Category: Basketball

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Lakers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

The bond LeBron James has with the Lakers is unlike any other he has with his former teams. LeBron has been with the Lakers for eight years, making this his longest individual stint with any franchise.

During that time, he’s won a title, reached two Western Conference Finals and been an All-NBA player. But with Luka Dončić now the clear franchise player and Austin Reaves set to be the team’s No. 2, that puts LeBron in a strange spot of no longer being LA’s top priority.

Now that he’s played an NBA record 23 seasons, he is an unrestricted free agent and has to decide if he wants to play a 24th and, if so, will it be with the Lakers?

So, for our SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we ask, do Lakers fans want LeBron back next season?

The case for retaining LeBron is easy to make. This season, he averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game. He did that while playing in 60 contests, producing regardless of whether he was the top option or playing behind Dončić and Reaves.

Not only was he an All-Star and an All-NBA-caliber player, but in the postseason, he was the reason the Lakers beat the Rockets despite Luka being out and Reaves returning only for the last two games of the series.

LeBron was far and away the best player in that Lakers-Rockets series, and that includes Reaves and Alper Sengun, who is considered one of the best young bigs in the NBA.

This is clear proof that LeBron can still play at the highest level, and even if he is on a decline, the list of players above him is small, and the cost of a player of LeBron’s caliber is not cheap.

When looking at all this, letting a player like LeBron walk seems foolish. In doing so, the Lakers won’t get better, and whatever money they save on LeBron, they won’t be able to replace him with better players.

The counterargument, however, is that it’s time to move on.

This is now Luka’s team. Reaves is his backcourt partner, and while bringing back LeBron might work next year, it doesn’t make sense to commit big money to your third offensive option, who is also the oldest player in the NBA.

It’s better for the Lakers to turn the page on the LeBron era and leave him now that he’s still a productive player than to be in a situation where you are paying him while he begins a steep decline.

Also, the Lakers have a ton of cap space, roster spots and multiple first round draft picks they can trade to make their team better. This is an opportunity for them to be aggressive and improve their roster. Tying themselves up into a big three that went 1-7 against the Spurs and Thunder in the regular season is a tough sell as well.

But what do you think? Should the Lakers bring back LeBron and build around this core or is it time to move on and truly begin a new era of Lakers basketball?

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

On Monday night, as his Spurs pulled off a 115-111 win in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, Victor Wembanyama turned himself into a Knicks villain.

The Madison Square Garden faithful, in one of their better showings in the World’s Most Famous Arena’s history, berated Wembanyama and his teammates, yet they responded by cutting the Knicks’ series lead to 2-1.

Knick fans had gotten used to winning, having not witnessed a loss since April 23, the first day of the 2026 NFL Draft.

A big part of that streak being broken was Wembanyama breaking out in his best game of the series thus far, scoring 32 points with eight rebounds, six assists and three blocks.

Wembanyama, however, doesn’t see himself as the ultimate Knicks villain quite yet.

When asked whether he sees being vilified by the feisty crowd as a compliment, he didn’t think he had reached the level of another notorious New York villain.

“I guess,” Wembanyama said. “I’m nowhere near Trae Young level, though.”

Wembanyama, while certainly having faced the wrath of the Knicks faithful, hasn’t quite taken the Young-established route of showboating and responding to Knicks fans while on the floor at MSG like the ex-Hawks star did while leading Atlanta to a first-round playoff win over the Knicks in 2021.

But Wembanyama did shove Jalen Brunson in the first half last night, which automatically makes him the newest subject of Knick fan fury.

Fans also changed “F–k you, Wemby” during the contest.

He does seem to enjoy all that New York has to offer, though.

Last season, he challenged New Yorkers to play him in a game of chess at Washington Square Park.

Before Monday’s game, he was spotted sketching in Gramercy Park.

The list of New York villains is long, but the hatred of Knicks villains in particular brings the city together like little else.

Should Wembanyama continue playing like he did Monday night, the vitriol he feels will surely only grow.

Ask any athlete, there’s nothing like playing for your hometown. But what is it like when you play in your hometown for the opposing team, and what about when your hometown features one of the largest and most historic organizations in sports? After Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, Spurs forward and New York native Julian Champagnie expressed his anticipation for playing in in the NBA Finals in New York City.

“That’s every kids dream, that’s every kid’s dream. I remember my first time actually playing in the Garden. I was at St. John’s and was just like in awe, of just how much greatness has gone through there and what that means for a kid form the city. Being now we get to go play for a championship — that’s personal, that’s personal…being able to go back there and compete for a championship, there’s no better feeling.”

Monday night was his dream come true, when he returned to Madison Square Garden as part of the NBA Finals against his hometown New York Knicks. During the Spurs media availability on Tuesday afternoon, he was asked, “After Game 7 in OKC, you were asked about returning back to New York. Now in the Finals, now that you’ve experienced that, could you share what it was like for you to play last night?”

“Yeah, it was pretty cool. Obviously we had a game to win, and that was the most important thing, especially being down 0-2. The initial reaction of just running out there, seeing all the celebrities, the fans, how loud it was, the music, it was definitely a surreal feeling that I’ll carry for life. But it was pretty cool,” he responded.

Champagnie, who was born in Staten Island and played high school ball in Brooklyn, attended St. John’s University from 2019-2022. In 2020, he made the Big East All-Freshman Team. The following year, he was the Big East Co-Most Improved Player along with Xavier’s Zach Freemantle. In 2021 and 2022, Champagnie made the All-Big East team.

After going undrafted in 2022, Champagnie signed a two-way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers. Earlier this season, he shared that sitting through Draft Night without hearing his name upset him.

“I thought it was over, I ain’t going to lie to you. Getting waived with no warning, no explanation or anything, it was tough. It was a hard night. Obviously, I cried a lot, was pissed, but it just fueled the fire.”

He only played 7 minutes in two games for the 76ers before being unceremoniously waived on Valentine’s Day 2023 solely for the 76ers to create a roster spot for Mac McClung to participate in the NBA All-Star Dunk Contest. The Spurs picked up Champagnie two days later off waivers.

Since then, he’s signed a 4-year/$12M contract, a great deal for the Spurs. Over the past three season, he has shown that he has the skills to receive a bigger payday in the future. That said, he appreciates that Spurs role in his development, the trust instilled in him and his fit with the team.

“I want to be here. That’s what I can say. I want to be here. I love it here. Love my teammates, love the coaches, love the front office, love everybody. So I’m going to just keep doing what I’m doing and hopefully that works itself out.”

This season the native New Yorker earned his way into the starting line-up. As a three-point specialist with great rebounding, he has blended well with Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Devin Vassell. And now, he’s setting records as a member of the Silver & Black.

His 56 made three-pointers during this playoff run is the most in Spurs franchise history. He hit 5 of 10 in Game 1 and has since added another five over Games 2 and 3. Him continuing to shine in New York is one key to the Spurs evening up the series on Wednesday before taking the Finals back to San Antonio for Game 5, hopefully tied 2-2. Expect him to come out swinging Wednesday for all of New York to witness — and perhaps to help show what a mistake the 76ers made in never giving him the chance the Spurs did.

Knicks fans have made trolling the Spurs an around the clock job during the 2026 NBA Finals.

After San Antonio’s 115-111 road win over New York in Game 3 on Monday, Spurs players were greeted with boos from a crowd of people waiting outside the Ritz Carlton in New York on Tuesday.

The Spurs were getting on their team bus while surrounded by New Yorkers who were filming with their phones.

Officers from the New York Police Department and team security stood between the fans and the team.

The booing came after massive brawls broke out in the street outside of a NBA Finals watch party at Bryant Park after San Antonio cut the Knicks’ series lead to 2-1 in a thriller at Madison Square Garden.

A total of 21 people were taken into custody after an “incredibly reckless” post-game reaction that resulted in multiple injuries and people piled on top of police cars, the NYPD said.

Two people were charged with assault on a police officer, and five cops were hurt.

“People climbed on top of scaffolding, light poles, police cars and NYPD trucks, causing significant damage,” an NYPD statement said, adding people refused police orders to clear the area.

“The crowd was throwing glass objects at each other and police officers, and they ripped bus signs and trees out of the ground to throw them.”

Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the Bryant Park watch party earlier in the day after the Madison Square Garden party was cancelled due to President Donald Trump’s attendance and heightened security at Game 3.

“F–k you Wemby” chants rang through the world’s most famous arena on Monday night as Knicks faithful made Spurs center Victor Wembanyama their latest villain.

The 7-foot-4 French phenom said he wasn’t aware of the fights between fans when asked about it Tuesday.

“My thoughts, of course, is that, I mean, we can’t forget it’s a game,” Wembanyama said. “We’re just playing a game out there. And I am all for passion, but to the respect of each other. It’s unacceptable.”

Game 4 is at MSG on Wednesday night.

With the Kentucky Basketball roster essentially finalized following Iowa State transfer Milan Momcilovic’s withdrawal from the NBA Draft and commitment to the Wildcats, attention now shifts to where forward Jayden Quaintance and guard Otega Oweh will be selected in the NBA Draft.

Kentucky’s roster currently includes Zoom Diallo, Alex Wilkins, Milan Momcilovic, Ousmane N’Diaye, Malachi Moreno, Jerone Morton, Braydon Hawthorne, Kam Williams, Justin McBride, Franck Kepnang, Mason Williams, Trent Noah, Reece Potter, and Zyon Hawthorne, with one roster spot still open heading into the final stretch of the offseason.

Now, let’s take a look at where Quaintance and Oweh could hear their names called during this month’s NBA Draft.

Jayden Quaintance Mock Draft Projections

Ricky O’Donnell (SB Nation)
No. 16 – Memphis Grizzlies
O’Donnell writes that, “Last time he was right physically, JQ looked like an elite paint protecting prospect as a 17-year-old at Arizona State. The Grizzlies feel like the type of franchise that would take a chance on him.”

Brett Siegel (ClutchPoints)
No. 20 – San Antonio Spurs
Siegel notes the Spurs would be using a “luxury” pick while pairing a long-term frontcourt piece next to Victor Wembanyama.

Jeremy Woo (ESPN)
No. 20 – San Antonio Spurs (via Atlanta)
Woo describes Quaintance as a “wild-card prospect” with major defensive upside, but one whose draft stock depends heavily on medical evaluations after knee issues limited him to four games at Kentucky.

David Cobb (CBS Sports)
No. 17 – Oklahoma City Thunder
Cobb highlights Oklahoma City’s ability to take a calculated risk on a player with elite defensive traits and long-term potential.

Sam Vecenie (The Athletic)
No. 19 – Toronto Raptors
Vecenie emphasizes that Quaintance’s projection remains volatile until full medical clarity is available, calling him a potential top-10 talent if fully healthy.

Jonathan Wasserman (Bleacher Report)
No. 23 – Atlanta Hawks (via Cavaliers)
Wasserman points to Quaintance’s 7-foot-5 wingspan and defensive instincts while noting uncertainty tied to his injury recovery and development.

Otega Oweh Mock Draft Projections

Brett Siegel (ClutchPoints)
No. 57 – Atlanta Hawks
Siegel notes Oweh’s slashing ability and transition scoring but projects him as a developmental wing.

Kevin O’Connor (Yahoo Sports)
No. 53 – Houston Rockets
O’Connor highlights Oweh’s breakout scoring moments, including a 35-point NCAA Tournament performance, while noting limitations as a primary creator.

Jonathan Wasserman (Bleacher Report)
No. 43 – Brooklyn Nets
Wasserman praises Oweh’s athleticism, cutting, and defensive versatility, projecting him as a role-player fit in a spacing-heavy system.

Jeremy Woo (ESPN)
Undrafted
Woo lists Oweh outside the draft board, citing questions about offensive creation and consistency.

It will be interesting to see if Oweh is drafted, but Kentucky will at least have one player selected in Quaintance, which is always a strong recruiting point, even though he only played in four games. The schedule for the two-night event breaks down as follows:

First Round: Tuesday, June 23 at 8:00 p.m. ET (Broadcast: ABC, ESPN)
Second Round: Wednesday, June 24 at 8:00 p.m. ET (Broadcast: ESPN)

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After tearing through the playoffs, Karl-Anthony Towns completely went cold during the Knicks' Game 3 loss to San Antonio. 

Don't expect that slump to carry over, though.

Our Spurs vs. Knicks predictions and NBA picks for tonight's Game 4 action are banking on Towns to assert his dominance and turn the tide for New York.

Spurs vs Knicks Game 4 prediction today

Who will win Spurs vs Knicks Game 4?

Knicks: You can view the Knicks’ Game 3 loss two ways. First, after winning 13 straight postseason games New York is ripe for regression and this is a sign of things to come. Or, finally losing a game – especially in the extreme setting of Game 3 – takes the pressure off the Knicks to be perfect.

I’m subscribing to the latter, considering a lot of New York’s Game 3 wounds were self-inflicted. Turnover troubles and cold 3-point shooting are like a Mentos and Coca-Cola for transition attacks like the Spurs.

The Knicks will tighten the bolts, control tempo, and get back in the win column at home on Wednesday.

Spurs vs Knicks best bet: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 32.5 points + rebounds + assists (-112)

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns couldn’t get going in Game 3.

The San Antonio Spurs mixed up their defense, sending guard Stephon Castle at the 7-footer. While that threw off Towns, he was also passive cutting, posting, and attacking (when he wasn’t passed up in pick-and-pop spots).

Even so I recall a couple of possessions where the veer-back switch was either nonexistent or late, windows the Knicks missed on KAT PnPs. Part of why KAT wasnt in rhythm tonight is because the team didn't particularly focus on getting him into a rhythm.

Would expect this to be… https://t.co/Rr5BVJOVTh

— Joe Viray (@JoeVirayNBA) June 9, 2026

Coach Mike Brown singled out his lack of activity, and I expect the Knicks to get KAT early touches in Game 4. 

He’s thrived as a passer against smaller defenders, and my projections call for 19+ points, 12+ rebounds, and 3+ assists, with a higher ceiling on dimes. That should have Over 32.5 PAR priced around -130.

COVERS INTEL: Towns’ usage sunk to 14% in Game 3 — a dip from his 19.9% rate in the opening two games of the finals and his 20.3% usage in the playoffs. The last time his usage dropped this low, KAT came back the following contest with 19 points, 14 rebounds, and three assists over just 26 minutes in Game 4 of the ECF.

Spurs vs Knicks Game 4 same-game parlay

The Knicks may not get to use the brooms in the NBA Finals, but they can get out the mops and clean up their messy play after a turnover-plagued Game 3 loss.

New York will settle down after an emotionally charged night in MSG, not throwing gas on the Spurs’ transition fires with giveaways and long misses.

I also see the officials trying to balance out some of the foul shooting discrepancies from Game 3 (a squeaky coach gets the grease), which can mean more trips to the stripe for New York or the refs swallowing their whistles.

Unders have been the right side of most NBA Finals games in recent years, cashing in at better than 60% since 2005-06. Game 3 finished Over the total, thanks in part to San Antonio scoring 25 points from the foul line with the clock stopped.

New York cleans up the turnovers and brings this series back to the half-court style we saw in the opening two games, keeping this final score short of the 216.5 O/U.

Karl-Anthony Towns seemed to have left his groove in Texas. He was flat in Game 3, lacking aggression in the offense — with or without the basketball.

The Spurs are sending 6-foot-6 Stephon Castle at the big man, and we saw KAT exploit smaller defenders throughout the playoffs, especially with his passing from the top of the key. My projections call for 35 PRA for Game 4, with some models calling for as many as 41+ combined stats.

Spurs vs Knicks SGP

• Knicks moneyline
• Under 216.5
• Karl-Anthony Towns Over 32.5 PRA

Our "from downtown" SGP: The KAT Came Back

San Antonio’s defensive switches may have caught Towns off guard in Game 3 but opportunities will be abundant with New York looking to jumpstart KAT early on in Game 4. His passing and rebounding stats should surge against small defenders and his scoring projections all sit north of 17 points, with a ceiling of 22+ points on Wednesday.

Spurs vs Knicks SGP

• Knicks -1.5
• Karl-Anthony Towns Over 16.5 points
• Karl-Anthony Towns Over 3.5 assists
• Karl-Anthony Towns Over 11.5 rebounds

Spurs vs Knicks odds for Game 4 today

• Spread: Spurs +1.5 | Knicks -1.5
• Moneyline: Spurs +105 | Knicks -125
• Over/Under: Over 216.5 | Under 216.5

Spurs vs Knicks betting trend to know

Karl-Anthony Towns has averaged 20.14 points when failing to score 15 or more points in the previous game this season, including the playoffs. Find more NBA betting trends for Spurs vs. Knicks.

How to watch Spurs vs Knicks Game 4

Spurs vs Knicks latest injuries

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Welcome to our annual Lakers season in review series, where we’ll look back at each player on the team’s roster this season and evaluate if they should be part of the future of the franchise. Today, we take a look at Rui Hachimura.

Three years ago, the Lakers made a bet on Rui Hachimura, acquiring the free-agent-to-be on the hopes they could unlock his potential after an underwhelming run in Washington.

Fast forward to present day and Rui has developed into one of the league’s very best 3-point shooters, making good on their gamble. When the Lakers have needed him over the years in the postseason, he’s repeatedly stepped up.

In the playoffs this year, he elevated his game once again, punctuated by one of the best games of his career in the team’s Game 4 loss to OKC. Now, he’s set for free agency once more with the Lakers facing another decision about whether he’s part of the future.

How did he play?

In the season as a whole, it was a mixed bag. If you look at his raw numbers, his numbers were down effectively across the board this season. He averaged his fewest points (11.5), rebounds (3.3) and assists (0.8) per game across a full season since he joined the Lakers, a byproduct of both fewer minutes than last year while also having his role streamlined.

His 3-point attempt rate was at a career high, as was his effective field goal percentage. While he still took a fair amount of long twos this year (13.6% of his field goal attempts), his shots inside 10 feet were dramatically down. The average distance of his shot was 16.5 feet, marking the first time in his career that number has eclipsed even 15 feet.

In short, the Lakers and head coach JJ Redick pushed his shot attempts more and more to the perimeter with positive results as he shot 44.3% from range.

While Rui’s production fluctuated throughout the year, his shooting remained constant. Rui began the season in the starting lineup, but eventually moved to the bench as part of the logical swap with Marcus Smart. It didn’t pay off immediately for Rui, as he struggled in his new role.

Eventually, though, he found a groove and, over a 29-game span from late January up to the season-changing loss in Oklahoma City, Rui averaged 10.2 points per game on 52.2% shooting from the field and 45.7% from range.

That eventually set the table for his playoffs, which were much-discussed. He averaged 17.5 points per game on an absurd 56.9% shooting from three. He was huge in a postseason run where the Lakers needed players to step up.

Even if it came in a role he isn’t likely to play if he returns to the Lakers, there’s certainly something to be said about Rui’s ability to step up in the playoffs time and time again.

His performance left things on a high heading into the offseason and could have made him some money along the way, too.

What is the contract situation moving forward?

After signing a three-year, $51 million deal in 2023, Rui is set for unrestricted free agency this summer.

Should he be back?

The price point will be the key here, but that would apply to most of the team’s free agents. At the end of the day, it would be hard to replace what Rui does.

There’s plenty of discussion about what he doesn’t do well, like rebound and defend, and the Lakers need more of that either from Rui or, more likely, other wing players acquired this summer.

But there is also something to be said about a sharpshooting wing who has years of chemistry with Austin Reaves, LeBron James and, at least since he’s been here, Luka Dončić. That is also valuable.

Losing Rui for nothing would both be a tough pill to swallow from an asset management standpoint as well as create a big hole that would need filled.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

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The San Antonio Spurs made up substantial ground in NBA Finals prediction markets after the team clawed its first win of the series Monday and cut the deficit to 2-1.

The New York Knicks are still favored to win the series, although they’re down to 63% from as high as 79% at Kalshi.

Key Takeaways

• The Spurs gained 16% probability of winning the Finals by stealing Game 3.
  
  
• Prediction market users like the Knicks to win Game 4.
  
  
• Jalen Brunson has stayed fairly consistent in Finals MVP markets; Victor Wembanyama and Karl-Anthony Towns have been volatile.

No team in NBA history has lost the first two games of the NBA Finals at home and gone on to win the championship. The Spurs still have a long way to go to rewrite the history books, but they took a crucial step with Monday’s 115-111 win at Madison Square Garden.

Kalshi users gave the Spurs a 64% chance to win the Finals before the series began. They still had a 53% chance even after they lost Game 1, but they plummeted to as low as 21% after going down 0-2. 

Support flipped in favor of the Knicks for Game 3, where they were 2.5-point favorites. The apple cart was upset once again, as Victor Wembanyama’s 32 points, eight rebounds, and six assists powered the visitors over the line. 

The latest prediction market data from Kalshi suggests the Knicks have a 63% chance of winning the Finals, while the Spurs have a 37%. Nearly $290 million has been traded since the market opened after the conclusion of last year’s Finals. 

A win for the Spurs in Game 4 could make them the favorites to win the Finals, seeing as they’d host two of the final three matchups. The Knicks are still favored in Game 4, but only just, at -1.5.

Kalshi’s Game 4 prediction market has the Knicks at a 53% chance of winning the crucial fourth encounter, with very little movement since the final buzzer sounded in last night’s thriller. The Spurs have a 47% chance, which has also virtually not changed during that period..

Finals MVP markets

NBA Finals MVP prediction markets have proved to be fairly volatile through three games.

Wembanyama, who had a 63% chance of winning the award a week ago, is down to 36%. He had fallen as low as 18% when his team was down 0-2. 

Jalen Brunson has seen the least movement, settling at 47%, after entering the series at 32%. His probability essentially hasn’t changed since the Knicks won Game 1.

Karl-Anthony Towns has already seen huge peaks and valleys. He surged from 6% to 38% entering Game 3, only to fall back to 14% after the loss.

The only other player with a likelihood of winning the Finals MVP greater than 1% is OG Anunoby, who scored 28 points in Game 3 and has averaged 20.7 points and 4.0 rebounds for the series. 

Kalshi users have traded nearly $12.6 million in the Finals MVP prediction market.

Who will win MVP?

As things stand, the Finals MVP is unclear. All three players mentioned above have their selling points and shortcomings.

Wembanyama only shot 28.6% from the floor in Game 1 despite posting a 26-point, 12-rebound double-double. He followed that up by committing the pivotal turnover that led to Brunson’s game-winning free throw with seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, and then missed the game-winning jump shot. 

However, Wemby was back to his best in Game 3, with the aforementioned 32-point, eight-rebound, six-assist stat line. He has averaged 29 points, 9.7 boards, 3.3 dimes, and 3.3 blocks for the series.

Brunson has been instrumental in his team’s attack. Much of the Knicks’ offensive success has come from him blowing by his primary defender and getting two feet in the paint, which has triggered a series of rotations by the Spurs’ defenders that has often created open looks for teammates. He also showed up with big buckets in the fourth quarter of Game 1 and the game-winning free throw in Game 2.

That said, the Knicks guard was extremely inefficient and careless with the basketball. His 37% field-goal and 31.8% 3-point shooting are well below his standard, and he logged just as many turnovers as he did assists. 

Towns was the Knicks’ best player in Games 1 and 2, although his scoring average (19.5 points) was still 5.5 points behind Brunson’s. He was also a relative no-show for Game 3, putting up 11 points, eight rebounds, and one assist, and only taking 10 shots.

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 are frustrated after a second straight first-round exit in the playoffs, and it should spark questions about how the team proceeds moving forward.

This is the first season the Rockets have not taken a step in the right direction since Ime Udoka took over as head coach. They haven’t had many concerns up until this point, but the lack of progress can be concerning.

It poses a very difficult question they must answer going into free agency.

“Do the Rockets just run things back, hoping that a healthy Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams and further development from Ausar [sic] Thompson and Reed Sheppard propel them higher up the conference hierarchy?,” ESPN analyst Zach Kram wrote. “Or do they think something is fundamentally wrong with their core, and thus more dramatic changes — like trading Sengun for a different, better-fitting star — should be on offer?”

The Rockets are definitely in a predicament, but the injuries suffered during the season may save them from automatically pushing the panic and reset buttons. The Rockets still have a lot of potential and growth, but there should definitely be questions on whether this group can actually get the job done.

If things continue to remain stagnant or go south after the 2026-27 season, changes will have to be made. Depending on how the season goes, that may result in the Rockets moving on from Udoka, some of their core players, or both, but change will have to take place.

The finger should probably get pointed at Udoka before any young player they have drafted since 2021, but that all depends on how these players bounce back from a disappointing 2025-26 campaign.

TDS community, should the Rockets run it back or is a massive change necessary for this roster? Let us know in the comments section below.

The atmosphere surrounding the New York Knicks' first home game in the NBA Finals since 1999 was always going to be crazy.

Throw in an appearance by President Donald Trump and the usual celebrities who've publicly supported the Knicks for years and you have a recipe for complete chaos.

Not surprisingly, a planned public watch party outside Madison Square Garden for Game 3 of the Finals was abruptly canceled for security reasons, depriving fans who couldn't afford the sky-high ticket prices of a chance to get as close as possible to the action.

But with Trump unlikely to attend Game 4 on Wednesday, June 10, will the watch parties return in full force?

More: Did Trump fall asleep at NBA Finals? Clips spark online debate

Every NBA Finals game so far has come down to the final few minutes.

But the start of the games couldn’t be more lopsided. The Spurs have come out of the tunnel as the stronger team, taking early leads in games.

While in San Antonio, the Knicks rallied back to steal wins, but their slow starts finally caught up with them in Game 3 as they lost 115-111 on Monday night. 

While Knicks coach Mike Brown focused on the disparity of foul calls after Monday’s game, former NBA great Charles Barkley thinks Brown should be worried about finding the cause of the Knicks’ slow starts. 

“Mike Brown got to get his team together and ask, ‘Why are we getting punched in the face first in every game?’” Barkley said on ESPN after the game. “Like, the Spurs have gotten off to great starts in every game.

“You come home, you got one of the craziest environments I’ve ever been in, and you still come out, and you get off to a bad start,” Barkley continued. “You can’t play from behind, even though they got lucky in the first two games and won. For some reason, they’re coming out not ready to play.”

The Knicks trailed 27-19 at the end of the first quarter in Game 1, 34-25 in Game 2 and 33-22 Monday.

The Knicks rallied in the third quarter in Game 1 and second quarter in Game 2 en route to their wins, and ultimately led at halftime Monday night.

San Antonio bounced back to take a one-point lead into the fourth quarter in Game 3 and a slow start to the stanza doomed the Knicks, who did not score a point in the first three minutes, letting the Spurs jump out to a seven-point lead that they wouldn’t relinquish.

Now that the Knicks’ series lead has been cut to 2-1, Game 4 becomes pivotal for both teams.

The Spurs can even the series and change the entire dynamic of the NBA Finals, while the Knicks can move just one game away from winning their first title since 1973. 

Game 4 will tip off Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. ET.

For more than two decades, LeBron James has stacked accomplishments at a pace few athletes in any sport can match. Championships, MVP awards, Olympic gold medals, and the NBA’s all-time scoring record have all found their way onto his resume.

Yet when asked by TIME Magazine to identify the greatest achievement of his basketball life, LeBron didn’t mention any of them.

“Out of all the s–t I’ve done in basketball — that’s the best accomplishment I’ve ever had,” James said, referring to sharing an NBA court with his son Bronny.

The comment came as part of TIME’s profile naming James among the most influential figures in sports. But for LeBron, the defining chapter of his career has become something deeply personal.

When the Lakers selected Bronny James with the 55th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft it immediately sparked the debate about LeBron’s role in securing his son with the pick.

Critics dismissed Bronny’s selection as pure nepotism.

In the interview LeBron James, once again, fired back at those critics.

“The kid has earned his right to be a professional athlete,” he said. “The thing you’re not going to do is throw stones at us as a family. I’m not letting that sh-t slide.”

“So if you want to talk about the kid,” James continued. “That he shouldn’t be an NBA player, I don’t care about that. As long as you don’t get to the fatherhood piece. I don’t play those games.”

It is difficult to argue that LeBron’s standing within the Lakers organization didn’t open doors for his son.

But, the claim of nepotism never stopped.

ESPN commentator and the James’ family chief critic Stephen A. Smith repeatedly questioned Bronny’s NBA readiness and famously pleaded with LeBron to stop putting his son in a difficult position. This led to a heated altercation at a game, during which LeBron approached Smith courtside and fiercely told him to “stop effing with my son.”

Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown drew headlines after being caught on camera during Summer League saying he didn’t believe Bronny was a professional-caliber player.

Colin Cowherd and others have criticized the Lakers for placing a developmental prospect under a spotlight few second-round picks ever experience.

Bronny may never develop into a bonafide NBA star, but a more reasonable comparison is to other players selected near the end of the second round.

Patty Mills remains the gold standard from that draft slot, turning the 55th pick into a 16-year career while averaging 8.7 points per game and winning an NBA championship.

Bronny is nowhere near that trajectory yet, (2.7 points, 1.1 assists, and 0.6 rebounds in 8.1 minutes per game) but his early production and role are already comparable to, and in some cases ahead of, some players selected in the same range.

For a prospect drafted 55th overall, becoming a reliable rotation player would represent a significant achievement in its own right.

Along the way, the James’s have created several milestones that may never be duplicated. LeBron and Bronny became the first father-son teammates in NBA history, the first father-son duo to appear together in playoff games, and the first to record assists to one another during both the regular season and postseason.

Whether Bronny ultimately develops into a long-term NBA contributor remains to be seen. But if LeBron’s latest comments revealed anything, it’s that the accomplishment he values most isn’t one measured by rings, points, or accolades.

For all the debates surrounding Bronny’s career, LeBron’s position is remarkably clear. His son earned the opportunity. And if history is going to judge him, he’d rather be remembered for the opportunities he has created as a father, rather than simply as a basketball monolith.

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The Los Angeles Lakers continued their business operations changes by replacing their longtime chief financial officer.

Elaine Shen was named the franchise’s newest CFO on Tuesday, replacing former CFO Joe McCormack.

Shen will oversee all financial aspects for the Lakers, “shaping strategic growth, driving profitability and creating continued value for the global franchise,” the team said in its announcement. 

McCormack has shifted to an executive advisory role for the Lakers as the senior vice president of finance. 

He’s been with the franchise since December 1988. 

Shen joined the Lakers in 2016 and has held a variety of roles for the Lakers in both business and basketball operations. 

Shen was most recently the Lakers associate chief financial officer and vice president of strategy and planning. 

“Elaine Shen is an exceptional leader and catalyst for success,” Lakers president of business operations Lon Rosen said in a statement.

“She brings an artful and considerate approach to every table, combined with the ability to build consensus and make tough decisions. Elaine is a trusted advisor and the perfect modern CFO to help lead the next stage of transformation for the Los Angeles Lakers.”

The Lakers have made several other changes to their basketball and business operations departments since Mark Walter, the Dodgers controlling owner, officially became the majority owner of the Lakers in October:

• Rosen as the president of business operations (replacing Tim Harris); 
• Michael Spetner as the new chief strategy and growth officer (new position);
• Ryan Kantor as the vice president of global partnerships (new role);
• Former Virginia men’s basketball coach Tony Bennett as an NBA draft adviser;
• Rohan Ramadas as an assistant general manager of strategy and data system;
• Yao Williams II as the vice president and head of global partnerships.

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The San Antonio Spurs spoiled the New York Knicks’ homecoming in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, seizing a 115-111 victory in front of a star-studded crowd at Madison Square Garden.

Among the high-profile attendees was President Donald Trump, whose presence sparked a mix of reactions in the arena. Ahead of tip-off, the Jumbotron displayed President Trump during the national anthem. The crowd reacted with boos as Trump offered a military salute.

Trump watched the action from Knicks owner James Dolan’s private suite, accompanied by his granddaughter Kai, personal advisor Boris Epshteyn, and Cabinet secretaries Lee Zeldin, Sean Duffy and Doug Burgum. Trump's attendance made history as the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game.