What can we say about Jalen Brunson that hasn’t already been said about Tecmo Bowl Bo Jackson?
Absolutely unstoppable.
Brunson’s late-game heroics have the New York Knicks knocking on the door of their first NBA title since 1973 when they visit the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
Find out more in my best NBA picks for Saturday, June 13.
Jalen Brunson prop pick for Game 5
Jalen Brunson best bet: Under 5.5 assists (+110 at bet365)
Jalen Brunson is coming off his best passing performance of the NBA Finals, dishing out seven assists on a potential 15 dimes in the New York Knicks' ridiculous Game 4 comeback.
This is a notable swing in passing production, with Brunson registering just nine potential assists in each of the first three games of the series and finishing with totals of two, six, and five helpers versus the San Antonio Spurs.
Those seven assists in Game 4 marked the first time in the past six postseason games that Brunson finished Over his assists total. It also has this prop market skewing toward six dimes, with Over 5.5 carrying a hefty ask and some books up to 6.5 O/U.
This sudden shift in sharing the basketball wasn’t really Brunson’s doing but was more a result of the Knicks having to scrap their initial offensive schemes for Game 4, as well as suddenly hot shooting from New York in the second half.
Coach Mike Brown was aiming to run the ball through center Karl-Anthony Towns and have Brunson play off-ball more in Game 4 to create space for his shots, but KAT got whistled for two quick fouls in the opening minute.
That had Brunson back as the primary ball handler for a good chunk of time. His 115 touches were a series high after posting 95, 95, and 109 touches in the opening three contests.
Game 5 has Brown going back to his game plan of running Towns as a facilitator at the high post and involving Brunson in screen action away from the ball. That prevents his dribble-heavy slop from Game 3’s loss and exposes the switching issues that plagued the Spurs during the Knicks’ rally on Wednesday.
Brunson's early projections sit above six assists for Saturday, which is nothing new. His projections have repeatedly landed north of this number during the playoffs, yet the Under on assists is 6-2 in his last eight postseason showings.
The prop markets are overcorrecting to a unique game scenario in Game 4. I feel confident that Brunson will be focused on firing up shots and won’t give up the ball with the game on the line.
You can find the Under 5.5 assists paying out as big as +118 or go low on the taller total at Under 6.5 (-160).
Jalen Brunson same-game parlay
Brunson’s seven assists in Game 4 had a lot to do with Towns’ foul trouble. New York wants to take the ball out of his hands and create space for his shots as a cutter.
That scheme will lead to more 3-point looks, with Brunson bagging three triples in each of the past two games, and the game script saying the Knicks are fighting from behind.
Brunson has been big on the boards, with five rebounds in each of his last three outings while putting himself in place for an average of 10.0 rebounding chances in those games.
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May 15, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies infielder Felix Reyes (29) takes ground balls before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
The big-league Phillies had a rough night of it on Friday. Things were a little better in the minors, as thanks to the AAA squad playing two games, the affiliates were able to compile a 3-2 record for the night.
Lehigh Valley 7, Scranton-Wilkes Barre 4
Lehigh Valley 6, Scranton-Wilkes Barre 3
Because play was suspended on Thursday, the IronPigs had a double header against the RailRiders on Friday. The suspended game didn’t get off to a good start with the Pigs falling behind 2-0, but they were able to rally back.
Felix Reyes had a game-tying single, while they took advantage of a RailRiders error to add to their lead. Later, Keaton Anthony hit a two-run home run to provide the Pigs with some insurance, and Nolan Hoffman threw two scoreless innings to earn the save.
The second game featured some feistiness. Reyes was hit by a pitch in the fifth. Seeing as it was the fourth hit batsman of the game, and eighth of the evening including the prior game, the Pigs had had enough. Both benches cleared, but nothing much came of it.
BENCHES CLEAR IN SCRANTON
After Felix Reyes is hit by a pitch, the benches clear and he takes a step towards the mound before being stopped by the umpire.
The benches clear and chaos ensues as Ironpigs manager Tank Adamson gets into it with Railriders manager Shelley Duncan pic.twitter.com/anqgjebslA
The Pigs got their revenge on the field. Anthony hit a two-run home run to take the lead, and in the seventh, a Carter Kieboom home run (after another batter was put on base via HBP) extended the advantage. Nolan Hoffman pitched two scoreless innings for the save.
Portland 13, Reading 12
The Fightin’ Phils lost a ten-inning slugfest to the Reading Sea Dogs. Raylin Heredia’s three run home run in the second helped establish a 5-2 lead for the F-Phils, but it would not last. Both teams regularly traded runs, but in the ninth, the F-Phils found themselves down by three with two outs. A double and a walk brought up Erick Brito who topped off his 4-4 night with a game-tying three run home run.
— Reading Fightin Phils (@ReadingFightins) June 13, 2026
Sadly, the Sea Dogs got another run home in the top of the tenth, and this time, Reading was unable to answer.
Clearwater 4, Lakeland 2
Unlike their AA counterparts, the Threshers received strong pitching to carry them to victory over the Flying Tigers. Starting pitcher Ramon Marquez gave up two runs while striking out six in five innings, and three relievers combined for four shutout innings.
Offensively, the heavy lifting was done by DH Jonathan Hogart, whose three-run home run in the fourth put the Threshers ahead for good.
The Blue Claws got off to an early 2-0 lead, but the pitching staff was unable to hold it or keep Hudson Valley off the board after that. All five Blue Claws pitchers gave up runs, with starter Ryan Dromboski getting tagged for four in 2.2 innings.
Offensively, the highlight was second baseman Nick Biddison hitting his first home run in the fifth.
If it appeared like the Spurs had no clue what they were doing for the final 24 minutes of Game 4, that actually may have been the case.
A damning video has emerged showing San Antonio in complete defensive disarray before its fateful final defensive possession in which OG Anunoby tipped in an offensive rebound with 1.2 seconds remaining to complete the Knicks’ 29-point rally in the biggest comeback victory in NBA Finals history.
An overhead video shows several Spurs players pointing at different Knicks players with 5.7 seconds remaining in the 107-106 loss, seemingly in mass confusion.
Unreleased footage that shows the Spurs in utter confusion coming out of the timeout before the OG tip in. MUST watch, sound up. Link to full breakdown below pic.twitter.com/E7tz0st2LO
After De’Aaron Fox made arguably one of the worst decisions in NBA history to attempt a layup while leading 106-105 with roughly 11 seconds left only to be blocked by Anunoby, the Knicks called a timeout and subbed in Landry Shamet for Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges for Jose Alvarado.
The Spurs kept their same five on the floor — Fox, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, Devin Vassell and Victor Wembanyama — and it seems they did not expect the lineup change on the other side.
Harper flashed his eyes to the sideline while the Knicks took the court, seemingly unsure of who he should be guarding on the play.
Fox pointed to an unguarded Shamet, seemingly indicating that someone should be on him, while the uneasiness among the Spurs grew.
Several players started pointing in different directions, with Castle actually holding out his hands in a manner that indicated, “What is going on?”
Castle and Wembanyama both went toward Karl-Anthony Towns, all while Shamet remained unguarded.
Not what you want to see if you’re a Spurs fan before a critical possession. @bballbreakdown/XVictor Wembanyama (bottom) and Dylan Harper (middle) are unsure of what to do. @bballbreakdown/X
Wembanyama eventually went out to Bridges, while Harper grabbed Shamet.
The Spurs had a man on each Knick on the court while Fox played rover, and they made the curious decision to leave the inbounder, Anunoby, unoccupied.
This call loomed large when Fox opted to double team Jalen Brunson with Wembanyama, which allowed the Knicks to have a 4-on-3 chance at the rim when Brunson missed a long 3.
Anunoby ran free toward the hoop and jumped above a pair of Spurs defenders to tip in the rebound in the play that could be what ultimately lost the series for the Spurs.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson called the tip in a combination of a great play by Anunoby, plus a breakdown by his defense.
Fox seemingly just standing around after Brunson shot the ball, adding to his already brutal night.
“Yeah, bounce off the rim the right way. He tipped it in the right way. It went in,” Harper said after one of the worst defeats in franchise history. “I could play wish I could have did this, wish I could have did that. But at the end of the day he tipped the ball, and it went in the rim.I definitely thought I had a hand on it. I definitely think I helped put the ball in the rim. But just got to box out.”
The Larry O’Brien Trophy will be in the building. The rehearsals for the presentation ceremony, if one is needed, are complete. Thousands of New York fans have made the trip to Texas, looking to see something that hasn’t happened in 53 years.
New York can win its first NBA championship since 1973 on Saturday night, with the Knicks holding a 3-1 lead going into Game 5 of the NBA Finals against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
The Knicks are 3-0 in closeout opportunities this season, winning them by an average of 39.3 points — all of them on the road.
“We’ve been preaching all year it’s about the next possession, the next possession, the next possession,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “We understand any time you try to play a closeout game, the level of desperation — for your opponents — increases (and) the level of desperation for the fans of your opponents is increased. You have to bring your best effort because even if you bring your best effort, it may not happen, especially on the road.”
New York got to the brink of this title by rallying from 29 points down in Game 4 to win 107-106 on OG Anunoby’s tip-in with 1.2 seconds left. It was the largest comeback in NBA Finals history and the biggest comeback in any game this season, regular season or playoffs.
The Spurs have led each of the four games entering Saturday by double figures and let three of those games become losses.
“The biggest thing for us is just can’t take our foot off the gas in a sense,” Spurs guard Dylan Harper said. “Can’t get comfortable with a lead. It’s the NBA Finals. Anything could happen, like we just saw. But just at the end of the day, we’ve just got to stay together as a group.”
The referees selected for Saturday’s game were Scott Foster, James Capers and Tyler Ford. Foster and Capers both worked Game 1 and Ford worked Game 2 of the series.
If the Spurs win, Game 6 would be Tuesday in New York.
It’s hard to imagine things getting better against the Milwaukee Brewers. They rank fourth in OPS against right-handed pitchers and Nola has conceded at least three runs in seven of eight starts when facing Top-15 opponents in OPS.
The only exception came against the Rockies, who are last place and only have decent offensive numbers because home games are played at Coors Field.
Look for the Brewers bats to lead the way. Play to -150.
Phillies vs Brewers Over/Under pick: Over 8.0 (-115)
Friday’s game featured Jacob Misiorowski, who entered play having allowed one earned run over his last seven starts, and the total sat at 8.0.
I have a hard time believing it should be the same in a game Nola and Shane Drohan, who has completed five innings once this season, are starting.
Nola owns a 7.38 ERA against teams sitting Top-15 in OPS. Drohan has pitched well but he’s hardly untouchable, allowing the third highest hard hit rate over the last month among today’s starters.
Play the Over to -130.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 28-23, -2.10 units
Over/Under bets: 25-24-2, -2.06 units
Phillies vs Brewers odds
Moneyline: Phillies +120 | Brewers -140
Run line: Phillies +1.5 (-160) | Brewers -1.5 (+140)
Over/Under: Over 8.0 (-120) | Under 8.0 (+100)
Phillies vs Brewers trend
Milwaukee has hit the moneyline in 28 of their last 40 games (+12.90 units, 22% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Phillies vs. Brewers.
How to watch Phillies vs Brewers and game info
Location
American Family Field, Milwaukee, WI
Date
Saturday, June 13, 2026
First pitch
7:10 p.m. ET
TV
FS1
Phillies starting pitcher
Aaron Nola (3-4, 5.86 ERA)
Brewers starting pitcher
Shane Drohan (3-1, 3.11 ERA)
Phillies vs Brewers latest injuries
Phillies vs Brewers weather
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With the New York Knicks one win away from their first NBA championship in more than 50 years, there’s been plenty of chatter about the NBA Finals MVP.
Jalen Brunson is the clear superstar and leader of the team, but OG Anunoby has had some clutch plays that have led to New York’s success, including a game-saving block and a game-winning tip-in to pull off a miraculous and historic Game 4 win over the San Antonio Spurs.
But Warriors guard Seth Curry is confused by the conversation surrounding the Finals MVP in recent years, something he believes saw an uptick beginning in 2015, as he shared on Threads.
“I’m seeing a lot of Finals MVP talk. who cares,” Curry wrote. “Growing up i never heard anybody talking about finals MVP.. Started around 2015 for some reason.”
2015, of course, was the year the Warriors dynasty won its first of several NBA championships. Former Warriors forward Andre Igoudala was rewarded the NBA Finals MVP that year for his standout defense on former Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James, despite Steph Curry being the undisputed star of the team and averaging 26 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.8 steals in 42.5 minutes throughout the six-game series.
After Golden State’s title win, there was a debate over whether Curry deserved it over Iguodala. Despite being a four-time NBA champion, Steph didn’t win his first NBA Finals MVP until the Warriors’ latest win in 2021-22. Although Steph has said numerous times that he couldn’t care less about the Finals MVP award, and cared more about being a champion.
And to Seth’s point, he doesn’t understand why the individual award has all of a sudden been such a hot topic.
Much like Steph, Brunson likely doesn’t care who wins Finals MVP either, should the Knicks be victorious. Bringing a championship to New York after five long decades is a pretty special accolade on its own.
We have a jam-packed day of baseball ahead with all 30 teams set to take the field.
There is no shortage of great matchups to attack.
Let's take a look at a trio that stands out with my MLB player props and MLB picks for Saturday, June 13.
Best MLB player props today
Player
Pick
Odds
Samuel Basallo
Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBIs
-131
CJ Abrams
Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBIs
-134
Mike Trout
Over 0.5 walks
+135
Samuel Basallo Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBIs (-131)
Randy Vasquez has allowed a .276 average, .359 xwOBA, and ranks in the 19th percentile in xSLG against left-handed bats.
That sets up well for Samuel Basallo. The talented lefty has hit .270 against right-handed pitching and is a 95th percentile hitter in xSLG.
He has feasted in similar matchups, recording multiple H+R+R in 13 of 17 games in which he faced a right-handed starter ranking 50th percentile or worse in batting average and xwOBA.
Isolating games with a total of 9.0 or higher, he cleared in all eight. Play to -145.
Time: 4:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SDPA, MASN
CJ Abrams Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBIs (-134)
CJ Abrams is enjoying a ton of success against right-handed pitching. He has blended contact with power, hitting .294 while ranking in the 82nd percentile in barrel rate and 84th percentile in xSLG.
He has played 21 games against righty starters, ranking 60th percentile or worse in batting average, xwOBA, and WHIP allowed to lefties. He cleared 1.5 H+R+R in 71.4% of them while producing 2.7 per game.
The total sits at 9.0, so plenty of offense is expected. Back Abrams to Luis Castillo. Betable to -145.
Time: 4:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SEAM, NATS
Mike Trout Over 0.5 walks (+135)
Mike Trout is one of the most disciplined hitters in the game. He has a great feel for the zone and will take what is given to him, which results in a lot of free passes.
He has walked a remarkable 20.3% of the time against right-handed pitching, and Griffin Jax has struggled with his control, walking 11.9% of right-handed batters.
Isolating matchups against starters ranking 50th percentile or worse in walk rate vs. righties, Trout has walked at least once in 21 of 28 games.
There’s plenty of value with this line. Play to -125.
Time: 10:07 p.m. ET
Where to watch: RAYS, ABTV
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 0-0, +0 units
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
BALTIMORE, MD - JUNE 12: Manager Craig Stammen #14 of the San Diego Padres looks on in the sixth inning during the game between the San Diego Padres and the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Friday, June 12, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Griffin Canning took the mound for the San Diego Padres to open the first game of the first series of their nine-game road trip and was looking to have a solid outing. He was unable to do that despite the Padres handing him a one-run lead in the first inning and San Diego lost the opening game of the three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles, 7-3. Canning labored through five innings, allowing seven runs on six hits with five walks and six strikeouts. He allowed two home runs, which resulted in three of the seven runs for the Orioles and never looked comfortable in his outing. Canning walked the leadoff batter in three of his five innings and only faced the minimum number of batters in two of his five innings.
Despite the short outing from his starter, Padres manager Craig Stammen only needed Wandy Peralta and David Morgan to cover the final three innings of the game. Peralta threw 1.2 scoreless innings and allowed one hit with two walks and three strikeouts. Morgan threw 1.1 scoreless innings and allowed one hit with two striekouts.
The San Diego offense scored a run in the first and second innings of the game and got contributions from most of the lineup. Jackson Merrill, Ty France, Will Wagner and Freddy Fermin were the only starters not to record hits in the game. France did score a run and Wagner drew two walks. The biggest story on the offensive side was Manny Machado finishing the game 2-for-4 with a run scored. Both of his hits were doubles that were hit into the outfield gaps, splitting the outfielders. It could mean Machado is seeing pitches better, is more prepared for velocity or is maybe giving the analytics a shot. Either way, if he can continue driving the ball throughout the rest of the series and road trip the Padres should benefit. Gavin Sheets was the other bright spot for the San Diego offense. He finished his day 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBI.
The Padres will have a chance to even the series with the Orioles today at 1:05 p.m.
Samad Taylor has made it back to the big leagues and he appears to be taking full advantage of the opportunity. He recorded another hit in the series opener against Baltimore and has given some life to a fledgling San Diego offense.
There is typically a reason or a story behind why someone got a tattoo and the Padres players are no different. Some want to commemorate significant events; others just thought the idea was cool. Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribunecompiled some information on the tattoos in the San Diego clubhouse.
Baseball News:
Milwaukee Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski completed a “Maddux” throwing a complete game on less than 100 pitches, with a 15-strikeout shutout performance against the Philadelphia Phillies.
A little-known Dutch designer scored big after a friend wore her Knicks T-shirt to Madison Square Garden — and it caught the attention of owner Jim Dolan’s pal.
Georgine Ratelband’s $295 “I’m a New York Knicks Girl” tee and five other items from her luxury line are now being sold at the MSG Team Store — debuting just weeks before the team made it to the NBA Finals.
Designer Georgine Ratelband’s Knicks collection is now being sold at Madison Square Garden. Courtesy of Georgine Ratelband
“It’s great timing,” Ratelband, 37, told The Post. “I’m ecstatic. I’m over the moon. I’m so proud.”
Items from her Knicks collection — which include a crewneck sweater for $160, a $385 hoodie, $425 pants, a sequin jacket for $900 and a $1,450 leather jacket — have already been purchased by sports royalty, like New York Knicks star Josh Hart’s wife, Shannon, and former Rangers great Henrik Lundqvist.
“One of my favorite stories is Henrik Lundqvist posted a picture of his daughters wearing my hoodies. It’s an incredible picture, courtside,” she gushed.
“And then Josh Hart, his wife wore one of my shirts. And I mean, these people all bought them too, it’s not like I gifted it to them. So it’s even more special.”
Josh Hart’s wife, Shannon, bought the “I’m a New York Knicks Girl” shirt at MSG and debuted it in April. Courtesy of Shannon Hart
Ratelband, who founded the women’s luxury fashion label Georgine in 2011, introduced sports-themed tees to her collection due to a high demand from her clients — who wanted to up their game when attending sporting events.
“My clients always say, ‘I want to look cute, but I don’t want to be too overdressed,'” said the fashionista, who’s dressed A-listers like Beyoncé, Zendaya, Lady Gaga and Brooke Shields.
“Just because it’s the men playing, us girls also want to be involved.”
Rangers legend Henrik Lundqvist posted this Instagram photo of his daughters sporting Ratelband’s hoodies. Apple Photos Clean Up
In April 2025, she gave the only hand-embroidered “I’m a New York Knicks Girl” tee she designed to her friend to wear toMSG for Game 5 of Round 1 of the playoffs against the Detroit Pistons.
“A friend of Dolan showed it to an executive over at MSG who then referred it over to the merchandise manager,” she explained.
“Before I knew it, I was literally put on a text message [with MSG] and they were like, ‘We love the shirt. How many can we get?’ So I said, ‘None. I only made one!'”
Ratelband immediately contacted the factory she uses in Italy to rush a bulk order.
The fashionista’s Knicks collection includes the $295 “I’m a New York Knicks Girl” tee, a crewneck sweater for $160, a $385 hoodie, $425 pants, a sequin jacket for $900 and a $1,450 leather jacket.
Her “I’m a New York Knicks Girl” shirt was only sold at the exclusive Delta Lounge at MSG last season, and after the first batches sold out, she was asked to design additional Knicks merch.
“I made a beautiful presentation with sketches and ideas and went into MSG. I was so nervous, it was a huge boardroom with a lot of people to present to. But they loved everything,” said Ratelband.
Ratelband, who moved to New York from the Netherlands in 2014, said her Knicks partnership has special meaning because the term “Knickerbockers” comes from the name of the trousers the original Dutch settlers to Manhattan wore in the 1600s.
“And since I’m Dutch, I just feel like it’s such a perfect collaboration,” she said.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JUNE 12: Jose Alvarado #5 of the New York Knicks is interviewed during 2026 NBA Finals Practice and Media Availability on June 12, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE(Photo by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The New York Knicks visit the San Antonio Spurs tonight at Frost Bank Center for Game Five of the NBA Finals. New York leads the series 3-1 and is one win away from its first championship since 1973, while a Spurs victory tonight would send the series back to Madison Square Garden.
Inquiring minds want to know: can San Antonio recover from the embarrassment of Game Four? The Spurs have led by double digits in every game of this series and were ready to even things up on Wednesday before blowing a 29-point lead.
New York continues to shoot themselves in both feet by losing first quarters and digging double-digit holes. The Knicks have lost the first quarter in all four games, and in each of their wins, they trailed inside the final two minutes. And yet, they have been the steadier team in the clutch. They rallied from an impossible deficit to win Game Four, 107-106, thanks to MVP-worthy efforts from Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns. For the losers, Victor Wembanyama recorded 24 points, 13 rebounds, and three blocks, while rookie Dylan Harper added 21 off the bench.
The Spurs’ formula is simple: spread the floor, push the pace, and let Wembanyama erase mistakes at the rim. When they’re humming, they can bury opponents under a barrage of threes and transition opportunities. To wit, on Wednesday they set a Finals record for most first-half three-pointers. The idea of New York rallying to win was inconceivable to anyone watching because no one had ever rallied from that far down in a Finals game.
Rally, they did. The Knicks found a way to win by focusing on singles, bunting to get on base, and crashing the boards while San Antonio made one bone-headed decision after another. They should have killed the clock, but instead hoisted bricks too early; they stopped attacking the paint; they missed free throws; they gave the ball away like it had an open herpes sore; etc.
Thus, the game was a tale of two records—14 made threes by the Spurs in the first half, and a 30-point turnaround for the Knicks in the second.
The expected starters for the Spurs are Fox, Castle, Vassell, Julian Champagnie, and Wembanyama. For the Knicks, Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, Anunoby, and Towns. The injury report is clean for both sides. Both teams have had two full days off between games. San Antonio gets the benefit of returning home, but neither side enters with a meaningful rest advantage.
Since the start of the finals, I have collaborated with J.R. Wilco of Pounding the Rock on Fraternizing with the Enemy pieces. They have been a blast to write. Beyond that, it’s introduced me to the Spurs community and, boy, they have some takes. A common one is that the Spurs are a vastly more talented team and would be ahead 3-1 in the series if not for the impetuousness of youth. Or the Knicks don’t win the games, the Spurs lose them. Some blame Mitch Johnson and want him fired if they lose the Finals, while others counter that abandoning a young coach after the failure is not the Spurs Way. Others cast disdain upon post-win rampaging through the city, which does curdle the stomach, but conveniently neglect to mention how a 17-year-old was beaten into a coma by a Spurs fan.
Imagining myself as a San Antonio fan, I can see myself tied into knots trying to make sense of what has transpired. As a Knicks fan, I have done the same—and perhaps you, too, have experienced moments of irrational justification in defense of our beloved ‘Bockers. Here’s how I see the series so far: these teams are evenly matched, each with edges in various spots. The Knicks tend to start slowly, but build momentum throughout the game, whereas the Spurs come out running and gunning, then gradually lose steam. San Antonio is green, no denying that, and have made mistakes that show their inexperience, while the Knicks are mostly 30ish-year-old vets in their prime who have been already earned the scars necessary to win championships. And Mike Brown is a better coach than Mitch Johnson.
That’s how I see the series. Would love to hear your takes in the comments blow.
Prediction
ESPN gives New York a 43% chance to win. All hail the underdogs! They will need to withstand what will certainly be an aggressive opening push from a team facing elimination on its home floor. For once, however, we expect our heroes to come out on the right foot. They need to limit live-ball turnovers that fuel San Antonio’s transition game, crash the glass, distribute the ball, make their shots, etc. This series has repeatedly swung toward the team that stays composed when things get weird, and right now the Knicks have all the juice. They close it out tonight by five. Get the banner printed and ready to hang.
Game Details
Who: New York Knicks (3-1) vs San Antonio Spurs (1-3) Date: Saturday, June 13, 2026 Time: 8:30 PM ET Place: Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX TV: ABC Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky
CORAL GABLES, FL - JANUARY 28: Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie (1) drives to the basket while defended by Miami guard Tru Washington (10) in the first half as the Miami Hurricanes faced the Stanford Cardinal on January 28, 2026, at the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Florida. (Photo by Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Ebuka Okorie’s elite trait is his ability to get to the basket at will. Ranking in the 99th percentile per 100 possessions for attempts at the rim, Okorie understands how to deploy his game-breaking first step and jitterbug agility to get by perimeter defenders. While he graded out better as an isolation scorer, Okorie was also solid in pick-and-roll actions.
His relentless play style naturally resulted in an elite free-throw rate. Okorie finished with a nation-leading 226 free throws – 7.3 per game – and converted on an impressive 83.2 per cent of his attempts.
Despite Stanford’s lack of top-end talent, Okorie still averaged 23.2 points and 3.6 assists on 46.5 per cent shooting. Opposing teams resorted to shading-type coverages that often were used to slow down offensive threats like Brandon Ingram, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Edwards in the NBA playoffs. Yet Okorie still thrived with the ball in his hands and averaged nearly 31 per cent of Stanford’s points.
While Okorie could stand to improve in certain spots on the floor, he’s still a legitimate three-level scorer. Okorie isn’t an above-the-rim type of athlete, but he can seemingly shift into an unlimited number of gears with the ball in his hands.
Areas for Improvement
Rim efficiency
Okorie may be the best – or most consistent – at applying downhill pressure, but the freshman isn’t necessarily the most effective when he gets into the paint. While nearly 90 per cent of his rim-attempts are unassisted, Okorie converted on roughly 55 per cent of those dribble-drives. That ranks him as an average finisher among NCAA players.
Against the California Golden Bears on Jan. 24, Okorie was held to 1-of-16 from the field, with nearly half of his shots coming at the rim. Fortunately for Okorie, his knack for getting to the basket still resulted in 14 free throws. If Okorie sees even a slight uptick in efficiency, that might be the swing factor that catapults him into a draft-day steal at 19.
Defensive Ceiling
Like some of the other scoring guards available in this part of the draft, Okorie has question marks surrounding his defence. If it weren’t for this potential red flag, his intriguing offensive profile would have been enough to lock him into the lottery. Like with Christian Anderson, opposing lead guards will hunt Okorie down with a laser focus. A silver lining to not having Immanuel Quickley push his luck with his injury during the playoffs, was not having to worry about the Cleveland Cavaliers attacking him on switches. With Jamal Shead, the Raptors mostly switched without concern. Drafting Okorie at 19 would complicate that luxury.
Okorie did convert some of his doubters when he measured with a 6’7.75” wingspan at the NBA Draft Combine. How quickly and consistently Okorie can adapt to the league’s physicality will determine his overall ceiling.
Potential fits with Toronto
Microwave scorer off the bench
The Raptors averaged 33.5 bench points per game, which ranked 24th in the league. That needs to improve, particularly on a roster that includes Brandon Ingram and Quickley’s injury concerns. Ingram had a bounce-back season from a health perspective, but another lower-body injury hampered the Raptors’ chances at getting past the first round of the post-season. Quickley has missed 60 regular-season games (and all seven playoff games this past year) since being acquired by the Raptors. Okorie represents offensive insurance should the team run into bad injury-luck again this season.
With the Raptors at full-strength, Okorie becomes a fascinating member of a bench unit that exceeded expectations in the playoffs. Even though it pushes Ja’Kobe Walter to the three spot, an Okorie and Shead backcourt off the bench is a fun dynamic.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JUNE 05: Travis Bazzana #37 of the Cleveland Guardians follows through after hitting the ball during the fifth inning of a game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on June 05, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The most difficult time in an MLB career is now for Guardians’ young hitters.
Baseball is a game of constant adjustments, and those adjustments are almost never more volatile than after a new MLB player has their first hot stretch in the show. Today we’re going to discuss what to expect going forward with some of the young hitters on the Guardians roster this season. Specifically, we’re going to look at the youngest hitters currently playing almost every day on the roster: Chase DeLauter, Travis Bazzana, Brayan Rocchio, Angel Martínez, and Kyle Manzardo. In looking at them, I’d like to take you through the early careers of some veteran players that ended up becoming superstars, and consistent MVP contenders. We’re also going to break down results vs. process and what to look for that may cause concern.
First, let’s look at some examples of some modern superstars in their rookie season, and a very recent Rookie of the Year winner. For this section, we’re just going to look at the results because this will establish an important premise we need for later on. First, let’s take a look at Bryce Harper in 2012. Bryce Harper started the first 8 games of his career with a .924 OPS. The next 12 games it was .625. The next 20 games it was 1.144. For the next 55 games his OPS was .563, and he finished that season putting up a 1.044 OPS in the final 44 games. We can already see that even a multitime MVP/All-Star/Silver Slugger winner that broke into the league as one of the most highly anticipated MLB prospects in a very long time had a lot of ups and downs in their first season.
Another MVP and Rookie of the Year recipient, Ronald Acuña Jr., had a similarly up and down Rookie of the Year campaign. He got off to a very hot start, hitting to a 1.289 OPS in his first 5 games, but quickly cooled off. In his next 22 games, his OPS was only .609, and in the 16 games after that it was a respectable, but underwhelming for the young star, .764. After that, he went on a tear over the next 53 games, with an OPS of 1.134, before cooling off for the final 15 games with an OPS of just .652.
Lastly, let’s look at the reigning AL Rookie of the Year winner Nick Kurtz’s 2025 season. Unlike the others, he got off to a very slow start. In his first 23 games, his OPS was just .558. The next 22 games it was 1.107, and the 22 after that it was an unbelievable 1.478. He then cooled off for a bit. His next 14 games only saw him have an OPS of .693. The next 17 games it was 1.227. After that, for 15 games he cooled off again down to an OPS of .708, and he ended the season with a 1.228 OPS in the final 4 games.
In just these three examples, we see extreme swings within each hitter. Sometimes lasting only a few weeks, but sometimes lasting multiple months. We can’t determine a lot from OPS results on their own because they are incredibly noisy. A lot of factors can cause big swings in a sample size even as large as 20 games. It could be having several games in a 20 game stretch where you face the top 2 pitchers in every team’s starting rotation. It could be the hitter overswinging or chasing out of the zone more. It could even be a week of cold humid weather causing a handful of balls that would be extra base hits under normal conditions getting knocked down by the wind and being outs instead.
All of this is to say that these OPS results alone don’t tell us much apart from “it might be time to take a look under the hood and see if we’re doing something wrong,” and these examples are just to illustrate that even the best hitters go through major ups and downs, especially as rookies.
There’s going to be a lot of data to look at coming up, so first I want to briefly explain how it’s all organized. For each of the five Guardians players we are looking at today, I’ve given each their own table. Each player has had their season broken down into 4-5 buckets of games purely by OPS results. For each bucket, we are going to be highlighting 7 statistics (not including the OPS) for each bucket. The stats are grouped into 4(ish) layers. We start with Layer 1: Swing Decisions. Next is Layer 2: Contact Ability. The next layer I have listed as Layer 2.5: Bat Speed. This is put between layers 2 and 3 because it doesn’t truly fit with either one, but is an important bridge that connects the two layers. Next is Layer 3: Contact Quality, and last is Layer 4: Results. Now that we have established how all the data we will be looking at is organized and what statistics we are looking at, I will put the tables for all 5 players below. The individual statistics will have definitions and explanations at the end for clarity.
We can see that each of these young hitters is going through ups and downs. The first thing I think we can all see is the difference between the true rookies (Chase and Bazzana) and the young hitters that already have a few seasons under their belts. We can see in general that the rookies’ numbers are overall significantly more erratic, and the stat where that stands out the most in my mind is bat speed.
Both Chase’s and Bazzana’s average bat speeds swing wildly, with differences up to and even over 2 mph. But if we look at Manzo, Angel, and Rocchio, they are consistently within a 1 mph range. If we look in layers 1 and 2, we can see that the 3 young hitters with more experience have similarly clustered numbers in those categories, with maybe 1 outlier, and this is where we can also see Chase separating himself from Bazzana a bit.
Chase’s Whiff and Chase rates in his most recent 3 buckets are all much more tightly clustered and a decent chunk lower than his first bucket, but Bazzana is seeing some spiking in chase and in whiff for his most recent two buckets. I believe this already illustrates very well how volatile early career MLB adjusting is for hitters, and shows how just a couple seasons of experience flattens out underlying metrics quite a bit.
This is not to say that an even more experienced hitter won’t go on a stretch where their chase rate skyrockets 12 points, but more that those outliers become more rare. This example, though, is the first of one of our previously listed types of slumps – one caused by plate approach deterioration.
When talking about our Rookie of the Year examples earlier, we mentioned one potential type of slump we see hitters go through is because they start over swinging or chasing more out of the zone. That could be considered a plate approach deterioration slump. In bucket four, Travis Bazzana’s Chase% and Whiff% have both increased significantly, and we see the OPS result within that bucket has gotten quite poor. It would be reasonable to think that’s a likely cause of the slump. Swinging at more pitches out of the zone leads to more swings and misses, and when you do make contact on those pitches, it is often weaker contact. Less and weaker contact in general leads to fewer walks and hits, and that of course leads to lower OPS numbers.
Is this cause for concern? Well, the short answer is probably not. Ultimately, this bucket is just 10 games. This very easily could just be a bad couple weeks, and he could make some adjustments and get the numbers back under control. Variations like this in a rookie season are incredibly normal, and they don’t really become a concern unless the same numbers do not improve or get worse over an extended period of time.
Now that we’ve seen how approach deterioration can lead to a slump, we can move on to the next layer. If we look at Chase’s second and third buckets, we can see Chase% difference is only 0.5, and Whiff% difference is only 2.6. The Z-Contact% difference is a bit larger here, but both numbers are still fairly close together. So the approach looks very consistent, but the OPS difference is massive. Over 850 points! What’s going on here?
This brings us to our next potential type of slump – a contact quality slump. When looking at these two buckets, we can see the Hard-Hit% difference is massive, as is the average exit velocity, and the xwOBA difference. What we’re seeing here is significantly worse contact quality. This is where it gets a little less visible in traditional stats. We see the lower velocity, but what causes it? This is where variance comes into play. Sometimes in baseball, being an extra 5-10 milliseconds too late or too early can be the difference between a home run and a foul ball. Sometimes, the contact point on the ball being just a few millimeters to high or too low can be the difference between a HR and a warning track flyout, or the difference between a hard low liner between infielders for a hit and a ball hit into the ground more that loses enough speed for the fielder to reach it and get a forceout. These small differences aren’t always immediately obvious either, but being just out of sync with your swing path or slightly off timing wise can result in massive differences in results as well.
So what we may be seeing here is Chase was maintaining a consistent approach over the span of both buckets, but in the second bucket the swings started being a lot more flush with the ball and resulted in much higher contact quality and better results.
The last example I want to look at today is Manzardo’s bucket two and three. We look at his swing decisions, and he’s chasing 5.5% less. Now we look at contact ability: he’s swinging and missing 11.1% less and making significantly more contact in the zone. The contact quality looks significantly better too. Hard-Hit% skyrockets, average exit velocity takes a big jump, and xwOBA increases by nearly 100 points. This looks like a huge improvement across the board, but when we look at the OPS, it’s actually gone down almost 100 points. How is that possible?
Well this brings us to the final example of slumps we see – a luck slump. Sometimes in this sport, you can do everything right and still not see successful results in the box score. Now we’re looking more at the factors that are largely considered out of the hitter’s control – things like strong winds or exact batted ball placement. Sometimes, a hitter will hit a long flyball that on a normal day is a home run, but because it’s extremely humid or cold and windy, the ball just dies on the warning track. Other times, a batter might hit a scalding line drive, and a fielder will make a diving catch and rob the hitter of a hit or even an extra base hit.
When we look at those two Manzardo buckets, this type of result is consistent with these and similar factors, and ultimately these are the type of slumps that should be the least concerning. What we’re effectively saying here is the hitter is doing everything in their power very well, but just hasn’t gotten positive results. For some, this can feel like the most annoying type of slump because it really is largely out of the hitter’s control. But since it is outside of the hitter’s control, all you can do is hold the line and hope the luck swings back your way.
With young hitters, we see a lot less consistency in layers 1 and 2, and we see that especially in the rookie hitters. Now I have one more data table to share. This one is by far my favorite. I’m not going to go in depth on this data as much as the previous set, but I want to share this to illustrate the larger point. The next table is from José Ramírez’s 2024 campaign.
It is obviously incredibly unfair to hold most other players to the standard of José Ramírez, but I think his buckets here are a great example of how as good hitters develop and learn the league, you start to see layers 1 and 2 have much tighter distributions. Better hitters will have very few outliers in these layers, and you start to see a lot more variance in layer 3. We see this trend beginning to show itself also in the non rookie hitters we looked at before.
So what should we expect from these young hitters going forward? For the rookies, it’s very possible we see a lot of ups and downs going forward. After all, that’s what happened with the three Rookie of the Year winners we looked at before. One of the most important things we’ve learned is that not all of the downs are created equally. The next time we see one of these hitters going into a little bit of a downswing, we can break it down, see what type of slump we’re looking at, and determine how concerning the slump is.
I believe that as long as the young hitters can stay focused on getting that consistency in their approach and can minimize the layer 1 and 2 slumps, they’re taking a very important first step into solidifying themselves as legitimate big leaguers.
Stats:
Chase%: The percentage of pitches a batter sees outside the ABS strike zone that they swing at
Whiff%: The percentage of pitches a batter swings at and does not make contact
Z-Contact%: The percentage of pitches in the ABS strike zone a batter makes contact with when swinging
Hard-Hit%: The percentage of batted balls with exit velocities of 95 mph or higher
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 10: Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks looks on during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Four of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 10, 2026 at Madison in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It’s been five years since Mikal Bridges walked off the court in disappointment after the Phoenix Suns lost Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Now, Bridges finds himself one win away from finishing the job with the New York Knicks, as they are up 3-1 against the San Antonio Spurs with three chances to clinch.
It’s been a long journey for Bridges, who is about to wrap up his eighth season in the NBA. Just two seasons after helping the Suns reach the Finals, he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in a package for Kevin Durant, moving him to NYC.
That’s where Bridges’ career really began to take off as he averaged 21.2 points per game in 109 games across two seasons with the Nets. His value grew exponentially, so when the Nets found themselves in need of a reset, they traded him to the Knicks for five future first-round picks.
Since the trade, many have criticized the deal, saying the Knicks gave up too much for someone who likely won’t see an All-Star game in his career. He ranks fourth on the Knicks in scoring behind Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby, but he brings more value to the team than scoring.
Bridges’ defense, consistency and toughness are why the Knicks traded their entire future. They had a championship in mind when they made the trade, and the prophecy can be fulfilled if they can win one more.
COVERS INTEL:
Samuel Basallo
CJ Abrams
Mike Trout
