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Knicks fans throw items at Victor Wembanyama, Spurs after NBA Finals thriller

The New York Knicks won Game 4 of the NBA Finals in as thrilling a fashion as you'll ever see. But some fans celebrating the team's 29-point comeback and 3-1 series lead were not on their best behavior.

Per a video posted by NBA content creator "KingCharge" who appeared to be on the scene, the Spurs were greeted by many hostile fans as they returned to their New York hotel. The most vitriol was reserved for Spurs star Victor Wembanyama − and some fans in the crowd beyond the barricades threw unidentified items in his direction.

Wembanyama turned back to look in the direction the items came from, but he was quickly ushered inside by security.

Warning: Video contains some strong language

Wembanyama has not made any friends in New York during the Finals after shoving Knicks star Jalen Brunson in Game 3 and escaping what many believe should have been a flagrant foul. Then, he taunted the Knicks in the first half of Game 4 after Knicks center Mitchell Robinson was given a fragrant foul for a forearm to Wembanyama’s chin.

Later in Wednesday's game, Wembanyama was assessed a flagrant foul for throwing an elbow at the throat of Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns. The Spurs star now has three flagrant points in the NBA playoffs. If he gets a fourth, he would be suspended.

The Knicks have the chance to win their first title since 1973 in Game 5, which is Saturday in San Antonio. This series has certainly put both Wembanyama and the actions of Knicks fans in the spotlight.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New York Knicks fans throw items at Victor Wembanyama, Spurs

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Rasmus Dahlin Opens Up On Playoff Heartbreak, Leadership And A New-Look Sabres

Sometimes the most important trophy a player wins never finds a spot in the display case.

Rasmus Dahlin returned to Sweden this summer without a Norris Trophy or a Masterton Trophy, but after navigating the most demanding year of his career—both as the captain of a rising Buffalo Sabres team and as someone who nearly lost the person closest to him—the 25-year-old leaves the season with something far more valuable: proof that he and the Sabres are finally headed in the right direction.

The 2025-26 campaign delivered a pair of career milestones for Dahlin, who earned his first top-three finish for both the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman and the Masterton Trophy, awarded for perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.

Just as meaningful was another first.

For the first time in his NHL career, Dahlin experienced Stanley Cup Playoff hockey, and it didn't take long for the moment to feel surprisingly familiar.

“It took me a couple of games to realize it's not that big of a deal," Dahlin stated during his end-of-season press conference. "Everybody talks about playoffs, that you need experience and this and that. But at the end of the day, it's just hockey. It's high compete hockey, and once me, and we realized that, we just went out there and played."

More than anything, Buffalo's captain believes the postseason proved something internally—that the Sabres belong.

“We definitely took a step in the right direction," Dahlin said. "We've really grown as an organization, as a team, as individuals. It's a sour taste in your mouth after that [Game 7] loss [to Montreal], but in the big picture, we've done some good things this year. I'm excited for the future.”

How One Brutal Conversation Changed The Buffalo Sabres' Entire Season

That optimism doesn't erase the disappointment.

Buffalo had every opportunity to eliminate Montreal and punch its ticket to the Eastern Conference Final against Carolina before three losses at KeyBank Center ultimately ended the season. The Game 7 overtime defeat remains fresh, but Dahlin expects that pain to become fuel rather than frustration.

“It's definitely going to be a motivator," he said. "At the end of the day, we didn't even come halfway during the playoffs, and we know how hard it is to win.

“Game 7, it's one shot that decides the whole season, and we could've scored a little earlier and the season would've been still going. So I'm sure everybody is going to go back to their places and train really hard.”

The foundation for Buffalo's turnaround, however, wasn't built during the playoffs.

It began months earlier in Calgary, when head coach Lindy Ruff met privately with his leadership group. Dahlin then gathered those same players for an honest conversation as the Sabres sat at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

There were no excuses left to make.

“The meetings and team building stuff we had, and us coming together as a group and realizing, 'OK, we can bitch about so many things, but it's us players that have to do it. We have to get better.' And when we really, really realized that on a deep level, things changed, and we started being more accountable to each other,” Dahlin recalled.

That accountability wasn't about systems or strategy.

It started with the mirror.

"It's everything," he explained. "You can only imagine that when you're doing great, everything else is the problem. 'Not me. He is not doing the right thing, or this or that.' But when you look at yourself in the mirror, that's what it comes down to.”

The results followed.

Buffalo improved by 30 points over last season, with Ruff's demanding approach helping establish a culture that Dahlin believes brought out the best in the group.

“He's so good at pushing us. There's no time for f'ing around. You gotta be uncomfortable every day, and I think that's what really helped with us as a group too, and that brought a lot of success for sure,” Dahlin said.

After Heartbreak On And Off The Ice, Rasmus Dahlin Is Just Getting Started

For Dahlin, the season carried a much deeper perspective than wins and losses.

Last summer, his fiancée, Carolina Matovac, nearly died multiple times from heart failure before receiving a life-saving heart transplant. Throughout that ordeal, Dahlin says the support from Buffalo never went unnoticed.

“I can't be more thankful for everything with the stuff I went through," he said. "It seemed like the whole city had my back, and the team and the organization, I felt a lot of love, honestly. I can't be more thankful, and I do really appreciate it.”

There won't be much downtime this offseason.

Like every elite player, Dahlin is already thinking about the next step, and he knows exactly where he wants to improve.

“I'm excited to get back in the gym, get more explosive, get faster, have better condition, be able to play higher quality in higher minutes. But I think my explosiveness has to get better," Dahlin said candidly.

The hardware may have gone elsewhere—finishing behind Cale Makar and Norris Trophy winner Zach Werenski while Gabriel Landeskog claimed the Masterton—but Dahlin's breakout season felt less like the peak of his career than the beginning of something much bigger.

For the first time in years, both the Sabres and their captain have something they've been chasing just as long as a trophy: genuine belief.

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USMNT erupts after wild Knicks comeback win in NBA Finals

The entire sporting world was stunned by the New York Knicks' epic comeback against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night, and the U.S. men's national team was no different.

The Knicks pulled off the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history, rallying from a 29-point deficit to defeat the Spurs 107-106 in Game 4. The win gave the Knicks a 3-1 series lead, leaving them just one win from their first championship since 1973.

The game was sealed in dramatic fashion, with OG Anunoby tipping in Jalen Brunson's missed 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds to go.

The USMNT was watching the game at its team hotel, just two days before it kicks off the World Cup against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

As Anunoby's tip-in went down, the room erupted in wild scenes of celebration. Players screamed and jumped all over the furniture, tackling one another in disbelief. At the center of the action was noted Knicks fan and New York native Tyler Adams.

Several USMNT players dog-piled one another including — in a seemingly positive sign for his health — defender Chris Richards.

The Knicks will aim for a championship in Game 5 on Saturday, one day after the USMNT begins its World Cup journey.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USMNT erupts after Knicks comeback win vs Spurs in NBA Finals

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Seven teams now make up Padres minor leagues

The Dominican Summer League (DSL) season got underway on June 2. The season is 72 games long and ends in August. The Padres have two DSL teams, Padres Gold and Padres Brown, with the Gold team defending its championship from last season.

With the addition of the ACL Padres and the two DSL teams, the Padres now have seven minor league teams playing games. The prospect lists have been updated for the end of May/beginning of June. Catcher Ethan Salas has improved his status as a prospect, moving up from No. 27 to No. 11 on the Baseball America prospect list. MLB.com lists Salas as the No. 49 prospect in baseball.

LHP Kruz Schoolcraft, who started the year in the MLB top 100 prospects, has slipped off the list. His slow start with Lake Elsinore has undermined his early value. His velocity was down to start the year but his last couple starts have shown improvement and his future value could be improved.

Besides those two players, no one else in the Padres system will receive any national attention until they prove they deserve consideration. San Diego president of baseball operations A.J. Preller has stated on multiple occasions that the Padres prospects are valued by other teams more than they are by national evaluators.

The coming trade deadline, on Aug. 3, is when Padres fans will find out if Preller believes his team is a playoff team by the way he handles business at the deadline. Multiple players have helped Preller out by distinguishing themselves early in the season. The real test comes when the teams begin to play each other for the second time around and if adjustments come to maintain success.

El Paso Chihuahuas (51-79 record, last in the PCL East)

With the promotion of Samad Taylor and Jase Bowen, the Chihuahuas lost two of their most productive players. They went 2-4 in their series versus the Sugar Land Space Cowboys. Outfielder Nick Solak has stepped into the leading role for El Paso. In the six-game series he had 13 hits with two doubles and two home runs. Solak, 31, has had major league experience and is hitting .344/.421/.536. Oufielder Nick Schnell leads the team with 10 home runs and Solak has 39 RBI.

RHP Germán Márquez has begun his rehab assignment and has pitched 6.1 innings over two starts with no runs allowed and only two hits. He has walked one and has five strikeouts. Evan Fitterer remains the most effective starter for El Paso with 11 games started and a 3.80 ERA in 45 innings pitched. JP Sears continues to lead the team in strikeouts despite being hit hard and often. He has a 7.62 ERA in 54.1 innings pitched.

Catcher Blake Hunt has been off the IL for a week and back with El Paso. He had five hits, including a double and a home run, in the four games he has played.

San Antonio Missions (25-32 record, last in Texas League South)

The Missions went 5-1 in their series with the Wichita Wind Surge and resurgent OF Braedon Karpathios was part of the reason. Karpathios, a 2022 undrafted free agent sign, had a difficult start to the season but has surged over the past week. In their six-game series he was 9-for-19 with nine walks. Since May 1, he has a .920 OPS.

Catcher Ethan Salas, who has been consistently hot since the season began, had a little cooling off stretch despite celebrating his 20th birthday on June 1. He only had three hits and no extra base hits with three walks. He stole his 12th base, a new high for him in his career.

Infielder Carson Tucker leads the team with a .299 average and Karpathios has the best OBP at .373. Salas has a slug of .462 and the most RBI with 31. First baseman Romeo Sanabria also had a good series with two doubles and two home runs to keep him close to Salas in production.

The Missions bullpen is their strength in pitching. Both Francis Peña and Andrew Moore shined for the bullpen. Peña has a 1.93 ERA in 23.1 innings and Moore has a 2.29 ERA in 19.2 innings.

LHP Jagger Haynes had his best start, pitching 5,2 innings with two runs allowed. RHP Miguel Mendez has been brought back slowly after his early season neck strain and pitched five innings in his last start with no runs allowed. He gave up two hits and struck out four. His fastball was clocked at 96-97 mph and his location is improving (report per Ben Davey of MadFriars.com).

Fort Wayne TinCaps (24-33, 5th Medwest League East)

The TinCaps faced the Lake County Captains for their six-game series and went 1-5 for the week. The starters struggled with command during the series. LHP Kash Mayfield had his worst outing of the year. His five innings were pitched under poor conditions for the pitchers. A strong wind blowing out aided the three home runs he allowed with the seven hits and two walks. Mayfield has only allowed two previous home runs in his other starts.

RHP Carson Montgomery worked five innings while struggling with his command. He allowed three runs on two hits and walked five. He was able to strike out six hitters and has a 2.40 ERA overall. Reliever Clay Edmondson had his first rough outing, allowing three hits, three runs and two walks in 0.2 innings. His ERA is now 1.59.

RHP Tucker Musgrove is building off his breakout season of last year. His fastball tops at 99 mph and his sweeper at 98 mph. In his last 10.1 innings pitched he has a 1.69 ERA and 47% strikeout rate. (report per Clark Fahrenthold of MadFriars.com).

Outfielder Jake Cunningham continues to lead the TinCaps offense. He is hitting .295/.383/.628 with 10 doubles, 14 home runs and 32 RBI. Four of those homers came in the past week but he also leads the team in strikeouts with 56 and his swing-and-miss will need to improve. Outfielder Alex McCoy is in another slump and is seeing mostly breaking balls in his at-bats. The league has adjusted to his success against the fastball and he isn’t seeing many of those. He will need to adjust back in order to maintain his early success.

Lake Elsinore Storm (33-24 record, 1st in Cal League South)

The Storm went 3-3 in their six-game series against the Fresno Grizzlies. They maintained their top spot in the Cal League and have the best record as well.

LHP Kruz Schoolcraft got his first win as a pro player, pitching five innings with one run and three hits. He got three strikeouts and allowed no walks. RHP Jesus Castro has also been pitching well and threw five innings with three hits, two walks and five strikeouts while shutting out the opponents. The 18-year-old has a 3.05 ERA and has bypassed Winyer Chourio as the most effective Storm starter. Chourio still leads with 60 strikeouts to 22 walks.

Reliever Nick Falter has a 2.25 ERA over 40 innings and has one save. He has 39 strikeouts to 13 walks.

Catcher Ty Harvey, out for the next month or so after being hit by a swing and breaking his hand, still leads the Storm with a .340 average. Infielder Luke Cantwell, back after his three-week injury stint, has a leading .477 OBP. Infielder Kerrington Cross leads in slug and OPS (.570/.1.037) with eight home runs and 30 RBI. He played first base while Cantwell was injured but is also a third baseman.

Outfielder Ryan Wideman had a great week against Fresno, with two doubles and a home run. He added another stolen base to his total of 37 but was caught three times (he has 12 caught stealing for the year). Infielder Jose Verdugo, 18, also had a good week with two doubles and a home run. Not known for his power, Verdugo hit safely in every game of the series and is hitting .287.

ACL Padres (13-13 record, 3rd in ACL West)

With just 26 games played, there have been some noticeable standouts for the rookie league already. Infielder/DH Santiago Vargas, a switch hitter, was signed in January of 2025 but didn’t play in the DSL last season. He has begun his pro career with a bang and has a .315/.367/.556 batting line with three doubles, two triples, two homers and 15 RBI in 16 games.

3B Dawson Willis, an undrafted free agent from Louisiana, is hitting .317/.404/.634 with five doubles, a triple, two homers and six RBI in 11 games. Outfielder Moises Valdez, 20, is hitting .405/.435/.524 with five doubles and five RBI in 12 games.

Lefty reliever Zack Qin is off the IL but remains in Arizona. He has a 1.15 ERA in 15.2 innings. Padres signed reliever Daison Acosta before the season and then designated him for assignment during the spring. He went on the IL almost immediately after camp started and has now begun his rehab with the ACL team. Ty Adcock finished his rehab and is with El Paso.

RHP Lang-Hong Su has three starts and 10 innings pitched with a 0.90 ERA. Reliever Bernard Jose has a 1.29 ERA in 14 innings with 25 strikeouts to two walks.

DSL Padres

The DSL Brown Padres have played six games and have a 1-5 record. RHP Yoel Duarte is a top international prospect that signed with the Padres and is playing for Brown. The 17-year-old from Venezuela has not pitched yet. With six games played, second baseman Osmy Osorio leads the team with a .304 average and 1.012 OPS.

RHP Yolansy Perez has a 2.25 ERA in four innings pitched with three strikeouts and no walks.

The DSL Padres Gold (3-2, 4th DSL Northwest) have several of the top rated international players signed by the Padres. Shortstop Joniel Harnandez, SS/3B Timothy Mogen, catcher Jhonneiker Leon, LHP Diego Serna, and RHP Jordan Perez all begin with the Gold.

Hernandez is hitting .350 with a .931 OPS in five games. Mogen, playing third base, is hitting .167 in five games. Leon has a .067 average in four games. Serna has not pitched yet and Perez has a 27.00 ERA in one inning pitched, allowing three runs.

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OG Anunoby's iconic tip-in started with being challenged by coach Brown at Knicks shootaround

"That has to be the most iconic shot in the history of New York basketball."

Mike Brown nailed it with that comment about OG Anunoby's tip-in. Karl-Anthony Towns agreed.

"Right hand from God," Towns said.

However, the play that will go down in Knicks lore as a Finals game-winner in the most iconic of victories — a comeback from 29 points down — started early in the day, at Knicks shootaround, when Brown challenged Anunoby.

"I told OG, as big, as strong, as athletic as he is, he's got to be a monster on the offensive glass tonight," Brown said. "I don't know if there was a play bigger in the history of Knicks basketball. That was a huge offensive rebound. Huge offensive rebound.

"He took on the challenge, and he went and won the game for us doing exactly what I called him out for during shootaround today."

"[Coach] told me I need to get on the glass, offensive glass, especially, and just use my ability, size, strength, athleticism, to make an impact on the offensive glass," Anunoby said. "And it happened at the end."

Anunoby contributes more than points

Anunoby was having a monster NBA Finals before he became a New York legend. The one Knicks player with a ring — he played a big role for Toronto in 2019 — was averaging 20.7 points a game (second on the team) with a ridiculous .722 true shooting percentage through the first three games of the Finals. Plus, he was playing high-level defense.

All of that shone through in Game 4.

Anunoby, along with Brunson, was the only steady offense for New York on the night, and he finished with 33 points, including seven 3-pointers.

However, his defense may have been more critical. When Brown switched Anunoby onto De'Aaron Fox, it threw the Spurs' already-struggling offense even more off-balance. Yet the Spurs kept playing through Fox, and Anunoby kept blowing things up.

Then came the defensive play of the night. The Knicks were down one with 16 seconds left when Jalen Brunson missed a contested six-footer, and in the scramble for the rebound it got knocked into the back court. Fox ran it down and, with 11 seconds left, inexplicably chose to go for a layup that was contested by Anunoby at the rim, rather than dribble the ball out, eat up some clock and force the Knicks to foul. Instead, Anunoby got the block that kept it a one-point game.

Then came the play that means Anunoby should never have to pay for another meal in New York City — the tip-in that changed the Knicks' season.

"I inbounded the ball to Jalen. He got a pretty good look and I just went and crashed," Anunoby said of the play. "Tried to get a tip-dunk or something. The ball went over my head, so I couldn't really dunk it. So I tried to tip it in softly and it went in."

New York came from 29 down to win a game it had no business still being in at the end. The Knicks are now just one win away from their first ring in 53 years, and Anunoby's calm, steady demeanor is a key reason why — he embodied the Knicks' comeback.

"We're a resilient group. We've been through a lot," Anunoby said. "We've come back plenty of times when we're behind. Just staying with it, weathering the storm, not being too down or angry or frustrated. Just staying with it, cut down to 18, cut it down to 6, push it through. It's a 48-minute game, just play till the end."

Anunoby did, and he might get a second ring because of it.

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Charles Barkley calls Spurs 'dumbest basketball team in the history of civilization'

NBA commentator Charles Barkley did not hold back while providing his opinion on the San Antonio Spurs' collapse in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

Barkley called the Spurs the "dumbest basketball team in the history of civilization" after they blew a 29-point lead on Wednesday, June 10.

The Spurs had the chance to even the series at 2-2, but the Knicks stole it late and now have a commanding 3-1 lead in the series.

"That was some of the most mismanaged, stupid basketball," Barkley said during the “Inside the NBA” postgame show. "When you blow a 29-point lead, the other team has to help you. The San Antonio Spurs helped the New York Knicks win this game by doing some of the stupid(est) stuff I've seen on a basketball court."

The Spurs found success early in the first half, setting an NBA Finals record with 14 made 3s (on 26 attempts).

San Antonio did not have the same luck in the second half and struggled from long range. The team went 3-for-17 from deep in the second half.

The Spurs missed nine of those 3s in the third quarter, allowing the Knicks to take advantage of the missed opportunities and crawl back into the game.

“They played terrible basketball," Shaquille O'Neal said on the show. "They got comfortable with the lead and talking about going back to San Antonio and just didn't play smart."

The Knicks returned to the locker room at halftime trailing 76-49 before going on to outscore the Spurs 58-30 in the second half.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Charles Barkley calls Spurs 'dumbest basketball team' after collapse

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Spurs suffer worst collapse in NBA history in game 4 vs Knicks

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 08: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts during the second quarter against the New York Knicks in Game Three of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 08, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) | Getty Images

I don’t drink. But after what just happened, the temptation is growing.

The first half of this game was absolute joy. Fox drew a foul on KAT on the very first possession, then Big Purr drew one on Wemby right after. Mitch Johnson elected to challenge the latter call, and upon review, it was deemed that KAT hooked the Alien. This forced the Knicks to sit their All-Star centre since he already had two personal fouls, while Wemby’s slate was wiped clean. The Spurs took advantage shortly after by hitting two threes and scoring off a turnover, continuing their streak of building a 10-point lead early in each game.

With KAT on the bench, New York was forced to play Mitchell Robinson for extended minutes, helping San Antonio stay hot. The good guys started 6-8 from deep and scored 30 points in just the first eight minutes of the game, and the Knicks had to dust off fantasy specialist Ariel Hukporti to give Robinson a breather. The once raucous MSG crowd suddenly turned nervous as the Spurs built a 20-point lead, with hushed murmurs reverberating throughout the arena.

Unlike the other games (this still stands, but for all the wrong reasons), San Antonio continued throwing haymakers. After back-to-back threes from Fox, the entire team joined the party. Seven Spurs made a triple before half-time, and their 14 total set a new record for threes in a single NBA finals half. The Knicks became discombobulated on offense too, resorting to hero-ball from Brunson — one of their most inefficient scoring options in the series (at the time). As a result, the Spurs led 76-49 at the half, which is also the most points a road team has scored in the first half of any finals game in history.

Then, the entire world started to crumble.

New York went on a 13-0 run in the third to cut the lead down to 15, while San Antonio’s offense halted to a stop. The Spurs continued hunting threes and forgot about a guy who’s kind of tall, and as soon as their hot streak ended, the once massive lead began to dwindle. They were outscored 26-14 in the third alone, and worst of all, Brunson started getting hot.

Suddenly, it was as if the Knicks played the uno reverse card on the Spurs, as they began hitting all their shots: from three, from mid-range, from the Statue of Liberty, you name it. What was once a 15-point lead with eight minutes left became a two-possession game, as New York capitalized on the Spurs’ over-aggressive defense with pinpoint ball movement. San Antonio made some panicked adjustments to try and get the ball out of Brunson’s hands, but that left the Knicks’ shooters wide open, who all had auto-aim activated.

On the other end, San Antonio’s strategy was to watch one player dribble the air out of the ball while the other four prayed to some sports deity that had already abandoned them. Somehow, that actually resulted in a three from Fox and a foul line jumper from Wemby, but it wasn’t enough to stem the tide against a New York team shielded by plot armor. After Brunson splashed a 27-foot missile over Wemby (of all people), the Knicks cut the lead down to just one with 2:30 left, and the Spurs’ counter was to play one of the worst possessions you’ll ever see.

Fox tried to run a high pick-and-roll to get Wemby an open path to the rim, who set a screen that hardly grazed Anunoby. As a result, Anunoby easily went over and forced Fox to pick up his dribble and jump without a clear passing lane. Instead of just living with the double dribble, however, Fox threw the ball to the middle of the court, which was picked off by Josh Hart, who then proceeded to smoke a wide-open dunk. Then, the Knicks isoed Brunson against Castle, and Captain New York made a tough floater that bounced in, to put the home team up one.

With a minute left, the Spurs isoed Fox at the elbow, who missed the shot but resulted in free throws for Castle, who knocked both down to put San Antonio back up by one. With 20 seconds left and the ball back in the Knicks’ hands, Brunson missed a bank shot that was tipped to mid-court, and Fox got to it first. Instead of dribbling out the clock, however, he had delusions of grandeur and went up for a layup, which was blocked by Anunoby.

Still, all hope wasn’t lost, yet. New York only had 5 seconds left to put up a final shot, which ended up being a Brunson prayer from the logo over Wemby. He missed, but in the ensuing chaos, Anunoby flew in and tipped the ball over the outstretched hands of three Spurs. Of course, it somehow went in. 107-106, Knicks.

With 1.2 seconds left, San Antonio actually drew up a good inbounds play that had Castle open for a dunk, but Harper flubbed the pass, and probably the Larry O’Brien trophy, too.

Game notes

  • History is now on the Spurs’ side: there have been five instances in NBA history where a team tied the finals at 2-2 after trailing 2-0, and all five of those teams went on to win the title.
  • I’ve suffered through some pretty bad heartbreaks in my years as a sports fan, almost entirely at the hands of the Canucks. Most notably, the 2*11 NHL finals between them and Bruins, which might still be the most traumatic thing that I’ve ever experienced. Well, this game is now on that list, and the series isn’t even over yet.
  • This game was basically the final fight in every Rocky movie. His opponent would pummel him to bits for most of the match, only for his iron chin to withstand everything and land a knockout blow at the very end. New York is Rocky, and he indeed, did not die.
  • I hated the process of this game and said that before the comeback even materialized. It took until the fourth before the Spurs remembered that they have an Alien on their side, but it was too little, too late. After barely seeing the ball the entire half, Wemby had lost all his touch by then, resulting in a stretch in which he shot 1-11 from the third to the middle of the fourth.
  • Wemby now has 3 flagrant points in the playoffs following an inadvertent elbow against KAT in the third quarter. I thought it was a borderline call, but considering he got away scotch free with the Brunson shove in game 3, he definitely deserves another flagrant in the aggregate. The bigger story, though, is that accumulating 4 flagrants results in an automatic suspension. I’m confident that won’t happen, but it shouldn’t have gotten to this stage, either. Wemby needs to keep a cooler head, and he’s got no one to blame but himself for ending up in this position.
  • Live by the three, die by the three. The Spurs experienced both sides of that in game 4, making 14 threes in the first half and just three in the second. San Antonio wanted to see if they could keep up the momentum and settled for too many jumpers when their rhythm was gone, and it resulted in the largest single-game collapse/comeback in NBA Finals history. The commitment to threes would even make Joey Mazz proud.
  • It’s been said before, and I’ll say it again: this series will be determined by turnovers. It’s not a coincidence that the Spurs only had two turnovers in the first half and had nine in the second. New York actually finished with 13, but almost none came during their comeback. San Antonio had more turnovers than made buckets in the third quarter alone.
  • Castle was pretty brutal for most of the game, but he deserves credit for hitting those clutch free throws at the end and going 8/8 from the line. Remember, he iced game 3 from the line too, and I was ready to personally deliver him the finals MVP if Anunoby’s fingers were an inch shorter. Those free throws will be lost in the craziness, but the streets won’t forget.
  • What won’t get lost is 2023 Clutch Player of the Year De’Aaron Fox. I’ve had a love/hate relationship with him since before he was traded to the Spurs, and have given him flowers for playing through his ankle injury. However, I only just learned that an ankle could impede one’s processing, too. Why didn’t he just dribble out the clock with 15 seconds left??? He doesn’t have his usual burst and knew that Anunoby was coming, and still decided to go for the layup. Mind-boggling.
  • I’m not a spiritual person. I don’t believe in any deities, or even ghosts. But what this Knicks team has become over the past two months is something beyond my simple comprehension. Maybe Timothy Chalamet and Anne Hathaway sprinkled magical powder on MSG in the middle of round one so they could be cast in Spike Lee’s new movie: The Miracle in the Garden. Speaking of which, it’s time to boycott The Odyssey and Dune.
  • Conduct a wellness check on your fellow Spurs brethren. And for the love of the basketball gods, do NOT answer any calls/texts from friends who troll. This is the start of our healing journey. We will get through it together.

Play of the game

Dylan Harper is the only thing keeping me going.

Next game: in San Antonio on Saturday for Game 5

Well, Game 5 will be back in San Antonio on Saturday at 3:30pm Central Time. The sun will still rise tomorrow, I guess.

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The Pressure On Utah’s Front Office Has Never Been Higher

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 27: Cameron Boozer #12 of the Duke Blue Devils looks on during the second half against the St. John's Red Storm in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 27, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It’s been exactly one month since the Utah Jazz won the NBA lottery, and each day the pressure mounts as we get closer to draft day. In some drafts, the #1 pick is a foregone conclusion, like with Cooper Flagg and Victor Wembanyama. The thing that makes this draft so unique, and a great one to be #2, is that the top three players all have a case to be the #1 pick. You could even argue Caleb Wilson and not get laughed at. With the luxury of of having so much top-tier talent at the top also comes the anxiety to make sure that you aren’t the team that ends up picking the worst of the three.

AJ Dybantsa is favored at FanDuel to go #1 at -475, which is up from yesterday at -450. That seems to be the consensus more and more around the league. For Utah, that leaves them with the decision between Cam Boozer and Darryn Peterson. That choice is one of the biggest choices the Jazz will ever make. Do they go with the guard that had one of the weirdest seasons in recent memory in Darryn Peterson? The creatine story is a hard one to believe. But if he’s healthy and looks like he did in his high school tape, he could be an all-time scorer in the league with defensive chops as well. Or do they go with the hyper-efficient big who sits at the top of every raw and advanced stat? But who isn’t a good rim protector and seems to get a large portion of his points in the post, a place that he probably won’t use as much in the league.

That is the question the Jazz have to answer. Chances are that both players will be great, and you can’t go wrong. But even that brings pressure because when you’re drafting in the top 3 in a draft like this, you don’t just want the All-Star, you want the All-NBA player.

For Jazz fans, it’s easy to say who you would pick, but when the pressure is on come draft night, and they have to submit their pick, that choice gets really hard, and that pressure might be daunting. All we can hope is that the Jazz have done their homework and will make the best possible choice.

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Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: Josh Hader off to strong start in return from injury

In this week's Closer Report, Josh Hader is looking excellent in his first week back from injury. Andrés Muñoz continues to struggle with run prevention despite strong underlying skills. And David Bednar appears to be coming around amid his best stretch of the season. All that and more as we break down the last week in saves around baseball.

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2026 Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings

▶ Tier 1

Mason Miller - San Diego Padres
Cade Smith - Cleveland Guardians
Jhoan Duran - Philadelphia Phillies
Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox
Raisel Iglesias- Atlanta Braves

Miller made four appearances this week, but only one came in a save situation. After giving up one run to the Mets on Friday, he bounced back with a scoreless inning on Saturday for his 18th save, then made two more clean outings in back-to-back games against the Reds.

It was a rare quiet week on the mound for Smith, who made one appearance against the Yankees, recording five outs in a non-save situation. Still, he continues to lead baseball with 21 saves to go with a 2.67 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 46 strikeouts over 30 1/3 innings.

Duran worked two saves against the White Sox and Blue Jays, then had a rare bad day on the mound, giving up two runs against Toronto on Tuesday to blow a save chance. Duran recovered on Wednesday, keeping the Blue Jays scoreless to convert his 17th save.

Chapman has apparently been dealing with a minor hamstring issue over the last week, but was able to tough it out for a save against the Yankees on Friday. The 38-year-old left-hander is up to 13 saves with a 0.46 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and 26 strikeouts over 19 2/3 innings. The expectation is that the veteran closer will be pitching for a new team by the trade deadline.

Iglesias converted back-to-back saves against the Pirates on Friday and Saturday, bringing his total to 13. He then surrendered a run against the White Sox on Tuesday to take a loss. It was just his third run allowed all season, giving him a 1.21 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and 26 strikeouts over 22 1/3 innings.

▶ Tier 2

Bryan Baker - Tampa Bay Rays
Louis Varland - Toronto Blue Jays
Josh Hader - Houston Astros
Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners
Daniel Palencia - Chicago Cubs
Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers
Gregory Soto - Pittsburgh Pirates
Paul Sewald - Arizona Diamondbacks
David Bednar - New York Yankees

Baker started this week's series against the Red Sox with back-to-back saves on Monday and Tuesday. He continues to dominate the ninth inning for the Rays, converting 18 of 21 save chances with a 1.98 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 30 strikeouts over 27 1/3 innings. The same can be said for Varland, who's actually having one of the best seasons among all relievers, posting a 0.50 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 46 strikeouts over 35 2/3 innings. He added three saves and a win this week. Both Baker and Varland probably belong among the top tier at this point. Track record and more role security separate the relievers above.

Hader has now made four appearances since coming off the injured list. He's allowed just one baserunner on a walk while striking out seven of the 13 batters he's faced. The 32-year-old looks to be back to form. It's early for him, but if he has a few more impressive outings, he'll continue to rise up the ranks.

Muñoz is making it increasingly difficult to keep him this high in the rankings. Despite the strong underlying skills that really do align with his career norms, he just hasn't been able to prevent runs. He surrendered two runs against the Tigers on Sunday to blow a save and take a loss. Muñoz did recover on Monday with a save against the Orioles. The 27-year-old right-hander has posted a 5.18 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and 37 strikeouts over 24 1/3 innings. Given his strikeout-to-walk ratio is among the best he's posted in his career, I'll keep holding out hope he corrects what is making him suddenly so hittable.

This is where things get tough. What does Palencia have to do to get a save chance? His last save came on May 14. He's been stuck at three saves since. He made three appearances this week and holds a 2.87 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, and 16 strikeouts over 15 2/3 innings.

Scott has been in the middle of a rough stretch, giving up five runs over his last five outings. He took a loss against the Diamondbacks last Thursday, then pitched in two non-save situations. Meanwhile, Soto gave up two runs before holding on for his ninth save on Wednesday against the Dodgers.

And in Arizona, Sewald fell in line for a win with a scoreless inning against the Dodgers last Thursday. A.J. Puk is currently on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Reno and could be back with the Diamondbacks in the next week or so. Still, I'd expect Sewald to continue working as the team's closer.

Bednar had one of his better weeks on the mound, making three scoreless appearances that included five outs against the Guardians on Monday to fall in line for a win. That makes six straight scoreless outings for his best stretch of the season. The 31-year-old right-hander holds a 3.90 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, and 33 strikeouts over 27 2/3 innings.

▶ Tier 3

Riley O'Brien - St. Louis Cardinals
Jacob Latz - Texas Rangers
Devin Williams - New York Mets
Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers
Grant Taylor/Seranthony Domínguez - Chicago White Sox
Pete Fairbanks - Miami Marlins

O'Brien got back on track this week with a pair of scoreless outings, picking up two saves against the Reds. He's up to 17 with a 3.68 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 31 strikeouts over 29 1/3 innings.

In Texas, Latz made two appearances this week, completing a two-inning save against the Guardians on Friday before locking down a save in extra innings against the Royals on Wednesday. The save was his tenth of the season with an excellent 1.80 ERA over 30 innings.

Williams appeared in one game, giving up one run in a non-save situation against the Padres on Sunday. So far, it's been essentially a repeat of last season's struggles, as he's recorded a 5.57 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, and 33 strikeouts over 21 innings.

After giving up two runs to blow a save chance against the Rockies on Friday, Megill was unavailable to pitch on Monday against the A's due to oblique tightness. It was encouraging then to see him make an appearance on Wednesday, striking out two in a scoreless frame in a non-save situation against the A's.

Things look to have shifted again with the White Sox. All three of Domíguez's outings this week came before the ninth inning. Meanwhile, Taylor pitched the ninth in both of his appearances, picking up a save and a win. The last time Taylor earned a save, Domíguez stepped back in for the next few save chances. Should Taylor settle into the ninth this time around, he can quickly rise up the rankings for the rest of the season.

Fairbanks gave up two runs against the Rays on Saturday, but was still credited with a hold before Tyler Zuber stepped in to record the save. He then bounced back with a scoreless outing against the Diamondbacks on Tuesday to fall in line for a win.

▶ Tier 4

Alex Lange - Kansas City Royals
Rico Garcia - Baltimore Orioles
Kaleb Killian/Keaton Winn - San Francisco Giants
Clayton Beeter/Gus Varland - Washington Nationals
Kyle Finnegan/Will Vest - Detroit Tigers

Things get incredibly messy from here on. Lange has taken over closing duties in Kansas City following Lucas Erceg's struggles. He rattled off four consecutive saves, then took the loss on Wednesday in extra innings against the Rangers. Lange's walk problems persist, making him a volatile and risky option for those looking for saves.

Garcia surrendered runs in back-to-back outings this week, taking a loss on Tuesday against the Mariners. Ryan Helsley progressed to facing live hitters this week as he works his way back from right elbow inflammation. The next step will be a rehab assignment before he's activated from the injured list.

The Giants continue to have trouble finding consistency in the late innings. Winn has given up six runs over his last five outings. Kilian picked up a save on Thursday, his fourth of the season, then made two more scoreless appearances in non-save situations. Don't expect any reliable save sources here. The same can be said about the Nationals. Varland recorded his fifth save, then surrendered three runs without recording an out against the Giants on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Beeter earned a win against the Giants on Monday.

No saves for the Tigers this week, but Vest did pick up a win with a scoreless inning against the Mariners on Sunday. Kenley Jansen is on his way back from a groin injury after starting a rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo on Wednesday. He may just need an outing or two before he's activated and should step back into the closer role.

▶ Tier 5

Antonio Senzatela - Colorado Rockies
Tony Santillan/Brock Burke- Cincinnati Reds
Kirby Yates - Los Angeles Angels
Yoendrys Gómez/Eric Orze - Minnesota Twins
Elvis Alvarado/Hogan Harris - Athletics

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NYC abuzz as thousands celebrate Knicks’ stunning Game 4 victory — flooding streets, bars, bodegas: ‘Electrifying’

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Fans cheer while watching the NY Knicks game 4 of the NBA Finals on an outdoor screen, Image 2 shows New York Knicks fans celebrate their team's Game 4 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals, Image 3 shows OG Anunoby tipping the basketball into the hoop

New York City was buzzing Wednesday night as Knicks fans rejoiced in bars, bodegas, watch parties, city streets, and their own living rooms across the five boroughs after the team’s stunning comeback to win Game 4 — with the NBA championship now just one victory away.

The Knicks stormed back in the second half with the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history to steal Game 4 at Madison Square Garden with a 107-106 win and take a 3-1 series lead over the Spurs.

The Big Apple became one big celebration following the orange and blue’s miraculous rally within the final seconds to clinch the game.

New York City erupted Wednesday night as Knicks fans celebrated in bars, bodegas and streets across the five boroughs after the team’s stunning Game 4 comeback — putting them one win from the NBA title. AFP via Getty Images

New Yorkers set off fireworks, erupted in booming cheers and chants of “Knicks in Five,” crazily honked, hugged each other, danced in the streets and sang in the subways.

“It was electrifying. Oh my God, words can’t describe it,” Frederick Cassie, 21, of Flatbush, told The Post outside Midtown bar Lady Wilde’s. “This was historical.”

The feeling was electric in all corners of the city.

One joyous fan climbed up the pole of a bus stop sign on Seventh Avenue and did a backflip off it to raucous cheers from hundreds in the street. In Central Park, complete strangers huddled beside each other while watching the game on cellphones. Staten Island’s skies erupted in fireworks, while crowds lined up on Smith Street in Carroll Gardens, chanting “OG, OG, OG!” in reference to Knicks player OG Anunoby’s dramatic game-winning shot.

“Anything can happen in a New York Minute. What the F just happened? Knicks in six,” said Randy Sanchez, 28, from the Hudson Valley.

Fans watch the NY Knicks game 4 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs outside of Healthy Market on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 in New York City. Michael Nagle for NY Post
Fans celebrate at Herald Square after the Knicks’ historic comeback. Jennifer Bain
New Yorkers set off fireworks, erupted in booming cheers and chants of “Knicks in Five,” crazily honked, hugged each other, danced in the streets and sang in the subways. William C Lopez/NY Post
Fans during Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 10, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. NBAE via Getty Images

“I feel so great right now. I’m actually so lit. 
This is amazing. I can’t wait for the next game,” Layla David, 19, said outside the Central Park watch party.

The Knicks can clinch their first NBA title since 1973 with a victory Saturday in San Antonio.

“After tonight, I’m convinced that game five, we are taking it, they’re gonna win in San Antonio, and they’re gonna bring that championship trophy back to New York City, and that parade is gonna be insane,” James Egiziaco, 44, said. “And I’m taking off of work, and I’m gonna be there.”

New York Knicks fans celebrate outside Madison Square Garden after their team’s Game 4 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals in New York on June 10, 2026. AFP via Getty Images
OG Anunoby’s tip-in with 1.2 seconds remaining propelled the Knicks to a historic 107-106 comeback win over the Spurs in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on June 10, 2026, at the Garden. ESPN
Timothee Chalamet celebrates after Game Four of the 2026 NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks on June 10, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. NBAE via Getty Images
NYPD makes arrests on 8th Avenue. Fans outside Madison Square Garden as the New York Knicks host the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Aristide Economopoulos for NY Post

Madison Square Garden remained packed after Game 4 ended with hometown fanatics too thrilled to leave the arena, clips showed.

“It was the largest comeback ever. If any team could do it, the New York Knicks can. They’re going to win the championship,” Tommy Connors, 19, of Queens, said a few blocks up from the Garden. “Wemby [San Antonio villain Victory Wembanyama] folded under pressure. He couldn’t handle the Garden. He’s crying right now.”

For longtime Knicks faithful, the historic win was even more special.

Madison Square Garden remained packed after Game 4 ended with hometown fanatics too thrilled to leave the arena, clips showed. Anadolu via Getty Images
The Big Apple became one big celebration following the orange and blue’s miraculous rally within the final seconds to clinch the game. Aristide Economopoulos for NY Post
Taylor Swift and actress Mariska Hargitay react on celebrity row with Ben Stiller nd his wife Christine Taylor during the fourth quarter. Jason Szenes for the New York Post

“I’ve been a fan since ’92. We haven’t won a championship since ’93. This day is a day in history,” Steven St. Pierre, a 40-year-old actor and filmmaker. “We are here to witness it. Let’s go next. Jalen Brunson, the king of New York — he’s getting a statue outside the Garden. Let’s talk about it. Let’s go.”

The Knicks will face the Spurs in San Antonio on Saturday for the chance to win the finals once and for all.

“I’m honored to be a Knicks fan. I love this team. I love this city,” Marco Pace, 18, said. “This was the most truly inspiring game.”

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Astros Drop Series Finale to Angels 3-2 in 10

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 10: Cam Smith #11 of the Houston Astros rounds the bases on a solo home run during the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 10, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Melina Pizano/Getty Images) | Getty Images

For the second time in three nights, it would require extra innings.   This time however, the Astros wouldn’t be as fortunate as they were 48 hours earlier in the series opener, dropping the finale to the Angels by a score of 3-2.   Former Astro Jose Siri would deliver the final blow with an RBI single which brought home Nick Madrigal, who served as the automatic runner with the winning score.    Bryan Abreu would take the loss in relief, allowing a pair of hits on only seven pitches.    

The only good news of the night was that the Astros hit two home runs.   The bad news, those HRs represented their only two hits before Alvarez and Walker reached base in the 9th.   

With each passing inning, there was a sense that the season is slowly slipping away.    70 games now completed with a mark of 31-39.  The Astros are again 8 games under the .500 mark, and questions continue to linger.    Is this the Astros new reality?    Are they destined to hover towards the bottom of their division?     They sit in fourth place in the A.L West, having dropped three of their last four.   

Peter Lambert delivered yet another quality start, striking out 6, but would exit in the 7th with an apparent finger injury that began to swell up on a comebacker.       

Mike Trout, playing DH on this night, started the scoring with a solo shot to straight away center field in the first inning.   It was one of only two mistakes that Peter Lambert would make, also allowing Logan O’Hoppe in the 5th to go yard with a blast to left.  The Angels this season have now hit a combined 12 home runs off of Astros pitching in their 7 meetings.    With the victory, LA has now won 4 of those 7 contests.    

The Astros wouldn’t register a hit until Shay Whitcomb led off the 6th inning with a solo shot.    The offense has been in hibernation in recent games, and on this night was dominated by Reid Detmers who struck out five of his first seven.   Detmers would finish the night with 9 K’s.   Whitcomb would be the lone baserunner that Detmers would allow.    

Upon exiting, Cam Smith would take Chase Silseth deep for his 7th home run of the season to tie things up at 2.   

In the 9th, Yordan Alvarez appeared to break a tie at home plate after an errant throw occurred off a Christian Walker double, but the call was quickly overturned.    

As the contest unfolded, encouraging news came from Sugar Land where ace Hunter Brown went 5 innings, tossing 78 pitches with 7 strikeouts in what is expected to be his final rehab start.   Brown’s fastball would register 98 MPH.   

All signs now point toward Brown returning next week to face the Tigers on the next Astros homestand.    Before that happens, Houston will next play three in Kansas City after an off-day Thursday.    

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Jaylen Brown, the basketball world and even WWE's Danhausen react to Knicks' historic Game 4 win: 'OG Anunoby is different'

The talk of the basketball world -- and if we're being honest, the sports world -- was on Game 4 between the Knicks and Spurs, especially after the way it ended.

New York completed their miraculous 29-point comeback to take a commanding 3-1 series lead in the NBA Finals. Of course, the highlight of the night was OG Anunoby's flying tip-in with less than two seconds remaining to give the Knicks a one-point lead that they would hold on to.

And with such a momentous game, social media blew up with reactions on the win, including from former, current and future players from around the NBA....

Knicks-mania has even seeped into the WWE with Paul Heyman and Danhausen -- who uncursed the team earlier in the postseason -- chiming in. 

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Victor Wembanyama blames ‘greediness’ on Spurs’ Game 4 demise

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama, Image 2 shows San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama #1 defends against New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson #11 during the second quarter
Knicks

Victor Wembanyama was almost at a loss for words after the Spurs blew a 29-point third-quarter lead as the Knicks moved one win away from an NBA title. 

The Spurs big man and NBA Defensive Player of the Year had a hard time trying to explain what happened in Game 4. The Spurs scored just 30 points in the second half, and Wembanyama was held to just eight over the final two quarters in a 107-106 loss. 

Wembanyama, 22, also missed a pair of free throws late in the game with the Spurs clinging to a one-point lead with a little less than two minutes on the clock. 

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama defends against New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson during the second quarter of NBA Finals Game 4 on June 10, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

“Can’t really explain it right now,” he said bluntly. “It’s just execution. Greediness, of some sort. We clearly weren’t the hungriest in the second half.”

Wemby and the Spurs were dominant early on, going into halftime with a 27-point lead. The big man scored 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting. 

Even late in the game, the Spurs kept the Knicks at bay, leading by 17 points with less than nine minutes to go. 

According to NBA researcher Jacob Kaye, no team had ever won a game trailing by 17 or more points in the final nine minutes of regulation of an NBA Finals game since 1970-71. 

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama said “greediness” hurt his team during an epic collapse. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

That was, until the Knicks came along on Wednesday night. 

“It was painful, of course,” Wembanyama said about the emotions of walking off the court. “It feels like we worked too hard to give up our leads. It’s as simple as that. It just hurts.” 

The Spurs will have two days before they return to the court for Game 5 on Saturday night. 

The series shifts back to San Antonio with the Knicks on the verge of capturing their first NBA championship since 1973.

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Knicks' Jose Alvarado showcases talent on national stage in Game 4: 'He’s a big time player'

Just looking at his stat sheet, Jose Alvarado wouldn’t stand out as having a huge impact on the Knicks in their 107-106 win over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night.

But the game is played on the court, not on a piece of paper, and Alvarado’s contributions to his team on Wednesday were enough to make head coach Mike Brown give him a round of applause during his postgame news conference.

“Jose was unbelievable tonight. He changed the game,” Brown said. “His speed, his ability to touch the paint… if you don’t close out to Jose, as hard as he works on his shot, he’s gonna make you pay. If you close out to him, he’s quick enough to go by you and he made some great basketball plays offensively tonight. And then he was great defensively.”

Alvarado ended his night with eight points on 3-for-4 from the field (2-for-3 from deep) while adding three assists and two rebounds in 16 minutes off the bench. It was the most action the point guard has received during the playoffs and it came while New York was trailing and chipping away at its deficit.

Some of those minutes also came in the fourth quarter and were big minutes with the Knicks making their comeback attempt in a historic win. And even though Alvarado has been a solid player for New York since being traded during the regular season, most of his playing time has come either earlier in the game or with his team up big to give some of the stars some rest.

This time, Alvarado was right there alongside starters Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby in the final seconds of the game and spoke about playing in the fourth quarter of a tightly-contested NBA Finals game.

“Playing in the fourth quarter, that’s something, when you play this game, that’s when you want to play at,” he said. “Shout out to our bench… we all stepped up when our number was called and I’m glad we got the job done today.”

On a national stage, Alvarado was able to showcase what his teammates and the Knicks have already known for a while: that he’s a player who plays with energy, passion and love for the game.

As a Knicks fan growing up in Brooklyn, Alvarado’s coming out party happened in a game that New York won on an epic Anunoby tip-in, which was even more special for the 28-year-old who went undrafted out of college. He even said he almost started to cry after he saw the game-winner go in because it meant so much to him.

“Just to be part of the journey is amazing,” Alvarado said. “I appreciate coach [Brown] and everybody giving me my flowers, but this is what I worked hard for, to be in moments like this and it’s showing. I’m glad we got a win today and I’ll definitely remember this for the rest of my life.”

Alvarado getting the golden opportunity and running with it doesn’t come as a surprise to his teammates, who clearly love and respect him since he joined the team, not only because of his talent, but because of his hustle and the emotion he plays with every day.

In a sense, Alvarado embodies the city of New York as perfectly as anybody else on the team.

“He’s a special player,” Towns said. “His tenacity, his defensive ability and his offensive ability that I got to see first-hand… He has so much to his basketball game that people don’t give credit to and I’m glad at this stage and like this he was able to show the world what he can do when he’s given a chance. 

“Jose Alvarado literally told everybody in the world tonight he’s a big time player.”

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How Knicks flipped the script on the ‘fluke’ that put NBA Finals at risk

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows The Knicks defend Stephon Castle on the final possession of the game, Image 2 shows San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) goes up a shot as New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11), New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23), and New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby (8) triple team him during the fourth quarter
Knicks defense steps up in Game 4

After Game 3, the Knicks stressed that their defensive shortcomings, in particular missing assignments and not being as connected, had to be corrected. 

It took them a half, but they found their defensive mojo in time. 

After getting tattooed for 76 first-half points, the Knicks shut down the Spurs over the final 24 minutes, keying the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history, a hard-to-believe 107-106 victory. Over the last 6:24, they held the Spurs to seven points, moving to within one win of their first championship in 53 years. 

“Really, we didn’t change much. We basically kept the same game plan,” coach Mike Brown said. “But defensively, we just did it [better] for longer stretches, and we were really in tune to what we were supposed to be doing. Our level of physicality increased without sending them to the free-throw line as well, which is huge.” 

The Knicks defend Stephon Castle on the final possession of the game. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

San Antonio put on a shooting display in the first half, making 14 3-pointers in 26 attempts. Some of it was impressive shot-making, but a lot of it was the Knicks’ inability to defend the Spurs. There were so many open looks from deep, partly due to the Knicks overcommitting to Victor Wembanyama. But their inability to stop the ball was particularly evident. The Spurs had 17 assists in the first half and plenty of balance, four players scoring at least 13 points. 

“We needed to show them that first half was a fluke,” Jose Alvarado said. 

The Knicks surround Victor Wembenyama on defense. Jason Szenes for the New York Post

They certainly did. The second half was a vastly different story. The Spurs were limited to 30 points, committed nine turnovers and shot 3-for-17 from 3-point range. 

“Our contests were better, just 1 percent better,” OG Anunoby said. “Getting out faster and then finishing possessions with rebounds.” 

The Knicks did it with a small lineup, Alvarado in the backcourt with Jalen Brunson for a good chunk of the fourth quarter. Wembanyana missed 11 of 14 shots, and was held to eight points. San Antonio only had four points in the paint after halftime. 

“That’s unreal, and doing that especially in the fourth quarter,” Josh Hart said, referring to the defensive effort over the final two periods. “We were able to get stops without fouling, and that fueled our offense.”