May 15, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) looks on again the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first half during game six of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
Since joining the NBA, the San Antonio Spurs have played in the Conference Finals fourteen times. For six of those, they advanced to the NBA Finals and have won five NBA championships.
Only four Conference Finals appearances took place before Gregg Popovich became head coach. Ten trips with Pop occurred between 1999 and 2017.
2017 was the last time the Spurs made the Western Conference Finals, and it was a pivotal turning point for the organization. In Game 1, Zaza Pachulia slid his foot under Kawhi Leonard, injuring him in a way that altered his career and sent the Spurs into a tailspin for a few years.
This year, the Spurs have been considered “ahead of schedule” by pundits, but as Stephon Castle pointed out last night after the Spurs dominant Game 6 close out in Minnesota, they knew they were ready.
If 2017 was the beginning of the pendulum swing for the storied franchise, this Western Conference Finals represents the Spurs on their upswing, considered to be a contender for years to come.
Their next challenge facing the Spurs is one of the most anticipated matchups of the year. Oklahoma City are the reigning NBA champs. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the reigning MVP and Finals MVP and was recently named this year’s Clutch Player of the Year. They just went through the Phoenix Suns in round one and the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Semifinals without a loss.
As Udonis Haslem stated in the postgame show, what happened in the regular season doesn’t matter now, the teams are 0-0, starting from scratch.
The Spurs will have to make adjustments. After being pushed around by the Timberwolves, Victor Wembanyama will face Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren in the paint, forcing him to alter his shot selection.
SGA is NBA royalty and gets to the line quite often. By comparison, Stephon Castle’s aggressive defense has gotten him into foul trouble throughout the playoffs.
When asked about the Spurs inexperience with postseason, Victor Wembanyama simply stated “heart matters more than anything.”
Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals takes place in Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night.
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It’s sad and stony-hearted that the Lakers should unload LeBron James, recoup resources, unload his albatross-like salary, and build a championship contender bolstered by Luka Doncic. Yes, James is still a top-15 player, but unable to lead an ill-balanced team to the NBA Finals.
The Lakers allowed sentimentality toward Kobe Bryant to distort their vision, signing Bryant to a two-year, $48.5-million extension. Bryant missed 39% of the games while the Lakers won 38 times in the two seasons. Abysmal.
The Lakers should use James' $52.6-million salary to sign long, athletic players who can drain threes with regularity.
James might make a great addition to a championship contending team like the Cleveland Cavaliers. Otherwise, thank him for his greatness as a Laker.
Marc D. Greenwood Opelika, Ala.
Some legendary athletes, like Jim Brown and Sandy Koufax, retired at the peak of their careers. Other greats, like Muhammad Ali, Johnny Unitas and Willie Mays, waited too long. Memo to LeBron James: Which camp will you choose?
Denny Freidenrich Laguna Beach
After reading Bill Plaschke's article about LeBron James — which closes with the line "Anywhere but here" — I have a better idea. Keep LeBron, get rid of Bill. Let him write anywhere but here.
Tom Irish Rancho Palos Verdes
Father Time is as undefeated just as Bill Plaschke is winless with predictions. Many before Bill have buried LeBron James, only to see him rise to the occasion once again and prove them wrong.
If this is in fact LeBron’s last go-round, it’s been epic! Thanks for the memories. If not, let’s see him alongside an injury-free Luka Doncic for a full run to next year’s championship!
Marty Zweben Palos Verdes Estates
Thunderous ending
With apologies to the Coen brothers, the Lakers' season can be titled "No Titles For Old Men." Save for the 2020 asterisk bubble title, the Lakers have not won a championship for nearly two decades. LeBron James is now a fancy hood ornament on a broken-down jalopy. The Lakers need a total rebuild, not just a tuneup.
Mark Roth Playa Vista
Game 4 was the best game Jaxson Hayes has ever played in a Lakers uniform. If he put forth that effort in every game he could be an NBA starter, and maybe an All-Star, despite the fact his offensive game is limited to lobs and put-backs. Luke Kennard and Rui Hachimura also had outstanding games.
LeBron James and Austin Reaves gave great efforts and had good games, but James missed a few too many shots and Reaves had a disastrous eight turnovers. The Lakers gave a heroic effort and with just a bit more luck they could have forced a Game 5.
Ray McKown Torrance
Sometimes a team like the Thunder just has your number, to the tune of 4-0 in the regular season and 4-0 in the postseason, and there is nothing you can do about it.
Vaughn Hardenberg Westwood
The Clippers traded for Paul George in a blockbuster deal with Oklahoma City, sending a massive haul including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, to finally build a championship roster, which it did — for the Thunder.
Steve Ross Carmel
True blue questions
I have questions regarding the Dodgers season so far: (1) How long can we continue to say, "It's still early?" (2) Are the Dodgers digging a hole too deep to get out of? (3) Is their slump real or manufactured behind a hidden agenda? (4) What happened in Philly after they fired their manager? They stopped losing and started winning.
I am a firm believer that players control or help influence their destiny.
Russell Morgan Carson
How to fix the Dodgers: (1) Call up power-hitting outfielder James Tibbs to see if he can produce at the major league level; (2) If you get a baserunner with no outs try bunting. It will put some pressure on the pitcher and get a man in scoring position; (3) Try the Tommy Lasorda trick by pulling the batting order out of a hat. It might wake up the bats.
Russell Hosaka Torrance
New addition
Congratulations on your recent hiring of sportswriter Maddie Lee. Her unique and enjoyable writing style is a welcome addition to the Dodgers' beat and to your sports section.
Richard Larson Huntington Beach
Fallen Angels
It's only six weeks into the season and the Angels already have the worst record in baseball. Combine that with the worst minor league system and worst owner and that makes them the winner of the MLB Losers Triple Crown. Sell the team, Arte!!
Mike Gamboa Buena Park
Built to last
General manager Pat Verbeek and coach Joel Quenneville have put together an exciting young Ducks team that should make deep runs in the playoffs for years to come. Compare them to the Kings, who are old, slow and quickly fading into mediocrity. Phil Anschutz needs to rebuild the entire organization, starting with firing Luc Robitaille. And if he’s not serious about putting together a championship team, he should sell it to someone like Mark Walter or Stan Kroenke, who know how to build winning organizations.
Doug Vikser Manhattan Beach
Sparking interest
Thank you for running a first page spread and photos about Kelsey Plum and the Sparks schedule and brief previews of the WNBA teams for this season! So great to also see Caitlin Clark back and healthy. Buy your tickets, the WNBA season is here! Go Sparks!
Joan C. Fingon Ventura
Kudos to Lisa Leslie for her statue outside the Crypt, but there is one glaring omission of those honored. Can someone please explain to me why Darryl Sutter, who did the impossible — bringing the Stanley Cup to Los Angeles (twice yet) — has not been honored. It makes no sense!
Jack Wolf Westwood
The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They may be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms will not be used.
DENVER, CO - 1976: Julius Erving #32 of the New York Nets grabs the rebound against the Denver Nuggets circa 1976 at McNichols Sports Arena in Denver, Colorado. 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 1976 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
When Julius Erving was at UMass, his game was seriously limited by the rules of the day. His number one frustration was that he could not dunk.
It took him a while to sort out who he would play for professionally, largely because of some contractual issues, which we’re not going to get into here, but consider this: he nearly ended up playing with Milwaukee, when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson were still Bucks. That would have been incredible. He also nearly joined the Atlanta Hawks, where he would have teamed up with Pete Maravich, which would have sold tickets across the league.
When the issues were hammered out, he had to play in the ABA, first with the Virginia Squires, and then with the New York Nets.
And while there was no TV contract for the ABA, Erving’s play was so off the charts that everyone around the country understood something extraordinary was happening.
Everyone knew. The highlights occasionally made it onto sports news, but there was no cable or anything like that. It was strictly word of mouth.
However, the awareness of greatness in New York was so insistent that it crept into pop culture and ultimately drove the ABA-NBA merger.
He’s been somewhat pushed down the list of greats, which is not right, because the guy was clearly special. He built on what Connie Hawkins did, but took it further: Erving was a basketball visionary, and we see the fruits of his vision every night when a game is played. Every exultant dunk is a tribute.
May 15, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Ausar Thompson (9) fouls Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) while going for a loose ball during the first quarter in game six of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
CLEVELAND — Every time you want to believe the Cleveland Cavaliers have turned over a new leaf, they show you that they haven’t.
After their most inspiring win of the Donovan Mitchell era in Game 5, they laid an egg at home, blowing the perfect opportunity to punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals with a 21-point loss to the Detroit Pistons.
Now, they’ll head on the road for a do-or-die Game 7 in Detroit.
Basketball teams often take on the persona of their best player. They’re built to accent that player’s skills and cover up their weaknesses. Throw in the soft power that player typically weilds within the organization, and it’s easy to see how you get to this point.
In many ways, Mitchell’s shortcomings are a microcosm of the team’s as a whole.
When things are perfectly clicking into place, Mitchell’s individual talent — combined with the skilled pieces that by-and-large fit well around him — makes him seem like one of the best players in the world. And by extension, the Cavs can look unbeatable
The second half of Game 4 is a perfect example of this. Mitchell was scoring at will, tying the record for the most individual points in a half for a playoff game, against the best defense in the conference. The Cavs were humming and unsurprisingly also looked like a juggernaut.
However, when things have gotten rocky for Mitchell, that has also happened for the Cavs. James Harden has helped slightly change this dynamic. His stabilizing force in Game 5, combined with Evan Mobley’s skill on both ends, pulled them out of the rut. But it isn’t their jobs to do that every night at this point in their careers.
This is Mitchell’s team. It still goes as he does.
Both the Toronto Raptors and the Pistons were seemingly engineered to keep Mitchell from doing what he does best. They’ve been able to throw multiple rangy defenders at him that can match both his speed and strength in a way that no other opponent in Mitchell’s previous eight playoff runs have. This has made it difficult for him to get to his spots and leaves his scoring too dependent on a streaky jumper.
And when he has an off-night, as he did in Game 6, the whole house of cards comes tumbling down.
The Cavs played their worst basketball with Mitchell on the court. They were outscored by 25 points in the 37 minutes he played, and it felt like more in the arena.
Mitchell put it on himself to lead the team. He took a game-high 20 shots, most of which came off driving into the teeth of the defense. Mitchell’s superpower is his ability to get to the basket and finish seemingly at will. But that skill was absent yet again. Only three of his 11 attempts from the paint fell.
“I can’t dwell on it, I missed shots tonight,” Mitchell said. “Do I think some of them were tougher shots that I could’ve gotten better? Sure, but I can say that about every game. I’m not here to look at the fact I missed shots. It’s the overall force and impact on the game.”
The overall force and impact on the game were the real issues, and have been for four years now.
Mitchell has no offensive counters outside of finding other ways to score.
He isn’t a skilled distributor. Either an inability to see the correct reads or an unwillingness to make the pass has limited Mitchell throughout his career. He’s yet to record more than five assists through 13 playoff games with a paltry assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.15. That’s unacceptable for someone operating that much on ball.
Assists aren’t the only measure of whether someone’s a well-rounded offensive player. However, it’s difficult to argue that someone is if they’re consistently coming up short in this key area.
Combine that with not being an off-ball mover and being a bad point-of-attack defender, and you have a player who’s only valuable on-ball and scoring at a high clip.
These individual issues affect the whole team. It’s difficult for teammates to buy in with off-ball movement if there’s no chance they will be rewarded for their effort. Defense then becomes more difficult if you aren’t getting the energy on the offensive side of the ball. And in the end, this leads to a group that has consistently looked lifeless in the biggest moments and can’t really put their finger on why.
After the game, head coach Kenny Atkinson said that he didn’t think his team met the challenge physically. Harden was asked why they didn’t come out with intensity, and he responded with, “That’s a great question.”
When Mitchell comes out flat, the team consistently has a well. This has happened far too often in the playoffs to conclude otherwise.
Cade Cunningham’s performance was the exact opposite of what we saw from Mitchell.
He wasn’t perfect. Cunningham still turned it over seven times, which is far too many for a player that skilled. But his ability to influence the game in other ways rubbed off on his team.
The Cavs came into this game with an “ABC approach” — anybody but Cade.
Instead of trying to beat that challenge all by himself, Cunningham trusted his teammates when Cleveland double-teamed him. This resulted in eight assists for himself, but also allowed everyone else to find a rhythm. His willingness to move the ball and allow his teammates to take advantage led to Detroit’s offense clicking on all cylinders.
“You just have to make the play that’s there,” Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said.
Cunningham doesn’t let up defensively either. He’s been physical at the point of attack all series and has done a good job of making life difficult for Cleveland’s smaller guards.
Add that all up, and you have a team that’s energized on both ends and a star that is influencing the game in a wide variety of ways.
Anything can happen in Game 7.
The series isn’t yet by any stretch. Even though the Cavs blew a golden opportunity to end this series, we know that they can win in Detroit.
But that isn’t going to happen if Mitchell has another bad game like this. He simply needs to be better.
This is his chance to change the narrative.
“Everything we want is on the other side of hard,” Mitchell said. “We had an opportunity, we missed it, and we’ll have another opportunity on Sunday. That’s the mindset.”
Stephon Castle was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs with the fourth overall pick in 2024 [Getty Images]
Stephon Castle starred as the San Antonio Spurs sealed their spot in the Western Conference finals with a convincing 139-109 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Castle led the way with 32 points, while Victor Wembanyama added 19, as the Spurs clinched the series 4-2 to set up a heavyweight match-up against the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Spurs met the Thunder - the reigning NBA champions - five times during the regular season and finished with a 4-1 record against them.
Repeating that over the seven-game Western finals would earn the Spurs a spot in the NBA finals.
"We're not even thinking about that right now," Castle said after Friday's victory over the Timberwolves.
"The games ahead are a totally different game. They are rolling right now. They've won eight straight.
"It's going to be tough to knock them off, but we're pretty confident we can do it."
Elsewhere, the Detroit Pistons beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-94 to tie their series and set up a deciding game seven .
Cade Cunningham scored 21 points, while Paul Reed and Jalen Duren added 17 and 15 respectively, as the top-seeded Pistons forced a decider for the second play-off round in a row.
Detroit had trailed 3-1 to Orlando Magic in the previous round before reeling off three straight wins to take the series 4-3.
The Pistons host the Cavaliers in Detroit on Sunday to decide who will face the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MAY 15: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs drives around Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the fourth quarter in Game Six of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Target Center on May 15, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Spurs had a chance to punch their ticket to the Western Conference Finals Friday night, and they did exactly that with an emphatic 139-109 victory over the Wolves.
With their backs against the wall, Minnesota changed its defensive scheme to start the game. Instead of playing Gobert against Wemby straight up, the Wolves put him on Castle instead, allowing the Stifle Tower to sag off the Spurs guard and defend the interior. Well, Castle responded by hitting three wide-open triples en route to a 14-point quarter where he shot 5-6 from the field. Defensively, San Antonio also withheld their usual doubles on Ant, but did send help to other players who didn’t expect it coming.
Offensively, the Spurs played as one. Wemby’s gravity allowed San Antonio’s shooters to get wide-open looks, helping them start 5-11 from three. The three-headed monster in the backcourt also got easy drives to the rim, allowing Fox and Harper to shoot a combined 6-7 from the field. It certainly helped that Minnesota lost confidence in Gobert’s offense, pulling him early in favor of Naz Reid, who hit two early threes to lead all Wolves scorers. Unsurprisingly, Minnesota couldn’t score in the paint due to Wemby’s presence, and after starting 8-15 due to hot shooting, the Wolves then went 2-16 and allowed the Spurs to go on a 20-0 run to start the second quarter, going up 56-27.
However, this is a game of runs, and we were all reminded of that shortly after. The Wolves answered with a 34-18 run of their own, cutting the Spurs’ lead down to just 13 heading into halftime. Unsurprisingly, Ant was the catalyst, driving fearlessly and finishing around Wemby multiple times while drawing a key foul that led to three points right before the buzzer.
Still down by double digits, the Wolves switched their defensive scheme once again, putting Gobert back on Wemby. This is when the Spurs rebuilt their original lead, as the good guys went back up by 25 just a few minutes into the third. It was much of the same story, as San Antonio’s shooters remained hot and the guards got to the rim at will, since Gobert sat for large stretches again. Minnesota didn’t manage to go on another run, and the second half was so uneventful that the benches cleared not even halfway through the fourth, with the biggest storyline being that Ant shook hands with the Spurs before the game even ended.
Game notes
The Spurs are peaking at the exact right time. After an upset in game 1, San Antonio outscored Minnesota by 99 in games 2-6, and only lost game 4 by 5 points with Wemby logging just 12:29. More importantly, the Spurs have experienced fewer and fewer offensive lulls as the playoffs have gone on, and if that continues, the team will be virtually impossible to stop.
We are seeing Harper and Castle both take leaps in front of our eyes. They’ve been spectacular all season, but to play at an even higher level in the playoffs is something else. I certainly did not expect Castle to shoot so well from three, even if most were wide open, nor did I think that Harper’s defense was so advanced that he was arguably the best matchup on Ant. Along with Fox, any of the Spurs’ three guards can play at an All-NBA level any night, which is what championship-level teams need from their second options.
Speaking of Castle, he is now shooting 44% from three in the playoffs. It makes increasingly less sense for opponents to put their bigs on him, though I still expect OKC to do it since they play two bigs in Chet and Hartenstein. His shooting might be the single biggest X-factor in the Conference Finals.
Fox left the game with a minute left in the first half due to an ankle injury. He did return to start the second, though, and didn’t look any worse for wear, finishing the game with 21 points on 8-10 shooting.
Spurs, OKC, Western Conference Finals. The first of what should be many clashes for perhaps the rivalry of this generation, and a matchup between two teams with dynastic potential. These are two teams that can become all-timers, and are also the only ones who can prevent the other from doing so. Strap in, folks: this will be the best series of the entire postseason.
MINNEAPOLIS — The San Antonio Spurs were well on their way to the Western Conference finals in the fourth quarter when Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards went down to their bench to briefly offer his congratulations.
The young Spurs left no doubt they’re already a serious NBA title contender.
Stephon Castle had 32 points and 11 rebounds to highlight another dominant performance from the backcourt, and Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs romped past the Timberwolves 139-109 on Friday night to finish in the second-round series in six games.
Stephon Castle, who scored 32 points, drives past Anthony Edwards during the Spurs’ 139-109 Game 6 series-clinching win over the Timberwolves on May 15, 2026 in Minneapolis. Getty Images
“I just tip my hat to them,” Edwards said. “They were just the better team.”
De’Aaron Fox added 21 points and nine assists and rookie Dylan Harper had 15 points off the bench for the Spurs, who set their franchise postseason record for 3-pointers made by going 18 for 38.
They will face defending champion Oklahoma City in Game 1 on Monday night. The Thunder swept their first two series.
“Of course we’re confident, but we need to keep the right confidence level,” Wembanyama said. “Right now, I’m not even thinking about it. I’m just thinking about recovering.”
Wembanyama, who bounced back from his stunning Game 4 ejection with 27 points, 17 rebounds, five assists and three blocks in the Game 5 blowout, was well-guarded by the Wolves in Game 6 and had a quiet 19 points in 27 minutes. But he still served as a constant defensive deterrent in the paint, and he dutifully joined the Spurs in transition whenever they had the opportunity to run — which was often.
The size, smarts and shooting touch of the Spurs guards were too much for the Wolves, who predictably had their hands full with the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama.
Victor Wembanyam, who scored 19 points, slams home a dunk over Julius Randle during the Spurs’ Game 6 series-clinching win over the Timberwolves. Getty Images
Castle made his first five 3-pointers and finished 11 for 16 from the floor. Fox was 3 for 3 from deep, and Julian Champagnie made four 3s among his 18 points for the Spurs, who outscored the Wolves by a whopping 97 points in the series and never once trailed by double digits. The Spurs breezed by Portland Trail in five games in the first round.
“It shows that we already gained a little bit of experience from our short playoff time,” Wembanyama said. “I feel like we put ourselves in the best conditions, as simple as that.”
Anthony Edwards had 24 points on 9-for-26 shooting for the Wolves, who got another spark from reserves Terrence Shannon (21 points) and Naz Reid (18 points) but were again flustered by the Spurs and their relentless switch-heavy defense. Julius Randle had just three points on 1-for-8 shooting.
“It just felt like we kind of ran out of bullets as this series went on,” coach Chris Finch said.
This no-show in the elimination game might’ve felt familiar to Wolves fans, who’ve otherwise enjoyed an unprecedented run of success in the playoffs over the last three years.
Minnesota trailed by 33 points at halftime in a 30-point loss at Oklahoma City in the Game 5 ouster in the Western Conference finals last year and were down by 29 points at the break to Dallas in losing the Western Conference finals in 2024 in a 21-point loss in Game 5.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Stephon Castle had 32 points and 11 rebounds to highlight another dominant performance from the San Antonio backcourt, and Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs raced past the Minnesota Timberwolves 139-109 on Friday night to win the series in six games.
De’Aaron Fox added 21 points and nine assists and rookie Dylan Harper had 15 points off the bench for the Spurs. They will face defending champion Oklahoma City in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Monday night. The Thunder swept their first two series.
Wembanyama, who bounced back from his stunning Game 4 ejection with 27 points, 17 rebounds, five assists and three blocks in the Game 5 blowout, was well-guarded by the Wolves in Game 6 and had a quiet 19 points in 27 minutes. But he still served as a constant defensive deterrent in the paint, and he dutifully joined the Spurs in transition whenever they had the opportunity to run — which was often.
The size, smarts and shooting touch of the Spurs guards were too much for the Wolves, who predictably had their hands full with the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama.
Castle made his first five 3-pointers and went 11 for 16 from the floor. Fox was 3 for 3 from deep, and Julian Champagnie made four 3s among his 18 points for the Spurs, who outscored the Wolves by 97 points in the series and never once trailed by double digits.
Anthony Edwards had 24 points on 9-for-26 shooting for the Wolves, who got another spark from reserves Terrence Shannon (21 points) and Naz Reid (18 points) but were again flustered by the Spurs and their relentless switch-heavy defense. Julius Randle had just three points on 1-for-8 shooting.
This no-show in the elimination game might’ve felt familiar to Wolves fans, who’ve otherwise enjoyed an unprecedented run of success in the playoffs over the last three years.
Minnesota trailed by 33 points at halftime in a 30-point loss at Oklahoma City in the Game 5 ouster in the Western Conference finals last year and were down by 29 points at the break to Dallas in losing the Western Conference finals in 2024 in a 21-point loss in Game 5.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Cade Cunningham scored 21 points and the top-seeded Detroit Pistons dominated the second half, beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-94 on Friday night to force a Game 7 in their Eastern Conference second-round series.
The decisive game is Sunday in Detroit.
Jalen Duren had 15 points and 11 rebounds while Daniss Jenkins also scored 15 for the Pistons, who have won four games this postseason when facing elimination.
Cunningham made five 3-pointers as the Pistons went 16 of 36 from beyond the arc. Duncan Robinson, who missed Wednesday’s Game 5 with a lower back injury, had four 3-pointers and scored 14 points off the bench.
Paul Reed also had 17 points as Detroit’s reserves outscored Cleveland’s 48-19.
James Harden scored 23 points for Cleveland, which suffered its first home loss of the postseason. Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley scored 18 apiece.
SPURS 139, TIMBERWOLVES 109
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Stephon Castle had 32 points and 11 rebounds to highlight another dominant performance from the San Antonio backcourt, and Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs raced past Minnesota to win the series in six games.
De’Aaron Fox added 21 points and nine assists and rookie Dylan Harper had 15 points off the bench for the Spurs. They will face defending champion Oklahoma City in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Monday night. The Thunder swept their first two series.
Wembanyama, who bounced back from his stunning Game 4 ejection with 27 points, 17 rebounds, five assists and three blocks in the Game 5 blowout, was well-guarded by the Wolves in Game 6 and had a quiet 19 points in 27 minutes. But he still served as a constant defensive deterrent in the paint, and he dutifully joined the Spurs in transition whenever they had the opportunity to run — which was often.
The size, smarts and shooting touch of the Spurs guards were too much for the Wolves, who predictably had their hands full with the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama.
Castle made his first five 3-pointers and went 11 for 16 from the floor. Fox was 3 for 3 from deep, and Julian Champagnie made four 3s among his 18 points for the Spurs, who outscored the Wolves by 97 points in the series and never once trailed by double digits.
Anthony Edwards had 24 points on 9-for-26 shooting for the Wolves, who got another spark from reserves Terrence Shannon (21 points) and Naz Reid (18 points) but were again flustered by the Spurs and their relentless switch-heavy defense. Julius Randle had just three points on 1-for-8 shooting.
May 15, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) dunks the ball past Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3) in the first half during game six of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
Stephon Castle (hitting his first five threes consecutively) put up his most impressive shooting night of his young career and his team responded emphatically to Minnesota’s one extended push at the end of the first half. A Spurs squad that was primed for this closeout opportunity out-shot (56% to 38%) and out-rebounded (60-29) the Wolves in a dominant performance – all while throwing a block party (13 to 2) – before Anthony Edwards helped stage Minnesota’s one comeback try late in the second quarter. San Antonio’s starters doubled up their Wolves’ counterparts 101-50 in this decisive victory.
San Antonio’s Castle (32 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists) and De’Aaron Fox (21 points, 9 assists, and 2 blocks) supplied the necessary leadership and playmaking to win Game 6 decisively. Dylan Harper (13 points and 5 rebounds) again performed beyond his years. Victor Wembanyama (19 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks) seemed content playing the facilitator role. Carter Bryant (3 points and 6 rebounds) capitalized on his important minutes and kept Spurs’ possessions alive while shortening Minnesota’s at the same time.
Until Anthony Edwards (24 points and 3 steals) got going later on, Naz Reid (18 points and 7 rebounds) and Terrence Shannon (21 points) valiantly kept Minnesota in the game. Jaden McDaniels (13 points and 3 assists) made his contributions in a third quarter where San Antonio outshined the Wolves 36-23. Julius Randle was a non-factor.
Wembanyama, Castle, and Castle combined to hit six of their first eight shots, including a driving lay-up for Fox, and two threes for Castle. Of large concern were two ticky tack fouls committed by Fox and Castle, and a touch foul on Vassell that gifted Edwards an and-1. Edwards, operating against single coverage, was able to knock down a relatively easy seven points. Spur irritant Reid hit his first three shots to bring Minnesota within five. Castle (14) and Fox (9) figured strongest in helping San Antonio stay safely ahead, but Reid’s 10-point outburst prevented a blowout from occurring.
San Antonio pieced together a 20-0 run to start the second period that resembled the closing flourishes the 2003 titlists did to their opponents than the fireworks that they had eliminated Portland with. Shannon put up a quick five points, and Reid’s and-1 shaved the 29-point deficit to 21. After several minutes of the teams trading baskets, Edwards took the offense into his own hands and the Wolves bit into the Spurs lead. Fox, after helping stabilize San Antonio in the closing minutes, suffered a lower body injury, and the team held onto a 13 point lead.
Fox pleasingly returned to action to start the third, and put up a handful of points. In anticipation of another Wolves run, San Antonio forced two unforced turnovers on Edwards and Reid. Despite the sustained moments of Minnesota scoring throughout the quarter, the Spurs truly anchored themselves on defense to crate the necessary distance with finality. Once the Wolves resorted to surges of 1:1 play, San Antonio ran a lay-up line around and over the bedraggled Wolves.
Observations
Edwards went down to the Spurs huddle to congratulate the team in its entirety with eight minutes remaining. Okay, I like him.
The pre-game walkup interview with a player is a nice snippet for halftime of the opening game – Johnson was the guest tonight with Cassidy Hubbarth.
Stan Van Gundy stated late in the opening half that “Fox has 13 points on perfect shooting.”
Simmons (on his podcast this morning) listed Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie (21-for-63 from 3 together) as one of his five (he paired them together) players to watch heading into Game 6 – noting that ‘you can beat San Antonio if they miss their threes.’ The pair teamed up for five triples tonight.
Two memorable second quarter moments – 1) Harper looked down Reid and calmly knocked down a straightaway three, and 2) Castle backed down Conley the full 20 feet from the 3-point line to the box and willed a double-pump banker over the grizzled veteran.
Champagnie’s three first quarter misses were ‘off,’ ‘oof,’ and ‘woof.’
I don’t think Terrence Shannon is nearly the great defender he thinks he is. Not every contact on defense has to result in a charge.
When things don’t go his way, Randle is easily the most clear ‘I just can’t even’ guy in the league.
My dad would have started singing Dean Martin’s “Let’s Put Out the Lights and Go to Sleep’ at the start of the fourth quarter.
Sequence of the Game #1: On transition halfway through the opening stanza, Johnson got stood up by Edwards deep in the paint, pumpfaked somewhere between 9-18 times, and then lofted a feather to Wembanyama for a Nerf-lob.
Sequence of the Game #2: With the first San Antonio possession of the second period looking doomed, Harper found Champagnie as a release valve crosscourt, and then the forward whipped a pass to the rookie for a nifty lay-up.
Sequence of the Game #3: As part of a 16-0 run to start the second, and after a missed Bryant free throw, he somehow came down with his own carom. The ball pinged around to what the viewers might have thought would end with a Wembanyama triple, but he re-directed the ball patiently to a waiting Vassell at the top for a swish. After Wembanyama deterred an Edwards floater at the other end, Castle rewarded Bryant for his hard work with a beautiful lob to the rookie.
Sequence of the Game #4: To close out that now 20-0 run in the second, Bryant wrested an offenisve rebound away from a Wolves player, and whipped a dime to Harper on the left baseline for a spinning lay-in.
Sequence of the Game #5: After McDaniels doinked a third-quarter dunk attempt, Fox had more than enough time at the other end to gauge and knock down a catapult three to make it 102-76.
Game Rundown
Champagnie’s first shot fell very short, but Castle – with Gobert assigned on him – tossed a lob to Wembanyama and followed that with a three from above the break. Fox opened things with a three and a contested lay-up around Dosummu. Unlike Champagnie, Vassell hit his first three attempt. Castle’s second three put the Spurs up ten. The referees – surprise, surprise – missed a left elbow by Randle into Wembanyama’s back, and the Wolves forward drew a foul on Johnson seconds after. Harper made his first lay-up, and Castle’s and-1 put San Antonio up 11. Reid made an instant impact – his eight points caving in the Spurs’ deficit. Castle’s third three stalled out Reid’s personal run. A tip-in by Kornet caused Ian Eagle to declare ‘cleanup on Aisle 7!“ Fox’s two baskets stunned Minnesota enough to get San Antonio to 36-27 after one.
Reid finally missed from distance, which coincided with an brazen Spurs run. Wembanyama received a leakout pass from Fox and Edwards was whistled for a shove on the superstar’s dunk. Wembanyama then converted a lay-up over Edwards fromBEHIND THE BACKBOARD to make it 43-27. Castle ripped an offensive rebound over Reid and Dosummu and converted a manly and-1. Bryant looked like a veteran glue guy – particularly on defense and the boards. It took a difficult Shannon and-1 to finally end the Spurs’ 20-0 detonation. Shannon put up a 9-point microburst, and Conley’s second three brought the Wolves within 18. Kornet and Vassell swatted away Shannon’s next two tries. Edwards caught fire late in the frame and Fox appeared to tweak his ankle with 80 seconds left. Champagnie saw four free throws go in, which aided him with a corner three late in the half, and San Antonio led by 13 at halftime.
Fox, visibly hobbled, returned to action and hit a corner three to start the third. McDaniels responded with his first field goal. Wembanyama swatted away a Gobert dunk attempt, and then tossed in a lefty Duncan over his fellow Frenchman to push the lead back out to 18. Fox encouragingly guided home a 16-foot floater. The Spurs’ assertiveness was rewarded with the foul bonus in less than five minutes. Vassell answered McDaniels’ three with one of his own, while Shannon and McDaniels attacked the basket at-will. Castle’s fourth three looked confident, and his fifth three kept the San Antonio at 20. After Gobert missed a 18” hook, Harper glided to the other end and banked in a lay-up. Harper also appeared to rattled Edwards with a cool demeanor and handle. San Antonio went to the fourth up 110-84.
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CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 15: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket during the game against the Detroit Pistons during Round Two Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 15, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers couldn’t close out their series with the Detroit Pistons. Now everything is on the line Sunday night.
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
The Cavs are waiting for Mitchell to be a superhero again. He took a giant step backwards in the last two games, struggling in Game 5 and bringing that into tonight. He couldn’t find any luck inside the arch, shooting 4-14 on two-point attempts and opting for difficult floaters instead of drawing contact to get to the line.
Mitchell had 3 assists and 3 turnovers tonight. His assists per game have been cut in half since the regular season, and he’s yet to even hit that average in a single playoff game. That’s not sustainable for long-term success.
Harden’s isolation scoring and foul-drawing have gone a long way to ensuring the Cavs never fully let go of the rope. He’s stabilized them throughout the postseason, even if his carelessness with the ball can contribute to some of their opponent’s runs.
The Cavs leaned on Harden in the third quarter. He repeatedly got to the line and put Cleveland in the bonus with five minutes remaining. That extra effort is the only reason the Cavs lost that quarter by 11 points instead of 20 or more.
Ultimately, this team wasn’t built for Harden to carry them. He’s supposed to be the cherry on top. Other players needed to step up.
Mobley will get dinged for the things he didn’t do tonight, but truthfully, he gave enough for them to win this game. His all-around impact was comparable to the previous two games, with Mobley contesting shots and racking up four stocks.
On offense, he was aggressive, going towards the basket and got to the line eight times. He only made half of his attempts from the charity stripe, so we can knock him for that. But most of the problems that plagued the Cavs tonight were not Mobley’s fault.
Grade: C+
Jarrett Allen
13 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block
Allen, for the most part, did his job tonight. It wasn’t anything phenomenal, but he cleaned the glass and protected the rim while finishing nearly every touch given to him on offense.
The Cavs could have used a more active game from him on either end of the floor, though there was nothing too out of the ordinary here. Allen was solid.
Grade: C
Dean Wade
3 points, 3 rebounds
Wade finally hit a shot for the first time since Game 3, attempting two triples in a span of 30 seconds and connecting on one from the corner. In typical Wade fashion, he didn’t take another shot the rest of the night. He’s truly tested the limits of how often you can play a player who refuses to look at the basket on offense.
Grade: D
Max Strus
6 points, 8 rebounds
Strus gives as much effort as anyone in the NBA. His non-stop hustle contributed to some of the most important plays of the night. He grabbed 8 rebounds, 3 offensive, and worked relentlessly to get under Cade Cunningham’s skin. A better shooting night (2-7 from deep) would have made this another classic game from Strus.
Grade: B–
Dennis Schroder
0 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds, 3 turnovers
Schroder had 3 turnovers in his first six minutes tonight, including a double-dribble and traveling violation. You can’t afford those types of mistakes in a closeout game.
Grade: D
Sam Merrill
10 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist
Merrill looked like he was going to find his stride tonight. He connected on two of his first three three-point attempts and even got downhill for a tough layup in the third quarter. But Merrill missed his next two three-point attempts and wasn’t able to help the Cavs when they were being pounded on the defensive glass.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - MAY 12: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on from the bench during the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Frost Bank Center on May 12, 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 Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
And just like that, it’s over.
The Minnesota Timberwolves came into Game 6 of their Western Conference Semifinal series against the San Antonio Spurs to replicate their series from two years ago against the Denver Nuggets and force Game 7. Instead, they repeated a different kind of history.
For the third straight year, the Timberwolves’ season ends with a blowout. Two years ago, it was a 21-point loss to the Dallas Mavericks. Last season, they lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder by 30 points. Tonight, it was 30 points at the hand of the Spurs.
It was clear right from the opening tip that the Wolves were in trouble. Amid countless defensive miscommunications and inept offensive possessions, the Wolves fell behind by 29 points early in the second quarter in a game they needed to win to keep their season alive.
Minnesota did put together a 34-18 run to close the first half and cut the San Antonio lead to 13 points, but the success was short-lived as the Spurs resumed drubbing the Wolves coming out of halftime, going up by as many as 28 points in the third quarter.
The Wolves would fall by a final score of 139-109. Anthony Edwards finished the game with 24 points on 9-26 shooting. Rudy Gobert didn’t score a single point, missing all four of his shots. Julius Randle wrapped up his awful second-round performance playing less than 24 minutes while scoring just three points on 1-8 shooting.
The habits a team has during the regular season will always show up during the playoffs. The Wolves, by their own admission, didn’t take the regular season seriously, and it’s shown up in this series. When they needed to make adjustments, they couldn’t.
The Wolves did “flip the switch” and were fantastic against the Nuggets, and if they had drawn a different matchup or been in the Eastern Conference, they could have made it to the Conference Finals or NBA Finals.
To win 4 straight playoff series, though, you have to be able to solve all the different matchups thrown your way and play with consistency from night to night and series to series. You can’t pick up that mentality during the playoffs; it has to be ingrained in who the team is. The work for that starts in the regular season.
In this series, the Wolves saw their mentality and game plan focus go in and out as the series went along. They were never able to solve their offensive issues when Victor Wembanyama was on the court, and got beat down the court numerous times by the Spurs after made baskets.
Ultimately, the Timberwolves were just outgunned in this series. It’s difficult to have confidence that they would have won this series if they were fully healthy, but with Edwards far from 100 percent and Donte DiVicenzo going down, advancing past the Spurs was also going to be an incredibly difficult task.
Unlike previous seasons, this offseason brings with it a ton of uncertainty for the Timberwolves. This Wolves team seems primed for a shakeup around Edwards, as it appears the team has hit a ceiling with the frontcourt pairing of Randle and Gobert.
The Wolves have been incredibly successful of late, making the Playoffs each of the last five seasons and winning at least one playoff series in each of the last three. It’s been the most successful era, while simultaneously being a step behind the best team or two in the league.
To get over the hump and win the championship, Minnesota will need to put together a team that is even better than the one they’ve had this past half-decade. It’s a tall task, but with a superstar like Edwards and surrounding young pieces like Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid, the Timberwolves have the hard part figured out.
For now, Minnesota will have to stew with a third consecutive embarrassing blowout in an elimination game.
Up Next
The offseason is here. We here at Canis Hoopus will have you covered for all things Timberwolves this summer through the Draft, Free Agency, Summer League, and every move that is made in the coming weeks and months.
For everyone here at Canis, we want to say thank you for following our coverage of the Timberwolves this season and look forward to providing even more this offseason and next season.
Attending a Lakers playoff game is an exciting outing for any family.
The Lake Show isn’t just a basketball team in this city. It’s a Broadway show, a Hollywood premiere and a sports spectacle all rolled into one. A-list celebrities are everywhere, the arena is rocking and fans get to watch the 17-time NBA champion Lakers featuring LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
Lakers fans have seen some great NBA playoff games, but this year it cost a lot to watch LA get swept by the Thunder. AP
However, on Monday night, a family of four paid staggering prices just to watch their beloved Lakers get swept by the reigning champion Thunder. Talk about a tough way to say goodbye.
The Thunder completed the sweep in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals in a thrilling 115-110 victory, sending LA into a very long offseason filled with questions about LeBron, Austin Reaves and the future of basketball’s most glamorous franchise.
But while OKC delivered the knockout blow on the court, Lakers fans were busy absorbing another one in their wallets.
According to a new analysis from The Action Network, it cost a family of four a staggering $2,615.01 total to attend Game 4 at Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles. That total price includes four tickets, parking, food, drinks and merchandise. For perspective, the average cost for a family of four to attend a regular-season Lakers game is about $677.64.
The inflated prices might be attributed to fans willing to pay for what possibly was LeBron’s last game in a Lakers uniform.
Knicks fans are paying the most this postseason. A family of four’s total cost for one game: more than $3,610. NEW YORK POST
Meanwhile, families in OKC were attending Games 1 and 2 at Paycom Center for $1,796.09, nearly $1,000 cheaper than the cost in LA.
And yet, Los Angeles and OKC were not even the most expensive or cheapest of the eight teams playing in the conference semifinals.
Somehow, the Knicks laughed at the Lakers’ prices.
A family of four attending a playoff game at Madison Square Garden for Games 1 and 2 against the 76ers paid $3,611.73. That’s the price of a used car and a bucket of popcorn in most cities.
The most affordable postseason experience belonged to the Cavaliers in Cleveland, where a family of four paid $1,330.96 to catch the Cavs against the Pistons.
With another round to go before the NBA Finals tips off in June, Lakers fans might be grateful their team is no longer competing. Whereas Thunder and Knicks fans will have to keep opening their wallets to see if their team wins a title.
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DETROIT, MICHIGAN - MARCH 20: Head coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors reacts against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on March 20, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Nic Antaya/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Talking to the media is an important part of an NBA coach’s responsibilities, but that obligation doesn’t mean a coach can’t have fun with it. That’s something that Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr knows all too well.
Thursday, Wright Thompson’s feature on Kerr for ESPN revealed that a few seasons ago, the coach had starting working the lyrics from “All Too Well” by Taylor Swift into his postgame comments to the media. Kerr crossed off lyrics when he had used them and eventually his son, Matthew, who is on the writing staff for “Rooster,” edited all the Swiftie moments into one video that made it look like Kerr was reciting the whole song.
Taylor Swift eventually saw the video and enjoyed it, but Kerr asked her team not to share the video. That’s refreshing in the social media era! It also makes this writer wonder when Kerr managed to work in comments about borrowed scarves and dancing around the kitchen in the refrigerator light when discussing how to stop Luka Doncic on the pick-and-roll.
That being said, “Casually cruel in the name of being honest” would describe about a lot of Kerr’s responses to questions about Jonathan Kuminga. Though if Kuminga and Steph Curry had been closer in age, maybe it would have been fine.
It appears that Kerr only included the lyrics to the original “All Too Well,” and not the extended, 10-minute edition, which is probably for the best. People might have started getting concerned if Kerr muttered that it was supposed to be fun to turn twenty-one, or talked about his “F–– the Patriarchy” keychain or revealed that he liked Gui Santos because he “reminds you of innocence and smells like me.”
The story does present a question: Is Steve Kerr a secret Swiftie? It seems unlikely, but you never know. We learned from Thompson’s piece that the first concert attended by Kerr’s other son, Warriors assistant Nick Kerr, was the Backstreet Boys at the Alamodome in San Antonio. (Kerr’s first show was The Police. This author’s first show was the Grateful Dead at age 10, during which I wondered why the band was using so many smoke effects in the crowd and why I was ravenously hungry at intermission.)
If so, it could transform Warriors news conferences. After a while, there’s only so much that Kerr an say about Steph Curry’s brilliance (Taylor would say he’s a “never-needy, ever-lovely jewel whose shine reflects on you”). Instead, let’s see what Kerr thinks about the way Jake Gyllenhaal treated his 21-year-old girlfriend! Does he think Travis Kelce is good for her? Should she branch out from working with Jack Antonoff so much?
Now that the story broke, we can’t see Kerr trying something like this again. Which is a shame. Because Kerr reciting the lyrics to “Wood” during a postgame interview would be a truly Hall of Fame performance.
With a chance to clinch a berth in the Western Conference finals, the San Antonio Spurs jumped out to an early lead. One of their key players, however, limped off the floor with an apparent foot injury.
Starting point guard De’Aaron Fox appeared to suffer a tweaked ankle with 1:15 left to play in the first half and limped off the floor under his own power, though he appeared to be unable to put weight on the injured foot.
The injury appeared to happen around the 1:30 mark, when Fox jumped straight in the air to tip a loose ball to a teammate; immediately after landing, Fox hobbled off in evident discomfort. He headed toward the bench and said something to Spurs coach Mitch Johnson before limping straight into the locker room.
Fox had a stellar start to the game, scoring 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting, adding 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block.
De'Aaron Fox taps the rebound, twists his ankle, and blocks Anthony Edwards before limping to the locker room pic.twitter.com/zLgwrSWDDS
The good news for San Antonio is that guard is a position of excellent depth. Rookie guard Dylan Harper, who has had an exceptional postseason, was subbed in for Fox.
The Spurs, who have a 3-2 series lead, took a 74-61 lead into the half.
