Category: Basketball

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks promoted general manager Onsi Saleh to president of basketball operations and signed the executive to a long-term contract extension on Wednesday.

The Hawks announced the new title and contract one year after Saleh was promoted from assistant general manager to general manager, replacing the fired Landry Fields.

Saleh was the runner-up to Boston's Brad Stevens in voting for NBA Executive of the Year last month. Saleh received one first-place vote, 10 second-place votes and six third-place votes.

The Hawks finished sixth in the Eastern Conference at 46-36 before falling to the New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs.

“Onsi possesses a rare combination of valuable leadership qualities and a clear vision that will position our franchise to compete at a championship level," Hawks principal owner Tony Ressler said in a statement.

"He is a gifted communicator and talent evaluator, widely respected by his peers within the NBA community. He has already demonstrated a level of decisiveness and acumen that has changed the trajectory of our organization, and we are delighted to have him lead our basketball operations for a very long time.”

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

The Lakers conducted layoffs across multiple departments Wednesday, The California Post confirmed.

The layoffs are part of a reorganization following the sale of the team from the Buss family to Mark Walter at a $10 billion valuation nearly a year ago.

The layoffs, which were described by team sources as “wild” and “crazy,” have followed a widespread restructuring over the last few months, including Lon Rosen replacing Tim Harris as president of business operations, Michael Spetner being hired as chief strategy and growth officer and Ryan Kantor being hired as vice president of global partnerships.

The Lakers also recently hired Tony Bennett as a draft consultant and adviser, as well as Rohan Ramadas as an assistant general manager of strategy and data system.

In addition, the Lakers’ G League team will relocate from the South Bay to the Coachella Valley.

Rob Pelinka, Lakers general manager and president of basketball operations, said he and Rosen are closely working with “some of the Dodgers folks” to add a biomechanics lab, new movement labs and a recovery lab in addition to “redoing aspects of the court” at their UCLA Health Training Center practice facility.

“It’s a full rebuild and retool, and it’s adding to the great things that are already here, which have led to success, but elevating it and bringing it to the next level,” Pelinka said after the Lakers were swept out of the second round of the playoffs by the Thunder earlier this month. “So, an ongoing process that we’ll be doing throughout the offseason, probably, hopefully, culminating in and around the Summer League in Vegas.”

Organizational turnover and restructuring is common under new leadership.

The Trail Blazers had layoffs that affected “just over 70 people” last week under new owner Tom Dundon, according to The Oregonian. After Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez became the controlling owners of the Timberwolves and the WNBA’s Lynx in June 2025, the organization laid off “roughly 35 employees” in late August, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.

Trump says he may attend Knicks' NBA Finals game in New York originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

President Donald Trump said he thinks he will attend an NBA Finals game after the New York Knicks advanced to the finals for the first time in 27 years.

“They have some great players,” Trump told reporters during the White House cabinet meeting on Wednesday. “I think I’ll be going to one of the games. Yeah, I was invited by numerous people.”

The New York Times was first to report the president’s possible attendance at his hometown team’s game.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Trump said he had planned to attend an Eastern Conference finals game, “but they closed it out very quickly.”

“Boy, what a team,” he said of the Knicks. “They win all their games.”

Reached for further information about the president’s plans, the White House declined to provide details beyond Trump’s own comments.

The Knicks will face the winner of the Western Conference finals, where the Oklahoma City Thunder lead the San Antonio Spurs 3-2 in the best-of-seven series.

The Knicks won the Eastern Conference finals on Monday, sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0 for their 11th consecutive win in the playoffs. The last time the Knicks went to the Finals was in 1999, when they lost to San Antonio.

“Great to see it,” Trump said of the Knicks advancing. “The Knicks have really, they’ve really suffered for years.”

Andrew Greif contributed.

“The Alien” has been brought back to Earth.

Victor Wembanyama has been warned by the NBA for snubbing the media following the Spurs’ Game 5 Western Conference finals loss Tuesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported.

Wembanyama was below his best in the 127-114 defeat to the Thunder, as he scored 20 points on just 4-of-15 shooting from the field.

And he apparently wasn’t in the mood to speak following the loss, as he left the locker room without stopping for reporters — a violation of the league’s media access rules that mandate players make themselves available after games.

A Spurs spokesman told reporters after the loss that Wembanyama was not available to speak, and the French big man walked past a scrum of media around midnight, according to The Athletic.

The Athletic added that the NBA decided to merely warn the 22-year-old — rather than fine him — because he was a “first-time offender” in terms of skipping his media duties.

In fact, the newly crowned Defensive Player of the Year was awarded the Magic Johnson Award in April by the Pro Basketball Writers Association for his cooperation with the media.

Wembanyama has averaged 28.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 3.0 blocks this series.

However, he and the Spurs now face a must-win Game 6 after falling behind 3-2 in the series Tuesday.

This is an odd summer for LeBron James. For the first time in his Lakers tenure, he doesn’t have a contract heading into the offseason.

So now, negotiations have to begin between the Lakers and LeBron to see if he wants to return and at what number makes sense for both sides.

Apparently, LeBron is a fan of the negotiation tactic of allowing the other side to speak first.

During Wednesday’s podcast episode of “The Hoop Collective,” Brian Windhorst of ESPN said that LeBron wants the Lakers to give him the details on their plans for him and the franchise moving forward.

“The LeBron side, from what I am told, would like the Lakers to come and say, ‘LeBron, here’s our plan for you. Here’s what we’re offering.’ And if they’re offering less than the max, here’s why: ‘Because we’re going to use this cap space to sign these players, and this is where you slot in.’”

This has always been LeBron’s mindset when it comes to taking a pay cut. He did it for Miami when he was part of that Big Three and he was reportedly willing to take a pay cut for the Lakers a couple of years back when they were pursuing players such as Klay Thompson.

In that scenario, back in 2024, the Lakers didn’t land another star player, but James still took a slight pay cut so they could avoid being a second apron team.

LeBron won’t just take a discount to help the Lakers or any other team out. It has to make basketball sense for both parties.

So, it seems the Lakers actually hold all the cards in their negotiations with LeBron. They have said they’d love to have LeBron back, and he’s waiting to hear what they have in mind.

When the time is right, Lakers President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka has to pick up the phone and share his master plan with James’ representation. During that conversation, he has to convince them that the best move for James is to stay with Los Angeles and try to win it all here before he calls it quits.

That’s a good place for the Lakers to be, so we’ll see if the front office can bring back LeBron and add to the roster to give it a better chance of coming out of the West next year.

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

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is planning to get an up-close look at the hottest team in basketball.

Trump told reporters on Wednesday that New York Knicks owner James Dolan has invited him to the NBA Finals, when the Eastern Conference champion Knicks host either the Oklahoma City Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs next month at Madison Square Garden.

New York, which is riding an 11-game postseason winning streak after sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the conference finals, is scheduled to host Game 3 on June 8 and Game 4 on June 10.

Trump, a New York native, said he initially planned to attend Game 5 of the conference finals at MSG before the Knicks finished off the Cavaliers in four games. The president called Dolan a “great guy” and marveled at New York's run.

“Boy, what a team,” Trump said. “They have some really great players.”

Trump called the club's return to the finals for the first time since 1999 “great to see.”

“The Knicks have really suffered for years," Trump said to laughter. “They're doing (well) right now.”

Trump has routinely dropped in on prominent sporting events during his time in politics. He's taken in the College Football Playoff championship and caught a prime-time NFL game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Jets just days before the 2024 election.

The Knicks have a history of having high-profile celebrities sit courtside at MSG, including filmmaker Spike Lee, who has clashed with Trump in the past.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

The Knicks are looking out for their fans.

They are donating hundreds of free tickets to underprivileged youth for their home games in the Finals, The Post has learned. Underserved New York families affiliated with the Garden of Dreams Foundation will receive 250 tickets per home game.

That means a guaranteed 500 tickets across Games 3 and 4. If there is a Game 6, that number will rise to 750.

“We are proud to create meaningful, once-in-a-lifetime experiences for underprivileged youth in our local communities,” said Rich Constable, the executive vice president and global head of government affairs and social impact at MSG Entertainment. “Making sure underserved youth are part of the Knicks Finals run is extremely important to the Knicks, ensuring the next generation of fans gets to be part of the story.”

The giveaway comes as ticket prices skyrocket on secondary markets for the Knicks’ first Finals appearance since 1999. But the Knicks want to make sure this historic moment can be appreciated by everyone.

The Garden of Dreams Foundation, since 2006, has impacted the lives of over 480,000 young people facing obstacles.

The Knicks are still waiting to learn their Finals opponent — the Thunder, after Tuesday’s Game 5 win, are up 3-2 over the Spurs in the Western Conference finals.

After completing their overpowering sweep of the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals, the Knicks carry a historic 11-game winning streak into the Finals. They’ve outscored their opponents by a combined 262 points in that stretch — the best point differential across 11 games in NBA history, regardless of regular season or postseason.

Knicks fever has taken over the city in the process.

“The buzz is unbelievable,” Landry Shamet said. “You could try and explain what’s going on in New York right now for Knicks fans but good luck. It’s different. Knicks fans are different.”

Sometimes, star players are fouled intentionally to send a message.

It is rare, though, that the same treatment is given to a role player,

Toward the end of the Thunder’s 127-114 home win over the Spurs in Game 5 on Tuesday, Oklahoma City role player Jared McCain was fouled twice in quick succession — including a vicious elbow to the back from Mason Plumlee that knocked him to the floor. 

Those fouls in the last two minutes have raised some eyes, especially since the two Spurs that committed the infractions — Plumlee and Bismack Biyombo — received whispered instructions from San Antonio superstar Victor Wembanyama while he exited the floor with his team trailing by 14 with 2:20 remaining.

McCain said he was surprised by the fouls and, while at the free throw line, asked for an explanation of the harsh treatment. 

“That was crazy. I didn’t expect it, obviously,” McCain explained on “The Association” following his 20-point effort after being bumped into the starting lineup.

“We were at the free throw line too, and I was like, ‘Why’d you do that man,’ and he was like, ‘I got another one for you too.’ … Wasn’t aware, my team told me after, get to the corner at the end of games.”

The first foul happened with 1:39 remaining in regulation when McCain set a pick and Plumlee ran right through him, resulting in a foul that led to McCain hitting one of two free throw attempts.

Fifty-three seconds later, Biyombo committed a hard foul when McCain drove to the basket.

NBC Analyst Reggie Miller pointed out that leaving McCain on the court in a game that all but had been decided was not a good idea after seeing the two fouls.

“See, these are two shots to McCain in here in the starting lineup in the closing moments of this game. Miller said, “He doesn’t need to be on the floor here.” 

While these fouls could be explained as bad luck for the Thunder guard, a viral video from Tuesday night has some wondering about the intent.

Wembanyama gave both Plumlee and Biymobo quick remarks, and then moments later they committed hard fouls on one of the Thunder’s starters. 

This has led to some unfounded speculation that Wembanyama may have given some nefarious orders due to the nature of the fouls and the time left in the game.

This chippy ending of the game could add fuel to an already competitive series that could end Thursday in Game 6 with the Thunder holding the 3-2 advantage.

Herald Joe Mazzulla wins NBA Coach of the Year after calling award ‘stupid’

GlobeJoe Mazzulla named NBA Coach of the Year for 2025-26 season

Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla named NBA Coach of the Year, but he thinks award should be ‘Staff of the Year’

Thunder top Spurs in Game 5, move a win away from a return to NBA Finals

CelticsBlog Joe Mazzulla captures ‘stupid’ Coach of the Year award after 56-win Celtics season

Exit Interview: Jordan Walsh proved he belonged

CLNS Media Does Joe Mazzulla’s Coach of the Year or Playoff Loss Matter More? | Celtics Daily

INSTANT REACTION: Joe Mazzulla Wins NBA Coach of the Year

Celtics .comJoe Mazzulla Named 2025-26 NBA Coach of the Year

NBC Sports BostonJoe Mazzulla wins Coach of the Year after guiding Celtics to No. 2 seed

NESNEx-Celtics NBA Champion Defends AAU Game Outburst, Claims Opponent Body-Slammed His Player

Have Celtics Underachieved During Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown Era?

New England Dominating NBA With Recent Eye-Popping Success

Mass LiveHere’s a look at every Celtics award winner after 56-win regular season

Joe Mazzulla shares opinion on ‘stupid’ NBA Coach of the Year award

Joe Mazzulla named NBA Coach of the Year

Celtics WireTrue to form, Mazzulla credits Celtics staff for Coach of the Year nod

What offseason moves are possible for the Celtics?

Brad Stevens reacts to Joe Mazzulla Coach of the Year honors: He did a fantastic job

Celtics history: Fitch quits; Saunders deal; Walton passes

Joe Mazzulla becomes first Celtics coach to win Coach of the Year since 1980

Teague: Jaylen Brown will leave the Celtics to join the Hawks

The AthleticThe Bounce: The Thunder show why championship experience matters

Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla wins ‘stupid’ NBA Coach of the Year award

Boston Sports Journal Joe Mazzulla wins 2025-26 NBA Coach of the Year

BSJ Live Q&A: Simone on Celtics/NBA, 8:00 p.m. Wednesday 05.27.2026

Hardwood Houdini Robert Williams III reunion in Boston more than a pipe dream for Celtics fans

Potential Derrick White trade looking crazier by the day for Celtics

Magic considering recent Celtics champion to fill their head-coaching vacancy

It took Kristaps Porzingis one season away from Boston to prove Celtics were right

Potential Giannis trade gives Celtics dilemma Brad Stevens has never faced

Building on Joe Mazzulla’s recent honor should be no-brainer for Celtics

Joe Mazzulla’s bittersweet Coach of the Year honor could be ominous sign

Joe Mazzulla officially has to face reality he hoped to avoid

Chowder and ChampionsCavaliers-Giannis trade speculation could create nightmare Celtics scenario

Latest Joe Mazzulla achievement confirms what Celtics’ season really showed

CLNS Media/YouTube Do Celtics NEED to Change Play Style for Next Season?

Locked on Celtics Getting SPECIFIC with Boston Celtics Limited Free Agency, Trade Options

The Sixer SenseSixers forcing Celtics playoff collapse might help spark unwanted ripple effect

SI .com Joe Mazzulla Won Coach of the Year by Guiding Celtics to 56 Wins—But Don’t Overlook His Most Impressive Work

Jaylen Brown Should Have Been All-NBA First Team

AudacyJoe Mazzulla named 2025-26 NBA Coach of the Year

Clutch PointsCeltics’ Joe Mazzulla wins Coach of the Year award after campaigning against it

Celtics Roundtable FOX Sports Radio Personality Questions Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown

Yahoo Sports Joe Mazzulla named NBA Coach of the Year after Celtics overcame Jayson Tatum injury, Kristaps Porzingis trade

Hoops Wire NBA Notes: Hornets, LaMelo Ball, Pacers, Pascal Siakam, Celtics

Rockets RoundtableHouston Has the Young Core — Jaylen Brown Might Be the Finishing Piece

Fansided These 3 teams could become instant contenders with a wild trade for Jaylen Brown

Behind the Buck Pass Bucks’ looming Jaylen Brown problem already has a solution in plain sight

The Giannis nightmare scenario Bucks fans feared is taking shape

Heavy Celtics Could Land Re-Union With Fan Favorite Big Man

Celtics’ Jaylen Brown Issues Stark Reminder Amid Trade Speculation

Blazers May Be Most Important Team In Jaylen Brown Trade

Jayson Tatum Reacts to Celtics News 46 Years in the Making

Celtics Get Eye-Opening Update on Jaylen Brown’s Future Amid Trade Rumors

The Sports Hub Latest reporting has Celtics looking like a Giannis Antetokounmpo favorite

Joe Mazzulla becomes fourth Celtics coach to win NBA Coach of the Year

Bleacher ReportCeltics’ Joe Mazzulla Wins 2025-26 NBA Coach of the Year Award over J.B. Bickerstaff, Mitch Johnson

Playing ‘Trade or Keep’ with Every NBA Team’s Round 1 Draft Pick

CBS NewsBoston’s Joe Mazzulla wins NBA’s Coach of the Year, repeats claim that it should be a staff award

Barstool SportsPro Athletes- They Are Just Like Us – Kendrick Perkins Involved In An AAU Scuffle

Space City ScoopRockets’ Jaylen Brown dream has just one huge obstacle remaining

WEEI/YouTubeDid Joe Mazzulla really DESERVE NBA Coach of the Year? | Jones & Keefe

Essentially SportsShaquille O’Neal Gets Honest About Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum’s Celtics Future Amid Trade Rumors

NESN/YouTubeTop 5 Teams To Trade Jaylen Brown With

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The New York Knicks are waiting. Hurry up, Western Conference Finals.

Regardless of who the Knicks face in the NBA Finals, predictions can already be made at Kalshi — one of our favorite prediction market apps — particularly on a New York player winning Finals MVP.

Here are my rankings of the best value NBA Finals MVP win probabilities for the Knicks.

Knicks NBA Finals MVP odds at Kalshi

Percentages courtesy of Kalshi.

Kalshi is a regulated financial exchange where you trade on real-world event outcomes. Instead of traditional odds, prices are listed as percentages (0–100%), representing the market’s estimated probability of an event occurring.

Ranking Knicks NBA Finals MVP options

Unless otherwise listed, players are trading with less than a 1% win probability.

1. Josh Hart

The Oklahoma City Thunder are obviously more likely to advance out of the West. Thus, for the New York Knicks to win the Finals, they need to slow down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

View Josh Hart in the Andre Iguodala mold from the 2015 Finals. Iguodala slowed down LeBron James while averaging 16.3 points per game, buoyed by shooting 40% from deep.

Hart has averaged 11.4 points this postseason while shooting a rough 30.3% from beyond the arc, but if that latter number ticks up, it will carry his scoring with it, while everyone already knows to trust his defense.

2. OG Anunoby 

OG Anunoby may draw the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander assignment as often as Hart, his physical strength perhaps able to keep SGA from getting into the lane at will.

Anunoby returned from a hamstring worry to play in all four games of the sweep of the Cavaliers, averaging 16.25 points in that rout of a series.

Let’s put it this way: If the Knicks upset the Thunder, either Hart or Anunoby needs to have found more success than not defending Gilgeous-Alexander, and that thought should draw more attention than a 99-to-1 price suggests.

3. Jalen Brunson (28%, +257)

In the bigger picture, if the Knicks win the Finals, there is no one more valuable than Jalen Brunson. He took a pay cut of about 30% to help New York’s roster, and the result has been undeniable.

Who is more valuable than that?

On the court, a team’s high scorer is always an obvious bet to win a series MVP nod.

4. Karl-Anthony Towns (3%, +3233)

Somehow, Karl-Anthony Towns’s postseason run is flying largely under the radar. He has averaged 16.9 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 5.9 assists while shooting 48.9% from deep.

Imagine an NBA Finals where Towns notches a triple-double — he has two this postseason as well as a third game with 10 assists — and shoots 50% from deep. Quite frankly, the most outlandish part of that thought may be the implication that New York wins the NBA Finals.

5. Mikal Bridges

If Mikal Bridges can forget his Game 4 shooting — 4-of-16 from the field — and return to his previous postseason form, then don’t rule out anything. In the first 13 games of these playoffs, Bridges shot a casual 62.8% from the field while averaging 14.5 points.

The path to an MVP for Bridges lies in remaining efficient while further increasing his volume.

6. Mitchell Robinson

Just because a market offers a bet does not mean you should bet it. Let Mitchell Robinson be the example that proves that rule.

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

The Houston Rockets could look a little different next season, and that isn’t just the players on the roster.

On social media this week, the Rockets have teased a new look for their jerseys coming soon.

The order at “Rudy T’s” is expediting a “Classic with a Dream Shake,” which is an homage to Hakeem Olajuwon and the Clutch City era of Rockets basketball in the early 1990’s.

With the “Order Up” caption, it leads us to believe that the Rockets may be returning to their “ketchup and mustard” looks that they have sported throughout their franchise’s history.

It remains to be seen if the Rockets are adopting this look as their new primary uniform, if it is a City Edition look, or if it is an alternate jersey. Regardless, this should bring excitement for Rockets fans everywhere.

Rockets fans have been clamoring for a throwback uniform that honors the early 1990s teams that won two championships in 1994 and 1995, so it looks like the organization is listening to the fanbase.

TDS community, what do you make of the potential new jerseys? Are you excited about the potential return of the ketchup and mustard look? Chime off in the comments section below.

The Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James are on a crash course toward one of the most challenging negotiations of the NBA offseason.

According to Brian Windhorst, James and his representatives are waiting for the Lakers to present not only a contract offer, but also a clear vision for the franchise moving forward. And if that offer comes in below the max, James wants an explanation.

Windhorst said on ESPN’s “Hoop Collective” podcast via Bleacher Report that James’ camp expects the Lakers to explain exactly why they would offer less than a maximum contract and how they plan to use the remaining cap space.

For a player who made $52.6 million last season and is still performing at an elite level at age 41, that request signals James still sees himself as a cornerstone player.

The tension, however, is obvious.

The Lakers have already begun shifting the franchise toward Luka Dončić as the centerpiece of their future. Team president Rob Pelinka made that crystal clear after the season ended.

“The archetype of the roster that we want is going to be retrofitted around Luka and the things he needs,” Pelinka said during his postseason press conference.

That doesn’t necessarily mean the Lakers are moving on from James. In fact, Pelinka emphasized the organization “would love to have LeBron James” back. But it does change the dynamics of the negotiation.

For nearly a decade, every major Lakers decision revolved around James. After acquiring Dončić, Los Angeles is now balancing two timelines: Maximizing what’s left of James’ championship window while building smartly and sustainably around a younger superstar.

There’s also the Austin Reaves factor. The guard is due for a major extension, and Pelinka has expressed interest in retaining the second-longest-tenured Laker.

“We want his odyssey to continue to unfold in the purple and gold,” Pelinka said.

How the Lakers balance the contracts of the new additions and Reaves will certainly have an outsized affect on how they proceed with James’ contract.

Still, James remains remarkably productive. Even in a secondary role beside Dončić, he averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds last season.

If the Lakers decide that production is no longer worth a max salary, James wants to know exactly why.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

While the Oklahoma City Thunder took a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday, sportsbooks are already offering NBA Finals look-ahead odds for both the series and Game 1.

At the same time, the New York Knicks await whichever opponent prevails.

Both FanDuel and DraftKings have jumped the gun on the NBA odds, though neither rules out the Spurs still winning the West. The Knicks are listed as the underdogs against either would-be Western Conference opponent, but the path is viewed as slightly easier against San Antonio, which trails 3-2 in the West Finals.

NBA Finals look-ahead series odds

Matchup	Knicks	Opponent
Knicks vs Thunder	+215	-265
Knicks vs Spurs	+185	-225

Odds via DraftKings as of 5-28.

Regardless of who wins the West, the New York Knicks will be hefty underdogs. DraftKings sets series odds at +215 for New York to win against Oklahoma City Thunder (-265) and +185 against the San Antonio Spurs (-225).

Potential NBA Finals spreads

Matchup	Game 1 Spread
Knicks at Thunder	Knicks +6.5  -105
Knicks at Spurs	Knicks +4.5 -115

Odds as of 5-28.

Given the Western Conference winner will have homecourt advantage, it should not be too much of a surprise that lookahead spreads favor the home teams handily, as well, -6.5 for the Thunder and -4.5 for the Spurs at FanDuel.

NBA Finals series total games

Matchup	Over	Under
Knicks at Thunder	Over 5.5 -155	Over 5.5 -155
Knicks at Spurs	Over 5.5 -165	Under 5.5 +130

Odds via DraftKings as of 5-27.

All that said, do not expect a rollover of a Finals. In both matchups, DraftKings sets the series length Over/Under at 5.5 with the Over heavily juiced, suggesting at least two New York wins in its first appearance in the NBA Finals since last century.

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

ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins doesn’t hold back on TV, but he needed someone to do so for him at a youth basketball tournament.

During one of his son’s games over the weekend on the AAU basketball circuit in Norman, Okla., things got intense and chippy. Both teams, YPG Perkins and Swaveway Playaz, were fouling each other, witnesses told TMZ. 

But one supposedly non-basketball foul sent the ex-NBA champ-turned-youth coach over the edge. He had to be held back while shouting at the opposing team’s coaching staff

“Damn right, and it probably won’t be the last time!” Perkins responded to video of the incident on X. “I’m going to protect every single kid in my organization like they’re my own.” 

It took three people to hold back the 6-foot-10 and 270-pound Perkins. Norman police were on site and helped calm down the situation, but found no reason to criminally charge anyone involved.

This is not the first time Perkins has gotten heated at an AAU game. In 2023, Perkins was ejected from a game after arguing with officials.

According to Perkins, he just wanted an explanation for why one of his players was thrown out, but the official ignored him. That is when he got a bit more confrontational and received a double technical and an ejection.

The 41-year-old Texan had a long NBA career, playing for the Celtics, Thunder, Cavaliers and Pelicans. His biggest role was with the Thunder as an important defensive piece next to Russel Westbrook and Kevin Durant. He played a total of 14 seasons before retiring after the 2018 season. 

He’s since taken his act to the airwaves, chiming in on hot topics on ESPN’s morning shows. On Wednesday morning’s edition of SportsCenter, Perkins claimed that Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama “got punked’ in game five of the Western Conference Finals.