Basketball News
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The Spurs could be without their backup center for a must-win Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Knicks. Luke Kornet has been listed as questionable in the injury report due to illness.
Kornet has not had a good playoffs and has only averaged a shade under eight minutes per game in the Finals. He’s only scored three total points in the series and pulled down nine total rebounds. San Antonio has been outscored by a total of 19 points when he’s been on the floor. It’s a horrible matchup for Kornet, who is not quick enough to guard Karl-Anthony Towns on the perimeter or switch effectively and struggles on the defensive boards against Mitchell Robinson. On paper, his potential absence shouldn’t have a big effect on the Spurs’ chances of forcing a Game 6.
The problem is, the Silver and Black don’t really have other viable big men to spare Victor Wembanyama, who is already averaging 40 minutes a game and at times has looked fatigued. While Kornet has not been effective, Kelly Olynyk, Bismack Biyombo, and Mason Plumlee still probably represent a downgrade. Mitch Johnson will likely go small instead if his backup big man misses the game, with Carter Bryant potentially getting minutes at center, as he has in the past. Bryant has not been good in his limited playing time, but he could be the best alternative.
The Spurs are down 3-1 in the Finals and are facing elimination. Game 5 will tip off at 7:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, June 13.
Victor Wembanyama didn't go full Joe Namath poolside in Miami before Super Bowl III, but the big man came close.
When asked about the mood around the Spurs ahead of Saturday night's Game 5, facing a 3-1 series deficit in the NBA Finals to the Knicks, the Frenchman said the team "absolutely" believes they can spring a most unlikely comeback.
"Everybody thinks, everybody knows, we're going to do it," Wembanyama said Friday.
"I feel like we need to isolate that one game and take it one game at a time," he continued. "I think it would be a mistake to waste our energy on multiple games. It's one game at a time."
Guard Devin Vassell echoed the "one game at a time" mantra.
"Nothing is guaranteed. Nothing is promised. But we know we've at least got one game," Vassell said. "So we need to go 1-0, and whatever we need to do for that to happen, we've got to do that."
He added: "We've got our backs against the wall. Let's just focus on trying to go 1-0... and then from there we'll just try to walk it down."
The comments come after the Spurs saw a 29-point third-quarter lead – that was still at 20 points with under 10 minutes to play in the fourth quarter – slip away in a tremendous collapse in Game 4 at MSG.
Wembanyama said there were "a thousand ways we could have not lost that game," but the team has shifted its focus to Saturday night.
"It felt like there was a time to process this, to really dwell on it. But not anymore," he said.
The Game 4 loss wasn't the only one the Spurs and Wembanyama let slip through their fingers. The Spurs let a 14-point third-quarter lead slip in Game 1 and Wembanyama had a terrible late turnover and missed two shot attempts in a one-point loss in Game 2.
"We're very confident, but yeah, I wouldn't say it was so hard to, like, shake off, right?" Wembanyama said about Game 4. "Harder than any other game before, by far, for sure. I mean, now we're over it. It's the playoffs. There's no time to regret things for too long."
Vassell added the Spurs feel they've played the Knicks "really good for the past four games."
"We just really haven't been able to close out games," the guard said. "Obviously, a credit to them. But we feel like we have been able to control a lot of this series, and we've just got to figure out how to finish these games."
After his comments following the Spurs' Game 4 collapse, Victor Wembanyama was asked if he has a better sense of whether or not the Spurs believe they can pull off a 3-1 comeback in the NBA Finals:
— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) June 12, 2026
"Yeah, absolutely. Everybody knows we're going to do it. I feel like we need to… pic.twitter.com/mS7F8QW9ov
Knick fans may think Victor Wembanyama is public enemy No. 1 currently, but a former Knicks head coach sure doesn’t think that way.
Isiah Thomas, who coached the Knicks from 2006-08 and also served in the front office, defended Wembanyama Friday morning on the “Run it Back” Show, saying he’s been the victim of physical abuse all NBA Finals long and pushed back on the idea the Spurs star is “dirty.”
“Wemby has been the victim of some of the dirtiest s–t ever. I mean, people are grabbing and holding him,” Thomas said.
"Wemby has been the victim of some of the dirtiest sh*t ever… they're lucky he hasn't popped one of them in the face."
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) June 12, 2026
Isiah Thomas doesn't want an ethical big man@MichelleDBeadle | @boogiecousins | @ChandlerParsons | @TeamLou23pic.twitter.com/UHVVWKl5KQ
“With Wemby, we’re allowing people to grab and hold him, knock him down. They literally have him locked up. With his demeanor, they’re lucky he hasn’t turned around and popped one of them in the face real quick,” Thomas added. “Big men, normally you don’t get to be this aggressive with them without them having the ability to retaliate, hold their temper and all of that.”
Thomas compared the situation to “hack-a-Shaq,” where teams would purposely hit and foul Shaquille O’Neal to send the poor free-throw shooter to the line.
“Shaq took more abuse in our league than probably any NBA player that’s ever played,” Thomas said.
In regards to Wembanyama, Thomas may be in the minority.
Knicks fans were fuming after Wembanyama shoved Jalen Brunson to the ground early in Game 3 and wasn’t called for a flagrant foul.
Even though the NBA reviewed the play Tuesday, they did not penalize him.
In the third quarter of Game 4, Wembanyama was called for a flagrant foul after elbowing Karl-Anthony Towns in the face.
The flagrant now means Wembanyama is at three flagrant points this postseason after getting two for elbowing Naz Reid in the second round.
One more flagrant would lead to an automatic suspension.
Wembanyama and the Spurs are on the brink of elimination after blowing a 29-point lead in Game 4, and trail the Knicks 3-1 as the series shifts back to San Antonio for Saturday’s Game 5.
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New York’s success in the Finals has been great for the public, especially live bettors during the most-wagered NBA game ever at DraftKings.
The Knicks pulled off an incredible 29-point rally to go up 3-1 in the best-of-seven Finals against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday in a game that was highly favorable to bettors, both before and during the contest.
“The Knicks and the public are locked in on each other, and it's been going well for the general public,” DraftKings’ Johnny Avello told Covers on Friday.
That’s a trend that will likely continue heading into Saturday’s Game 5 when the Knicks can clinch their first championship since 1973.
Avello doesn’t believe the series shifting back to San Antonio on Saturday will hurt the betting handle at this point, and he predicted before the series began that this would be the most-bet NBA Finals at DraftKings since the company began operating legal sports betting in 2018.
“We knew that there was going to be Knicks money. We knew that from the outset,” Avello said. “We've had future money on them throughout the year, and the hype was so high on them coming to the series that we knew the bettors would be playing them on the moneyline, especially when they were underdogs.”
Aside from last year when this team made the Eastern Conference finals, the Knicks have largely been starved for success over the last two decades. Still, in the most populous city in the U.S., they remain king.
With New York natives spread across the country, celebrities appearing at games, and television ratings through the roof, the Knicks have become an incredibly popular team to watch and bet on.
“The stars show up. People are tuning in to see who’s coming to the game,” Avello said. “It’s just created a hysteria. It's incredible with this team, how people have backed this team.”
The Empire State, which leads all jurisdictions in sports betting handle each month, certainly carried a large percentage of the amount wagered on Game 4, but Avello said there was plenty of Knicks action from across the U.S. and through sports contract trading on DraftKings Predictions.
“Customers hung with them, and played them throughout the game,” Avello said.
Bettors feasted on numerous live moneyline odds Wednesday. Avello said the longest they got at DraftKings was +2,200 in the first half. Bettors weren’t deterred and had no problem firing on New York throughout the second half, even when they were down 22 points with eight minutes to play.
The Knicks were still over +1,000 at times in the final quarter before they took their first lead with 1:22 remaining. After falling behind 106-105 with under a minute left, OG Anunoby tipped in the game-winning shot with two seconds remaining, lifting New York to a 107-106 victory in front of a raucous Big Apple crowd.
“These are the comeback kids, and you know, the bettors, they've been betting this team when they're down,” Avello said. “They have as much confidence in wagering on the Knicks as the Knicks do in winning the game themselves.”
The Knicks head into Saturday night as -500 favorites to win the series but 5.5-point underdogs to do it in Game 5.
DraftKings has already seen 75% of the bets and 85% of the money come in on the Knicks by Friday afternoon. More than 80% of the wagers are backing New York at +164 on the moneyline.
“The feeling now is that San Antonio won't be able to recover,” Avello said. “This is the feeling from the bettor that I'm kind of seeing. We knew that the Knicks money would come in each and every game, so no, there'll be no drop-off here.”
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.
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Former Knicks teammates Carmelo Anthony and Jeremy Lin said they hashed out 14 years of unanswered questions and false narratives after “Linsanity” took over New York in 2012.
During Friday’s installment of the “7PM in Brooklyn” podcast, Lin — whose rise to fame during the 2011-12 season sparked rumors that Anthony was jealous of his success — explained that the pair had an “honest and direct” conversation and finally reconciled.
“Basically I asked every last question I had: ‘Did that happen? What happened there? What happened here?’” Lin said. “But it was honest. It was direct, it was honest and we were able to definitely clear the air. Obviously perception is reality in certain situations.
“And that’s the thing about that whole stretch was there was a lot that I was unsure about. And so the narratives come, but to be able to talk it out, I appreciate that. And so my biggest thing was when I think back on my career, because I recently retired [last August], I’ve never wanted my story to be me versus anybody else, which we had talked about.
“And I think at the end of all of this, if my name comes up or my story comes up and it’s me versus [Carmelo] or if we’re ever at a point where someone has to choose sides, then I think we failed.”
Anthony, who publicly invited Lin to be a guest on his “7PM In Brooklyn” podcast to “clear the air” last month, explained that it took him some time before he felt ready to answer Lin’s questions.
“These was questions that was built up for 14 years that other people probably was adding on to your pressures and your mindset and your perspective,” Anthony said. “It took me to go through what I went through to have the time to come back and be at peace with being able to answer all your questions with actual facts.”
There were rumblings of a reported feud between the pair during the rise of “Linsanity” after Lin was called up during the 2011-12 season.
At the time, Lin led the Knicks to 10 wins in 13 games when he averaged over 22 points and nine assists.
Anthony was dealing with a groin injury at the time.
“Forget being jealous of what he’s doing, I want him to keep going.”
— 7PM in Brooklyn (@7PMinBrooklyn) June 12, 2026
Melo gets real about the narrative that he envied Jeremy Lin's rise to famepic.twitter.com/BVmTEpUImL
Lin’s popularity rose to the point where he couldn’t leave his apartment in New York City without being swarmed by paparazzi, he was the subject of Kim Kardashian dating rumors and he turned down the cover of GQ magazine.
After the 2011-12 season, Anthony made waves when he called Lin’s Houston Rockets contract offer — three years and $25 million — “ridiculous,” which led to reports that he was jealous of Lin’s fast success and it was disrupting what he was trying to build in New York.
Anthony addressed his “ridiculous” remark, saying that Lin deserved for the Knicks to match his offer from Houston instead of letting him walk over luxury tax concerns.
“You got to think from my perspective, everything kind of came and went so fast and now I’m not on the Knicks anymore,” Lin said on the the podcast. “7PM in Brooklyn,” a Wave Original. And after that, I hear publicly a coach saying something and three teammates saying stuff publicly about like, ‘Oh, Linsanity didn’t vibe with everybody in the locker room.’ And so I’m like, ‘You got to think, Melo, I’m hearing this and I’m trying to piece together the story.’”
Anthony also pushed back on the narrative that he was jealous of Lin during “Linsanity.”
“I had to figure my s–t. I was injured. I was hurt,” Anthony said of the “Linsanity” era. “I had to think about how fast I’m going to come back, what I’m going to do, how the f–k I’m going to go help this team, how I got to lead this team.
“I’m in a different position than [Jeremy] is. So I got to deal with a whole bunch of s–t. Forget being jealous of what [Jeremy’s] doing. I want him to keep going. Game win in D.C. Yo, keep going. Toronto. Yo, keep going.”
Melo reveals why he called Jeremy Lin's contract extension 'ridiculous'
— 7PM in Brooklyn (@7PMinBrooklyn) June 12, 2026@FDSportsbook
Melo: "Did he deserve the match, yes … what was ridiculous was the jump."
Lin: "My exit from the New York Knicks crushed me … I would've done anything to stay." pic.twitter.com/GZUnjbHPT3
Lin and Anthony reconciled as the Knicks are one win away from their first championship in 53 years. Both have supported their former team throughout the Knicks’ playoff run.
Lin, who announced his retirement from professional basketball in an Instagram post last August, is a guest NBA analyst with ESPN for the 2026 NBA Finals.
Carmelo, who announced his retirement in 2023 following 19 NBA seasons, is an NBA analyst with NBC.
It’s been ten years since a team leading in the NBA Finals 3-1 blew the lead, and the New York Knicks are hoping they aren’t the latest squad to join that list.
After the Knicks’ epic Game 4 comeback against the San Antonio Spurs, they have pushed their opponent to the brink of elimination, but they haven’t finished the job yet as they need one final win.
The Knicks have put themselves in a great position, giving themselves three chances to pull it off, but that adds to a lot of pressure to finish a 53-year drought and hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy for the first time since 1973.
The Spurs have proven to be a formidable opponent and they are a team used to the pressure of having to win when it matters most. In their series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, they fell behind in Game 1 with a loss at home but still managed to beat them in six games to advance to the Western Conference Finals.
When they faced off against the Oklahoma City Thunder, they fell behind 2-1 after Game 3 and 3-2 after a Game 5 blowout loss on the road. They were able to clutch up, win Game 6 at home, and get the job done on the road in Game 7.
“We’ve got to try to put it behind us. Get back to the things that we’ve done well in these games,” Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox said.
“We have to figure out a way to hold the lead. We’ve been able to build double-digit leads in all four of these games, and we’ve got to figure out a way to sustain that. It obviously looks like a steep hill, but this is something that’s happened before. … We feel like we have a team that is able to come back from this, but we have to take this one game at a time.”
Despite their struggles in the second half of Game 4, the Spurs are expected to bring out their best for Game 5 to push the series back to Madison Square Garden for Game 6. The last thing the Knicks need to do is get complacent, otherwise they could see the joke turned around on them.
What if I told you that the Suns could increase their production at the starting center position while simultaneously paying less money than it would take to re-sign Mark Williams? Is that something you might be interested in?
Despite the Suns’ injury management plan, reduced minutes, and scheduled rest days, Mark Williams ended another season hurt. This left the Suns with no choice but to turn to their young reserve centers as they struggled to gain traction against the overwhelming perimeter pressure of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Averaging 43.6 minutes over the course of four games, Khaman Malauch and Oso Ighodaro (KhOso) combined to average 9.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks.
No bueno.
Going into the 2026-27 season, the Suns have a decision to make about whether to bring back Mark Williams, who played a career-high 60 games last season. The Suns, in a surprise move, acquired Williams via a draft day trade, swapping two first-round picks for the big, and then immediately turned around and drafted Khaman Malauch. As Holden Sherman pointed out in his Bright Side article, the Suns knew they’d need a starting center as 19-year-old Malauch developed his body and game. A necessity to compete, but still a high price to pay.
Some fans might wring their hands at the thought of moving on from a player their team just gave up two draft picks to get after one year, but the Suns would be well advised not to fall victim to the sunk cost fallacy.
Mark Williams is a restricted free agent, so the Suns are in a position to match any offer made. Whether there will be interest in the Suns big remains to be seen, but ESPN’s Bobby Marks reported that Mark could receive a possible contract of $42 million over 3 years, and there are real questions as to whether or not that fits the Suns budget and Khaman Malauch’s timeline.
So if Mark does hit the $13-15 million dollar a year range and the Suns decide to walk away, what options do they have? Replacements for Mark within the Suns’ budget are hard to find. The Suns will either have to spend more on or expect less from the starting center position. The Suns front office has been good at working with less, but when you go out hunting potential value contracts, it’s important to turn over every rock. And I think I found a familiar rock that may have some value on the backside of his career.
Ladies and Gentlemen, it’s my privilege to present to you today, for the approval of the fan base…
*Drumrolls on desk*
Deandre Ayton.
That’s right. Deandre Ayton, aka DA, aka DominAyton. The same Deandre Ayton we drafted ahead of Luka Doncic. Or is it? It’s been eight years since the Suns drafted DA and three years since he’s laced them up for the purple and orange. He’s no longer number one pick Deandre. He’s a new Deandre. He’s no longer max contract Deandre, he’s fighting to stay a starter in this league Deandre, and that comes with a price tag that should give the Suns pause when considering if they really want to creep closer towards the 1st apron to bring Mark Williams back at possibly northwards of $13 million dollars a year.
There are Suns fans who may hate this, but we need to remember, it was the Suns’ decision not to draft Luka, not DA’s. So haters get wrecked or just get over it.
The narrative around DA has gone from “he needs to be more physical” to “he needs to lock in and focus” to “DA doesn’t care.” I don’t know DA other than what he’s done on the basketball court and what he’s said in pressers or on social media. But I still remember Monty giving that incredible speech to DA when he was a young player getting worked by Giannis at the peak of his game. I remember the frustration, which was sliding into resignation as he struggled to compete with an all-time great. Monty knew he needed a pick-me-up, not a scolding.
Ayton needs to be managed properly. He doesn’t need ultimatums or call-outs in the media; he needs to be finessed. Some, if not most, of you might be thinking, “Exactly, that’s why I don’t want him on the Suns.” But hold that up to the mirror, and you’ll see, “.sunS eht no mih tanw t’nod I yhw s’taht, yltcaxE” which is Latin for, “That’s actually a good thing.” Let me explain why.
It’s the Dead Cap era. The Suns need to find players who overperform the price tag on their contract. This isn’t me making this up. Brian Gregory said it himself. Three of those players who had career years, Goodwin, Gillespie, and Brooks, are getting new deals. So the prices on their tags are going up. The Suns don’t have the money to go out and get a season trajectory-changing center like Sabonis without having to reconstruct the roster or move into those nasty aprons. They need to find someone who under-produced that they can get at a bargain and rehabilitate.
Deandre Ayton is coming off of a down year. Not just in the box score, but also in vibes and in media perception. Last year, DA recorded career lows in minutes, points, and rebounds. It was the first season Deandre Ayton has averaged under 10 rebounds. I don’t think the Lakers want him back, and either he opts into the last year of his contract and becomes a trade piece, or he declines his option and tests the free agent market.
Whatever his decision, all indications are that Deandre Ayton will be on a new team next year. Will he garner more than the $8 million left on his contract? Not everyone thinks so. Estimates range anywhere from $5-13 million if he were to enter free agency. If the Suns can sign DA at the right price, he might be the perfect fallback if they don’t want to spend that much money to sign Mark. But if it didn’t work in Portland, and it didn’t work in Los Angeles, why would it work in Phoenix on a team where it already hasn’t worked once?
Culture.
The Suns have defined their culture, and now it’s time for them to use it. You don’t build a culture to bring in only players cut from the same cloth. The power of culture is that teams can bring in players who aren’t cut from that cloth, but the culture currently carries them that way. It’s the advantage the Patriots have by bringing in Randy Moss and reviving him. It’s Head Coach Tom Osborne recruiting Lawrence Phillips and all the emotional dysfunction that came with him and them winning championships at Nebraska. It’s the Bulls signing Rodman. It’s the Pistons taking a bet on Rasheed Wallace. It’s the Heat bringing in Jimmy Butler and making the Finals, after it didn’t work in Philadelphia, who got him after his meltdown in Minnesota.
The Lakers had no established culture in 2025-26. There was no locker room chemistry. No alignment. Luka randomly fell into their laps, and then they had to figure out how to make it work with a team built around LeBron and AD. Oh, and LeBron was still on the team. I’m sure he was flexible.
The Lakers were not a fit for DA. JJ Reddick has to be a hard ass, that’s all he knows. So he made comments at pressers, tried to spike Deandre’s water with crunk juice, and cut his minutes to let him know he wasn’t happy with his performance. Luka and Lebron didn’t want DA on the team either. Anyone out there who has worked a job where the management isn’t happy with your performance and has already formed their opinion of your value knows it’s not easy to come in excited to work every day under that type of scrutiny.
Deandre doesn’t respond to the stick. He’s a carrot guy. Everyone is always so quick to say, DA, you need to play harder, DA, you need to focus, DA, you’re letting the team down. No one ever thought to ask DA what he needs. What’s wrong, Deandre? What can I do to help you, Deandre? Do we need to get you a couple more field goal attempts, Deandre?
¿Deandre, por qué estás tan triste?
It breaks my heart to see Deandre sad and on the Lakers. I want to see Valley-Oop DA. And I want to see the Suns get more production out of the center position. I know they can get that from DA who played 72 games in the regular season last year. 72 games before he got to the playoffs, where he added another 10.
Mark Williams has never played in a playoff game. Deandre Ayton has 55 under his belt. He’s won 31 of them. I don’t know what kind of offer Deandre will get if he hits free agency, but it’s a good bet Mark Williams gets offered more. Khaman looked at least another year away from being a starting-caliber center in this league, but we know he’s coming. Why sign Mark to three years at $42 million if you could get Deandre on a two-year prove-it deal for under 20 million, similar to his deal with the Lakers?
Would Deandre be interested in coming back to the Suns? Who knows? I won’t pretend to know Deandre Ayton. It didn’t end very well. But this is a new Deandre with a new contract that comes with new expectations. He didn’t live up to the number 1 pick, but he was far from a bust. The free agent options at center look bleak so if DA hits free agency or if he opts in and the Lakers are open to moving him, the Suns have to take a look. There aren’t very many rocks on the beach. They can’t leave any unturned.
Thank you for your time and consideration. Now form an orderly line at the top of the comments section to tell me why I’m wrong.
SAN ANTONIO — Apparently, it’s obvious to Victor Wembanyama.
He was unwavering in his confidence.
“Everybody thinks — everybody knows,” Wembanyama said after Spurs practice on Friday, “that we’re going to do it.”
He was talking about the Spurs locker room, not necessarily everyone on the outside watching these Finals. He was asked if he and his teammates actually believe they can overturn their 3-1 Finals deficit.
After the Knicks’ miraculous comeback in their 107-106 Game 4 win Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, Wembanyama said that the Spurs’ collapse would either divide or unite the locker room. Two days later, he is confident that it is the latter and that they share that common belief.
And he thinks the Spurs have moved past their historic Game 4 choke.
“We’re very confident,” Wembanyama said. “I wouldn’t say it was so hard to, like, shake it off. Harder than any other game before, by far, for sure. I mean, now we’re over it. It’s the playoffs. There’s no time to regret things for too long.”
Only one team has come back from a 3-1 deficit in Finals history — the Cavaliers in 2016.
“I feel like we’ve made history all year, and we’ve proven that with our backs against the wall that we can step up,” Stephon Castle said. “So I don’t really expect this to be any different.”
Both Spurs coach Mitch Johnson and his players have expressed a sentiment that it has been them that has decided all four games of this series. They pointed to their double-digit leads in all four games.
It has been their own shortcomings when they have those leads, they say, not anything the Knicks have done that has dictated the end results. That’s why they are so sure that this series is still within their control.
“I think just our confidence,” Castle said. “We’ve had a 10-plus point lead in every single game. Just trying to stay poised throughout that and try to keep our foot on the gas really. I feel like once we get those leads, we start to play a little bit different, take our foot off the gas defensively. I just feel like we have to stay aggressive but be smart through it.”
They are not looking at the totality of needing to win three straight games, though. Their eyes are solely on Saturday’s Game 5, back home at the Frost Bank Arena.
“I feel like we need to isolate that one game and take it one game at a time,” Wembanyama said. “I think it would be a mistake to waste our energy on multiple games. It’s one game at a time.”
New York City is eating up the Knicks, and now fans can taste it, too.
The Big Apple is crackling with Knicks energy. Spend just a minute in NYC, and you’ll pass a fan sporting a Knicks hat, custom merch, or wearing their iconic orange and blue.
Even the streets around Madison Square Garden are zhuzhed up, with the 34th Street-Penn Station subway entrances transformed into an Instagram-ready landmark with globe lights reimagined as basketballs and the metal facade repainted in the Knicks’ signature colors.
The city’s most beloved eateries have been stirring up fan spirit, too — proving that when the Knicks win, so does New York.
Restaurants, bakeries and more are getting in on the basketball boom, giving New Yorkers another reason to hope for a championship win this Saturday, which would be the team’s first since defeating the LA Lakers way back in 1973.
From Knicks logo-emblazoned cakes, cookies and cupcakes to pasta in — what else? — neon orange and blue, NYC chefs are making a full-court press with in-demand themed treats in time for Game 5 against the San Antonio Spurs.
Here are some of the hot spots getting major foot traffic for their Knicks-themed goodies.
Pasta eaters are flocking to Patrizia’s to score the new Jalen Brunson rigatoni.
The family-style Italian chain rolled out the $24.99 plate — honoring the team’s star point guard at all 19 restaurant locations — just before the finals started.
The in-house rigatoni is dyed blue using natural blueberry extract, then topped with a spicy orange vodka cream sauce, plus generous dollops of burrata cheese.
Antonio Alaio, owner of Patrizia’s Manhattan, told The Post that diners have been packing in just to get a taste of the dish after it went viral on social media.
But you’d better be quick.
“Over the weekend, we sold out. Approximately 600 pounds of pasta since launching our pasta special last week across all our locations,” said Alaio.
That’s 1,200 orders citywide — translating to an extra $20,000 just from Knicks pasta alone.
For those with a sweet tooth, a newer bakery — cleverly titled Noa, a Café — is already making fans with its vibrant cinnamon rolls.
Its two locations — the first debuted in Nomad in April 2023, and the second is now open in the West Village — have been blasting through about 150 to 200 cinnamon rolls on game days only, according to founder Nicki Dehghani.
That’s in addition to the 100 to 300 non-themed rolls with cream cheese frosting they produce every day.
“We wish we could do more! But that is what we have time to produce at the moment,” Dehghani said of the popular product, which offers the option of orange or blue frosting and sprinkles for $9.
In a rare move, legendary Junior’s Restaurant and Bakery added something special to its famed cheesecake line: melt-in-your-mouth Knicks vanilla cupcakes, boasting frosting, a fondant wafer, a Knicks logo and sprinkles on top.
“They are selling like hot cupcakes!” third-generation owner Alan Rosen proclaimed to The Post. He said they unloaded more than 1,000 cupcakes in the first week alone, adding: “Which is surprising since we are known for cheesecake.”
In fact, on the first day the cupcakes became available, a single diner came to the 49th and Broadway location and bought them all — around 70.
At just $5.75 individually or $69 for a dozen, the chain has banked nearly $6,000 — and is still going strong.
Rosen noted that Junior’s, which opened back in 1950, is celebrating its 75th anniversary, only slightly younger than the 1946-born Knicks.
“We are both only getting better with age,” Rosen previously told The Post.
Upscale grocer Butterfield Market is also getting in on the game.
Its original Upper East Side location on Lexington Avenue — there’s also a newer spot on Madison — recently went viral for its exclusive, multi-product Dot Cake collab. Each 8-ounce confection is $11, whether Knicks-themed or regular, and fans have been lining up for a chance to score one.
Butterfield has also whipped up 12-packs of orange- and blue-frosted cupcakes for $24.99. Overall cupcake package sales have spiked from 200 per day to 220 across both locations since the playoff run.
And Knicks-themed cookies ($12.99 a box) have pushed cookie sales from roughly 300 per day to about 350.
In addition, they’ve been selling approximately 50 to 60 Knicks-themed cakes ($20 each) per day.
“The Knicks excitement has created a meaningful boost in our dessert business and has driven a noticeable increase in customer traffic and celebratory purchases,” Joelle Obsatz, CMO of Butterfield Market, told The Post.
Beloved Il Fornaio Bakery has been selling out of their most popular hand-crafted goodies since rolling out Knicks-themed cookies, cakes and cake pops.
Owner Marco Vicari revealed that just in Knicks items alone, the company made over $35,000 in sales since the finals kicked off. Most notably, cookies — at $30 a pound – have been a big seller at the Astoria staple, known for its luxe cakes, traditional Italian pastries and danishes.
“Since Game 3, which was our biggest day to date, we have sold over 500 pounds of Knicks rainbow cookies alone, and the orders have not stopped,” Vicari, who established the shop in 2011, told The Post.
Posting on Instagram just hours before Wednesday’s game, Vicari urged diners to call ahead and reserve theirs as other treats have sold out fast.
In recent days, online orders have skyrocked 100%, he told The Post.
Given that success and just ahead of Game 4, the bakery has also started selling personal-sized chocolate mousse cakes christened with the Knicks’ colors and logo on top.
Meanwhile, Upper West Side landmark, Zabar’s (2245 Broadway), also jumped on the Knicks kick — big-time.
A rep told The Post that it has landed a $11,800 windfall from special team treats and merch.
The popular deli and grocery store, best known for selling 4,000 pounds of hand-sliced smoked fish per week, traded its signature black-and-white cookies for orange-and-blue-hued treats just ahead of Game 3.
Six-packs, available online, run $29.98; individual cookies are $4, first-come, first-served; in just a few days, the UWS staple nabbed $6,000 alone on those as fans line up to grab them, setting social media abuzz.
Zabar’s, which opened more than 90 years ago, also launched a limited-edition hat in Knicks colors ahead of Game 4. Two-hundred of the prized $28.98 merch sold out in just six hours, nabbing the deli nearly $5,800 in sales, a rep told The Post.
For those looking to score one, Zabar’s revealed it will restock with 200 more hats this weekend — but, no surprise, they expect to sell out again.
It’s no surprise that bars have also seen big wait times, and for Goldie’s Tavern — an official partner of the Knicks Playoff Bar Network, with a prime location at 135 W 30th St, just one block away from MSG — it’s certainly no different.
“It’s a level of ‘holy s–t’ we were not expecting. The best crowds we’ve ever had.” Wayne Gravesande, general manager of Goldie’s, told The Post, adding that he projects a whopping $40,000 to 50,000 in sales each game night.
The sports bar has been playing all games on massive projectors, and for Game 1 alone on June 3, 500 fans were standing outside for hours, waiting to get in ahead of the game’s 8:30 start.
Fans have even stood on cars outside just to catch a peek, the proud manager revealed.
While the city of New York and its media machine are not paying attention this year because the Knicks are in the Finals — that group usually leads the "What playoff games? Let's focus on the offseason" push — free agency and trade rumors are heating up fast around the league.
If you want the latest on Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors, follow this link. Here is what else is being talked about.
Re-signing Austin Reaves is at the top of the Lakers' offseason to-do list. He has proven himself a quality No. 2 option as a scorer and shot creator (plus a guy who can carry the offense for a stretch when Luka Doncic is out), plus he has become a key locker room voice for them.
The question is price. Reaves is 28 and this contract is his one shot at generational wealth, he is not handing out a steep discount to stay with the Lakers as he did with his last contract.
Reaves has leverage this time because he is an unrestricted free agent and there are other teams interested — including Brooklyn coming in at the max, reports Dan Woike of The Athletic.
Multiple front-office sources around the league, granted anonymity to freely discuss an opposing player, expect Reaves to have interest from the Brooklyn Nets, with a four-year, $178.5 million contract expected to be offered. League sources said the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks are among a group of interested teams that can create space to make competitive offers. Other teams could also emerge.
The Lakers can offer more, both a fifth year and larger raises, with a max of $239.3 million (for five years), but they had hoped to get out cheaper, likely around $200 million. That said, the Lakers really have no choice but to pay a little more and make a deal. Reaves is a proven high-level shot creator who averaged 23.3 points and 5.5 assists a game last season while battling injuries, plus he has strong relationships with Luka Doncic and LeBron James. The Lakers cannot let Reaves just walk for nothing as a free agent — and he doesn't want to. He wants to stay in Los Angeles, but as noted, this is his first massive contract, and he has to take advantage of his opportunity. It's a business.
The Lakers have an exclusive negotiating window between now and the start of free agency on June 30. They want to get a deal done, but with Brooklyn lurking, Reaves has leverage.
Minnesota realizes if it wants to compete with the elite teams in the West — Oklahoma City and San Antonio, specifically — it needs another high-level shot creator and scorer to pair with Anthony Edwards. That is why they come up in Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors (although he reportedly does not want to go to the West).
Minnesota also is looking at Kyrie Irving and Ja Morant, report Sam Amick and Eric Nehm at The Athletic.
[Timberwolves president Tim] Connelly pursued stars like Kevin Durant and Antetokounmpo (at the February trade deadline) while showing some level of interest in others like Kyrie Irving and Ja Morant, but has yet to land a high-profile running mate for Anthony Edwards.
To be clear, Dallas has said Kyrie Irving is not available. While other teams take that with a grain of salt, there have been no indications that Dallas is looking to trade Irving in the short term.
Morant is expected to be traded this offseason, although the Grizzlies will wait until the Antetokounmpo drama plays out before making a move, to see whether any teams that strike out with the Greek Freak pivot to Morant. The question is how much are teams willing to trade for Morant? He's a 26-year-old All-Star and dynamic shot creator, a fan favorite, but one with a lengthy injury history, plus he has missed time due to off-the-court issues. It's something to watch.
It's all about the money. Always.
The tax aprons could be a buzzkill on free agency, reports Dan Woike at The Athletic.
"League sources said teams are approaching free agency with increased caution because of the restrictions tied to the league's first and second tax aprons, potentially leading to more conservative spending than in previous summers."
The new CBA is the gift that just keeps on giving for fans.
Zach LaVine has a $48.9 million player option for next season with Sacramento, and the expectation is that he is going to take it. While Kings fans may dream of a team swooping in with a multi-year offer, that's not happening, something Hoopshype’s Michael Scotto laid out.
"[Another team's offer for LaVine] would have to be something of like a... three-year deal for $100 million, something like that. If you're Zach LaVine, I don't see that out there right now. I think ultimately he's opting in and barring anything of that caliber, that was kind of the expectation I was told and a lot of people around the league have surmised that as well. So I do think ultimately he's opting in."
Expect his name to come up a lot in trade rumors during the season and around next February's deadline.
