Neemias Queta embodied the Celtics’ season while speaking in the locker room following their Game 7 loss earlier this month. He showed so much promise and growth until it stalled against the Sixers. Foul trouble left him off the floor for most of the series, again raising questions of Boston’s front court despite a 56-win regular season. 

“It starts with me, me being better,” Queta said. “But it’s just the nature of the job as a center — you’re in a lot of positions where you can get fouls. Whether it’s ball screens, whether it’s box-outs, whether it’s one-on-one defense, protecting the rim as well … I gotta start looking at myself, being better, first and foremost, and after that, it’s being consistent. I’ve shown flashes.” 

The flash came in the form of a full regular season where Queta stayed healthy, logging 76 games, and emerged as one of the league’s most efficient starting centers at 26. He averaged 25.3 minutes per game, up from 13.9, with 10.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks each night on 65.3% shooting. 

His fouls from 5.4 times per 36 minutes in his first season with Boston to 4.0, a process that began in his native Portugal after the Celtics traded Kristaps Porzingis and saw both Al Horford and Luke Kornet depart in free agency. He was preparing for the EuroBasket tournament, where he needed to play as his team’s offensive hub. In Boston, Queta would almost certainly become the Celtics’ starter, having spent the previous two seasons learning between the G-League and Boston’s bench.

“You have to give him credit,” Joe Mazzulla said in March. “Part of telling him in the summer that he was going to be the starting center was giving him the time to properly wrap his mind around it. Physically, mentally, and emotionally prepare himself for what it means to be the starting center for the Celtics. And I think he’s taken on that ownership and responsibility well, and he’s got to keep it going. He has a responsibility now to continue to get better, regardless of the process. In less than 24 hours, we have to do it again, and then on. He cares about winning, he cares about getting better.”

Watching Queta juggle those two responsibilities in Lisbon became an all-day affair last July while I attended his week-long basketball camp. Queta worked out in the morning, attended most of the camp sessions where he interacted with hundreds of kids, only breaking for a few hours to receive treatment and rest. Then, he returned to close out the days and train again before the sun set, tossing up hook shots, post jumpers, threes and more as he moved between offensive and defensive drills. The sessions often left Queta drenched and laid out on the gym floor as dinnertime approached. But even with the option to skip the final session, he chose to run sprints and get up more shots. 

That trip made it clear what motivated Queta. His role as Portugal’s first and only NBA player ever attracted well-wishers and many more who wanted photos from athletes at his tiny old Barraleinse youth basketball gym to an older couple at a local favorite restaurant. His work ethic was born from the struggles of his parents, who immigrated from Guinea-Bissau; his late father Djaneuba lived abroad to work while his mother Mica spent most of the day traveling to Lisbon by ferry to earn money in the city. A mural that stretched the height of an apartment building in the neighborhood Vale da Amoreira where he grew up encapsulated that responsibility. Taking over the center position for one of the world’s most popular franchises only added to that pressure.

“It’s not really what we were expecting, but we’re in a position where I’m growing, I’m developing at a steady pace and with big responsibilities comes the demand of I need to show out every day … I’ve been working on it and I feel like I’m getting ready for it … I think I’ll step up for the occasion and all the other guys as well. We’re not really the group that everybody points out as the best,” Queta told me last summer. “We’re here to prove them otherwise.” 

Queta did that between leading Portugal to EuroBasket’s knockout stage through battles with Alperen Sengun, Nikola Jokic and Porzingis in group play, albeit while watching the clinching game from the locker room following a controversial ejection. He finished fourth in Most Improved Player voting, received All-Defensive team votes and led the Celtics in net rating with Boston finishing as the league’s best team at deterring opponents from shooting at the rim. Steph Noh’s salary projection site assessed Queta’s contributions as worthy of $29.3 million this year under the current salary cap — he made the league minimum. 

The 76ers erased that impact quickly by taking Queta off the floor. He logged only 15 minutes in the Celtics’ blowout win to open the series after picking up early fouls guarding Tyrese Maxey and Paul George. Deadline addition Nikola Vučević, a hedge against injuries or inconsistency at the position into the postseason, closed Game 2 in his place and received the bulk of the Game 3 minutes. Joel Embiid returned in Game 4 and drew two fouls in less than three minutes, taking him out again. Back court fouls frustrated Mazzulla, moving screens added to the trouble and Embiid barreled through anyone the Celtics placed in his way between Games 5 and 6. Queta finished the series with 4.1 fouls per 36 minutes. 

“The big ones are some plays, it’s hard if somebody’s driving at him and he’s jumping vertical,” Vučević said. “Or he’s battling in the post, things like that, that just happens. But I think the ones where they get the rebound and we have to get back on defense and he’s trying to steal the ball, things like that, little cheap ones those could help him.”

By Game 7, Mazzulla replaced Queta in the starting lineup with Luka Garza as part of bold, sweeping changes to the starting lineup. Queta responded with 17 points, 12 rebounds and a full fourth quarter effort with his fellow regular contributors. He survived most of the frame with five fouls, but it was too little, too late. 

The Celtics will now assess Queta’s strides with his postseason shortcomings, similar to most of the rest of the roster that came up short in the first round. Queta’s emergence still emphasizes an astounding drafting, scouting and development job by the Celtics front office under Brad Stevens. Queta arrived in Boston on a two-way contract in 2023 and logged only his first 30-minute NBA game in 2024-25. Game 7 marked his 13th of the 2026 season, showing strides in the pick-and-roll once Jayson Tatum returned that’ll keep him in play to retain his starting spot.

For Queta, a final season playing on the three-year, minimum deal that he signed following the championship season comes with a team option that could allow he and the team to discuss a long-term deal as soon as this summer. That would’ve been a no-brainer at one time, and now, Queta might find himself in a familiar territory to the one he found himself in when the Sacramento Kings waived him three years ago: proving himself all over again. 

“(The playoffs) were different,” Queta admitted. “I was on the bench a lot of times. I can be better with that, fouls and all that … obviously, the game slows down, you’re playing the same team over-and-over again. They understand your tendencies and know your scout, running plays is harder-and-harder, game-by-game. I think that’s the main thing. You go through the same team over and over again, there aren’t as many breakdowns offensively and defensively, and the attention to detail is more there.” 

There are whispers out there…

…they say it’s virtually the same to go 3-0 and clinch a Finals berth.

Sit tight and rest. Mad times are coming.

Mike Brown

On getting back to Karl-Anthony Towns as the offensive hub in Game 3:

“KAT, he was our hub offensively: seven assists, zero turnovers. He was really good for us offensively and defensively with three steals, but his ability to fire back in the pick-and-roll situation was really good.”

On Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby imposing their will:

“I told (Bridges) and OG, because I don’t call a ton of play-calls, you guys got to find different ways to impose your will on the game. They’re both doing a phenomenal job of imposing their will on the game.”

On OG Anunoby’s performance:

“OG was fantastic. He had some timely buckets for us, play after play after play.”

On Mikal Bridges’ defensive feel:

“What makes him special on that end of the floor is that he’s a big long guard so he doesn’t have to always get all the way up in you to defend. He’s got a great feel, extremely smart. Mikal got to his spots all night. He hit big shot after big shot and on top of that, he had six rebounds and then trying to defend James, a Hall of Famer, without fouling him. Just a really good ballgame from Mikal.”

On what changed with Mikal Bridges:

“Just his aggression. But I also have to help him by putting him in position to be able to make plays, to make plays for himself, make plays for his teammates, but he just started to impose his will on the game a little bit more while I also tried to make sure I called his number every once in a while, make sure he stays in the flow, because he has a tough assignment every day defensively. He gets out and runs, he slips pick-and-rolls and re-spaces. And so I have to make sure that I continue to involve him offensively to let him know that, hey, we know you can do this for us, so go do it.”

On Landry Shamet’s impact in Game 3:

“Landry was huge. And then on the other end of the floor, he’s gotta match up with a guy like Donovan Mitchell, who is a tough cover for anybody. You’re not gonna stop him but you gotta work your tail off. Landry’s trying to work.”

On the team staying locked in amid the season-long adjustments he brought to New York:

“You know what? They’ve been fantastic trying to pay attention to all the details that we’ve been throwing at them. And we’ve thrown a lot of adjustments offensively and defensively at them throughout the course of these playoffs. And to still see them locked in and try to be focused on the details at hand, again, that just speaks volumes of my coaching staff and the way that they’re presenting and changing and all that stuff. But more so about these players and their want to go try to get a ring.”

On whether or not the Knicks have had an easy path through the Eastern Conference bracket:

“No. Not at all. This is hard. We’re playing good teams.”

On the value of having a deep bench during the season:

“They both always used to say, ‘it’s not about now, it’s about the postseason.’”

On Dolan and Rose deserving their flowers:

“Mr. Dolan and Leon Rose, they’re just as big a part of this thing as I am or Jalen is or anybody else is, for sure.”

Jalen Brunson

On not looking ahead with a 3-0 lead:

“You don’t look ahead. You deal with what’s in front of you.”

On Knicks fans invading Cleveland:

“Knicks fans travel. They’re going to be heard no matter what building we’re in.”

On staying focused despite fan excitement:

“I mean, they’re probably excited. Rightfully so, but we have a job to do and we have things that we need to focus on. That’s on them being them, but we have to be locked in to do what we do.”

On the team chemistry during the playoff run:

“We genuinely like playing together. We created a chemistry that’s been great. It’s been a lot of fun.”

On OG Anunoby’s Game 3 performance:

“OG’s playing great. Most importantly, he’s locked-in and he’s doing the things that we know that he’s capable of.”

On the Knicks’ work ethic:

“We have a bunch of individuals in that locker room who work really hard, and they’re very psychotic about their work and the things they do, and that they’re ready physically and mentally.”

On Landry Shamet’s role within the Knicks:

“Big time…True professional…Whatever is asked of him, he shows up, and he does it.”

On the Knicks’ ability to adjust to different game plans:

“I think it’s an advantage for us, learning how to play differently. There are going to be times where one game plan is going to be different than the next. Being able to learn on the fly and adjust on the fly is something that we need to continue to get better at, but I think we’ve been doing a great job with it.”

On the canceled watch party outside MSG:

“That’s a tough one… I’ll come back to you on that one.”

Josh Hart

On setting the tone early in Game 3:

“We just came out with energy. We knew we had to with it being their first home game with their backs against the wall, their fans were going to be making noise and cheering and supporting them from the start. So we came out aggressive and set the tone, and we just continued to play with that pace throughout the night.”

On Landry Shamet’s Game 3 performance:

“Big shots, amazing defense… he’s a heck of a player.”

On maintaining the right mindset heading into Game 4 with a 3-0 lead:

“We set a tone from the jump. And we never let up. We knew we needed to. We went 1-0 today. Monday, it’ll be 0-0 all over again.”

On expectations around Mikal Bridges:

“The expectations don’t matter. That’s for y’all to talk about. That’s something that, I mean, nothing he can do about it. He didn’t call Leon [Rose] and say, ‘Yo, this is the trade package,’ you know what I mean? He got put into this situation and he hit the ground running. We wouldn’t be here without him. Last year, you can look — how many games has he won for us in terms of getting stops down the stretch, steals, blocks, big shots. He’s won games in every single way for us, and that’s why we want him, that’s why he’s here. The expectations and all that is just background noise.”

On Bridges’ winning mindset:

“He’s all about winning. Everything else doesn’t matter for him. I think that’s why he’s playing well right now. Because he’s not focused on shots, touches, those kinds of things. He’s focused on how can I help this team win? I’m not surprised. Because that’s the player he is. I’ve seen him since he was 17. That’s the kind of person that he is.”

Karl-Anthony Towns

On staying together during the win streak:

“We won all these games in a row as a team. We’ve had this winning streak as a team. We’ve found these ways to get these great wins, even down 22 in Game 1, we came back as a team. As long as we stay together, we stay unified, we feel, we always have felt, the sky is the limit for us.”

On maintaining desperation despite a 3-0 lead:

“It’s the mindset on this team that the next game, we are 0-0. We have to come out with the same desperation as Game 1. Come with that energy and intensity and passion. And on top of that, lean on each other. That’s what got us here. We won all these games in a row as a team. We’ve had this winning streak as a team. We found ways to get these great wins as a team. Down [22] in the first game, we came back as a team. As long as we stay together and stay unified, we feel — we always have felt — the sky’s the limit for us.”

On keeping a 0-0 mentality in the series:

“You have to keep your mind on the task at hand. The game is over and we found a way to win, but you have to have the same desperation like it’s a 0-0 series, just Game 1.”

On adjusting within Game 3:

“We do a great job of adjusting as the game goes along. I have to always be able to adapt to what the game needs from me to win the game. In the first half, it needed me to be a scorer, very aggressive, get to the basket, shoot the ball well and get points. Second half, they adjusted and we adjusted and I had to adjust. The adjustment was more being the hub, making the right passes, getting my teammates involved. … I continue to just feel out the game. The game will tell me what to do.”

On adjusting to Mike Brown this season:

“He’s had to learn us and had to adjust to us and then, on the flip side, we’ve had to do the same as well. I think now we’re at a point where we’re both working seamlessly. We understand each other’s language. And he’s getting the best from us as well as I think we are getting the best from him. And that speaks to a season. Especially a first season with a new coach and a new system and a new philosophy. …Obviously, the players are doing an amazing job. Coming together, showing the unity that was made special last year, with the coaching staff being receptive to the players. Adjusting to us and finding ways to get the most out of us.”

On the team’s offensive flexibility:

“That’s the blessing of our group. We have multiple ways and systems that we can utilize to help us get the win. I’ve been happy because we’ve continued to win.”

On sacrificing to impact winning:

“I’ve always said I’m willing to sacrifice and do whatever it takes to impact winning and help this team win. That’s the blessing of our group. We have multiple ways and systems that we can utilize to help us get the win. I’ve been happy because we’ve continued to win. There’s nothing to be sad about.”

On confidence in Mikal Bridges:

“We never worried about Mikal. We know what he can do. There was never a worry in our locker room about Mikal or anything like that. We know when we need Mikal, he’ll show up just like he did last year in Boston for two big steals. He does a lot of things that don’t end up on the stat sheet that he doesn’t get credit for. Right now, the stat sheet is giving him credit for it, but we always know the impact that he has on our team.”

On OG Anunoby’s All-Defense recognition:

“He’s one of the best defenders in the world and he got robbed of (first-team All Defense)!”

OG Anunoby

On the Knicks’ mindset heading into Game 4:

“Just come out with desperation like it’s still 0-0”

On his health improving throughout the series:

“Each day I started feeling better and better. We have a great medical staff. Getting stronger each day. Great team, great coaches. It’s been very collaborative.”

Mikal Bridges

On limiting Harden’s impact in the ECF:

“Just a team. Team defense. Team effort. Our scouting, our coaches, and everybody being on a string. I think it’s just a habit of guarding him for eight-plus years now. So just learning and grow each time you guard him. So just learning … It’s a lot of reps. A lot of time. And I’m grateful he was in the West when I was in the West, so I got to line up against him a lot of times.”

On pushing through early playoff struggles:

“It was tough because you want to be great at whatever you want to do. A lot of toughness comes from the mental part. I think I’ve been raised the right way, been coached by a lot of the great coaches who talk a lot about mental toughness. And sometimes you got to thrive in it even if you’re struggling. The more you thrive, the better it’s going to be for you.”

On bringing a Villanova mentality to the Knicks:

“I just think taking possession by possession and having that 0-0 mentality and playing desperate. I think that’s kind of what we brought from Villanova.”

On his teammates keeping him confident:

“I’m so close with a lot of guys on this team. Just them just being there and knowing that I want to play better and especially to help the team win. They want that too.”

Miles McBride

On adapting within a playoff series:

“I think you have to just take it game by game. [Teams] are going to make adjustments, and you have to have to stay solid to who you are as a team and a foundation. But when your opponent makes an adjustment, you have to adjust and adapt and figure it out. So I feel like that’s why we get paid what we get paid. So we have to adapt in the moment.”

Landry Shamet

On his next-play mentality:

“The ball goes in, I’m thinking about guarding an All-Star on the other end, my assignment defensively, or what we’re doing defensively.”

On the challenge of closing out the Cavs in Game 4:

“We won tonight, and we got one more tomorrow to put a team away. We know they’re going to give us their best punch. This is the hardest game of the year. Sending a team home is the hardest thing to do, especially at this point – there’s no time to sit and celebrate, it’s onto the next one, and how do we go get a win?”

On Mikal Bridges’ versatility:

“In a way, it’s a blessing (that he’s played in different teams with different roles). You’ve been asked to do so many different things in your career. Some nights, Mikal only gets five shots up, but he’s got to guard the best player, run around and keep him under 13 points or something. Each night is something different.”

On the Knicks’ locker room vibes:

“That’s our group, 1 through 15, everybody wants to see each other do well, genuinely. It’s not some locker room banter bullshit, it’s very real with this group. We cheer each other on. It’s a beautiful thing. And that’s what we have.”

Mitchell Robinson

On his mental health amid the playoffs:

“I’m deleting all apps for a little while until I can get back to myself. I had a very upsetting experience a few days ago. I’m not gonna go into detail about it, just gonna focus on the playoffs and myself. I know some of you have called and texted and it popped up green. That’s because I got a new [phone] number. My mental health is not the best right now but I am fighting to get back on track while playing on the biggest stage in the world in the Eastern Conference finals.”

Kenny Atkinson

On his message after falling behind 3-0:

“Get one. Get one, and then we’ll go from there.”

On the Cavaliers’ mental state:

“After Game 2, we were in a good place. This is a tough one. No one is hanging their heads…you never know what can happen.”

On possible rotation changes for Game 4:

“Do we extend our rotation? That’s something we could do. Gotta look at it…”

On the Knicks’ being rested while the Cavs are not:

“Listen, there’s no big mystery. Our guys have played 50 percent more minutes than them. If I’m the opposing coach, I’m like, ‘Man, get these guys, run these guys, wear them out, be super physical.’ It’s a good strategy. But we were not sharp in transition. We weren’t sprinting back like we should tonight.”

On leading the Knicks in “expected” shooting:

“I think we won the expected (shooting percentage) all three games. But, you know, there is expected and there’s real.”

On the Knicks’ physicality in Game 3:

“Their physicality was much higher than ours…credit to them. They were into the ball, very handsy, the whole grab-and-hold thing, which is part of it… We struggled to play through that physicality tonight.”

On the Knicks’ momentum in the series:

“They’re playing great basketball. We haven’t been able to stop their momentum. We had one chance in that first game to stop it, but we haven’t been able to halt their momentum.”

On being outplayed in Game 3:

“They were the much better team. They’re on a hell of a run.”

James Harden

On remaining confident down 3-0:

“We’re still confident. Our confidence is never going away. We’re more than capable… Make some shots, and the series turns around.”

On the Knicks dictating pace through the series:

“They played a little bit faster. We never could really get a grip on the game. We had times where we played well both ends of the ball, but just more times than not, they just played a little bit faster, and they made some shots.”

On the balance between offense and defense:

“When you’re not making shots, you put more pressure on your defense. So you’re going to be on defense much more. Then you got to take the basketball out of the rim… Basketball is obviously both sides of the ball. But if we can make some shots, it gives our defense a chance to get back in and set up half-court. So, it’s a balance of both of those things, but they’re a great offensive team. They got a stretch big and they obviously [got Jalen] Brunson handling the ball, so they’re a difficult matchup, but it just makes it more difficult when you’re not making shots. Then you got to keep relying on your defense, which they are good team, so they’re going to score.”

Evan Mobley

On the Cavaliers’ approach down 3-0:

“Get the next one, that’s all we can do—backs against the wall.”

On fatigue in the Eastern Conference Finals:

“There’s definitely a toll there, but we’re in the Eastern Conference Finals, so there’s no excuses right now. There’s no excuse there.”

Donovan Mitchell

On what it will take to win just one game:

“Let’s start with making some shots, getting some stops, and making some free throws.”

On fatigue being self-inflicted:

“We did it to ourselves.”

On not feeling overmatched by the Knicks:

“I don’t feel like we are overmatched. I hate to harp on it, but we were up 22 (in the fourth quarter of Game 1). So it’s on us. It’s on everyone in that locker room. We know that, we feel that, and we have an opportunity to get Game 4 and go from there.”

On the Game 1 loss impacting the whole outcome of the series:

“Don’t lose Game 1 after being up 22. Changes the entire dynamic of the series. We’re not sitting there and reflecting on that (yet). But if I were to say one thing, it would be that. But hey, it happened, and now we have to find a way to get back from 3-0.”

On hearing Knicks chants in Cleveland:

“I mean, I’m from New York. This doesn’t shock me. They do it in every arena. It’s like Cowboys fans, just who they are. I don’t think it’s a Cleveland thing. Wasn’t just us. You look at Philly… It’s what Knicks fans are. I was one back in the day. So, that had nothing to do with what we got going. Cleveland’s best fans in the world. I stand on that. So, that doesn’t affect that. That doesn’t label who Cleveland is. I have nothing but love for the fans in Cleveland, and we didn’t get it done for our home crowd tonight. And we didn’t get it done, which enables the Knick fans to go off like they did. If we get it done, then they’re silent, right? So, we didn’t do our part. When we ran out, they were loud, and Cleveland fans were behind us, but we didn’t do our part, and that’s the result.”

Jarrett Allen

On Knicks fans traveling to Cleveland:

“We just have to realize that they’re gonna come—they’re gonna come deep.”

On the Cavs’ defense suffering when shots don’t fall:

“When you don’t hit shots, your defense suffers. That’s just how a player’s mentality is. We can’t let that happen, though. We have to understand that we’re going to hit shots, eventually.”

NYPD

On canceling watch parties outside MSG:

“We have seen progressively more problematic issues at the watch parties outside MSG — there were six arrests [Thursday] night alone. The NYPD will not support more watch parties outside the stadium, but we will continue to review requests to support parties at alternate sites like Summer Stage.”

On crowd behavior and safety concerns:

“The crowds are very rough, with people jumping police barriers and throwing things into the crowd, including glass bottles. The crowds blocked vehicle traffic on 34th and 33rd Streets and 7th Avenue. Additionally, people climbed on top of subway entrances and there was drinking in the street. This is not about having enough of the unruly fans — this is about keeping people safe.”

Fraternizing with the Enemy, my series-long conversation with Cray Allred of the Daily Thunder, continues with the Spurs down 1-2 heading into a Sunday night matchup with a ton on the line.

J.R. 

After running out to a 15 point lead, the Spurs were outscored by 30 points in about 45 minutes. After the game there were a multitude of ideas tumbling through my head, and when I woke up I found that the tangle of thoughts had been kindly organized into several discrete easily numerated actions. So I decided to make a list. 

J.R. Wilco’s Realistic Dos and Don’ts

Do

Prioritize Fox/Harper/Castle in PNRs with Wemby 

Feed Wemby when he’s close to the hole

Stay on the ground on SGA fakes

Get the ball to Wemby on the move

Don’t

Leave guys alone on the three point line (unless you are Wemby, and it better not be Caruso) 

Turn the ball over so much  

Just stand around at the three point line 

Forget what got you here 

I call this list realistic because I’ve only chosen things that the team has already demonstrated that it can do against the Thunder. What do you think of the list and what is your reaction to Game 3?

Cray

That’s a pretty good list. I’m riding pretty high after that win, but I know that there are several of those correctable items that San Antonio coukd very well fix. After Game 2, I was prepared for an energy and momentum swing to boost the Spurs at home. It clearly did for those first five minutes, but I couldn’t believe it evaporated before the second quarter was finished. 

I would guess a mixture of exhaustion, inexperience, and personnel are to blame for the Spurs falling apart after that 15-0 burst. Fox and Harper could get healthier. San Antonio can get Wemby moving to his most effective. And the home crowd+postseason desperation could  put the wind back in their sails. 

What I am less sure of: whether more disciplined defense on Shai will actually slow him down. As he did in the first two rounds, he’s mastering the most aggressive and attentive defensive looks as the series goes on. San Antonio might lay off more and foul less, but that doesn’t mean he won’t punish them with more buckets. Give SGA an inch and he’ll take a mile, whether that’s room for his jumper, illegal limbs in his airspace, or freedom for his teammates.

Do you think the rest of the series will be dictated more by the bench play, or more by Shai and Wemby?

J.R.

Sounds like you’re saying, “Exhaustion, inexperience and personnel issues: ladies and gentlemen, it’s your 2025-2026 San Antonio Spurs!” and I’m not even all that sure I can disagree — assuming that those personnel issues are referring to injuries. Amazing what taking on the defending champs can do to a team, isn’t it?

And I’m sure you are riding high, I know I was during that 15-0 run. Isn’t it something how when a run extends like that it’s hard to imagine your team ever missing again, or the opponent ever making. And vice versa. It’s the same between games too. Right now, even a single win seems improbable, but that’s considering that only what has happened will happen. Since we don’t know what’s being cooked up, we’re left with supposition which leaves things murky. One thing is clear though, there’s no denying that adjustments are required. 

As to your question, there are two options. Either San Antonio  finds a way to make Wemby’s minutes so productive that they can weather any run OKC makes when he rests (see above list), or the bench finds a way to hang with the Thunder in the non-Vic minutes. The odds may be stacked against both of those, but I’d say the first is the most likely. 

What we’ve seen all year is Wembanyama experiencing obstacles before shifting tactics or adjusting mindset or coordinating with teammates, and then going on an epic run that rewrites history books and looks inevitable in hindsight. It’s happened in the micro (during the second half of games to come back from huge deficits) and in the macro (during the post-All Star Break when the team went 37-3 when Wemby played). 

Here’s my question: how much of OKC’s bench play do you think is sustainable through an entire series? 

Cray

You teed up my favorite wonky Thunder question, which has been my hobby horse (or dead horse, maybe) all year: whether the role players can hold up throughout the most crucial postseason stretches. OKC has really underperformed on offense in both their 2024 & 2025 runs, particularly from behind the arc. Until now, they’ve been very good in the regular season, and very human during the playoffs–succeding despite shooting variability rather than because of it. This season has been their least reliant on three-point shooting as a contender, and I’ve wondered if they were leaning into the two-pointer by design or necessity this time around.

My working theory: Shai’s midrange brilliance, and their stated premium placed on absolute shot quality over the three-pointer as the best option, has moved their floor and ceiling higher on offense. In past playoffs, the opposing defense could funnel more and more shots to Lu Dort and Josh Giddey. With the development of Jaylin Williams and the addition of Jared McCain, the Prince of OKC’s Disney Process, the range of players capable of getting hot when the ball is forced out of Shai’s hands has expanded significantly. So far, at least. I know that the Thunder role players will maintain elite effort and defense. For the first time in forever, I believe they will maintain their shooting.

I can feel the Spurs fans getting bored, so I’ll move on. Now that we know Ajay Mitchell (out) and Jalen Williams (questionable, but very doubtful in my opinion) won’t be around for at least another game, OKC’s bench and starters are blending together. The reserves won’t be scoring 70+ points again, but they’ll at least keep the scoring advantage against the struggling Kornet and Keldon club.

And to rejoin your other point: Wemby’s capacity to rewrite NBA history and basketball physics is the true x factor from here on out in my view. If I were you, I would love seeing Wemby and Mitch Johnson dismissing free throw & fouling gripes after these losses to focus instead on what they can do better to get back to winning. NBC showed Wemby warming up with trainers pulling and grabbing him in the post–that’s the right stuff.

If I thought Fox and Harper were really right, I’d pick SAS to easily even it up in Game 4. With the short rest and big minutes still necessary for the shortened Spurs rotation, I’m bracing for another game going down to the wire. I gotta stick with my pre-series pick of Thunder in 5 as long as it has legs, but I’m prepared to be wrong.

What’s your pick? And has it changed from what you thought before the series?

J.R. 

As soon as you ask me for my prediction, I immediately think back to the 2012 Spurs versus Thunder Western Conference Finals when I traveled to Oklahoma City to stay with my sister’s family and cover the games. I was but a naïve editor-in-chief then, (only having taken over PtR in 2012) and had no idea of the heartbreak that was in store for me. San Antonio had won the first two games at home and there was no hint whatsoever of what was about to befall the Spurs. 

They were dominated. For four straight games Oklahoma City showed that they were the superior team. They were more physical and they scored more easily than San Antonio. After being up 2-0, there was rarely a moment in the next four games where I felt comfortable that the Spurs had been able to figure out the new status quo of the series.

I spent those four games trusting that Popovich would “figure it out.” After the series and over the next summer I realized that you can’t figure out a way to play differently than you have all season. There are wrinkles you can put in place and adjustments that can be made but playing style is something you prepare through the course of the season, and can’t be changed on the fly.

These are the thoughts that I was thinking before the series when I realized that I simply couldn’t imagine San Antonio playing differently than they had when they won three games against a mostly-healthy Thunder team. But now that it’s obvious that the status quo of the series is not the same as it was in December, my prediction is entirely based on Game 4.

Usually, it is the odd-numbered games that define a playoff series in the NBA, but I’m gonna know everything I need to know about the rest of the series in the first 12 minutes of Sunday night‘s game. If the Spurs have a different way to: a) handle the physicality, b) contain SGA without allowing role players to go off, and c) consistently create offense, then I believe the series can go to seven games and be up for grabs. 

But if OKC has a sizable lead going into the second quarter, then I would expect the series to be over in five or six games. Forcing San Antonio to take the next step of their development over the off-season and the next couple years, just as the 2012 San Antonio Spurs had to.