Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving during a 2024 game.
NBA teams appear to smell blood in the water and are circling the Mavericks.
ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Wednesday that “multiple contenders” are “monitoring” Kyrie Irving’s status with the Mavs after Jason Kidd was ousted as head coach Tuesday.
Charania suggested the Mavericks seemed to be moving on from those brought in under former majority owner Mark Cuban.
General manager Nico Harrison was fired in November, Luka Dončić was traded to the Lakers in a highly controversial deal last season and Kidd was let go this week, leaving Irving as the last major piece from the Cuban era.
"The only Mark Cuban guy left on the Mavericks is Kyrie Irving..
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving during a 2024 game. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“We’ve seen Patrick Dumont, the owner, essentially flush away anyone that was even around the Mark Cuban regime,” Charania said. “Nico Harrison, Jason Kidd they were all brought in by Mark Cuban. Luka Dončić, a Mark Cuban guy. The only Mark Cuban guy left on that team right now is Kyrie Irving. Kyrie Irving is a generational player, a generational talent. Masai Ujiri did his press conference today and he said we want to see Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg on the court together.
“But there’s no question, there’s multiple contenders around the NBA that are very much monitoring what Kyrie Irving’s future is right now with the Mavericks. Whether it’s the summer, whether it’s into the season, that’s all going to play out over the course of the year.”
Irving, 34, did not play a single minute for Dallas in 2025-26 due to a torn left ACL he suffered late in the previous season. Hope that the NBA star would be able to play in the second half of the 2025-26 campaign disappeared when the Mavs and Irving’s agent announced in February that he was done for the year.
Ex-Mavericks coach Jason Kidd talking with Kyrie Irving during a 2024 game. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Irving can be a game-changer when he’s on the court and healthy, and his future in Dallas is certainly going to be one that rival teams monitor.
Irving has plenty of accomplishments next to his name, which include Rookie of the Year, nine All-Star nods and an NBA championship.
Kawhi Leonard is entering the final year of a three-year, $149.51 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Clippers, potentially making him an unrestricted free agent next summer. For the 2026-27 season, Leonard is owed $50.3 million.
Leonard, 34, is coming off a season where he appeared in 65 games and averaged 27.9 points on 50.5% field goal shooting, 38.7% 3-point shooting and 89.2% on free throws. The Clippers finished the season 42-40, good enough for a No. 9 seed, but were eliminated in the NBA Play-In Tournament by the Golden State Warriors.
Looming around the Clippers-Leonard era is the NBA's ongoing investigation into allegations that LA and owner Steve Ballmer allegedly facilitated a $28 million "no-show" endorsement deal for Leonard with Aspiration, a now-bankrupt sustainability company, in an effort to circumvent the NBA salary cap.
The team denied those allegations in a September 2025 statement and maintained their stance in a second statement, accusing Aspiration of engaging in "fraudulent activity."
“There is nothing unusual or untoward about team sponsors doing endorsement deals with players on the same team,” the second statement reads. “Neither Steve nor the Clippers organization had any oversight of Kawhi’s independent endorsement agreement with Aspiration. To say otherwise is flat-out wrong.”
The Clippers now find themselves in an interesting position to make a decision on whether they are still in "win-now" mode or if its time to consider rebuilding their roster.
LA made a blockbuster splash trade just before the trade deadline this season, shipping James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland, who just turned 26. They also sent Ivica Zubac and Kobe Brown to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, two first-round picks (2026 and 2029), and a second-round pick. The 2026 pick turned out to be the No. 5 overall pick.
The Clippers can decide to package that No. 5 pick in a trade to bring in either another superstar or key pieces to surround Leonard. But they can also go another route and bring in one of the draft's top prospects, which could signal they could move off of Leonard and could put him on the trade market.
If Leonard is dealt from the Clippers, it would mean the end of an era that began in 2019. Leonard signed with the Clippers after leading the Toronto Raptors to a NBA championship where he was named Finals MVP.
In seven seasons in LA, he helped lead the team to the playoffs five times, including the franchise's first conference finals appearance in 2021. But since then, the Clippers have been eliminated in the first round or missed the playoffs altogether.
When on the floor, Leonard is as dynamic as anyone in the league. He shows up on both sides of the ball. There would be many suitors across the league that would give the Clippers a call.
There's a distinct list of teams that Leonard would fit in with if he was traded from the Clippers. No matter where Leonard could go, he would have to agree to an extension with that team for the trade to work. Here are the teams that should get in the sweepstakes for Leonard, if there is one.
Los Angeles Lakers
Rumor has it that Leonard was leaning towards becoming a Laker in 2019, but opted for the other LA team instead. Leonard, a Los Angeles-native, was adamant years ago about wanting to play basketball close to home. After the semi-failed experiment with the Clippers, a cross over to the purple and gold with Luka Doncic could be a breath of fresh air for Leonard. If that happened, championship expectations would continue to drive conversations, though there would be some decisions to be made about Austin Reaves, LeBron James and Rui Hachimura.
Golden State Warriors
It's not sunny, Southern California, but it is still the West Coast. Pairing Leonard with Stephen Curry would give the Warriors a defensive presence who is on the level of Draymond Green, while simultaneously providing them another scorer and go-to option in late-game situations. The Warriors are trying to hang on to their No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, but that would have to be the first asset the Clips target if Golden State was serious about a potential trade. With Leonard expecting $50 million, the wonder is whether the Warriors have the cache to make it happen. One player who made the case? Green on his podcast.
Toronto Raptors
It's a reunion. This would be cool not just for a homecoming sense, but because the Raptors are currently constructed to be a Leonard-type player away from being a team contending for the Eastern Conference championship. This season, Toronto dropped a hard-fought, seven-game first-round series to the Cavaliers. There isn't any speculation of a Leonard return to T-Dot, but it could be the perfect closing chapter to a future Hall of Fame career.
Detroit Pistons
With the Pistons recent playoff elimination, their flaws were on national display — specifically missing another guy who can get his own shot and make plays for others. The Detroit offense looked lethargic when the Cavaliers keyed in on Cade Cunningham. Adding someone of Leonard's caliber will fill that void tremendously. Not only that, he fits within the mold of Detroit's style of play. He's physical, thrives defensively and is no pushover. Detroit might be a little too far from home for Leonard, but the fit basketball-wise is nearly perfect.
Miami Heat
There are questions that the Heat need to answer, one of which is whether they will get back to their identity and represent Heat culture. Bringing in Leonard answers those questions. It would give them a consistent inside-outside game to pair Leonard with Bam Adebayo. Not to mention, he would team up with former Clippers teammate Norman Powell again. The Heat are made up of guys who aren't afraid to get scrappy and Leonard is the same, despite his quiet demeanor.
Sacramento Kings
A long shot? Yes. However, as long as the Kings hang on to the No. 7 pick in the draft, they have a little leverage in the trade, especially if a rebuild is the direction the Clippers are headed. Sacramento has been known as basketball purgatory, but there are incentives for Leonard: the board man could get paid, he can be a short flight from home and he would not have to deal with the pressure of championship expectations. The Kings are in the midst of their own rebuild so Leonard may not fit the timeline, but owner Vivek Ranadivé has a fascination with big-name players, so don't count Sac out.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MAY 20: Jhonny Pereda #5 of the Seattle Mariners tags out Chase Meidroth #10 of the Chicago White Sox as Meidroth attempts to steal home during the sixth inning at T-Mobile Park on May 20, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mariners 5, White Sox 4
Enjoying a baseball game with your family: Jhonny Pereda, +0.24 WPA A drunk 20-something whipping you in the back of his head with a sweaty shirt: Josh Naylor, -0.15 WPA
Former England fast bowler Darren Gough believes England coach Brendon McCullum was “very lucky” to remain in post after England’s Ashes flop as he expressed his “hurt” at being overlooked for the role of national selector.
DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Starting pitcher Kyle Freeland #21 of the Colorado Rockies hands the baseball to Manager Warren Schaeffer as he exits the game while catcher Brett Sullivan #26 stands near by in the fifth inning against the Texas Rangers at Coors Field on May 20, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The weather changed throughout Wednesday afternoon at Coors Field, and the game kept moving with it.
One day after being shut out in a 10-0 loss to the Texas Rangers, the Colorado Rockies gave themselves a chance to take the series. They grabbed an early lead, lost it when Texas went back-to-back in the fourth, then fought back with pressure, patience, and timely contact to carry a one-run lead into the ninth.
But when Texas played its late hand, Colorado could not match it and lost the third game, 5-4.
Homers hurt Freeland before traffic ends his day
Kyle Freeland is still searching for consistency since returning from the IL, and Wednesday brought more of the same: traffic on the bases and hard contact in key spots.
He handled it early.
Freeland worked a clean first inning and faced the minimum through two after Josh Jung’s leadoff single in the second was erased by a Kyle Karros-to-Edouard Julien-to-TJ Rumfield double play. In the third, he gave up a two-out double to Sam Haggerty and walked Andrew McCutchen, but got Justin Foscue looking to keep the Rangers off the board.
The fourth inning brought the damage.
After Jung singled with one out, Ezequiel Duran jumped a knuckle curve and sent it 373 feet at 106.2 mph for a two-run homer. One batter later, Jake Burger crushed a changeup 409 feet at 108.4 mph to give Texas back-to-back home runs and a 3-1 lead.
Freeland came back out for the fifth and got the first two outs, but he could not finish the inning. Foscue singled, Brandon Nimmo followed with a hard-hit single, and Freeland walked Jung to load the bases. His afternoon was done.
Jaden Hill entered and got Duran to ground out, stranding all three inherited runners.
Freeland finished with three runs allowed on seven hits over 4.2 innings. He walked two, struck out four, and threw 89 pitches, 56 for strikes.
Rockies make Leiter work
The Rockies did not match Texas’ power, but they did enough against Jack Leiter.
Leiter had velocity, with his four-seam fastball averaging 95.4 mph, but Colorado made him work in the fourth and fifth innings. The Rockies put the ball in play, forced traffic, and took advantage when his command slipped.
The key at-bat came in the fourth.
With two outs and the bases loaded, Karros was called out on strikes. He challenged the pitch, the call was overturned, and the Rockies had a bases-loaded walk instead of an inning-ending strikeout. That made it 3-2.
Colorado took the lead in the fifth. Jake McCarthy tripled to center, Tyler Freeman singled him home, and Troy Johnston added a two-out RBI single to put the Rockies ahead.
The Rockies did not homer against Leiter, but they found runs through McCarthy’s speed, Karros’ plate discipline, Freeman’s contact, and Johnston’s two-out hit. Leiter finished with four runs allowed on seven hits over five innings. He walked two, struck out five, and threw 83 pitches, 55 for strikes.
Bullpen holds until the ninth
After stranding the bases loaded in the fifth, Hill stayed in for the sixth and worked around a two-out single to post another zero. He finished with 1.1 scoreless innings, allowing one hit with no walks, and was helped by a nice play from Rumfield, one of several solid defensive plays by the Rockies on the day.
Antonio Senzatela followed with two scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth. He allowed two hits, struck out one, and lowered his season ERA to 1.19 while getting the Rockies to the ninth with a 4-3 lead.
Then Texas went all in . . . .
Brennan Bernardino got the first out in the ninth, but Joc Pederson reached on catcher interference, Justin Foscue singled, and Alejandro Osuna loaded the bases with an infield single. Juan Mejia entered, but a passed ball tied the game before Jung singled through the left side to put Texas ahead.
Bernardino was charged with two runs, one earned, over one-third of an inning. Mejia kept the deficit at one by striking out Duran and getting Burger to hit a hard grounder to Willi Castro at second.
Can’t ante up
With the rain coming down in the bottom of the ninth, the Rockies had a chance to answer but went in order. Karros flew out, Braxton Fulford struck out as a pinch-hitter, and McCarthy grounded out to end a 5-4 loss after Colorado had led entering the ninth.
The loss dropped the Rockies to 19-31, while Texas improved to 24-25. Colorado gave itself a real chance to win, but folded in the ninth and let the game slip away.
Up Next
The Rockies head to Phoenix to open a series against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday at Chase Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:40 p.m. MDT.
Colorado has not announced a starter. Arizona is scheduled to start left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, who enters at 4-1 with a 2.53 ERA and 39 strikeouts.
NEW YORK - JULY 23: The grounds crew at Yankee Stadium roll out the tarp during the rain delay between the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees on July 23, 2014 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Rob Tringali/SportsChrome/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A scintillating starting pitching matchup is on tap in the Bronx tonight, as young phenoms Cam Schlittler and Trey Yesavage are supposed to go toe-to-toe. Both right-handers broke out late in 2025, with Schlittler earning a rotation spot down the stretch for the Yankees and then dominating the Red Sox in his playoff debut to help New York punch its ticket to an ALDS matchup against Toronto … who had their own sensation in Yesavage. Despite just three regular-season starts to his name, the 22-year-old no-hit the Yankees over 5.1 innings in Game 2 to help the Blue Jays establish a 2-0 series lead that proved to be insurmountable. It was the beginning of a magical postseason for Yesavage and the Jays, who fell two outs shy of a World Series title.
Needless to say, there was a lot of hype for this Wednesday rumble at Yankee Stadium, as they had not previously squared off against each other. The Yankees have scrapped out the first two contests of this four-game set against a Jays team they struggled against last year, and they were hoping to nail down the series win tonight behind Schlittler, who has been arguably the best pitcher in baseball early on in 2026. Yesavage began the year on the IL with a right shoulder impingement, but he’s posted a 1.40 ERA through four starts since returning.
Alas, an ugly weather forecast is forcing us to wait. At 6:17pm ET, the Yankees announced that they do not expect to begin the game on time. There’s a severe thunderstorm watch in the Bronx, and we could be waiting awhile for baseball — if indeed we get it at all. Because Schlittler and Yesavage are so important to their teams, neither club wants to risk having a game begin, only to quickly enter a rain delay that might render each arm unable to return. So we’re getting it early and seeing what happens.
AccuWeather indicates that the storms should begin to subside sometime after 9pm ET. Hang in there and we’ll see if we get baseball tonight!
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 06: A detailed photo of Yankee Stadium before the game between the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees on May 6, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We talked about today’s new already, so all I have to say is please win.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 08: Carmen Mlodzinski #50 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches against the in the bottom of the fouth inning of a major league baseball game at Oracle Park on May 08, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pitching Matchup: Carmen Mlodzinski (3-3, 4.40 ERA) vs. Michael McGreevy (3-2, 2.10 ERA)
The Pittsburgh Pirates are on the road today against the St. Louis Cardinals looking to grab a win.
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KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - AUGUST 18: Starting pitcher Michael Wacha #52 of the Kansas City Royals pitches during the first inning of the game against the Texas Rangers at Kauffman Stadium on August 18, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Stop me if you have heard this one before. The Royals are going into the game tonight looking to avoid getting swept. For the third series in a row, Kansas City is just hoping to salvage one win going into the third game. They cannot fix all of their problems in one game on a Wednesday night, but it would be nice to see them get one from a Boston team that has mostly struggled their way through 2026 as well.
The Royals will send Michael Wacha to the mound to try and get the job done. The 4-2 record and 2.83 ERA are easily the best of any Royals starter so far this season. With all of the pitching injuries that the team has sustained, they need him to have continued success.
Unfortunately, Kansas City is facing yet another left handed starter tonight in Connelly Early. He is a 24 year old rookie with a solid ERA, but peripheral statistics that say he is more a back-end starter. Over his minor league career and last season’s cup of coffee, he routinely had very high strike out rates that have not shown up in early 2026 and are making him more pedestrian. Let’s hope that continues tonight.
The solution to the lineup issues is evidently to give Vinnie Pasquantino a day off and move Salvador Perez up to the three hole? Elias Diaz will be behind the dish with Perez at first.
DETROIT, MI - MAY 19: Jose Ramirez #11, Kyle Manzardo #9, Travis Bazzana #37 and Brayan Rocchio #4 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrate a win over the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on May 19, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
May 19, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Milwaukee Brewers players hug against the Chicago Cubs after the ninth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images
The Brewers moved back into first place in the National League Central yesterday when they defeated the Cubs, and they also clinched a series victory in the first set between the two teams this season. Tonight, they aim for a sweep with Kyle Harrison on the mound.
Harrison continued his excellent first season with the Brewers last Thursday when he went five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and zero walks against the Padres in a game that Milwaukee ultimately won 7-1. The only nit to pick in that start was Harrison’s efficiency, as he needed 99 pitches to complete those five innings; he’ll look to improve on that tonight, given that Milwaukee used their entire A bullpen on Tuesday. They’ve got a day off tomorrow, though, so bullpen usage may not be particularly restricted. On the season, Harrison is 4-1 with a 2.09 ERA and 2.88 FIP, and he’s striking out over 11 batters per nine innings.
The Cubs will counter with right-hander Edward Cabrera, who they traded top prospect Owen Caissie for in the offseason. Cabrera’s results have been a little mixed this season; he’s done a decent job of keeping his walks at a sustainable level (3.2 per nine, slightly worse than last year but significantly better than his career rate), but he isn’t striking out as many (7.9 per nine, which would be a career low by far). Cabrera’s ERA of 4.06 is slightly worse than league average, but it still outpaces his 4.51 FIP by quite a bit. After back-to-back scoreless starts in his first two appearances of the year, Cabrera hasn’t allowed fewer than three runs in any of his seven starts since (though he’s given up more than three runs only once). Historically, Cabrera has been pretty good against Milwaukee, though: 19 2/3 innings against the Brewers when he was a Marlin, Cabrera had a 2.29 ERA and 20 strikeouts.
One quick roster note before we get to lineups: Peter Strzelecki, who was called up for one day before being designated for assignment, cleared waivers, but elected free agency rather than accept an assignment to Triple-A Nashville.
Milwaukee uses another unique lineup tonight (their 47th in 47 games). This one features David Hamilton at third base, Joey Ortiz in at shortstop against the right-hander, and an outfield of Jackson Chourio, Garrett Mitchell, and Sal Frelick. Andrew Vaughn once again starts on the bench, with Christian Yelich as the designated hitter and Jake Bauers in left field.
First pitch at Wrigley Field is at 6:40 p.m. on Brewers TV and the Brewers Radio Network.
May 19, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson (20) hits a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians in the second inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
Detroit Tigers (20-29) vs. Cleveland Guardians (28-22)
Time/Place: 6:40 p.m., Comerica Park SB Nation Site: Covering the Corner Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: TBA vs. RHP Tanner Bibee (0-6, 4.15 ERA)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 31: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers controls the ball against Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first half at Crypto.com Arena on March 31, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers are not even 24 hours removed from their gut-punch of a loss in the Eastern Conference Finals, and there is already offseason talk. Once again, it involves LeBron James.
Sometimes, James is cryptic in his moves and thoughts. Other times, he just likes a post about a potential return to play next season in Cleveland. That is not so cryptic.
Sure enough, James “liked” an Instagram reel that featured in bold letters “Come Home” with a still of him banging his chest in the black Cavs uniforms they wore during his 2017-2018 season. The rest of the reel was about his most recent game in Cleveland.
LeBron liked a short IG reel posted about his last game in Cleveland which features this image. pic.twitter.com/RvDd8bryG7
— Jackson Flickinger (@JacksFlickinger) May 20, 2026
The rumors of James returning to Cleveland have gathered steam seemingly for years, gaining more traction after the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Luka Doncic as the ultimate baton hand-off from one superstar to another. With the Lakers’ prioritization of equipping Doncic, not James, with players that fit his style of play, the rumblings of his unhappiness grew. This, coupled with the Cavs’ hole at small forward and dire need for LeBron’s mental toughness in playoff situations, just adds fuel to the fire.
Do the Cavs blow a 22-point lead with James on the roster, getting in people’s faces and commandeering his head coach’s decision-making ability? It is hard to say for sure, but it would have certainly been helpful to have one of the game’s smartest ever to calm the nerves and stop the bleeding.
ESPN’s Shams Charania adds that James is expected to play another season, with the Lakers “probably” being his preference. However, this liked post from James may hint otherwise.
On most nights in Silverlake, the scene inside 33 Taps is what you would expect from a quintessential Los Angeles sports bar. Beers are chugged out of pint glasses.
Lakers highlights flicker across the televisions. Half the crowd is wearing Dodger hats as they chat and share boneless wings.
But on Tuesday night, during Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals between the New York Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers, the place transformed into something completely different.
This was no longer Los Angeles.
This was Madison Square Garden. Only with better weather.
On most nights in Silverlake, the scene inside 33 Taps is what you would expect from a quintessential Los Angeles sports bar. Beers are chugged out of pint glasses. Tiffany Chao
There were rumors that a group of New York transplants had turned a neighborhood sports bar into a Knicks pilgrimage site during playoff games. They weren’t wrong.
From the moment you walk up to the bar you can see the overflow of Knicks fans seated outside. The line to get inside wraps around the corner. As soon as you enter through the doors, the energy hits you in the chest like a subway train pulling into Times Square during rush hour.
Orange and blue Knicks jerseys flood every corner of the bar. Ewing. Starks. Camby. Houston. Anthony. Brunson. Towns. From throwbacks to current players, these were legit Knicks fans. A guy sitting at the bar wore a vintage Knicks bomber jacket like it was a suit of armor.
As the Cavaliers took the lead at the half, another fan in a Knicks’ hat screamed at the television while clutching his beer. His accent was easily recognizable.
These were definitely New Yorkers, no matter where they lived now.
Tiffany ChaoTiffany ChaoTiffany ChaoInstagram/MeghanopolisTiffany ChaoTiffany ChaoTiffany ChaoInstagram/KnicksfanTV Comedian Desus Nice (L) and actor Jerry O’Connell (M) pose with a Knicks fan (R) at 33 Taps bar in Silverlake, CA. Tiffany Chao
Through conversations, most of them had migrated west years ago chasing acting careers, writing jobs, music gigs, or a clean beach and sunshine. But regardless of the reason, all roads led back to Manhattan.
Only now, the 32nd & 7th in Midtown Manhattan was across the street from a taco stand and tucked between a sushi place and a Salt & Straw.
“Everyone knows this is a Knicks bar,” said one fan who has lived in LA for over 10 years.
Another fan from The Bronx, said he started coming to 33 Taps back in 2023.
“Back then, it was maybe five or six people,” he said. “Now look at this.”
He motioned towards the standing-room-only crowd packed shoulder-to-shoulder at communal tables all staring at the giant television along the back wall.
Knicks fans going crazy at the official New York Knicks bar in Silverlake at 33 Taps.
— Michael J. Duarte (@michaeljduarte) May 20, 2026
It all started with Peter Agoston and Dre Anderson.
Two self-proclaimed Knicks superfans who started coming to 33 Taps in Silverlake to watch Knicks summer league games in 2021.
“I came to the bar and asked a bartender very nicely if they’d put on the Knicks game for me,” said Agoston. “I looked over and saw a Yankee hat. That was Dre. It was pre-destined. Knicks fans in Los Angeles desperately needed a home.”
Agoston and Anderson created the Left Coast Knicks Instagram account and began letting fans know when and where the watch party would be.
For decades, being a Knicks fan felt like inherited trauma disguised as basketball loyalty. The Knicks haven’t won a title since 1973 (over the Lakers). Players and coaches changed, but the losses never stopped coming. Between 2001-2022 they missed the playoffs 15 times.
Then came 2023.
The Knicks beat the Cavaliers in the first round before losing to the Miami Heat in six games. But that postseason run changed everything. More fans started showing up. Agoston told them to come back next season. They did.
“We’ve been humbled by countless years of ups and downs,” he said. “Most of our community here is very far away from their hometowns and families, this space we’ve created transcends just watching a game.”
And 33 Taps has its own version of Celebrity Row.
One of the regulars since 2023 is Desus Nice, the sharp-tongued comedian and former co-host of the “Desus vs. Mero” show. He moved to LA that year and didn’t want to watch games alone in his apartment.
Desus Nice, former co-host of the Desus vs. Mero podcast poses with a young Knicks fan at 33 Taps bar in Silverlake, CA. (Credit: Instagram/Knicksfantv) Instagram/KnicksfanTV
Actor Jerry O’Connell, a lifelong Knicks fan born in Manhattan began showing up to 33 Taps during last year’s playoff run. The Knicks upset the reigning champion Boston Celtics before eventually losing to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals.
Comedian Desus Nice (L) and actor Jerry O’Connell (M) pose with a Knicks fan (R) at 33 Taps bar in Silverlake, CA. (Credit: UncleMike / @billskid) Tiffany Chao
“We’re a community now,” said another fan who arrived two hours early Tuesday night just to secure a table. “Some people moved here 20 years ago. Some moved here two months ago. But this became home.”
And nothing epitomized that home away from home more than Game 1. The Knicks, who had eight days of rest after sweeping the 76ers, trailed by 22 points in the fourth quarter before detonating one of the wildest comebacks in playoff history, storming back to force overtime in what turned into a stunning 115-104 win.
The reaction inside 33 Taps was absolute chaos. Beer flew through the air. Fans jumped up and down, shouting, screaming and high-fiving strangers. Fans poured out into the orange and blue sunset as if they had just witnessed a religious experience.
And maybe they had. Because for one night in Silverlake, the night belonged to New York.
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WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 19: James Wood #29 of the Washington Nationals dives into home plate for an inside the park grand slam home run as Nasim Nuñez #26 and Jorbit Vivas #84 celebrate during the second inning against the New York Mets at Nationals Park on May 19, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After an emotional win last night, the Nats evened the series with the Mets and got within a game of .500 again. Now, the Nationals can get back to .500 with a win. The best offense in baseball will be facing a kid making his big league debut. Hopefully they can give him a rude awakening.
With a lefty on the mound, Blake Butera will be making some changes to the lineup. Curtis Mead will be in the 2 hole and play third base. Andres Chaparro will make his first start since being recalled, playing first base. Dylan Crews will shift to right field with Jacob Young making his return to the lineup. Keibert Ruiz will be behind the plate in this one. Zack Littell will get the ball after having a nice start against the O’s.
The Mets are also making a few changes. Juan Soto will be playing the field, getting the start in left. A.J. Ewing will be back in the lineup, playing center field. MJ Melendez will start at DH and Hayden Senger will do the catching. Zach Thornton will make his MLB debut tonight. The lefty is a command artist.
Last night was one of the most fun games of the season. Now they will have a chance to follow that up with another good performance. This team is never out of a game with this offense and they will have a chance to face a rookie making his debut tonight. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!
