Jun 10, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing (68) and two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) make thier way in from the bullpen to play the Pittsburgh...
PITTSBURGH –– Dalton Rushing was unsuccessful on the one call he tried to challenge in the bottom of the seventh Wednesday night.
Three other times, in what became a three-run inning that triggered a late-game meltdown in the Dodgers’ eventual loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, both he and pitcher Shohei Ohtani missed the chance to use MLB’s new ABS system to turn called balls into what could have been game-changing strikes.
“I hesitated whether to challenge,” Ohtani said in Japanese afterward. “Looking at the results, I think it would have been better to.”
Dalton Rushing and Shohei Ohtani make their way in from the bullpen to play the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Granted, that wasn’t the main reason for the Dodgers’ painful 9-8 defeat at PNC Park –– not on a night the team’s bullpen combined to allow five more runs in the eighth as the Dodgers blew what had been a five-run lead.
Still, the borderline pitches nonetheless became a topic of conversation in the clubhouse postgame, starting with Ohtani’s admission to reporters himself.
“I went up to around here,” he said while raising his hand to his head, mimicking the signal for an ABS challenge. “But I didn’t take the last step.”
Entering the seventh, the Dodgers were in total control. They had built a 6-1 lead on Ryan Ward’s grand slam an inning earlier. Ohtani, meanwhile, was back on the mound trying to complete his latest pitching gem.
Ohtani was the starting pitcher tonight with Dalton Rushing catching behind the plate. Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Against leadoff hitter Tyler Callihan, however, the pair’s first missed ABS opportunity set the disaster in motion.
In a 1-0 count, Ohtani threw a low fastball that, according to MLB’s Gameday system, caught the bottom of the zone. With both of their challenges remaining at that point, either Rushing or Ohtani could have opted for an ABS appeal.
Alas, they let the at-bat roll on. And while Ohtani eventually worked the count full, he couldn’t put Callihan away with a fastball or a sweeper, before finally missing with a curveball for what would prove to be a consequential leadoff walk.
Three batters later, the Pirates had two aboard with one out when Rushing did tap his head for an ABS review, trying to change a first-pitch splitter to Spencer Horwitz into a strike on the outer edge.
But the verdict, as was displayed via a video graphic on the stadium scoreboard, was that the pitch was indeed outside –– by a whole two-tenths of an inch.
Shohei Ohtani waits to hand the ball to manager Dave Roberts, after giving up a two-run double to Pittsburgh Pirates’ Brandon Lowe during the seventh inning. AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
Ohtani would bounce back to strike out Horwitz. But with only one challenge left at that point, the dynamics of the Dodgers’ ABS strategy had shifted.
“You never want to go into the eighth, ninth inning without a challenge from an offensive side, especially in a close game,” Rushing noted.
“That,” manager Dave Roberts added, “might have been something that caused a little bit of a pause [the rest of the inning].”
Indeed, as Brandon Lowe came to the plate next, Rushing declined to challenge two balls that could have been overturned: A first-pitch heater seemed to clip the outer edge of the plate, then another 2-0 four-seamer that appeared to graze the bottom corner.
Ohtani almost tapped his head on the latter pitch, but stopped as Rushing shook his head from the plate.
“Our plan is basically for the catcher to do it, so I don’t do it unless I have a lot of confidence,” Ohtani said.
“But considering the situation,” he added in hindsight, “I think it could have been good to do it.”
Shohei Ohtani pitches during the first inning. Getty Images
Instead, in what was a 3-0 count, Ohtani predictably threw a fastball in the zone that Lowe ambushed for a two-run double down the line.
Just like that, the two-way star’s night on the mound was over.
And suddenly, the door had opened for a stunning Pirates comeback –– which would be completed after Lowe scored on a Max Muncy error later in the seventh, and Callihan and Horwitz both hit home runs in the five-run eighth.
“I haven’t looked back, but I did hear a couple of those pitches to Lowe were strikes,” Roberts said. “They would have obviously flipped the count. You never know.”
Rushing, who spent a long time with his head hanging low at his locker postgame, was also left second-guessing himself, saying that while he thought both pitches in the moment were balls, “maybe one of the two were worth challenging.”
Rushing added that he considers several factors when evaluating ABS opportunities, from the score of the game to the leverage of the inning.
Pittsburgh Pirates’ Jake Mangum, left, scores on a double by Brandon Lowe as Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing awaits the late relay throw during the seventh inning. AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
“Do we need one [challenge to be saved] late in the game? Do we have two? Do we have one to waste?” he said.
But, “obviously seeing what we saw there tonight,” he countered, “it would have been nice to hold it.”
Roberts was careful not to put blame on either player for their ABS decisions. He also specifically praised the strides Rushing has made using the system this year; an area the second-year backstop struggled with early in the season, before improving his ABS challenge rate recently thanks to behind-the-scenes work with the club’s augmented reality Trajekt pitching machine.
“Probably in his opinion, it wasn’t worth the challenge,” Roberts said. “It’s not an exact science.”
Another factor that might have complicated matters: Wednesday was the first time this year Rushing caught one of Ohtani’s outings, getting his fourth-straight start as Will Smith battles a neck injury that will force him to go on the injured list Thursday.
The new battery pairing wasn’t seamless, with Ohtani noting he shook off a few more pitches than usual (something he said was to be expected given the duo’s lack of familiarity).
Nonetheless, with slightly better use of the ABS system in the seventh, the night still could have had a much happier ending.
Instead, as both players dressed and exited the clubhouse, Ohtani passed by Rushing and gave him a pat on the back –– almost as if to say, oh well, lesson learned for both of them.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 10: Ben Stiller attends Game Four of the 2026 NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on June 10, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The last time we saw Taylor Swift, she sat courtside rooting for Cleveland while her goon boyfriend snoozed on her shoulder, drowsy after housing some brews. Tonight, she made two wise corrections. She wore the orange and blue to root for the Knicks versus the Spurs, and she left the lughead home.
In a first-half abomination, the Knicks fell behind by 29 while the Spurs made the most first-half three-pointers in NBA Finals history. Everything sucked in the world. Even some Knicks fans booed—perhaps the same ones who were planning to take time off for the championship parade. The only thing, the only thing, that gave us any happiness was seeing the Wu-Tang Clan perform at halftime.
The Wu is crafty, though, and there are wizards among their ranks. After they sprinkled their magic on the court, something amazing occurred. The Knicks held the Spurs to just 14 points in the third quarter, giving us irrational hope that a comeback was possible . . . . Then, to conclude the single craziest half of basketball ever played, the Knicks held the Spurs to 16 fourth-quarter points, seized (and lost) a one-point lead, and won the game when OG Anunoby soared through the air to put back a Brunson miss with 1.2 seconds left.
In the largest comeback in Finals history, the Knicks won 107-106. They now lead the Finals 3-1 and head back to San Antonio for Game Five.
One criticism of Game Three was that Karl-Anthony Towns didn’t get his number called enough. It was generally expected that Mike Brown would address that tonight. For good reason, the Spurs wanted to keep Towns out of the offense. The easiest way to do that? Foul trouble. Hence, in the opening 24 seconds, De’Aaron Fox went straight at Towns and got a ticky-tac call. An inauspicious start, to quote Clyde the GOAT.
Tonight, Towns took the first two shots for the Knicks, using the second to draw a foul on Victor Wembanyama—before a challenge overturned it. Two fouls on Towns in under two minutes. With help from the officiating crew, Mitch Johnson’s plan was going exactly as planned. In fact, it was so effective that Towns would finish with even fewer shots tonight.
The Knicks missed 75% of their shots and coughed up the ball twice, falling behind by double-digits for the umpteenth time in the series. Barely three minutes into the contest, coach Mike Brown needed a timeout. From there, Stephon Castle dropped five to kill the Knicks’ momentum, cap an 8-0 run, and put the Spurs up by 12.
Mitchell Robinson was pressed into service early. After running up and down the court in this fast-paced game, he was ready for breathing treatments by the six-minute mark. Running out of centers, Ariel Hukporti was sent in, and Wemby promptly swished a long three in his face.
Everything the Spurs threw up found the bottom of the net. They had put 30 points on the board with four minutes remaining in the first. Meanwhile, the Knicks were clanging shots off their home irons. At least they were giving Wemby a little rough treatment.
Brown was forced to run quite a substitution carousel. When Hukporti committed a foul, Robinson trotted back in—but not for long, as Towns came back in at the three-minute mark. Also subbed out: Jalen Brunson at the four-minute mark, after missing all three field-goal attempts. He rested for a minute while Jose Alvarado contributed some exciting energy, then subbed back in. Brown was so desperate for bodies in the frontcourt that he even deployed the former Spur and rarely used Jeremy Sochan.
Note: the refs missed a goaltending call by Luke Kornet. Of course they did.
After working him for a basket, Wemby chirped at Mitch, telling him, “I’m in your head.” Running up the floor, Mitch popped him in the jaw with an elbow and was called for a flagrant-1 foul. (Cue the clip of Wemby palming the back of Brunson’s head and throwing him to the floor.) The Frenchman made both free throws, then Devin Vassell swished a jumper to take a 21-point lead.
By the end of the quarter, Wembanyama and Vassell had combined for 25 points, and the Spurs led, 41-22.
The Knicks did not play with their usual physicality. How could they? The refs were looming over their shoulders with a whistle. All we want is consistency from the officials. The tentative play showed in the stats, e.g., the Spurs had zero turnovers to New York’s six by midway through the second quarter.
At the same point, the guests had attempted seven more shots than the home team—which is especially painful when the team taking more shots is also making more shots. The Spurs made everything, including 11 of their first 18 shots from deep. The Garden went very quiet.
Twelve different Knicks had played when Jordan Clarkson checked in at the 8:30 mark. Wembanyama sat around then, and a little daylight opened up in the paint. Looking overwhelmed, though, Towns got dinged for another loose-ball foul and had to sit with seven minutes to go. The Knicks finally got a steal when Brunson picked off a Castle pass for a pick-six. Immediately after, Hukporti blocked Castle, and Brunson ran the rebound up for another contested layup. That cut the deficit to 21 at the midway point, and Johnson called for time to kill the momentum.
Out of the break, Johnson reinserted Wembanyama. Smart move. The Spurs continued to grab all the loose balls and make their shots. Even though the Knicks were winning the boards, they were piling up enough bricks to build an elementary school. They fell behind by 29 points late in the second period. At intermission, the score was 76-49, the third-worst halftime deficit in Finals history. Some of the fans at MSG booed as the home team trudged off to the dressing room.
— Edilson J. Silva 🇨🇦🏀🇦🇴 (@edilsonbuzz) June 11, 2026
Through the half, the Spurs had shot 60% from the field and 54% from deep, making 14-of-26. They had 18 assists to New York’s seven and two turnovers to the Knicks’ eight. Our heroes actually won the rebounding battle and doubled the Spurs in offensive boards, but awful shooting squandered the advantage. How bad did they shoot? 41% overall and 33% from deep. They made four three-pointers to San Antonio’s 14, the most first-half three-pointers in NBA Finals history.
The Knicks stayed afloat only by getting to the line 23 times, yet even that edge was blunted by 65% free-throw shooting. When a team is getting outshot, outpassed, and turning the ball over four times as often, being down nearly 30 feels less like bad luck and more like a complete loss of control. Brunson led all scorers with 19 points (on 14 shots). Wemby had 16.
Brunson finished the game with 36 points on 12-of-25 shooting, plus seven assists, three steals, and just three turnovers in 44 minutes.
The Knicks picked up the pace to start the third quarter for a possession or two. Then Bridges was blocked, and Towns turned the ball over, and they fell behind by 29 again.
A break came when Wemby’s elbow caught Towns on the chin. It was deemed a flagrant-1. Towns made two freebies, the Spurs finally missed some shots, Anunoby (33 PTS, 10-15 FG, 7-9 3PT) dunked, and Brunson made a triple. After that 7-0 run, Johnson called for a timeout, trying to preserve his 22-point lead.
San Antonio coughed up the ball and threw a few more bricks. After making so many shots in the first half, they missed six of seven to start the third. Triples from Anunoby and Josh Hart reduced the differential to 16. Towns fouled again, sending Dylan Harper to the line for two freebies and sending himself to the bench with a sizable chunk of time left in the quarter.
Brunson and the Knicks would not be deterred. Cap hit Robinson with an alley-oop out of a timeout to make it 15. A Brunson turnover was flipped into a Vassell triple, but Anunoby answered with his own long ball.
Mikal Bridges was a dud for the second straight game, and Brown knew it. He subbed him out for Clarkson around the five-minute mark. Clarkson was too frantic, though, and made bad passes in traffic when the Knicks were threatening to make the score much more manageable. Nonetheless, they held their opponents to 14 points and closed the quarter down 90-75.
To start the fourth, Wemby lost the ball out of bounds (great) and Miles McBride missed again from deep (bad). Harper made a three, Wemby made one from the charity stripe, and New York trailed by 18.
Deuce was bad again (0 points, 0-4 FG), but there was plenty of disappointment to go around. By the nine-minute mark in the fourth, Bridges had five points on eight shots, Hart had six on three shots, and Towns had eight on three shots. The bench had contributed a total of seven points. The crowd cheered when Bridges dropped in a layup—at last—to make the score 95-80 with eight-and-a-half minutes left.
Bridges would come up soon after, and sit on the bench until the final six seconds.
The Knicks rebounded a Wemby miss, but Keldon Johnson poked the ball away from Brunson to regain possession. One step forward, two steps back. We held out hope for a miracle, but the Knicks seemed to be blowing too many chances to make it possible. But then Castle missed, Towns hit a Hail Mary triple while falling out of bounds for his first fourth-quarter points of the Finals, and the hole was 12. Castle made two free throws, Anunoby made a triple and picked off a Harper pass. Towns drove the lane to score a layup over Wemby. Finally, the Knicks were down by single digits.
A Brunson driving layup capped a 17-4 run, cutting it to seven. Fox missed a shot, Anunoby made a bomb, and the Knicks trailed by four. Fox and Wemby combined for five points, but Alvarado matched them to make it 104-100 with three minutes left.
Fox missed and Brunson hit a triple to make it a one-point deficit, and the foundation of MSG shook. Hart picked off a Fox pass and ran it back, but with Castle trailing, he smoked the layup that would have given New York the lead. Luckily for them, Wemby missed two free throws (after his team had seemingly made a hundred straight to start the game).
With 1:20 on the clock, Brunson made a layup in traffic.
Hart harassed Castle, forcing him to step out of bounds on the baseline. The camera from the Garden was shaking. The entire city was shaking. Veteran Knicks reporter Stef Bondy called it the loudest he had ever heard the house. A shot-clock violation threatened to prove costly, and with 39 seconds left, the Spurs had the ball, down 105-104.
Fox missed, but Hart fouled Castle on the rebound. The 21-year-old made both to reclaim the lead. After that, Captain Clutch got the inbounds pass, dribbled, dribbled, and finally drove, trying to go high off the glass over Wemby. The ball rocketed down the court. Fox caught up with it first and attempted a layup that was blocked by Anunoby. Alvarado brought the ball up the court but was intentionally fouled with six seconds left.
The Spurs didn’t even attempt to cover Anunoby inbounding the ball. He got it to Brunson, who bricked a three-pointer, but Anunoby was ready for that and flew through the air like Superman and put back the rebound with an off-balance finger roll!Knicks up 107-106 with 1.2 seconds left!!!
I’ll be at the hospital having my heart checked; the Garden is still packed with people, long after the final buzzer. Miranda’s coming at you with a recap; and Game Five will be played on Saturday in San Antonio. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.
But it was the Knicks forward’s play on the other end that went down a few seconds earlier that helped make the miracle of all miracles comebacks happen in NBA Finals Game 4 on Wednesday night.
With 16.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter and Knicks trailing by a point, Jalen Brunson missed a two-pointer before the ball got deflected into the backcourt, allowing the Spurs’ De’Aaron Fox to scoop up the ball for what seemed like an easy dunk or layup on the other end.
Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) jumps to defend against Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox (4) during the fourth quarter. The Knicks defeated the Spurs 107-106. Jason Szenes for the New York PostOG Anunoby #8 of the New York Knicks blocks De’Aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs during Game Four of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 10, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York NBAE via Getty Images
But Anunoby, playing hard defense as always, got a piece of the shot for a block, stopping a would-be gimme basket and giving the Knicks the ball back.
Fox could have held onto the ball and killed some of the clock to force the Knicks into a foul, but he instead went for the immediate shot that obviously didn’t work out.
On the “Inside the NBA” postgame show, Charles Barkley called the decision for Fox to go for the layup “bonehead.”
“That was a dumbass play,” Barkley said. “He did not have to shoot that ball.”
After the Knicks set up on the next possession — following a Fox foul at midcourt and a timeout — Brunson’s miss set up Anunoby for the winning tip-in for the 107-106 victory, putting the Knicks one win away from their first championship since 1973.
The star-studded crowd at Game 4 of the NBA Finals was in disbelief after the Knicks’ historic comeback from down by as many 29 to beat the Spurs 107-106 on Wednesday night at the Garden.
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld’s jaw remained dropped as he stood courtside in the moments after the OG Anunoby tipped in the rebound of Jalen Brunson’s long 3-point attempt with 1.2 seconds remaining to give the Knicks their first and only lead of the night.
Grammy-winning songstress Taylor Swift hugged “Law & Order: SVU” star Mariska Hargitay — a celebrity row favorite of Brunson’s — while wearing their blue-and-orange T-shirts.
Taylor Swift, Mariska Hargitay and the Haim sisters react to the Knicks’ historic 107-106 comeback against the Spurs in Game 4 of the NBA Finals at the Garden on June 10, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectSwift hugs “Law & Order: SVU” star and celebrity row favorite Mariska Hargitay. Getty ImagesJerry Seinfeld looks on in disbelief after the Knicks’ historic comeback win over the Spurs.Timothée Chalamet puts his hand up after the frantic final minutes at the Garden. NBAE via Getty Images
The singer was seen swinging a towel and dancing with Knicks fans while exiting the world’s most famous arena, where she’s getting married to fiancé Travis Kelce on July 3.
Comedian Larry David and tennis legend John McEnroe, both celebrity row staples, were left in sheer shock by the manner in which the Knicks took a 3-1 series lead.
Larry David and John McEnroe are left in shock by the Knicks’ comeback. Getty ImagesKylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet celebrate as New York set the record for the biggest NBA Finals comeback. Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesRapper Nas and Ben Stiller are elated by the Knicks’ magical win. NBAE via Getty ImagesJimmy Fallon punches the air as the Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs. Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesNas, Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor, Alana Haim, Taylor Swift, Este Haim and Mariska Hargitay jump for joy at the Garden. NBAE via Getty ImagesBen Stiller and his wife Christine Taylor smile as Stiller records the moment on his phone. NBAE via Getty ImagesTimothée Chalamet, Jordyn Woods and Ben Stiller celebrate after the Knicks took a 3-1 series lead. NBAE via Getty Images
New York set the record for the biggest NBA Finals comeback, according to ESPN.
The celebs weren’t the only one struggling to find the words after the final buzzer.
OG Anunboy’s tip-in of a Jalen Brunson missed 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left sent the Knicks to a dramatic comeback victory from 29 points down in the third quarter.
Anunoby scored 19 of his 33 points in the second half, and finished with seven made 3-pointers. Fans chanted, “OG, OG, OG” after the final horn and for several seconds afterwards.
Zero
DeAaron Fox is going to live with this decision for a long time. On a Brunson miss with 14 seconds left, Fox retrieved the loose ball near midcourt and tried to score rather than holding the ball and forcing the Knicks to foul.
DeAaron Fox has his shot blocked by OG Anunoby in the closing seconds of the Knicks’ historic 107-106 comeback victory over the Spurs in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on June 10, 2026 at the Garden. Jason Szenes for New York Post
Anunoby blocked his shot and the Knicks gained possession. A mind-boggling mistake for a veteran.
Unsung hero
Jalen Brunson refused to let go of the rope, even when so much was going wrong. He scored 36 points on 12-of-25 shooting, 19 in the second half, and played the final 24 minutes.
He also had seven assists, five rebounds and three steals.
Key stat
29: The Knicks staged the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history, overcoming a 29-point deficit with 9:40 left in the third quarter.
Quote
“I don’t know if there is a play bigger in the history of Knicks basketball.”
CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 09: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves looks on prior to the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on Tuesday, June 9, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Kyle Sheridan/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Well just as Drake Baldwin seemed to be nearing his return, the Braves will now be without Ronald Acuna for at least 10 days, with a hamstring strain. The Braves just can’t seem to get all of their stars healthy and playing well together at once, even as they are performing extremely well this season. It does seem like Ronald’s hamstring strain is fairly mild, so hopefully it will be a short absence and we can witness a fully healthy Braves’ offense in July. On the pitching side, the Braves are finally getting a look at veteran James Karinchak, who had an impressive spring and an impressive start to the season in the minors, as well as another look at JR Ritchie. While my preference would be to move Grant Holmes to the bullpen, the Braves may not yet trust Ritchie enough to hand the keys to a rotation spot until Hurston Waldrep or AJ Smith-Shawver can hopefully return successfully from their respective surgeries to quality performance.
The Braves lost the first two games of a series for the first time this season, as they fell 2-1 to the White Sox, with the offense struggling without Baldwin and Acuna.
They forced him backwards toward the halfcourt line and the ball actually went back onto the other side, but he kept both feet from hitting the floor while the Spurs fouled him with 5.7 seconds remaining.
Had both feed touched, the Knicks would have turned over the ball.
Jose Alvarado barely avoids the backcourt violation in the closing seconds. @showcaseshabazz/X
The Knicks instead had one final possession, and Anunoby tipped in a long miss by Jalen Brunson with 1.2 seconds left to give the Knicks the lead and ultimately a 3-1 series lead.
Alvarado played an important role off the bench Wednesday, scoring eight points in 16 minutes and hitting two important 3’s to help the comeback.
He posted a plus-11 in his limited action.
Joe Alvarado had eight important points for the Knicks in their historic 107-106 comeback win over the Spurs in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on June 10, 2026 at the Garden. Getty Images
The midseason trade acquisition hit a 3-pointer with 9:16 in the fourth quarter after the Knicks fell behind by 20, nailed a jumper to cut the deficit to five with less than four minutes remaining and then buried a 3 with 3:07 remaining to cut the Spurs’ lead to 104-100 as Madison Square Garden roared.
The eight points marked his second-highest total of this postseason and his most of the Finals.
“That’s called Knicks basketball,” Alvarado said on the court after the game. “Stay together, be together and look at this f–king energy (in the crowd), this is what we do it for, man.”
OG Anunoby etched himself into the annals of New York sports history.
Anunoby scored the game-winning basket with a second left on the clock in a historic Knicks comeback to put them one win away from capturing their first championship since 1973.
The Knicks star inbounded the ball with 5.7 seconds left in the game to Jalen Brunson, who quickly threw up a 3-pointer from deep.
Knicks forward Og Anunoby (8) tips in the ball with second left for the game winning shot during the fourth quarter.
Jason Szenes for the New York Post
Anunoby came charging down the lane as soon as Brunson let the shot go and flew through the air to reach the ball to tip it back in with just 1.2 left on the clock to give the Knicks a 106-105 lead.
The Garden erupted in pandemonium as ESPN broadcaster Mike Breen exclaimed, “It’s good! It’s good! It’s good!”
The Spurs weren’t able to answer back and the Knicks held on for the win.
“Just do whatever it takes to win,” Anunoby told ESPN about what was going through his mind during the play. “Our thing is crashing the glass and second chance opportunities, so I just tried to make a play.”
OG Anunoby walks off after Knicks Game 4 win. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The Knicks had trailed by 28 points at halftime and didn’t take their first lead until the last 1:22 left in the game when Brunson hit a floater.
“We’re resilient, we never give up,” Anunoby said. “It’s a game of runs. They went on one early. We knew were going to go on our own run, so we just stayed with and kept pushing.”
Jun 10, 2026; Summerlin, Nevada, USA; Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio scores against the Athletics during the third inning at Las Vegas Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
It was a solid night for Brandon Sproat in Las Vegas on Wednesday night, but the Brewers were unable to pick up the series win, as the offense faltered after putting up an early lead and Chad Patrick struggled out of the bullpen.
Christian Yelich started the evening off with a walk, and after moving to second on a groundout by Brice Turang, came around to score and give Milwaukee a 1-0 lead on Andrew Vaughn’s RBI single.
Nick Kurtz started things off with a single in the bottom of the first, but he was wiped out on a double play from Tyler Soderstrom, and Sproat was through the first with an unconventional 1-2-3.
Gary Sánchez doubled Milwaukee’s lead in the second, slugging a leadoff homer over the wall in left to make it 2-0. David Hamilton also had a one-out double, but he was ultimately stranded at third.
Sproat picked up a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout in the second, and Jackson Chourio tacked on another run with a leadoff homer in the third, his sixth of the season and fourth this month.
Sproat got into his first real trouble in the third, as he allowed a single, a steal, and a walk to put two runners on with no outs. He was able to get out of it, though, as Alika Williams hit into a 6-4-3 double play on a tough play made by Joey Ortiz, and Sproat followed with a strikeout of Kurtz after a well-timed mound visit by Sánchez.
Things quieted down for both sides from there, as the Brewers got a two-out double from Yelich in the fourth before both teams traded 1-2-3 innings through the end of the fifth.
In the sixth, the Brewers once again threatened against reliever Luis Medina. Sánchez led off with a single, and Sal Frelick followed with another single that maybe should have been caught and probably should have been a double if anybody other than Sánchez was running in front of him.
Neither Sánchez nor Frelick would move from their spots, though, as Hamilton struck out and Ortiz hit into an inning-ending double play.
The homer bug finally bit Sproat in the bottom of the sixth, as Alika Williams hit his first career homer just over the wall in left, cutting the Brewers’ lead to 3-1. Sproat escaped the inning without any more damage, allowing a two-out single but nothing else as he was through six innings on just 68 pitches.
Even with the low pitch count, Sproat was done after six, as Pat Murphy went to Chad Patrick for the seventh. Sproat went six frames, allowing one run on four hits and a walk, striking out three. This was arguably Sproat’s best start of his career, and just the second quality start for him this season (he went 6 2/3 innings with one run allowed against the Blue Jays on April 16).
Unfortunately, Murphy’s move didn’t work out great, as Patrick — who had allowed just one run in his last 21 1/3 innings dating back to early May — allowed a leadoff homer to Carlos Cortes, a double to Zack Gelof, and another homer to Lawrence Butler, flipping the scoreboard to a 4-3 A’s lead before Patrick recorded an out. That marked the end of the night for him, as he threw just eight pitches (four strikes) and gave up three runs on three extra-base hits.
After Aaron Ashby took over and got out of the inning, the Brewers put together another rally in the eighth via a pair of hits by Frelick and Rengifo, who pinch-hit for Hamilton. With one out and the tying run on second and the go-ahead run at first, Murphy used William Contreras as a pinch-hitter for Ortiz, but Contreras hit into a double play to end the rally.
Trevor Megill replaced Ashby in the bottom of the inning, and despite allowing a leadoff double to Shea Langeliers, he was able to keep the deficit at one as the Brewers looked to mount a comeback in the ninth.
The comeback was not to be, though, as Yelich struck out, Chourio grounded out, and Turang struck out.
For the second consecutive night, the Brewers couldn’t do much of anything against the A’s bullpen. While they had plenty of baserunners tonight via 11 hits and three walks, they left nine runners on base and went just 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Chourio, Vaughn, Sánchez, and Frelick had two hits each, and Chourio and Sánchez had the big hits via solo homers. Sánchez and Vaughn also added a walk each, while Yelich reached twice via a double and a walk.
The pitching staff looked solid outside of Patrick, as he took his third loss of the season. Ashby and Megill each worked a scoreless inning, while Sproat held his own over six frames, allowing just the one run on a solo homer.
While this was a fun series for those who love seeing the ball fly out of the ballpark, I’m sure Brewers fans and the Brewers themselves are happy for the Crew to return home. They’ll get a much-deserved day off on Thursday before returning to action this weekend against the Phillies. Jacob Misiorowski will start opposite Andrew Painter in that one, with first pitch scheduled for 6:40 p.m.
The 2026 NHL Draft is another day closer, meaning it's time to take a look at another prospect who could be available when the Pittsburgh Penguins are on the clock with the No. 22 pick.
Today's prospect profile focuses on the game of J.P. Hurlbert, with whom the Penguins are very familiar, as he was on the same team as defensive prospect Harrison Brunicke this past season.
Both players played for the WHL's Kamloops Blazers and had fantastic seasons, especially Hurlbert, who finished with 42 goals and 97 points in 68 games. He also compiled one goal and three points in four playoff games.
Hurlbert is outstanding at entering the offensive zone with control and can even bounce off/evade contact in those situations. One of my favorite examples of this was during a Blazers game against the Seattle Thunderbirds, when he entered the zone in a 1v1 situation. He made a move on the Thunderbirds defenseman who tried to knock him off the puck and went right around him before going to his forehand at the net-front and jammed the puck home on the rebound.
It was an unbelievable goal, and he made sure to deliver an epic celebration after. The goal also showed his ability to drive to the net, which was on tape throughout the season. He's not afraid to throw a good dangle in there, either.
Don't sleep on Hurlbert's board play, either. He's very strong in that area and its hard for defenders to knock the puck off him. A good example of this was when Kamloops played Seattle again a bit later in the season. Hurlbert was battling for the puck along the boards and was sandwiched between two players before getting through both of them. He corralled the puck and took it to the net before scoring on his own rebound.
When it comes to his shot, he can really rifle the puck. Whether there's traffic in front or not, he knows where to pick holes in any goaltender that he faces. The puck also comes off his stick super quickly.
As a playmaker, Hurlbert has excellent vision and can anticipate a player being in a certain position before he's fully there. His strong hockey IQ also factors into that.
Hurlbert was at the NHL Combine in Buffalo last week and confirmed to reporters that he met with the Penguins. He felt that the meeting went well.
"Yeah, it was really cool," Hurlbert said. "They're one of the teams that use video, so you have to be confident in your answer, learn from your mistakes. We're all human, so everybody's got them. Just being open and vulnerable to that situation is a big one."
He also appreciated the honest feedback during the meeting.
"Yeah, I think that's what makes you better," Hurlbert said. "I think it's called tough love. You have to have it to keep getting better. At the end of the day, they're the guys who make the decision when you're ready to play in the NHL, so I think listening is a very key detail."
I still think Hurlbert's two-way game and his first burst as a skater need some work, and I think both have the opportunity to improve when he plays for Michigan next season. Michigan is one of the best college hockey programs in the United States and has a long history of producing NHL players.
There's a decent chance that Hurlbert will still be on the board when the Penguins are on the clock, and it'll be up to them to decide if they want to take a chance on him.
Calder Trophy-winning defenseman Matthew Schaefer has been all over Long Island since the New York Islanders selected him first overall at the 2025 NHL Draft.
One place he hadn't been: Madison Square Garden for a New York Knicks game.
That changed on Wednesday night, when Schaefer took in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
OG Anunoby hit the game-winning shot with 1.2 seconds on the clock. He inbounded the ball to Jalen Brunson, who missed a 3-point shot. Anunoby then ran in to get the rebound and tossed in the game-winning shot.
CHATTANOOGA, TN - MAY 26: Owen Ayers #6 of the Knoxville Smokies bats during the game between the Knoxville Smokies and the Chattanooga Lookouts at Erlanger Park on Tuesday, May 26, 2026 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. (Photo by Maddalena LoRae/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
The Cubs released right-hander Jeff Brigham. Brigham was signed to a minor league deal in the offseason but was injured in Spring Training and never actually pitched for Iowa or any other minor league team.
Jordan Wicks started and took the loss. Wick gave up eight runs on eight hits over 3+ innings. However, only four of the eight runs were earned. Still, it was Wicks’ own error that opened the floodgates to four of the five runs scored in the third. Wicks walked three and struck out just one.
Shortstop Ben Cowles went 2 for 2 with a double, a walk and a sacrifice fly. He scored twice and had two total RBI.
Third baseman James Triantos was 2 for 4 with a double and one run scored.
Left fielder Justin Dean went 2 for 3 with a double and he was hit by a pitch. Dean had two RBI.
Knoxville Smokies
The Knoxville Smokies split a doubleheader with the Montgomery Biscuits (Rays), losing game one 10-6 and winning game two 10-8. Although the doubleheader was played in Montgomery, the Smokies were the home team in game two.
Connor Schultz started game one, gave up two runs in the second and five in the third and took the loss. The final line on Schultz was seven runs, six earned, on five hits over 2.1 innings. Schultz walked four and struck out three.
Catcher Owen Ayers continues to tear up the Southern League. In game one, he went 4 for 4 with three doubles and three runs batted in.
Yenrri Rojas started game two, pitched two innings and allowed two runs on four hits. He walked one and struck out one.
Erian Rodriguez threw the next 2.1 innings and gave up four runs on four hits. Still, that was good enough for the win. Rodriguez struck out three, hit two batters and walked two.
Vince Reilly pitched the final 2.2 innings and collected the save. Reilly allowed two runs on four hits. He struck out three and didn’t walk anyone.
Left fielder Edgar Alvarez tied the game 5-5 in the third inning with a two-run home run, his seventh. Alvarez was 1 for 4.
DH Owen Ayers didn’t slow down much in game two. In the first inning, he hit an RBI single. In the bottom of the sixth, he hit a two-run home run, giving the Smokies two insurance runs that they would end up needing. It was Ayers’ 17th home run this year and 11th for the Smokies. He finished game two going 2 for 4.
After a slow May when Ayers hit .191, albeit with six home runs, in his first full month in Double-A, Ayers is hitting .586/.657/1.138 over eight games in June. He has seven doubles and three home runs in those eight games.
Shortstop Karson Simas went 2 for 3 with a sacrifice fly. He scored one run and had three RBI.
Second baseman Hayden Cantrelle was 2 for 3 with two steals. He scored one run.
First baseman Cameron Sisneros went 2 for 3 with an RBI double in the third inning. He scored twice.
Tonight’s game started two hours and 19 minutes late because of rain, so it was played as a seven-inning affair.
Eli Jerzembeck allowed two runs in the top of the first to put South Bend down early. He finished with giving up two runs on four hits over two innings. He walked two and struck out four.
Kevin Valdez threw the final five innings, allowing just one run on three hits. Valdez walked no one and struck out eight batters, which tied his career-high.
Center fielder Josiah Hartshorn tied the game in the third inning with a two-run home run, his tenth overall and fifth with South Bend. Hartshorn was 1 for 2 with a walk and a sacrifice fly to give him three total RBI.
DH Kane Kepley went 1 for 3 with a triple and a walk. He scored twice.
Shortstop Ty Southisene was 1 for 2 with a walk and a hit by pitch. He also stole two bases and scored one run.
Braylon Myers made only his second start of the season and pitched three scoreless innings. Myers allowed just one hit and issued three walks. He struck out four.
Hayden Frank tossed the next four innings and got the win after surrendering just one run on three hits. The one run came on a seventh inning solo home run. Frank walked two and struck out one.
Right fielder Eli Lovich was 2 for 3 with a walk and one run scored.
Kodai Senga could be back on the mound as soon as Thursday after a minor injury setback.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Senga “felt good” after playing catch Tuesday, which is an encouraging update in the wake of his scratching from a minor league rehab assignment at Double-A Binghamton on Tuesday due to ulnar nerve irritation in his right arm.
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“He was supposed to play catch [again] today, I haven’t heard anything,” Mendoza said before the Mets’ 9-2 loss to the Cardinals at Citi Field on Wednesday night. “We’ll see how he goes after he plays catch today. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s pitching in a game tomorrow or the next day.”
The right-handed starter is in the midst of his recovery from lumbar spine inflammation.
Landing on the 15-day injured list April 28 (retroactive to April 27), Senga returned to New York and played catch off the mound before the Mets opened the series against the Cardinals.
He cited increased mechanical work and practice as the reasoning for his irritation, calling it “minor” and even straying away from labeling it as an injury.
Mets pitcher Kodai Senga could return to the mound on Thursday after his latest injury setback. Corey Sipkin for New York Post
“I got some treatment and the treatment effects were a little bit greater than I anticipated,” he said through a translator. “It became a little bit more loose, so that caused the nerve sensations. It’s not like it’s inflamed, I wouldn’t say this is an injury. Going back to what I said earlier, continuing to strive for those mechanics, striving for health and getting back to the field I don’t think is too far.”
The 33-year-old had made three rehab starts — one at Single-A St. Lucie and two at Triple-A Syracuse — before he was scratched. Over those three starts, Senga posted a 5.25 ERA and allowed at least two runs in each outing.
Not only did he walk or hit a batter in every appearance, but Senga was also unable to make it past the fourth inning in the first two starts.
RHP Jonathan Pintaro was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse, while RHP Joey Gerber was returned following Tuesday night’s game.
Pintaro pitched three innings, giving up one hit — a home run to Alec Burleson — while striking out two in Wednesday’s loss.
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Mendoza said the changed starting pitching rotation of Austin Warren on Wednesday and Christian Scott on Thursday was nothing more than getting hurlers like Nolan McLean an extra day.
While Scott was initially slated to start Wednesday, Mendoza said the plan was “something that we discussed over the weekend.”
“It got out that Scotty was pitching today, but they knew the plan, the Cardinals knew the plan that we were going bullpen game today, Scotty tomorrow and then Noah,” Mendoza said. “Just kind of giving those guys an extra day this early on the stretch that we’re about to go here with 22, 23 days.
“We thought it was best coming off an off-day on Monday.”
Infielder Ronny Mauricio, who is currently on the injured list recovering from a fractured right thumb, has resumed baseball activities.
“He’s now on that phase where he’s doing a lot of the baseball stuff,” Mendoza said.
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