signed Anunoby and traded for Mikal Bridges. All three players have been pivotal to the Knicks’ success in the playoffs.

“(Team president) Leon (Rose) did a great job adjusting,” Hartenstein said.

Like all NBA fans, Hartenstein has been watching the Knicks during their run. He’s happy for his old team, happy to see Robinson back on the floor and playing at a high level. He doesn’t want to look ahead to a possible Knicks-Thunder Finals. But he’s impressed by what he’s seen from New York.

“For Leon (Rose), how he adjusted, how he built that up, for them now to be in the Conference Finals," Hartenstein said, "who would have thought that when he took over?”

What Kerr blames for Steph's playoffs-altering hamstring injury originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors coach Steve Kerr knows who to blame for Golden State superstar Steph Curry’s series-altering Grade 1 hamstring strain suffered in Game 1 of the NBA’s Western Conference semifinals. 

And as others have noted, Kerr is also of the opinion that the NBA’s congested playoff schedule is at fault for the star’s four-game absence, which severely obstructed the Warriors’ chances of advancing to the Western Conference Finals.

Despite a lack of rest between playoffs jeopardizing Curry’s health, Kerr doesn’t expect the league to give players the priority over profits.

“I think all the complaints of the wear and tear, and the scheduling, are all valid,” Kerr told Yahoo! Sports’ Tom Haberstroh in his latest feature story. “But they all fall on deaf ears because of the dollar sign.

“I don’t think the league’s constituents are willing to give up any money, that’s the problem. But we all know this is not healthy or sustainable if you want guys to survive out there and not have injuries.”

Prior to his injury in the second quarter of Game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Curry played 42 minutes in Game 6 and 46 minutes in Game 7 of their previous series against the Houston Rockets. With travel in between, the 37-year-old played three games in five days.

Haberstroh detailed a conversation between Kerr and the Warriors’ director of sports medicine and performance, Rick Celebrini, on why Curry had suffered his first hamstring strain in his 16-year career.

“Do you think Steph pulling his hamstring has anything to do with playing 48 hours after logging 46 minutes of Game 7 in Houston?” Kerr asked Celebrini.

“One hundred percent,” Celebrini told him. “If he had an extra day or two … we can’t prove this, but I have no doubt based on our understanding of the scientific literature that the hamstring injury was the result of inadequate recovery and fatigue.”

Similar to Kerr, Denver Nuggets star Aaron Gordon recently cited Curry in his plea for the league to offer players more rest in between playoff games. 

Gordon, with a similar congested playoff schedule under his belt, played through a Grade 2 hamstring strain during do-or-die Western Conference semifinals Game 7.

“I think everybody could [benefit],” Gordon told reporters  before mentioning other derailing injuries to Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum and the Milwaukee Bucks’ Damian Lillard. “You saw it around the league: Steph with a hamstring, JT, Dame.

“There are guys all around the league suffering fatigue-based injuries because the games are just so closely stacked together. It would just be nice for one or two more rest days throughout the postseason, just so we can come back fresh and compete.” 

In a league known for its increasing parity and physicality, surely a rise in games isn’t the best for player health.

In efforts to protect once-in-a-lifetime stars like Curry, Kerr acknowledges everyone is going to have to work together on a solution.

“We’ve got to try something,” Kerr told Haberstroh. “It’s going to take representatives from the players’ association, the coaches association, the owners, the league and the TV partners to actually acknowledge all of this.”

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Mavs expected to explore possible Holiday trade with Celtics: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

If the Boston Celtics want to get out of salary cap jail and dip under the second apron of the luxury tax, they’ll need to shed at least $20 million in salary this offseason. That would require trading a core rotation player — and Jrue Holiday is among the potential options.

While Holiday provides excellent shooting, rock-solid defense and valuable veteran leadership, he’s set to make $32.4 million next season on the second year of a four-year, $134.4 million contract. If the Celtics find a willing trade partner for the 34-year-old, they could save a significant amount against the cap while handing a bigger role to reigning Sixth Man of the Year Payton Pritchard.

And it sounds like there’s at least one team interested in Holiday’s services.

As longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein wrote Monday, the Dallas Mavericks are “expected to at least explore whether there are any feasible trade pathways” to acquiring Holiday, “complicated as that would likely be given the three years and $104 million still left on Holiday’s contract.”

Stein noted that Charlotte Hornets point guard Lonzo Ball would be a “far more reasonable” trade target for Dallas. But Mavs general manager Nico Harrison just traded a generational talent (Luka Doncic) on the basis that “defense wins championships,” so you’d have to think he’d have a strong affinity for Holiday, a two-time NBA champion and six-time NBA All-Defense selection.

What might a Holiday deal look like?

Our Celtics Insider Chris Forsberg proposed one scenario Tuesday in which the Mavs trade Daniel Gafford ($14.4 million salary for 2025-26) and P.J. Washington ($14.2 million) to match salaries, and a third team gets involved to take on Washington’s contract.

“Boston could retain Gafford to stabilize an uncertain frontcourt, while a team with options to absorb salary (perhaps Brooklyn with its cap space or Atlanta with its large trade exceptions) might take on Washington and other filler in exchange for draft assets from both Dallas and Boston,” Forsberg wrote.

The Mavs already have two big men ahead of Gafford in Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II, while Dallas’ expected addition of projected No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg makes Washington more expendable. Holiday would give the Mavs a ball-stopping guard to complement the offensive-minded Kyrie Irving and certainly would fit into Harrison’s defense-first vision.

Losing Holiday undoubtedly would sting for the Celtics. But with Jayson Tatum expected to miss most or all of the 2025-26 season due to a ruptured Achilles tendon, now is a good time for Boston to pursue a “mini reset” by cutting costs while still being positioned to compete for a title in 2026-27.

Celtics player spotlight: How will Pritchard's role evolve after stellar season? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Celtics’ 2024-25 season ultimately ended in disappointment with a playoff defeat to the New York Knicks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. But it was a season to remember for Payton Pritchard.

The 27-year-old guard raised his performance and became an integral part of the team’s success on a nightly basis. After setting career highs in many different stat categories, Pritchard was named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year, becoming the fourth player in team history to receive that honor.

What role will Pritchard play next season?

Let’s take a look at Pritchard’s 2024-25 campaign and analyze how he fits into the Celtics’ lineup going into 2025-26.

2024-25 Season Recap

Pritchard had his best season as a pro in 2024-25. He set career highs in the following categories:

• Minutes: 28.4 per game
• Points: 14.3 per game
• Rebounds: 3.8 per game
• Assists: 3.5 per game
• Steals: 0.9 per game
• Field goal percentage: 47.2 percent

Pritchard also shot 40.7 percent from 3-point range, which ranked third on the Celtics. He has shot 40-plus percent from beyond the arc in three of his five seasons with the C’s, and he has improved his 3-point percentage each of the last two seasons.

The fact that Pritchard shot 40.7 percent on a career-high 7.8 3-point attempts per game was encouraging for the Celtics.

Despite his lack of size at 6-foot-1, Pritchard also was the second-most efficient guard scoring at the rim this season (among the 105 guards with 100-plus shot attempts at the rim).

Pritchard was a little less effective offensively in the playoffs (11.9 points per game), but he did score in double figures in eight of Boston’s 11 postseason games. During the East semifinals versus the Knicks, the only two matchups the Celtics won — Game 3 and Game 5 — were the games in which Pritchard played his most minutes of the series.

Overall, Pritchard did a great job providing instant offense off the bench. He can hit 3-pointers, he can drive to the basket and finish over taller defenders, he isn’t a huge liability on defense and he crashes the glass as well as any player his size.

Pritchard has developed into a true difference-maker.

Contract details

Pritchard just completed the first year of a four-year, $30 million extension that expires after the 2027-28 season. His average yearly salary is just $7.5 million and his salary cap hit for 2025-26 is only $7.23 million, per Spotrac.

This is one of the most team-friendly contracts in the league. Pritchard provides enormous value for a player making less than $8 mllion annually. As a result, it would make little sense for a team like the Celtics to entertain trade offers for Pritchard.

A very productive player on a team-friendly deal is ideal for a second apron team such as Boston.

Potential roles for 2025-26

Scenario 1: Pritchard starts if Jrue Holiday or Derrick White are traded

Pritchard has played in 347 games over five seasons for the Celtics, but he has started only 17 of them. This past season, he started just three of the 80 games he played.

Pritchard might have to start next season depending on what moves the Celtics make this summer. The C’s could look to shed salary and get under the second apron. If the Celtics traded Jrue Holiday, for example, that would open up more minutes and potentially a starting guard role for Pritchard.

The C’s have a lot of depth in the backcourt, so if they had to move someone for salary reasons, it would make sense to trade a guard.

It’s a small sample size of just 17 games, but Pritchard has performed well as a starter in his career. He’s averaged 34 minutes, 17.2 points, 6.4 assists and 5.1 rebounds while shooting 38 percent from 3-point range in those matchups as a starter.

Scenario 2: Pritchard remains in sixth man role

If the Celtics don’t trade one of their starting guards, or if the team just decides Pritchard is most effective off the bench, then it would make sense to keep him in a sixth man role. You don’t have to start to be a very important player or be part of the closing lineup.

Pritchard has proven he can play at a high level either as a starter or bench player, which gives head coach Joe Mazzulla valuable flexibility when configuring his lineups.

Final thoughts

Whether he’s a starter or sixth man next season, the Celtics will need Pritchard to reach another level offensively with Jayson Tatum potentially missing most or all of the regular season due to an Achilles injury.

Tatum led the Celtics with 26.8 points per game this past season. That’s a lot of scoring to lose, and even though replacing that production will certainly be a team-wide effort, Pritchard could play a key role in filling it.

Pritchard’s field goal and 3-point percentages were at or near career-high levels this past season, even though his shot volume was way up. This bodes well for Pritchard’s ability to remain an efficient scorer if his usage rate increases again in 2025-26.

Watch magician hilariously prank, terrify Warriors star Butler originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Jimmy Butler’s famous “Playoff Jimmy” alter ego didn’t shine in full form for the Warriors during the 2025 NBA playoffs, but “Off-Season Jimmy” has been front and center ever since Golden State was eliminated.

On Monday, a video of a vacationing Butler went viral after he was pranked with a card magic trick that turned into a snake scare by Colombian artist J Balvin. 

Butler, who did suffer a pelvic contusion after falling hard on his rear during Golden State’s first-round series against the Houston Rockets, fell on his butt once again — but he seemed to be OK this time around, leaving everyone around him crying laughing.

Butler’s immediate reaction was priceless, as he fell out of his chair.

“Get that snake away from me, dog,” Butler exclaimed to Balvin. “I swear to God, I’ll fight. I swear to God — I don’t play with snakes.”

And Balvin had fun with Butler’s off-guard fear.

“That was a good one, eh?” Balvin sarcastically asked Butler, to which the Warrior replied, “No, it’s not.”

Butler seems to be having a — mostly — good time during the offseason leading up to the 2025-26 NBA season. The trade-off, though, is that he’ll likely never trust someone trying a magic trick on him ever again, let alone something involving a box of cards.

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Watch magician hilariously prank, terrify Warriors star Butler originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Jimmy Butler’s famous “Playoff Jimmy” alter ego didn’t shine in full form for the Warriors during the 2025 NBA playoffs, but “Off-Season Jimmy” has been front and center ever since Golden State was eliminated.

On Monday, a video of a vacationing Butler went viral after he was pranked with a card magic trick that turned into a snake scare by Colombian artist J Balvin. 

Butler, who did suffer a pelvic contusion after falling hard on his rear during Golden State’s first-round series against the Houston Rockets, fell on his butt once again — but he seemed to be OK this time around, leaving everyone around him crying laughing.

Butler’s immediate reaction was priceless, as he fell out of his chair.

“Get that snake away from me, dog,” Butler exclaimed to Balvin. “I swear to God, I’ll fight. I swear to God — I don’t play with snakes.”

And Balvin had fun with Butler’s off-guard fear.

“That was a good one, eh?” Balvin sarcastically asked Butler, to which the Warrior replied, “No, it’s not.”

Butler seems to be having a — mostly — good time during the offseason leading up to the 2025-26 NBA season. The trade-off, though, is that he’ll likely never trust someone trying a magic trick on him ever again, let alone something involving a box of cards.

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Why Shams believes 2025 NBA offseason could be ‘craziest' ever originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

If you thought the 2025 NBA trade deadline was wild, just wait and see what could happen this summer.

With just over one month remaining until the NBA’s June 30 free agency tampering window opens, teams like the Warriors and Kings are watching the remainder of the playoffs from home as they gear up for a busy offseason.

ESPN’s Shams Charania appeared on Tuesday’s episode of “The Pat McAfee Show,” where he was asked if he anticipates an active free agency this summer.

“Pat, this is the most, I think, anticipation team executives have had over an offseason,” Charania said. “I think this is going to be the craziest offseason of all — I don’t want to say ‘all time’ — we just came off a trade deadline that was the craziest of all time.

“I think this offseason might be the most craziest ever because I think what you have right now is the parity of the league, is so thin right now, as far as the thin line of you can win a championship, or you might be falling into the lottery. I think the ability to go out there and improve your team and get there to a championship level, I think that’s on the minds of everyone around the league. So, how can you elevate your team?”

The Warriors were bounced from the playoffs after losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games during the Western Conference semifinals, while the Kings failed to make the playoffs after losing to the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Play-In Tournament.

Both Golden State and Sacramento will be busy re-tooling their rosters this offseason in an effort to prepare for deep playoff runs next season, and both teams could make significant moves this summer to do so.

Might the craziness Charania anticipates find its way to Northern California?