“Pretty unprofessional, huh?”

Wolves coach Chris Finch sat behind a table in the Target Center media room after a 115-108 Game 3 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals. Clearly ready to get something off his chest, he was asked about a second-half mid-court conflict with veteran NBA official Tony Brothers.

Wanting to call a timeout and reorganize his group, he felt as though Brothers disregarded his job and ignored him.

He let him know that. Brothers took exception.

Instead of a typical technical foul and a warning issued to go back to the bench, the grizzled crew chief took things a step further…quite literally.

Tony Brothers had to be HELD BACK against Chris Finch 👀 pic.twitter.com/GgeC0nNQGV

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 9, 2026

“He clearly heard me,” Finch said when recounting the situation of asking for a timeout and getting ignored. “It almost cost us a turnover…he lost it.”

Following a six-point loss in which the Wolves were -12 in the free-throw disparity, and a game that saw plenty of stoppages, you might think that the website you’re reading this on prequalifies this piece to be a “the refs cost the Wolves the series” soliloquy.

Not quite. Much of the Wolves’ free-throw discrepancy throughout the series came from a tentativeness in attacking the basket after saying they would be unrelenting in doing so after Game 1.

However, when themes keep coming up from multiple people who are given a microphone around the league, one thing to me remains relatively common. Including Castle himself recently, talking about selling contact and the trend in doing so around the league.

Stephon Castle:

"I sell calls too sometimes. I mean I can't lie. I think we talk to the refs a lot, especially me in particular but most of the times they're right" pic.twitter.com/y4YPNZuneS

— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) June 2, 2026

Simply put, the NBA and its officiating crews are at an inflection point on how they go about their night-to-night jobs.

As seasons keep going, tension between players, coaches, and officials keeps boiling over.

By my count, more than six coaches called out officiating specifically during the season in postgame press conferences.

Ime Udoka ripped the refs from Nuggets and Rockets

"Poorly officiated game I've seen in a long time. Two have no business being out there and the crew chief was acting star struck"

(h/t @ohnohedidnt24)pic.twitter.com/IQTBdBBaxW

— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) December 16, 2025

That doesn’t count some of the playoff tangents we’ve had, including tenured veteran Devin Booker going out of his way after Game 2 of the Phoenix Suns’ series with Oklahoma City to call James Williams out BY NAME.

Whoa…. Devin Booker just WENT OFF on the NBA refs right now in the post game press conference:

"It's definitely something that has to be looked at. I heard (Alex) Caruso tell them to call the tech and he ended up doing it. In my 11 years, I haven't called a ref out by name,… pic.twitter.com/lfc7UBBue5

— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) April 23, 2026

There are plenty of examples of frustration with NBA officiating. Perhaps brought to its peak when the Oklahoma City Thunder played a series against a Los Angeles Lakers team that always has millions of eyes on it and a fanbase not afraid to speak its mind, questions and tension between fans, players, coaches, and those instructed to keep the game together have reached a point where the NBA simply has two options.

1). Completely ignore the situation – The worst option. This pisses fans off more who clearly want answers to why games are so different from a flow perspective on a nightly basis

2). Address the issue with changes – I’ll talk about this soon, but I believe there are a couple of clear-cut, subtle ways in which the NBA can make the game easier on its officials while making a game already played a rapid pace more fun to watch.

So, blog boy, what issues could be smoothed over that could be the cure-all, if you know so much?

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Stop Discouraging Pace

It’s truly underrated how much faster the NBA has gotten over the last 20 years.

In the 2011-12 regular season, the Sacramento Kings led the NBA with a PACE metric of 97.3 (the number of possessions a team uses per game).

This past season, the slowest team in PACE was the Boston Celtics, with a metric of…97.7.

Shots go up quicker. Teams move faster. And for some reason, games could not go any slower.

It’s simple. Refs are having a hard time making the right call with a game moving as fast as it is, and the fear of getting every call right tends to send them to the monitor more than they should. Furthermore, the amount of time spent at the monitor for simple calls like an out-of-bounds play, flagrant, or goaltend is painstaking.

Adam Silver has come out and said the NBA plans to augment this with an AI officiating system for calls like this. I’m not sure AI is necessarily the answer here, but could something similar to what the NFL has with the sky judge be implemented here? Perhaps a 10-second stoppage in play if the call is extremely questionable to hear from a sky judge, or additional official watching 2-3 different angles in Seacaucus that can call this out?

With gambling culture becoming rampant, I understand officials wearing an earpiece can be shady, but it’s better than what we have now.

Adam Silver says the NBA will implement an AI automated system to review calls.

(via @patmcafeeshow) pic.twitter.com/NqyLxWnUbj

— ESPN (@espn) May 27, 2026

Imagine games that aren’t completely smeared with reviews. Where up and down basketball is back. Go back and watch a few games from the early 2010s. The contrast to now is so unbelievably stark in a good way.

Now take that, hit the 1.5x fast forward, and get an idea of what the potential of this league could be. These players are awesome, and I don’t need 100% accuracy on out-of-bounds calls and weak flagrant calls in exchange for what could be a far more entertaining product.

We Can’t Get Rid of “Grifting”, But There Are Steps to Take

You know those fouls at the baseline that get called all the time?

Where a team has no other shot against good defense, so they drive from the elbow to the baseline, try and catch the defender at a bad angle, and completely fall backwards, hoisting the ball up in a situation where it’s surely not going to go in, but it gets called a shooting foul anyway?

It seems to happen all of the time, and more often than not, they award the out-of-control player. Finch has said it before, and my main gripe matches it. For some reason, out-of-control players are being awarded more than ever now. Fall on a fast break? Sure. Fall on a drive? You got it.

Fouls like the one I laid out could be given the rip-through treatment, as always, being a foul on the floor. There’s no intent to actually score the ball during game action with the embellishment of contact, and it’s obvious it’s a move players practice because they know it’s a cheap way to get to the line if the shot clock is breaking down.

A simple way for something like that to not get the rip through treatment? Playing through the content to show actual scoring intent.

The baseline fallaway is just one example. So many times, a defender could be in complete control while the offensive player is not, and the latter will tend to get rewarded. It might be a place that the league is at, but seeing more play-ons through marginal contact and making things like the above fouls on the floor could be ways to curb what’s happening and also prevent further stoppages.

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All in all, I don’t want something like this to take away what’s shaping up to be an awesome finals, and frankly, a finals that’s being officiated extremely well with plenty of contact.

But where we’re at can’t continue to happen. It ruined the discourse of the playoffs this year, it’s slowly ruining the NBA product, and giving a bad example for youth hoopers on what to build their game around.

Is Adam Silver the right guy to figure out? I’m not sure, but man, do I sure hope he is. Basketball can’t keep getting played and talked about like this at the highest level.

Fans, players, coaches, and organizations are clearly getting tired of it. Hell, I’m sure refs are too. Now it’s time for those who run the league to show they are, too.

The exercise of comparing draft prospects has driven me nuts for years. For a time, seemingly every wing with a good vertical was the next Michael Jordan. Tall kid who can dribble? The Next Magic. White forward who can shoot? Larry Bird.

In this draft, AJ Dybantsa has been comped to Tracy McGrady and Andrew Wiggins, who are basically nothing alike. There’s a draft site out there that lists Dybantsa’s comps as McGrady and…Scottie Pippen? What?

Darryn Peterson’s NBA comp, according to this site is Devin Booker. Maybe?

Cam Boozer got Al Horford, which might make sense if Horford had been a big-time scorer with top-shelf three-point shooting.

Caleb Wilson, who could theoretically be a Wizards target in a trade down scenario, was tagged with Jermaine O’Neal and Chris Bosh, who once again were not very similar as players.

This site says comps for Darius Acuff Jr., the last player FanDuel says has a chance to be the number one pick in the draft, are Tim Hardaway and Damian Lillard, which…I guess? I mean, they’re both smaller guards, but Hardaway played more of a PG role — lower usage, more steals — and didn’t shoot as well. Lillard played in an era where more rigid roles were dying out and did more scoring along with playmaking. And he shot better than Hardaway.

Anyway, I’m a stat dork, so I modified the statistical doppelganger machine I made for NBA players and deployed it on Ye Olde Draft Analyzer (YODA), my stat-based draft prospect evaluation tool. Now, the doppelganger machine doesn’t work quite as well on draft prospects, but I’m still asking it to work with YODA and give us who they think are the top NBA comps for the five theoretical possible Wizards draft picks at number one.

AJ Dybantsa | F | BYU

Top Comp: Blake Griffin. Interesting because one of the first things that jumps off the screen is a difference — Griffin was a big-time rebounder at Oklahoma (17.3 per 40 minutes) and Dybantsa is not. But, the usage, scoring, overall efficiency, and steals are close. Both had superb verticals, as well.

Runners-Up:

• Michael Beasley — impressive college player (also grabbed many more rebounds than Dybantsa) who scored in bunches. Crashed and burned in the NBA.
• Brandon Ingram — lower usage and not as efficient or productive overall as Dybantsa, but similar scoring forward profile.

Darryn Peterson | G | Kansas

Top Comp: Kyrie Irving. Not what I was expecting. But as I eyeball the numbers, I see similar scoring (though Irving was more efficient), steals and blocks. Peterson did more rebounding. Irving did more playmaking. Both missed significant chunks of the season due to injury or health issues.

Runners-Up:

• Jalen Suggs — psychotic competitor who keeps hurting himself by attempting to make plays with complete disregard to his health and safety.
• Jalen Green — similar pattern of production

Cam Boozer | F | Duke

Top Comp: Anthony Davis. Worth mention that basically no one in the database shows up as a strong statistical comp for Boozer. He’s a unique conglomeration of hyper-efficient, high-volume scoring, plus elite rebounding. Davis was a dominating defender with similar efficiency on lower volume. He blocked lots more shots than Boozer. Boozer got more assists. Overall YODA score was pretty similar — both have grades in YODA consistent with being the number one pick in nearly any draft I’ve evaluated.

Runners-Up:

• Marvin Bagley III — This guy was so good at Duke that a number of teams had him rated ahead of Luka Doncic.
• Kevin Love — This one feels the most right. Love was accused of lacking the athleticism to be an effective NBA player. He ended up a five-time All-Star and two-time second team All-NBA. He’d likely have tallied more of each if he hadn’t played for a dumpster-fire franchise. Seriously, one season he was the only member of the Minnesota Timberwolves with an above average PPA. The Wizards should be so lucky.

Caleb Wilson | F | North Carolina

Top Comp: Kevin Love. Which doesn’t feel right at all. Except, the numbers are reasonably similar. Love was the more prolific and accurate three-point shooter, but the rebounding, assists, blocks, turnovers, fouls, scoring and overall efficiency are pretty close. Wilson generated more steals. Fascinating.

Runners-Up:

• Blake Griffin. Again. I’m starting to wonder if the doppelganger machine and YODA are just hitting ctrl+c over and over. But…when I look at the numbers, it makes some sense — Love and Griffin were fairly similar, so if a guy is similar to one, he’s similar to the other.
• Victor Wembanyama — There are some definite differences. The Machines are picking up similar usage, poor three-point shooting (Wemby shot 27.2% from deep in the season he entered the NBA Draft), rebounding, and scoring. Wemby was less efficient and higher usage, and he blocked a lot more shots. There overall YODA scores are very close — Wemby’s season in France wasn’t mind-blowingly great. He still had a score consistent with being the top pick in most drafts, as does Wilson.

Darius Acuff Jr. | G | Arkansas

Top Comp: John Wall. This makes some sense considering they were both coached by John Calipari, who’s still running the dribble drive motion system he used when Wall played for him at Kentucky. There are differences — Acuff was lots more efficient — especially from three-point range. The other stats are pretty similar — Wall had some rebounds, but assists, free throw attempts, and fouls were about the same. Wall produced more blocks and steals, as well as more turnovers. Still, it all tallies up to similar YODA scores — top 3-5 in most drafts, top pick in a few.

Runners-Up:

• Ty Lawson — Superb shooter and playmaker, who played at North Carolina. He had some quality performances in the NBA, though is career got derailed by some personal issues.
• Derrick Rose — Hmm, another Calipari guy. Have The Machines figured it out?

The New York Knicks host the San Antonio Spurs tonight at Madison Square Garden in Game Four of the NBA Finals. New York leads the series 2-1. A victory would put the Knicks one win away from their first championship since 1973. A loss? That would turn this into a best-of-three series heading back to cactus country. No bueno!

The Spurs earned a 115-111 win in Game Three on Monday night, ending New York’s 13-game postseason winning streak and handing the Knicks their first loss in 46 days. Victor Wembanyama led San Antonio with 32 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and three blocks. Stephon Castle added 23 points. For New York, OG Anunoby scored 28 points on 9-of-13 shooting while Jalen Brunson matched Wemby with 32 points.

The question entering Game Four: can the Knicks rediscover their offensive identity?

Game Three was not a case of San Antonio completely overwhelming New York. The Knicks generated quality looks throughout the night and remained within striking distance until the final possession. What doomed them was stagnation. For long stretches, New York looked nothing like the team that spent the last month and a half steamrolling opponents. The ball stuck. Players stood around. The offense became predictable. They recorded just 18 assists, their second-lowest total across 99 regular-season and playoff games, while committing 13 turnovers that the Spurs converted into 21 points. (H/t Fred Katz of The Athletic.)

The Spurs deserve credit for creating those conditions. After dropping the first two games at home, San Antonio came into Madison Square Garden desperate and aggressive. Castle’s size bothered Brunson, Josh Hart, and several other Knicks all night. Wembanyama spent less time defending pick-and-roll actions, instead acting as a help defender and erasing opportunities around the rim. And the adjustments worked. Rather than forcing Wembanyama into repeated screening actions and making him defend in space, the Knicks often attacked the defense directly. That resulted in fewer driving lanes, fewer paint touches, and a greater reliance on jump shooting.

Wembanyama’s elite rim protection often forces you to make your bones beyond the arc. Sometimes those shots fall, sometimes they do not. On Monday, there was a lot of not. New York missed 10 consecutive three-pointers to open the fourth quarter. It cost them the game.

The Knicks played tight and tentative while the Spurs played loose and aggressive. New York spent much of the evening trying not to make mistakes instead of imposing its will. That showed up in the turnovers, hesitation, and an absence of the off-ball movement that has defined its postseason success.

Still, one bad night does not erase six weeks of dominant basketball. All the aforementioned issues are correctable. Protecting the basketball tops the list. The Knicks cannot afford unforced turnovers or unnecessary fouls that gift San Antonio easy points. They also need a bigger fourth-quarter impact from Karl-Anthony Towns, who was held scoreless in the final period of Game Three and attempted 15 fewer shots than Brunson overall.

The Knicks must contain Wembanyama in pick-and-roll situations. The Spurs repeatedly generated lobs and paint finishes by getting him behind New York’s defenders. The good guys have to cut off those interior passes and do more to keep the big fella away from the rim (easier said than done, I know, I know).

And Mikal Bridges needs to bounce back after recording two points in Game Three. He’ll be better tonight (could he be much worse?). Anunoby has arguably been New York’s best player in the series, and Captain Clutch continues to deliver in big moments. The Knicks are at their best, however, when all five starters contribute and their bench lends some support. Landry Shamet had his worst game in a while, making 1-of-8, and Miles McBride looks smaller than ever among the taller Spurs, averaging 3.7 points in these three games. A couple of three pointers from each would help.

ESPN.com likes New York to win at 57%. Giddy up. If our heroes move the ball, protect possessions, and return to the sharp cutting and unselfish offense that fueled their postseason run, they will have an excellent opportunity to regain control of the series. We trust in them. Knicks by 5.

Game Details

Who: New York Knicks (2-1) vs San Antonio Spurs (1-2)
Date: Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Time: 8:30 PM ET
Place: Madison Square Garden, Manhattan, NY
TV: ABC
Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky

Game 3 of the NBA Finals wasn’t much different than Games 1 and 2: the Spurs got ahead early after a classic slow start from the Knicks, they eventually responded, then everything was once again down to the wire in crunch time with the winner being the team that made one or two more clutch shots. The difference? The location was Madison Square Garden, and the winner was the Spurs, who barely but admirably avoided falling into a 3-0 hole. I continue Fraternizing with the Enemy with with Russell Richardson, editor-in-chief of our Knicks sister site Posting and Toasting, as we discuss what the Spurs did differently to get back in the winners column and how the Knicks, who aren’t used to having to bounce back from a loss these days, will respond.

This has been an enjoyable series so far — the Fraternizing, but I guess the basketball too — so click on the links if you would like to revisit parts 1, 2 or 3.

J.R. 

So, the Spurs showed a few things last night and we now know that they can:

1. Beat NY

2. Win in MSG

3. Stay composed in an intense clutch game in the Finals. 

All of those are important, but I’d say the third is the biggest deal. First, it unlocks the other two. Second, because they’ve been shaky down the stretch in games going back to before Wemby joined the team. 

For years, the knock on San Antonio was that despite their talent, and even though they could stay with teams through three quarters, they couldn’t win games. (I call that a talent gap, but some people call it not knowing how to win — potato potahto). Then the gripe became that they could build a lead, but couldn’t hold onto it. Then they could hold onto leads but couldn’t win close games. Then they could win close regular season games but not close playoff games. Close playoff games but not close Finals games…

You can see where this is going; it’s not like it’s a particularly rare development path. What’s unusual about it is how quickly they’ve moved through these stages to the point that now it’s reasonable to wonder whether they could be the first team to come back and win The Finals after trailing 0-2 at home. I know I brought up pressure in our last conversation but it seems even more important after Game 3, because the series is for sure going back to San Antonio now, and none of the Knickerbockers are going to feel comfortable about the possibility of coming back home for Game 6 down 3-2. Which means they have to go up 3-1. Which brings us to mental toughness. 

I’ll be honest, there were several times last night that I felt like the Knicks were about to put the game and the series away. After the flagrant review of Castle’s ugly looking foul on Brunson, I thought you guys had it. After the challenge that turned Victor’s three into zero points, I thought you guys had it. After Jaylen’s layup cut it to, (whatever it was) I thought you would take it home. But Wemby and the boys kept believing and kept making plays and now we are where we are. And my question is, at what point did you realize Game Three was slipping away?

R.R.

One summer, I took my kids out in a four-pedal paddle boat. We struggled to fit everyone in—my oldest was already over six feet tall, my stepson and I each weighed about 200 lbs., and my third son was scared for his life. Sam had good reason to be worried. We didn’t get more than 10 feet from the dock when the boat started to noticeably move in a vertical direction. Down. We all foot-pedaled furiously back toward the dock, but slowly, ever so slowly, the SS Guppy approached and broke the waterline. Despite our frantic attempts to save ourselves, we watched the disaster unfold in slow motion as we all sank into the drink.

That was how it felt to watch the Knicks shoot 7-of-27 in the fourth quarter of Game Three.

Expecting the Knicks to win 15 straight playoff games was unrealistic. But they had not lost in 46 days, so a little irrationality was permissible.

We always assume that the bright lights and stars at MSG will rattle the opponent. Sometimes it swings the other way. In Game Three, the young Spurs were cold-blooded from the start, while the home team stumbled in the spotlight. Anyone watching on Monday with virgin eyes could not have identified which team was a squad of steady vets, trained under the cruel tutelage of Master Thibs, and which was a group of youngsters who jumped the development line.

One thing we might assume about confident vets is that they will dictate the pace of a game from tip-off. Not so with these Knickerbockers. All season long, they started games flat and played from behind after the first quarter. It was maddening. That changed through the first three rounds of the playoffs, but lately they have returned to their woeful ways. From my recap:

This was the first time they looked like the “old Knicks” since the first round. The lead guys started slow, the reserves provided a second-quarter lift while Towns and Brunson were split up, the play went stale again after halftime, and they hoped for Captain Clutch magic in the fourth. It was as if, after being away from the Garden for 19 days, they’d forgotten what a juggernaut they had become and, returning to their home court, reverted to their bad habits.

I say it often: first-quarter mistakes are just as impactful on the outcome as those in the fourth. New York started the game with two unforced errors and fell behind by seven points, putting themselves on the back foot for the rest of the game. With both teams so evenly matched and deserving of a championship, every brain fart is another nail in the coffin.

On that note, will the Knicks ever win a first quarter? They lost the first in Game One, 27-19, then 34-25 in Game Two, and 33-22 in Game Three. Playing from behind, they won the second quarter in all three contests. Great. But why must they put themselves at a disadvantage every single time? Every first quarter, they turn me into a sputtering, seething Lewis Black.

We must give them credit—the Spurs played their best game of the series. Castle was cooking (and boy, I dig that kid). Their distribution was excellent, their defense was hard-knuckled, and they were wise to keep Wemby away from KAT for long stretches. Both of these things can be true: San Antonio did an admirable job of keeping KAT out of the offense, and the Knicks did a lousy job of incorporating KAT into the offense. Brunson shot 15 more times than Towns. They could have at least split the difference!

Would you believe that Towns finished +8 and Bridges +11? I don’t, but it is true. It’s difficult to fathom because Bridges could not buy a bucket, and Shamet was worse. He crashed back to earth with 1-of-8 shooting and a -22 plus-minus. Shamet’s marksmanship has been a big part of New York’s postseason success. In his return to the Garden, ShamWow went ice cold. If he had made just one or two more threes, New York would be lining up the brooms.

If Mikal plays like that, Mike Brown knows better—he’s gotta sub in Shamet or Clarkson (OK, not Shamet this time). When Bridges is down, it seems like he doesn’t want to be on the court, which is weird for the guy with the longest active streak of consecutive games played. His foul on Wemby, when he had linked into his limbs like they were playing Twister, is the kind of stuff Bridges does when his confidence is shaken. If things are going well, Mikal is great. He has been in eight straight games now. After a few bad turns, though, he tends to ruminate, and it affects his performance. Brown has benched him in fourth quarters before. He should have last night.

Towns can get lost in his head, too. His anxiety reveals itself differently: he gets giddy and does a lot of Gorsh, can you just believe this?-type pantomiming. When that happens, it doesn’t affect his shooting per se, but it does result in forehead-slapping fouls. Which kills momentum and leads to foul trouble . . . which sends him to the bench . . . which reduces New York’s offensive options. . . . Sigh.

Josh Hart is different. He will randomly lose confidence in his shot and then play hot potato for a few games before snapping out of it. But that never affects his overall play, he’s the same maniac throughout. Brunson is mostly a killer, but if he’s getting smacked around without calls, his anger either leads to a turnover or a dagger three to win the game.

Occasionally, in late-game, high-stakes situations, OG Anunoby gets the yips at the charity stripe. It’s one of the few flaws in my favorite Knick; otherwise, he is one of the most unflappable hoopers to ever play. While his missed free throw late in the fourth was costly, his corner three redeemed him and nearly saved the game. When it came time for that last shot, we would rather that OG had taken it (“NOT BRIDGES, NO!!” I yelled), but even if it went in, a Manhattan Miracle was still needed. They were losing by four with five seconds left. (Note that if OG had made that free throw, a longball would have tied it. . . .)

Nevertheless, despite so much going wrong, I also thought the Knicks were right about to bust open the game many times. There is a lot of complaining in NY about the officiating (some warranted), but ultimately, the Knicks lost because they missed too many shots. We doubt they will misfire so badly in Game Four. From your side of the aisle, did this feel like a Spurs victory or a Knicks collapse? And what do you expect on Wednesday night?

J.R. 

It certainly didn’t feel like New York collapsed. Every team goes through dry spells, and after winning a few dozen games in a row (I honestly lost count), eventually you might have a poorly timed dry spell and drop a contest once a millennia or so. I’m just saying it’s a thing that happens, though it’s understandable if you’ve forgotten what it’s like in the interminable time since Knicks fans have had to suffer the indignity of taking an L.

As far as starting slow goes, man, the Spurs have been there. It was such a thing that it led to the team getting upset after a loss and shaving their heads. (I sure hope I’m remembering the timing of this right. Someone correct me if I’m wrong.) To be precise, Keldon Johnson, and Wembanyama shaved their heads. There were a few other guys who trimmed their hair and some others who were threatened. Carter Bryant was told that if he blew three more dunks before the season ended that he’d have to shave his head. Instead of the ambitious dunks that he’d been missing repeatedly during games, he switched to easy two-handed shove-it-in-the-basket for a few weeks out of fear KJ wasn’t joking. 

Anyway, the first game after going bald, Wemby and the team started sprinting out of the gate and they have won first quarters, or at least the beginning of the game, like clockwork ever since. It sure is fascinating when a team flips a switch like that. Makes you wonder about how it’s done, when sometimes it takes players years to get out of some ruts. 

You said you love Castle, so I’ll admit that I’m crazy about OG. He’s the guy I’ve wanted on the Spurs ever since his name was tossed around while SA came to terms with Toronto on the Leonard/DeRozan deal. Can’t tell you how jealous I was when NY nabbed him. That said, my heart belongs to Josh Hart. I don’t know what it is about guys like him and Alex Caruso, but I can’t ignore it. Hart seems to always be in the right place at the right time making the right play precisely the way necessary to end an opponent’s run or preserve his team’s flow. Plus, he plays with so much passion and savvy and he reads exactly where weird rebounds are headed so frequently it’s infuriating. 

Anyway, thanks for the player personality breakdown, it’s helpful to understand the opposition better when I haven’t been watching them much this season and only know them by the way they play against San Antonio. I’d have never thought that about Bridges, who’s always seemed imperturbable to me. 

As for what I expect in Game 4, I’ll begin with what I don’t expect: another impeccable shooting performance from Hart and Clarkson. I also don’t expect KAT to Chet the bed again. He’s too good a player to disappear two games in a row, right? I also don’t expect Fox to go 4-14 again, no matter how bad his ankle is. I could see the Spurs continuing to get Wemby closer to the rim. So far, across the three games, his average shot distance has gone from 17 feet to 13 to 10.6. I don’t know that it’ll get lower than that, but I like SA’s chances as long as it doesn’t start going up again. I expect more great defense from both teams, and I expect a tied series heading back to Texas. 

What do you expect from G4, and who do you think will have the biggest bounce back game?

R.R.

Chet the bed. That’s so deliciously mean, I have to add that to my repertoire.

I shaved my head once, either just before or at age 21. I had applied midnight black hair dye and, while waiting for it to set, I drank too much Goldschläger (any Goldschläger is too much Goldschläger). After a while, I checked and saw that my hair had turned Smurf blue. Hammered, impatient, and disappointed, I decided to shave it all off. The next day I shambled into work, hungover and looking like I was wearing a blue skullcap. The dye had stained my scalp. My coworkers assumed I’d been in some accident. How come nobody told me that shaving one’s head is the secret to improving basketball skills? If I’d known, I would’ve gone straight to the Y to school some fools . . . with my bald, blue head . . . covered in nicks from the dull razor I had used. . . .

The Knicks don’t do anything quite as interesting when the team needs a jolt. Brunson, the team captain, calls a meeting. They air it out. They play better afterward. Since the entire Knicks organization keeps secrets tighter than the Genovese crime family, details of team meetings are never leaked. If any Knick ever shows up on the injury report with broken thumbs, rest assured he’s a rat.

You and I seem to appreciate similar qualities in hoopers. I have equal amounts of affection for Anunoby and Hart. On any given day, I’ll call either one my current favorite Knick. When Josh arrived in New York in a swap with Portland for Cam Reddish, I was unfamiliar with his game but a friend from Seattle said, “You are going to love him.” ‘Tis true. These days, I consider him a modern-day Dennis Rodman with better offensive skills. Although I’ve mentioned this in posts, no one has congratulated me for this genius comp. You watched the Worm play, I assume. Is the comparison apt?

That’s an interesting stat about Wemby inching closer and closer to the rim. I expect Mike Brown to scheme a response to that. As for who will have a bounce-back game, can I answer “the whole team”? Shamet will sink three to four threes, Bridges will get his shot count up, and KAT will log a 20-10 double-double. With their cold shooting spell snapped, I predict the Knicks to take a 3-1 lead back to Texas.

By the way, congratulations to us for not mentioning the officiating. That grenade would blow up the comments section. Oh, but look at the time! I’ve overstayed my welcome already. Good luck to you tonight (but Knicks Forever, of course).

J.R.

Congratulations, Russell, you have activated: Fraternizing with the Enemy’s, lightning round! Ready, begin!

I see your nicked-and-dyed scalp story and raise you a Wemby in the park sketching a statue on the day of the game story. 

If broken thumbs means a rat, what does a broken hand mean? 

The “Rodman, but with offense” comp is pretty apt, but I gotta go back to Alex Caruso. Both guys embody modern basketball through the lens of Wayne Gretzky, the man who skated to where the puck was going to be. Josh teleports across the court to materialize with the ball in his hands. 

No, you may not answer, “the whole team” but thanks for playing! See you on the road back to San Antonio!

Here is my latest conversation with J.R. Wilco of Pounding the Rock. On Monday night, the Knicks shooting went cold and the Spurs handed them their first loss in 13 games. Now, with New York clinging to a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals, they must defend home court and prevent a series tie before heading backing to San Antonio. Can they do it? Read on to find out what these dashing, highly-paid basketball experts think.

Here are links if you missed part 1, part 2, and part 3.

J.R. 

So, the Spurs showed a few things last night and we now know that they can:

1. Beat NY
2. Win in MSG
3. Stay composed in an intense clutch game in the Finals. 

All of those are important, but I’d say the third is the biggest deal. First, it unlocks the other two. Second, because they’ve been shaky down the stretch in games going back to before Wemby joined the team. 

For years, the knock on San Antonio was that despite their talent, and even though they could stay with teams through three quarters, they couldn’t win games. (I call that a talent gap, but some people call it not knowing how to win — potato potahto). Then the gripe became that they could build a lead, but couldn’t hold onto it. Then they could hold onto leads but couldn’t win close games. Then they could win close regular season games but not close playoff games. Close playoff games but not close Finals games…

You can see where this is going; it’s not like it’s a particularly rare development path. What’s unusual about it is how quickly they’ve moved through these stages to the point that now it’s reasonable to wonder whether they could be the first team to come back and win The Finals after trailing 0-2. I know I brought up pressure in our last conversation but it seems even more important after Game 3, because the series is for sure going back to San Antonio now, and none of the Knickerbockers are going to feel comfortable about the possibility of coming back home for Game 6 down 3-2. Which means they have to go up 3-1. Which brings us to mental toughness. 

I’ll be honest, there were several times last night that I felt like the Knicks were about to put the game and the series away. After the flagrant review of Castle’s ugly looking foul on Brunson, I thought you guys had it. After the challenge that turned Victor’s three into zero points, I thought you guys had it. After Jaylen’s layup cut it to, (whatever it was) I thought you would take it home. But Wemby and the boys kept believing and kept making plays and now we are where we are. And my question is, at what point did you realize Game Three was slipping away?

R.R.

One summer, I took my kids out in a four-pedal paddle boat. We struggled to fit everyone in—my oldest was already over six feet tall, my stepson and I each weighed about 200 lbs., and my third son was scared for his life. Sam had good reason to be worried. We didn’t get more than 10 feet from the dock when the boat started to noticeably move in a vertical direction. Down. We all foot-pedaled furiously back toward the dock, but slowly, ever so slowly, the S.S. Guppy approached the waterline. Despite our frantic attempts to save ourselves, we watched the disaster unfold in slow motion as we all sank into the drink.

That was how it felt to watch the Knicks shoot 7-of-27 in the fourth quarter of Game Three.

Expecting the Knicks to win 15 straight playoff games was unrealistic. But they had not lost in 46 days, so a little irrationality was permissible.

We always assume that the bright lights and stars at MSG will rattle the opponent. Sometimes it swings the other way. In Game Three, the young Spurs were cold-blooded from the start, while the home team stumbled in the spotlight. Anyone watching on Monday with virgin eyes could not have identified which team was a squad of steady vets, trained under the cruel tutelage of Master Thibs, and which was a group of youngsters who jumped the development line.

One thing we might assume about confident vets is that they will dictate the pace of a game from tip-off. Not so with these Knickerbockers. All season long, they started games flat and played from behind after the first quarter. It was maddening. That changed through the first three rounds of the playoffs, but lately they have returned to their woeful ways. From my recap:

This was the first time they looked like the “old Knicks” since the first round. The lead guys started slow, the reserves provided a second-quarter lift while Towns and Brunson were split up, the play went stale again after halftime, and they hoped for Captain Clutch magic in the fourth. It was as if, after being away from the Garden for 19 days, they’d forgotten what a juggernaut they had become and, returning to their home court, reverted to their bad habits.

I say it often: first-quarter mistakes are just as impactful on the outcome as those in the fourth. New York started the game with two unforced errors and fell behind by seven points, putting themselves on the back foot for the rest of the game. With both teams so evenly matched and deserving of a championship, every brainfart is another nail in the coffin.

On that note, will the Knicks ever win a first quarter? They lost the first in Game One, 27-19, then 34-25 in Game Two, and 33-22 in Game Three. Playing from behind, they won the second quarter in all three contests. Great. But why must they put themselves at a disadvantage every single time? Every first quarter, they turn me into a sputtering, seething Lewis Black.

We must give them credit—the Spurs played their best game of the series. Castle was cooking (and boy, I dig that kid). Their distribution was excellent, their defense was hard-knuckled, and they were wise to keep Wemby away from KAT for long stretches. Both of these things can be true: San Antonio did an admirable job of keeping KAT out of the offense, and the Knicks did a lousy job of incorporating KAT into the offense. Brunson shot 15 more times than Towns. They could have at least split the difference!

Would you believe that Towns finished +8 and Bridges +11? I don’t, but it is true. It’s difficult to fathom because Bridges could not buy a bucket, and Shamet was worse. He crashed back to earth with 1-of-8 shooting and a -22 plus-minus. Shamet’s marksmanship has been a big part of New York’s postseason success. In his return to the Garden, ShamWow went ice cold. If he had made just one or two more threes, New York would be lining up the brooms.

If Mikal plays like that, Mike Brown knows better—he’s gotta sub in Shamet or Clarkson (OK, not Shamet that night). When Bridges is down, it seems like he doesn’t want to be on the court, which is weird for the guy with the longest active streak of consecutive games played. His foul on Wemby, when he had linked into his limbs like they were playing Twister, is the kind of stuff Bridges does when his confidence is shaken. If things are going well, Mikal is great. He had been in ten straight games. After a few bad turns, though, he tends to ruminate, and it affects his performance. Brown has benched him in fourth quarters before. Maybe he should have last night.

Towns can get lost in his head, too. His anxiety reveals itself differently: he gets giddy and does a lot of Gorsh, can you just believe this?-type pantomiming. When that happens, it doesn’t affect his shooting per se, but it does result in forehead-slapping fouls. Which kills momentum and leads to foul trouble . . . which sends him to the bench . . . which reduces New York’s offensive options. . . . Sigh.

Josh Hart is different. He will randomly lose confidence in his shot and then play hot potato for a few games before snapping out of it. But that never affects his overall play, he’s the same maniac throughout. Brunson is mostly a killer, but if he’s getting smacked around without calls, his anger either leads to a turnover or a dagger three to win the game.

Occasionally, in late-game, high-stakes situations, OG Anunoby gets the yips at the charity stripe. It’s one of the few flaws in my favorite Knick; otherwise, he is one of the most unflappable hoopers to ever play. While his missed free throw late in the fourth was costly, his corner three redeemed him and nearly saved the game. When it came time for that last shot, we would rather that OG had taken it (“NOT BRIDGES, NO!!” I yelled), but even if it went in, a Manhattan Miracle was still needed. They were losing by four with five seconds left. (Note that if OG had made that free throw, a longball would have tied it. . . .)

Nevertheless, despite so much going wrong, I also thought the Knicks were right about to bust open the game many times. There is a lot of complaining in NY about the officiating (some warranted), but ultimately, the Knicks lost because they missed too many shots. We doubt they will misfire so badly in Game Four. From your side of the aisle, did this feel like a Spurs victory or a Knicks collapse? And what do you expect on Wednesday night?

J.R. 

It certainly didn’t feel like New York collapsed. Every team goes through dry spells, and after winning a few dozen games in a row (I honestly lost count), eventually you might have a poorly timed dry spell and drop a contest once a millennia or so. I’m just saying it’s a thing that happens, though it’s understandable if you’ve forgotten what it’s like in the interminable time since Knicks fans have had to suffer the indignity of taking an L.

As far as starting slow goes, man, the Spurs have been there. It was such a thing that it led to the team getting upset after a loss and shaving their heads. (I sure hope I’m remembering the timing of this right. Someone correct me if I’m wrong.) To be precise, Keldon Johnson, and Wembanyama shaved their heads. There were a few other guys who trimmed their hair and some others who were threatened. Carter Bryant was told that if he blew three more dunks before the season ended that he’d have to shave his head. Instead of the ambitious dunks that he’d been missing repeatedly during games, he switched to easy two-handed shove-it-in-the-basket for a few weeks out of fear KJ wasn’t joking. 

Anyway, the first game after going bald, Wemby and the team started sprinting out of the gate and they have won first quarters, or at least the beginning of the game, like clockwork ever since. It sure is fascinating when a team flips a switch like that. Makes you wonder about how it’s done, when sometimes it takes players years to get out of some ruts. 

You said you love Castle, so I’ll admit that I’m crazy about OG. He’s the guy I’ve wanted on the Spurs ever since his name was tossed around while SA came to terms with Toronto on the Leonard/DeRozan deal. Can’t tell you how jealous I was when NY nabbed him. That said, my heart belongs to Josh. Hart. I don’t know what it is about guys like him and Alex Caruso, but I can’t ignore it. Hart seems to always be in the right place at the right time making the right play precisely the way necessary to end an opponent’s run or preserve his team’s flow. Plus, he plays with so much passion and savvy and he reads exactly where weird rebounds are headed so frequently it’s infuriating. 

Anyway, thanks for the player personality breakdown, it’s helpful to understand the opposition better when I haven’t been watching them much this season and only know them by the way they play against San Antonio. I’d have never thought that about Bridges, who’s always seemed imperturbable to me. 

As for what I expect in Game 4, I’ll begin with what I don’t expect: another impeccable shooting performance from Hart and Clarkson. I also don’t expect KAT to Chet the bed again. He’s too good a player to disappear two games in a row, right? I also don’t expect Fox to go 4-14 again, no matter how bad his ankle is. I could see the Spurs continuing to get Wemby closer to the rim. So far, across the three games, his average shot distance has gone from 17 feet to 13 to 10.6. I don’t know that it’ll get lower than that, but I like SA’s chances as long as it doesn’t start going up again. I expect more great defense from both teams, and I expect a tied series heading back to Texas. 

What do you expect from G4, and who do you think will have the biggest bounce back game?

R.R.

Chet the bed. That’s so deliciously mean, I must add that to my repertoire.

I shaved my head once, either just before or at age 21. I had applied midnight black hair dye and, while waiting for it to set, I drank too much Goldschläger (any Goldschläger is too much Goldschläger). After a while, I checked and saw that my hair had turned Smurf blue. Hammered, impatient, and disappointed, I decided to shave it all off. The next day I shambled into work, hungover and looking like I was wearing a blue skullcap. The dye had stained my scalp. My coworkers assumed I’d been in some accident. How come nobody told me that shaving one’s head is the secret to improving basketball skills? If I’d known, I would’ve gone straight to the Y to school some fools . . . with my bald, blue head . . . covered in nicks from a dull razor. . . .

The Knicks don’t do anything quite as interesting when the team needs a jolt. Brunson, the team captain, convenes a meeting. They air it out. They play better afterward. Since the entire Knicks organization keeps secrets tighter than the Genovese crime family, details of team meetings are never leaked. If any Knick ever shows up on the injury report with broken thumbs, rest assured he’s a rat.

You and I seem to appreciate similar qualities in hoopers. I have equal amounts of affection for Anunoby and Hart. On any given day, I’ll call either one my current favorite Knick. When Josh arrived in New York in a swap with Portland for Cam Reddish, I was unfamiliar with his game but a friend from Seattle said, “You are going to love him.” ‘Tis true. These days, I consider him a modern-day Dennis Rodman with better offensive skills. Although I’ve mentioned this in posts, no one has congratulated me for this genius comp. You watched the Worm play, I assume. Is the comparison apt?

That’s an interesting stat about Wemby inching closer and closer to the rim. I expect Mike Brown to scheme a response to that. As for who will have a bounce-back game, can I answer “the whole team”? Shamet will sink three to four threes, Bridges will get his shot count up, and KAT will log a 20-10 double-double. With their cold shooting spell snapped, I predict the Knicks to take a 3-1 lead back to Texas.

By the way, congratulations to us for not discussing the officiating. That grenade would blow up the comments section. Oh, but look at the time! I’ve overstayed my welcome already. Good luck to you tonight (but Knicks Forever, of course).

J.R.

Congratulations, Russell, you have activated: Fraternizing with the Enemy’s, lightning round! Ready, begin!

I see your nicked-and-dyed scalp story and raise you a Wemby in the park sketching a statue on the day of the game story. 

If broken thumbs means a rat, what does a broken hand mean? 

The “Rodman, but with offense” comp is pretty apt, but I gotta go back to Alex Caruso. Both guys embody modern basketball through the lens of Wayne Gretzky, the man who skated to where the puck was going to be. Josh teleports across the court to materialize with the ball in his hands. 

No, you may not answer, “the whole team” but thanks for playing! See you on the road back to San Antonio!

The Cleveland Cavaliers will have the 29th pick in this month’s NBA Draft. We’ll see if they can find an impact player at that position.

Let’s take a look at some of the recent mock drafts to see who the experts have the Cavs taking.

The Athletic – Meleek Thomas

Sam Vecenie has the Cavs taking the 6’3”, 19-year-old from Arkansas.

Vecenie writes:

The Cavaliers will have to find a way to cut money from their books, with Dennis Schröder representing one of the easiest ways to do that. If they find a taker on the trade market for Schröder, they’ll need more instant offensive contributions off the bench, and Thomas fits that bill. He’s a highly effective shooter who can attack and handle the ball, but he does need to rein in some of his wilder decision-making issues.

Thomas was an efficient, microwave scorer during his one season at Arkansas. He averaged 15.6 points on .433/.416/.843 shooting splits. The lack of playmaking was a concern for a player of his size. Thomas averaged just 2.5 assists to one turnover per game.

The Cavs struggled to find players who could create their own shot off the bench throughout most of the regular season. Thomas has the skill set to do so, but it’s fair to wonder if the Cavs need another undersized two guard that can’t shift up to the three or handle point guard duties.

SB Nation – Henri Veesaar

Ricky O’Donnell has the Cavs selecting a seven-foot, 22-year-old from Estonia.

O’Donnell writes:

The Cavs have plenty of talent in their frontcourt already with Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, but they’ve never had a real stretch-five option. Veesaar could be that after hitting 42.6 percent of his threes on 94 attempts with North Carolina this season. I really enjoyed watching Veesaar’s high-low game with Caleb Wilson, and I think he could have similar success

The Cavs could certainly use an additional big to back up Allen and Mobley. Veesaar should be able to do so.

Veesaar spent three years at Arizona before transferring to UNC this past season. He averaged 17 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.2 blocks in 31 contests. Veesar showed that he could be a decent outside shooter as he connected on 42.6% of his three outside attempts per game.

It’s always risky to draft for need, especially this far into the draft. Getting the best talent available is usually the best bet. That said, it’d be easy to talk yourself into a center with this skillset helping the Cavs.

Yahoo Sports – Koa Peat

Kevin O’Connor has the Cavs taking a 6’9” wing from Arizona with their lone first-round pick. He writes:

The Cavaliers need some toughness in the frontcourt. There may not be a better choice in this range than Peat, whose bloodline is so loaded with offensive linemen that it’s almost funny he ended up playing basketball. His father played nine NFL seasons. His uncle was a Pro Bowl tackle. Two brothers played college ball on the line. And you can absolutely see it in how he plays: powerful, physical, relentless, and it genuinely takes something special to stop him from getting to where he wants to go. He opened the season with a 30-point game against defending champion Florida and backed it up as one of Arizona’s best players all year. The concern is that he doesn’t really shoot, doesn’t create for himself off the dribble without assistance, and he’s not going to wow anyone as a vertical athlete.

You aren’t going to get a perfect wing prospect this late in the draft. Peat certainly isn’t that. But there are plenty of reasons to talk yourself into someone who plays with his level of physicality, even if there isn’t much polish to his game yet.

Peat averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists as a freshman. He did this on .528/.350/.623 shooting splits.

We’ll see what direction the Cavs go. The first round of the draft will be on Monday, June 23.

The Minnesota Timberwolves face an important offseason as they need to figure out how to keep pace in a competitive Western Conference.

The Wolves have a chance to remain one of the top teams in the West with the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets, among other teams, but they will need to make changes as Donte DiVincenzo’s Achilles injury will compromise his availability for at least part of the season.

“DiVincenzo’s Achilles tear has created an opening in Minnesota’s backcourt. Yet while the Timberwolves could retain Conley, who’s a free agent this summer, they’ll more likely re-sign free agent Ayo Dosunmu and use him as their fifth starter going forward,“ ESPN analyst Zach Kram wrote.

With DiVincenzo tearing his Achilles in late April, there’s potential that he may not participate in the 2026-27 season at all. This means the Wolves have to pivot and go in a different direction, but there is a natural solution with Dosunmu, who is a free agent this offseason.

The Wolves acquired Dosunmu in a trade with the Chicago Bulls back in February and acquired his bird rights in the deal. This means the Wolves have the potential to offer him money that exceeds the luxury tax and apron.

Perhaps the Wolves could trade DiVincenzo to a team that can absorb his salary to give Minnesota some cap room, but it isn’t completely necessary. That being said, with a year remaining on his contract and an injury that could keep him out for the entire season, it might be wise to move on from him and give Dosunmu a long-term extension that will establish the future of Minnesota’s backcourt.

Canis Hoopus community, how do you feel about Dosunmu’s future with the Wolves? Let us know in the comments section below.

Through all the athletic highs and exciting signs of his potential, Adem Bona’s 2025-26 season was a mixed bag.

The flaws are clear with Bona. Unfortunately, issues like his tendency for errors and spells of too many fouls, somewhat lacking defensive rebounding, and questionable touch around the rim can be glaring when he’s having an off night. And despite some games where he’s a asserting himself as a physical rebounder, there are others where he comes short with his boxing out and positioning in that area. Considering his size, strength and explosiveness, averaging 9.0 total rebounds per 36 minutes (when he does a good job on the offensive glass with 3.7 offensive rebounds) is a touch underwhelming.

All of that led to him falling out of Nick Nurse’s rotation come the end of the playoffs. After averaging 17.4 minutes per game through the regular season and 19.3 minutes through the first three games of round one against Boston (before Joel Embiid returned), he averaged a mere 5.3 minutes through the rest of the playoffs and wasn’t a factor. Thankfully for the Sixers they had other options that could get them by (at least in the epic 3-1 comeback against the Celtics — we don’t need to relive what happened after that again). For instance, with Dominick Barlow stepping up the Sixers do have the option to downsize and embrace faster, more versatile lineups, and that takes a little pressure off Bona for next season. He’s clearly not in a position to be the Sixers’ sole option at backup five right now. But they need a reliable, genuine big to count on.

All these areas will be key to how Bona can progress in year three. His personal fouls started trending down slightly (from 6.8 per 100 possessions as a rookie to 6.0 this season), but he needs to take that a few steps further. He needs to be reliable controlling the ball, catching passes, finishing more of his opportunities in the paint that require some touch, and being a more consistent presence on the defensive glass.

All that said, Bona deserves credit for what he does do well, though. Because when he is a positive on the court, he really can excel in certain areas.

Bona swats it at the rim 🚫

Sixers lead in Q3 with the East #7 seed on the line! pic.twitter.com/nqHUxGovwT

— NBA (@NBA) April 16, 2026

Shot-blocking rate is somewhere Bona thrives. He ranked ninth in the NBA this season in blocks per 100 possessions at 3.2. Even on a per game basis in only 17.4 minutes a night, he averaged 1.2 blocks — good enough for 18th in the league.

ADEM BONA BLOCK.
VJ EDGECOMBE SLAM.

Big-time plays on both ends of the floor for the @sixers! pic.twitter.com/gFiV7r4o0q

— NBA (@NBA) April 24, 2026

He has the leaping ability to elevate under the rim and deter shots in an instant, with the recovery speed and motor to get back for blocks when he’s beat. The explosiveness to fly around as a help defender, or the agility to switch onto a range of positions and stay with drivers from the perimeter all the way to the basket. When Bona is avoiding fouls and alert off the ball, he can truly energize the Sixers’ defense and be a major playmaker protecting the paint.

At the other end of the floor, Bona can do some of the simple things well. When it comes to finishing plays, Bona can explode as a lob catcher and dunk with force when he gets good opportunities. His length and vertical make it easy for him to rise above opponents at times, and his speed down the floor in transition is impressive. He also improved his free throw shooting a little this year, up from 67.0 percent as a rookie to a respectable 70.8 percent.

When things become a little more complicated, though — whether he has to make a catch in traffic and requires more touch and control to finish off the glass or through defenders — is where Bona can fall short. It’s why despite having what should be a very simple and efficient shot profile, he made a modest 66.9 percent of his shots within three feet of the basket this season. For reference, Kelly Oubre Jr., who clearly takes on far more difficult drives, shot 68.9 percent on such attempts. Any improvement there would be key for Bona being able to reliably contribute on offense and maintain increased minutes.

With Andre Drummond set to hit free agency, we could see the Sixers bring in a new veteran center to give Bona some new competition next season. The young big should still have some more opportunity to play and develop next year.

His shot-blocking, athleticism, and defensive versatility with his rare mobility are traits that can’t be taken for granted. If he can add any more polish to his offensive ability and reduce some of his defensive miscues, there’s still a clear path to him becoming a quality backup center.

But Nick Nurse’s patience is only going to get shorter in Bona’s third season. The Sixers can’t wait forever for Bona, and he still has a way to go. It’ll be interesting to see how he looks after another offseason and what he has to offer come October.

New York’s got the need for Reed.

A medium traveled to Madison Square Garden on Tuesday to summon the clutch spirit of Knicks legend Willis Reed — and to cleanse the basketball Mecca after the brutal Game 3 loss to the Spurs a day earlier.

While superstitious fans burned sage outside MSG to purge the arena of any bad juju following the Knicks’ defeat, The Post brought in the big guns to contact the dead.

Award-winning psychic medium Bianca Rose traveled from Long Island — armed with tarot cards, an ouija board, a spirit portal and a silver bell — to the Midtown stadium to give the orange and blue some extra luck as the team heads into Game 4 Wednesday night.

The ghost whisperer stood outside the Garden and repeatedly rang a small silver bell with her eyes shut as she gently whispered a chant, summoning Reed while wearing headphones connected to a specialized spirit portal used to speak with the dead.

Rose said she was successful in contacting the late center who famously shrugged off a thigh injury to take the court in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals, which the Knicks won.

Reed, who was known simply as “The Captain,” died in 2023 at age 80, leaving behind a legacy as the heart and soul of New York’s most recent NBA championship teams.

His emergence from the tunnel of the World’s Most Famous Arena remains one of the most iconic moments in the franchise’s history.

Rose added that she repeatedly saw the No. 6, possibly alluding to the number of games it would take to decide the NBA Finals series. The Knicks are now up 2-1.

“I kept seeing the number six,” the clairvoyant told The Post. “These are good signs.”

The paranormal investigator also contacted Charles and Helen Dolan — the parents of Knicks owner and Executive Chairman of MSG Sports James Dolan — reporting that Charles said he would be “really happy” about what’s coming.

Rose also did a tarot card reading and the cards she pulled pointed to defiance and a reignited fire, revealing a tale of a defiant team pushing forward without a care for what others think.

One fan who watched the seance told The Post it was much needed after the Game 3 loss.

“We need this,” he said. “I’m feeling good going into game 4 now,” he said about the cleansing.

The Knicks faltered during Monday’s game against the Spurs for the first time since April 23 — putting an end to a remarkable 13-game winning streak.

The teams will face off for Game 4 on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden.

Nelson gets ‘goosebumps' from rise up Sixers' ranks  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Monday wasn’t just another day at the office for Jameer Nelson.

Speaking to reporters for the first time since his elevation to Sixers executive vice president of basketball operations, Nelson thought back to how he got there.

“It’s actually a surreal moment,” he said from the lobby of the Sixers’ training complex in Camden, New Jersey. “Six years ago when I started, I had no idea where this journey would take me. Credit to the organization for believing in me — Daryl (Morey) and (Elton Brand) as well, pushing me to do more, get better at my job and just allowing me to grow. 

“I’ve always been a 76ers fan. I’ve always wanted to play for the organization. To do it for the home team gives me goosebumps, to be honest with you.”

There’s now only one person above Nelson in the Sixers’ basketball operations department in president Mike Gansey.

He wanted to team up with Nelson, a Chester native, Saint Joseph’s legend and longtime NBA point guard. 

“I’m obviously very, very excited to have Jameer as my No. 2,” Gansey said. “That was kind of a sticking point, talking to (Sixers managing partner Josh Harris) and Bob (Myers, president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment). He was someone I really wanted throughout the process. Jameer’s very, very well-respected throughout the league.”

Nelson played his final professional game in 2018. He interviewed for the St. Joe’s head coaching job in 2019 (Billy Lange was hired), served as an in-studio college basketball analyst for CBS Sports Network, and considered his next steps.

Brand pitched him on the front office route and Nelson started in 2020 with a duel role as Sixers scout and Delaware Blue Coats assistant general manager. 

“I’m going to be honest with you,” Nelson said, “I thought I was going to be a coach. But when you’re working in the front office, you get to coach in your own way. Starting as a scout and in the G League, being able to run a team in the minor leagues, it’s important. It was important for shaping me into the executive I am now. Collaborating with coaches and players, I quench my thirst for coaching there.”

Once Nelson got rolling with the Sixers, he enjoyed the work and earned promotions.

The location was meaningful, too. 

“In the past I’ve had opportunities other places,” Nelson said. “I wanted to be part of the solution here. The thing that matters most to me here is I’m home. My family is here. I’m a Sixers fan. My favorite basketball player of all time is Charles Barkley, and (Allen) Iverson and Kobe (Bryant) — people that played in this area. I feel like there are possibilities to help this organization move forward.” 

With the Gansey era underway and many major roster decisions to come— the NBA draft, team options, free agency, potential trades — Nelson knows his voice will matter.

“Just being able to learn and grow is the main focal point this year,” he said. “I think Gansey said it up there: You don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. You don’t have to be ready, but you have to be prepared. 

“I look at it like that. Just be prepared for everything, figure things out and help make the right decisions.”

Draft season is no stranger to rumors. It’s why some prefer the term “smoke screen season” when discussing the period between the NBA Draft Lottery and the NBA Draft.

For the Washington Wizards, those rumors began the second they won the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft. That’s because this class lacks a consensus top prospect, with three vying for the No. 1 spot.

AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer are viewed as possibilities for Washington. Dybantsa is currently the -450 favorite on FanDuel Sportsbook to be the No. 1 pick, followed by Peterson (+380) and Boozer (+1700).

Below is an updated log of every Wizards-related draft rumor, from trade down talks to which prospect is most likely a Wizard by June 23.

June 8

Sam Vecenie: Washington is doing its due diligence and hasn’t decided on the No. 1 pick, but AJ Dybantsa remains the most likely target. (The Athletic)

Brett Siegel: While the Utah Jazz, Brooklyn Nets and Chicago have called the Wizards to inquire about the No. 1 pick, there are zero indications that these conversations have matured into anything serious.

“Dybantsa is the clear selection for the Wizards, and there isn’t a reason to believe right now he won’t be the first name called by Adam Silver on draft night.” (ClutchPoints)

June 4

Kevin O’Connor: “For now, the most likely scenario is staying at the first pick and taking Dybantsa, who could become one of the NBA’s most unstoppable shot-creators.”

The consensus among NBA mock drafts pins Dybantsa as the overwhelming favorite to be the No. 1 pick.

May 15

Brian Windhorst: “The Wizards are sending out signals that they’re willing to deal the No. 1 pick, but it may NOT be the Jazz who move up.” (ESPN)

As President of Monumental Basketball Michael Winger told Jake Fischer at the draft lottery, the Wizards will consider trading down from the No. 1 pick. But that doesn’t necessarily mean the Utah Jazz, who own the No. 2 pick, will be the only team interested in acquiring the top pick, according to Windhorst.

May 13

Marc Spears: “The Utah Jazz have reached out to the Wizards about potentially trading up for the No. 1 pick.” (Andscape)

This is not a remarkably crazy report, as Washington made its intentions to keep all options open at No. 1 public at the draft lottery.

Adam Finkelstein: “Dybantsa was hoping to stay in Utah.” (CBS Sports)

This report builds on the notion that Dybantsa prefers the Utah Jazz select him so he can stay in the same state he played his senior year of high school (Utah Prep) and freshman year of college (BYU). Dybantsa has since made it clear that Massachusetts, where he was born, is his home state — not Utah.

With the NBA Finals currently underway, news and discussion about the Suns have quieted down over the last few weeks. That said, it’s important to highlight how this team can improve to put itself in a better position heading into next year. So that brings us to another edition of the Suns trade verdict, one that I am excited to go over today.

That player, as you know, is Naji Marshall, a solid wing on the Dallas Mavericks who I feel could help the Suns take that next step. Marshall is someone many teams could covet in the trade market, as the veteran is a solid role player on a cheap deal. With the Mavericks cleaning house in the front office and coaching staff, it seems anything could be on the table—especially a player who is not cemented into the future of the franchise, with a tradable contract.

Is this a move the Suns’ front office could make to add on the margins without shaking things up? Let’s find out!

How could the Suns get this done?

In most of these trade-verdict articles, there are plenty of moves the team can make, but for this one, there are only two that can be done one-for-one. That would be either trading Grayson Allen or Royce O’Neale for Naji Marshall.

And the Royce scenario:

In this scenario, the Mavericks cannot take back either Dillon Brooks or Jalen Green without involving other contracts.

Which trade makes the most sense?

It looks like either could be done personally. The Mavericks struggled from the three-point line and could use more alongside Cooper Flagg. In an earlier STV, we looked at another Maverick, P.J. Washington, and discussed how an Allen-for-Washington deal was the best for both teams.

Allen would benefit the Mavs, but in this trade, Dallas would prefer O’Neale because the contracts are closer in value. In a Marshall for Allen deal, the Mavericks take back an extra $8.7 million for no reason, hindering their ability to make further moves in free agency.

In the O’Neale trade, the Mavericks are still taking on money, but a lot less: $1.4 million, which will still keep them as an under-the-first-apron team. Similarly, for the Suns, this would save them money, allowing them to use the extra change to bring back their own free agents.

Why could this trade get done?

This one could get across the finish line if Dallas were ready to sell some players. For starters, the Suns should be all over this and for the right reasons. One, his contract, as I stated above, is cheaper than O’Neale’s, which would help with the financial hiccups down the line. Secondly, Marshall is a free agent next year, allowing him to have a trial run with the team without committing to any long-term money.

Then you add that Marshall can be a positive for this team and that it’s appreciated. Personally, I’ve loved watching O’Neale over the past few seasons, as he has a winning mentality, heart, and hustle on defense. Unfortunately, he has just gotten a bit older and, with that, has slowed down on defense. Yes, he has gotten streakier as a shooter too, but that always happens with players of his archetype.

For the Suns, Marshall can be exactly what Royce was, but younger and a bit more athletic. We all know O’Neale is that catch-and-shoot scorer on the perimeter, a solid perimeter defender who can scrap for some impactful rebounds. Marshall would come in and play a similar role to fill the void left by Royce.

Even if they are the same size, both at 6’6”, Marshall does seem like he plays a bit bigger and has the same aggressiveness that O’Neale does, which is key. Marshall might be a worse three-point shooter, which is tough, but he still brings value to the squad. He is one of the more efficient scorers in the league, shooting 51% from the field last year. His ability to guard multiple possessions as a solid perimeter defender and knack for scoring at the basket could compensate for his lack of three-point shooting.

He has that blue-collar mentality that O’Neale has, to be a junkyard dog and do all the dirty work, which is all you can ask for in someone who could be a key role player for the team.

The question here, though, now arises with the Mavericks. Will Dallas ship off a younger player for an older one? Do they want to trade someone who is going to be a free agent to get someone locked under contract? Do they think O’Neale can help either now or in the future?

Those are all things the Suns have to worry about if they choose to get this one done. Personally, I don’t know if they would trade Marshall for O’Neale, as they are looking to reshuffle the deck. If they have Cooper Flagg and want to get into that timeline, why go older rather than trade for younger players? That may be the case for Dallas, but could a veteran help them in the future?

With Flagg and Washington already there in Dallas, there really is no need for Marshall either. The same could be said of O’Neale, but on a bad team; the veteran could look like one of their better role players and get flipped down the line. Since he is still under contract, this could allow the Mavs to build on a Marshall flip if his value were to rise.

Ultimately, if Dallas made this move, bringing in O’Neale as a bench presence wouldn’t be bad, especially if they want to avoid being at the very bottom of the Western Conference. If they still want to tank but remain somewhat competitive, O’Neale can step in when needed.

The foolproof way to get this deal done is to make it a three-team deal. This would have the Mavericks trade O’Neale to another contender, then acquire a younger piece or a draft pick to accompany their reshuffle. This makes the most sense for all parties involved and can be done as the offseason progresses.

Overall, a player like Marshall should be someone this front office looks at, as he could add in areas of need and replace a player who plays a similar role without messing up the chemistry too much with a big splash. What do you think, though? Would you welcome a Naji Marshall trade to Phoenix? If not, why?