LAS VEGAS — The NBA Cup will be back next season. It is a key reason Amazon Prime Video paid so much money for broadcast rights fees, as it became home to the league's early-season tournament — and ratings were up 90% this year, according to the league.
However, the NBA Cup championship game may not return to Las Vegas next year.
The league is considering moving the championship game next year, a story broken by Tim Bontemps of ESPN and confirmed by other reports. The decision had already been made to move next year's semifinal games — played this year on a Saturday in Vegas — to the home market of the higher-seeded team. While the league remains committed to a neutral-site Finals, that may not be in Las Vegas.
In a city all about big, buzzy events — such as the recent F1 race that takes over the Strip — talk to locals, and there is very little buzz about the NBA Cup. Whatever the announced attendance for games, there are sections of the upper bowl that are empty during the semifinals, and there has been a concern that the empty seats and a more neutral crowd (most fans are not traveling for these games, the building is filled with locals) can come across as too low energy on the broadcast. To be fair, there was a better crowd and energy for the second semifinal Saturday — maybe that was because it featured Victor Wembanyama and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, or maybe the 6 p.m. local start time was better than the 2:30 p.m. start time for the Knicks game.
The T-Mobile Arena was filled and loud in the tournament's first year, 2023, but that's because the Lakers were in it — Las Vegas is a Lakers city, plus it is a short trip for Lakers fans in Southern California to come out for a day or two and see a game. The atmosphere has been different since, even with an international brand with a large fan base such as the New York Knicks playing in the NBA Cup finals on Tuesday.
The league's challenge becomes: Where are they going to move the title game that's better? Put the game in Seattle for a year? Move it around the nation to non-NBA cities and see if they get excited about it? Is that going to generate more buzz?
The NBA Cup has primarily done what Adam Silver and the league hoped it would — it gave more meaning to some early-season games, it got more people to talk about the league before Christmas, it motivated players (giving the players on the championship team $530,000 will do that), and it created some buzz around the game. The tournament has been a hit with the core NBA fan base, and it's at least gotten some more casual fans to pay attention. However, the reaction on the ground in Las Vegas has not been what the league hoped. l
There are no easy answers here, but the league has maintained flexibility — it does not have a contract locked in to bring the NBA Cup back to Las Vegas in a year. The NBA and Amazon Prime Video can come together to assess their options and decide if it is time to be leaving Las Vegas.
The Detroit Red Wings will look to keep their recent surge rolling when they host the New York Islanders in a tightly contested matchup between two emerging playoff contenders. Detroit enters the game riding a 5-1-2 hot streak but faces a familiar challenge in New York, a team that has dominated the season series to this point.
Saturday’s contest features the second seed from the Atlantic Division squaring off against the second seed in the Metropolitan Division, with both teams beginning to separate themselves in their respective races. While the standings suggest a close battle, the Islanders have had the upper hand so far this season, outscoring Detroit 12–2 in two lopsided victories. This time, however, the Red Wings will try to flip the script on home ice.
Lineup Storylines
Detroit will debut a notable lineup change as the team begins its homestand. The Red Wings recalled forward John Leonard, one of the hottest players in the minors this season. The 27-year-old has been unstoppable, leading the league with 19 goals and adding 10 assists for 29 points in just 20 games. Leonard has scored in 15 of those contests, earning him a chance to make an immediate impact at the NHL level.
Leonard is expected to slot into the second line alongside Andrew Copp and Alex DeBrincat, taking the place of veteran Patrick Kane, who is sidelined for the next few games after tweaking an upper-body injury. The extended opportunity gives Leonard a significant runway to prove his offensive success can translate against top competition.
The remainder of the lineup is expected to stay largely intact as Detroit’s physical bottom-six group, including James van Riemsdyk and Michael Rasmussen, will look to build on recent success, while the young trio of Nate Danielson, Marco Kasper, and Elmer Söderblom continues searching for consistency and production.
On the blue line, attention remains on Simon Edvinsson with his value around the league being underscored by reports from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman that the 22-year-old defenseman may have been a part of the Vancouver Canucks’ asking price in discussions surrounding star blueliner Quinn Hughes. Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman ultimately declined to move Edvinsson, a decision that reflects Detroit’s long-term confidence in the young Swede.
One move the Red Wings are especially pleased with is their acquisition of goaltender John Gibson, who has been outstanding as of late. Over his last five starts, Gibson is unbeaten with a 2.00 goals-against average, a .940 save percentage, and two shutouts. He will aim to stay locked in against an Islanders team that has won six of its last seven games.
Much like Detroit, New York’s success has been fueled by a blend of proven veterans and impactful young players. The Islanders lean on established stars such as Mathew Barzal, Anders Lee, and Kyle Palmieri, while rookies Matthew Schaefer and Calum Ritchie have made quicker-than-expected contributions.
The biggest concern for New York came earlier this week when leading scorer Bo Horvat went down awkwardly against the Anaheim Ducks, sparking fears of a season-ending injury. Fortunately for the Islanders, Horvat has been diagnosed with a lower-body injury and is expected to miss just one to three weeks.
Even without Horvat, Detroit will have its hands full. Barzal and Lee have been especially dangerous during New York’s recent run, each recording seven points over the last seven games. Both have torched the Red Wings this season. Lee had three assists in the first meeting, while Barzal totaled two goals and an assist across the two matchups.
With confidence building on both sides, the matchup serves as a measuring stick for Detroit’s progress. The Red Wings enter with momentum, improved goaltending, and a fresh injection of offense, while the Islanders arrive with recent dominance in the series and belief they can continue to dictate play.
Although the Red Wings are an Original Six franchise and the Islanders joined the NHL as one of the league’s earliest expansion teams in 1972, the two clubs have met only 132 times. Detroit holds a narrow edge in the all-time series, with 64 wins compared to New York’s 32. Before the Red Wings dropped two games to the Islanders earlier this season, Detroit had won five of the previous six meetings between the teams.
There has been no clear pattern when it comes to scoring in this matchup, though six of the last 11 games have finished with five or fewer total goals. If offense does emerge in this contest, it is likely to come from Detroit captain Dylan Larkin and Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer.
Larkin has been outstanding this season, recording 33 points in 33 games, including one of Detroit’s two goals against New York earlier this year. Schaefer continues to draw attention in the Calder Trophy race, with some even mentioning him in Norris Trophy discussions and as a potential candidate for Team Canada at the 2026 Olympics. The rookie has posted an impressive 23 points in 33 games from the blue line, though he has yet to break through against Detroit this season. That could change Tuesday, as he comes in on a hot streak with eight points in his last ten games.
Goalie Matchup
Detroit: John Gibson (Season: 9-7-1 record, 3.13 GAA, .890 SV% | VS NYI: 4-5-1 record, 3.47 GAA, .892 SV% in 11 games)
New York: Ilya Sorokin (Season: 12-8-2 record, 2.49 GAA, .912 SV% | VS DET: 5-4-2 record, 2.25 GAA, .920 SV% in 12 games)
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After losing — and hardly competing in — the Pete Alonso sweepstakes, the Boston Red Sox are still searching for a middle-of-the-order bat. St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras has emerged as an intriguing fallback option on the trade market.
The Athletic’s Katie Woo recently reported that the Red Sox have shown “significant interest” in acquiring Contreras, a three-time All-Star who recently changed positions from catcher to first base. The 33-year-old has two years and $36.5 million remaining on his contract.
Contreras’ bat isn’t on Alonso’s level, but the veteran is no slouch at the plate. The right-handed slugger slashed .257/.344/.447 with 20 home runs and 80 RBI in 135 games last season. Not counting the shortened 2020 campaign, he has hit at least 20 homers in six of nine MLB seasons.
Defensively, Contreras has adjusted well to his transition to first base. He ranked fourth among players at the position last season with six Outs Above Average. To put that into perspective, Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas had -10 Outs Above Average in 2024, his lone full MLB season. Alonso was one of the league’s worst defensive first basemen with -9 Outs Above Average in 2025.
The Red Sox won’t find a first baseman better than Contreras on the free-agent market. There’s a massive dropoff in talent with Alonso (Baltimore Orioles) and Josh Naylor (Seattle Mariners) off the board. Ryan O’Hearn, Carlos Santana, and Nathaniel Lowe are among the next-best first basemen available in free agency. Perhaps slugger Eugenio Suarez could switch from third base to first, but he’s a liability defensively and best suited as a DH.
Of course, Boston would likely have to part ways with multiple prized prospects to acquire Contreras. Left-handed pitchers Connelly Early and Payton Tolle are the names most commonly brought up in trade rumors, and it’s fair to question whether it’s worth getting that aggressive for two years of an aging first baseman/designated hitter. A trade package highlighted by Early and/or Tolle makes more sense in a blockbuster deal for Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte, Kansas City Royals left-hander Cole Ragans, or Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta — each of whom has been linked to the Red Sox.
Nonetheless, as a right-handed-hitting first baseman with solid pop and above-average defense, Contreras checks all the boxes as a perfect Plan B option for Boston. If Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow can pry him from St. Louis without losing Early and/or Tolle, it would be a massive win for a club that must make multiple offensive upgrades this winter.
A Contreras trade would also mark Boston’s second noteworthy deal with the Chaim Bloom-led Cardinals front office this offseason. In November, the Red Sox acquired veteran right-hander Sonny Gray in exchange for right-hander Richard Fitts and left-handed pitching prospect Brandon Clarke.
It was shocking when Edwin Diaz left the Mets to sign a three-year deal with the Dodgers, since there hadn't been any indication that Diaz didn't want to return to New York.
And that he not only left, but did so for a term that matched what the Mets were offering, made things even more confounding.
Diaz had a three-year offer from the Dodgers and five-year offer from the Braves, but he wanted to wait for an offer from the Mets.
The Mets initially offered a three-year deal worth $66 million, with $21 million deferred over 10 years. Following negotiations between the two sides, the Mets amended the offer to add a $9 million signing bonus (which matched the one Diaz got from the Dodgers) and included $21 million deferred over 15 years instead of 10.
The issue, per Castillo, was that Diaz wanted the average annual value of his deal to be at least $20 million and for the contract have less deferred money over a shorter time frame. The Mets "refused" to meet those asks, the Dodgers sweetened their offer, and that was that.
New York Mets pitcher Edwin Daz (39) reacts after the final out of the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. / Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
Taking the above into account, it's easy to see why there was confusion after Diaz signed regarding whether the Mets got a chance to match the deal he accepted from the Dodgers.
In effect, they reportedly rejected his demands that could've perhaps led to an immediate return to New York, resulting in Diaz choosing Los Angeles.
During his introductory news conference with the Dodgers last week, Diaz discussed his decision to leave.
"It wasn't easy, wasn't easy. I spent seven years in New York," Diaz said. "They treat me really good, they treat me great. I chose the Dodgers because they are a winning organization. I'm looking to win and I think they have everything to win. Picking the Dodgers was pretty easy."
With Diaz gone, the expectation is that the Mets will use the recently-signed Devin Williams as their closer in 2026.
New York is still seeking bullpen help, and there are a number of intriguing options remaining on the free agent market -- including Pete Fairbanks and Luke Weaver.
Steve Kerr moved quickly to shut down any speculation.
After Warriors owner Joe Lacob’s brief email response to a frustrated fan circulated online, some fans interpreted one line referencing “coaches’ desires regarding players” as a possible critique of Kerr’s rotational or lineup choices.
Kerr addressed that interpretation while speaking to reporters on Tuesday at Chase Center and dismissed any suggestion of tension between himself and Lacob.
Steve Kerr on the Joe Lacob email leak about his current frustrations (included “coaches desires regarding players”)
“Not a big deal.”
“Imagine if everyone’s emails were posted publicly, how tough that would be to live.”
“It’s not a big deal,” Kerr said. “I’m not concerned about anything like that.”
Lacob’s email was sent just minutes after a fan reached out following Golden State’s loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. In the message, Lacob acknowledged frustration around the team’s current struggles, citing a combination of factors including style of play, league trends and roster usage, while emphasizing that Jimmy Butler “is not the problem.”
Kerr emphasized that frustration is shared throughout the organization.
“Well, we’re all frustrated,” Kerr added. “Joe is frustrated. I’m frustrated. Steph [Curry], [Draymond Green] — everybody’s frustrated. This is kind of how the league works.”
The Warriors’ struggles have stretched across much of the early season, with Curry’s extended absence playing a role. But even since his return, the results haven’t changed. Curry has scored 87 points over the past two games, and Golden State still came up short both times, dropping the Warriors to 13-14.
Kerr also pushed back on the broader idea of private correspondence becoming public discourse.
“I hate when people are going to post private emails,” Kerr noted. “Imagine if everyone’s emails were just publicly posted — how tough that would be to live our lives.”
More importantly, Kerr stressed that nothing has changed in his relationship with the organization’s ownership.
“Joe supports me 100 percent. I support him,” Kerr said. “We have a great connection, and we’ve had so much continuity here in our stable environment. Our organization is one of our strengths. So yeah. It’s not a big deal.”
As Golden State continues to search for consistency, Kerr made it clear that internal alignment isn’t in question — even if frustration is.
Tuesday’s NBA Cup Championship between the Knicks and the Spurs is the highlight of the NBA schedule this week. Yet, Monday already provided some talking points after an entertaining previous week. There’s still a lot to follow before the Holiday arrives, and plenty of players to discuss.
PG-13 may very well be back. How back? Well, the accomplished veteran wing has tallied at least 20 points in three of his last four games, including a recent 35-point performance in which he went 7-of-10 from beyond the arc and led the Sixers in scoring. George has also been solid as a passer, leading to solid fantasy production recently, despite the stocks not being there. But arguably, the most important stat to stress is that he’s logged at least 30 minutes in each of the last four games. We’ll just need his body to hold up a little bit longer before getting overly optimistic about his ceiling going forward. Nonetheless, he’s currently healthy and has looked here in December. Stock up.
Now may be an ideal time to make a move for Kuzma. With Giannis Antetokounmpo missing games, Kuzma has been more aggressive in looking for shots during his time on the floor — he’s landed double-digit field goal attempts in each of the last games and scored 13 or more in all of them. His most productive outing of those four games was a 31-point performance against the Celtics when he went 13-of-17 from the field. Although it’s unlikely he’ll consistently display that level of shooting efficiency on such high volume, the score-first approach from him for a team currently down its top scorer should continue to yield good scoring production and high upside.
Bub Carrington — PG, SG, Wizards
Over the last three appearances, Carrington is averaging 17.3 points and 7.3 assists in 38.0 minutes per game. He flirted with double-doubles in two of the games and was aggressive in his approach to the three-point shot. With the Wizards unlikely to turn their season around on a wins-and-losses basis, it’s logical to expect they'll allow the young players to get in as many reps as possible. And if these recent three games are a sign of things to come, it may be worth adding Carrington from the free agency pool now — he’s got some upside and has recently shown he’s capable of some monster stat lines.
Ware hasn’t scored in double figures in five of his last six games and has only secured double-digit rebounds in two of them. Such minimal production of late should be both concerning and frustrating for fantasy managers after seeing the sophomore center go for 15.9 points and 15.1 rebounds per game over an eight-game stretch earlier this season, which included three straight 20-point, 14-rebound double-doubles. He came off the bench in the most recent couple of games, including one with both Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro healthy and starting alongside Norman Powell, Davion Mitchell, and Andrew Wiggins. If Miami is set on going away from the double-bigs look to begin games, Ware could continue to see fewer opportunities to produce.
Pat Spencer — PG/SG, Warriors
The NBA is an unpredictable league. On the heels of a five-game stretch in which Spencer averaged 15.2 points and 4.6 assists, and made three starts, he was relegated to the bench in Sunday’s loss to the Trail Blazers and logged just seven minutes of action. With so many proven players on the Warriors’ roster and the team currently owning a below-.500 record, the cut in playing time, at least for a game, isn’t totally shocking. But as we’ve seen with other Warriors like Brandin Podziemski, Jonathan Kuminga and Quinten Post, role and nightly rotation minutes aren’t consistent. Spencer could have more moments, but it’s difficult to have an idea of when or for how long.
Jimmy Butler — SG/SF/PF, Warriors
More on the Warriors: they could really use another guy to consistently put the ball in the basket, not named Stephen Curry. Butler had been that guy briefly to begin the season, averaging 21.7 points per game in October. But he dropped down to 19.5 in November, and is currently sitting at 14.0 points per game through four December contests — he’s taking fewer shots and free throws each passing month. The good news for fantasy managers who roster Butler is that even with the scoring production slowing, he’s still rebounding, tallying assists, and collecting steals to put forth solid fantasy production. Still, we want more. The Warriors need more.
As Ole Miss prepares for its opening-round matchup against Tulane, the Rebels will be hoping that the parallels with Michigan basketball don't end with the ill-timed coaching change.
The Phillies made it official Tuesday morning, signing outfielder Adolis Garcia to the club, and we know quite a bit about the newest member of the Phillies already. But we took a look beyond the baseball card to find some things you may not know about the Cuban slugger.
Keeping It In the Family
Garcia’s older brother, Adonis, also played pro ball. He was signed by the Yankees in 2012, then by Atlanta in 2015. He reached the majors with the Braves, playing three seasons before his release in early 2018. The two brothers were united as teammates with Gigantes of the Dominican Winter League in 2019.
2. Hold Your Phone, He’s Got a Cannon!
He packs some serious heat, bringing one of the strongest outfield arms in all of baseball. His average throw is measured at 91.9 mph, among the best in MLB. According to MLB Savant, he was a plus-1 Outs Against Average in 2025, tied for 12th among 36 qualified right fielders. Nick Castellanos ranked 35th, with a minus-12.
Garcia produced so little for his first MLB team, the St. Louis Cardinals, that they traded him to the Rangers in the 2019 offseason for cash. No players, no prospects. Straight cash, homey. He spent most of 2020 at the Rangers’ training site before bursting onto the scene in 2021, hitting 31 homers, making the All-Star team and finishing fourth in AL Rookie of the Year voting.
4. They Call Him What?!?
His nickname is not a flattering one. He is affectionately known by fans as “El Bombi,” which sounds cute, until you find that bombi is short for “bombilla,” which means “light bulb.” Garcia was given that nickname by the neighborhood kid growing up in Cuba, because he thought Garcia’s head resembled a light bulb.
5. Getting His Derby On
He is a two-time participant in the Home Run Derby during the All-Star festivities. In 2023, he hit 17 homers in the first round at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. Unfortunately, he drew Tampa’s Randy Arozarenam who walloped 24 on his way to the finals. The following year, at his home stadium, Globe Life Park, he improved upon on his first run, hitting 18, but again, not enough to make it past the opening round.
Adolis Garcia has been introduced at the Home Run Derby. It got loud in Globe Life Field. pic.twitter.com/Y45eTN72lq
Imagine Citizens Bank Park this summer with not one, but two Phillies sluggers going swat for swat in the Derby.
6. Late Getting the Signals
He didn’t watch a World Series game on TV until he was 23 years old. He was unable to watch in his native Cuba, which makes it nearly impossible to see anything but state-run programming. In 2016, Garcia defected, becoming a citizen of the Dominican Republic, where he was able to watch the Cubs and Guardians in the Fall Classic, seven years before helping the Rangers win the Series himself.
LAS VEGAS — The NBA Cup is not the NBA Finals. It is, however, something more than just a regular season game — putting half a million dollars per player on the line will have that effect.
Yes, Knicks or Spurs players want to grab that bag. However, they also see the Cup as a stepping stone to where they want to be next May and June.
"I think history is kind of showing that if you can make it to this Cup, then you can win a championship," San Antonio's De'Aaron Fox said.
Last season, Oklahoma City lost in the NBA Cup championship game but went on to win the NBA title in June. The Lakers, who won the inaugural tournament in 2023, did so with essentially the same core that won the NBA title three years before. Los Angeles beat an Indiana team that advanced to the NBA Finals last season.
The stepping-stone analogy particularly resonated with a young Spurs team looking to grow into a contender.
"It's a high-stakes game that both teams are going to be very invested in winning," San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama said. "It just shows that we are preparing and we will pass the next step for more significant games in the playoffs. This is a complicated explanation, but it's as simple as that: As competitors, we want to win every game, and this one brings something new on the table, so we want to win it even more."
"Being able to have this, obviously it's not going to be the exact same, but you get a little glimpse of what it could be like playing in the Playoffs and the different officiating," Fox said. "No matter how much they say they don't officiate the games differently in the playoffs, we all have eyes, and we can see it. But being able to play in as many of those games, it definitely helps you come playoff time."
These Knicks have more playoff experience — they were in the Eastern Conference Finals last season — but also see the Cup as a path forward.
"I think the Cup is big for us just for the energy it brings to our team…" Karl-Anthony Towns said, adding that the energy and winning foster belief this team will need in the postseason. "I think it brings great energy to the team, great mojo to the team. It also brings that feeling of winning. No matter if it's the Cup, NBA Finals, winning any game, when you get that feeling of winning, it's addictive. Obviously, I want us to have that mindset where we're addicted to the next championship if we can win this one."
Can Knicks stop Wemby? Can the Spurs stop Brunson?
As for the game itself, Wembanyama's return against the Thunder in the semifinals changed the dynamics. While the Spurs' speedy guards — De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper — can all get downhill and touch the paint, Wemby adds another dynamic.
"You're not going to be able to guard a guy like that one-on-one," Knicks coach Mike Brown said. "You try to put length, size, physicality at the point of attack when it comes to him, but it's got to be five guys guarding the basketball at all times… But we have some pretty good defenders with length, and hopefully they can, at the point of attack, try to make it as difficult as possible with him, knowing that they have help behind them."
The Spurs have their own defensive challenge in slowing Jalen Brunson. San Antonio is loaded with long defensive wings who are strong at the point of attack, but so did Orlando in the semifinals, and Brunson dropped 40. In the quarterfinals, it was Toronto with their long, rangy defenders, and Brunson dropped 35 on them.
What might be the story in this game is the Knicks' 3-point shooting. Under Brown, the Knicks get 37.4% of their points from beyond the arc, ranking in the top 10 in the league. With Wemby patrolling the paint, New York may need those threes coming over the top of the defense to win this one.
Towns said the key for the Knicks is to keep doing what got them to this point—and to the Eastern Conference Finals last season.
"Everything for us is about execution," Towns said. "I think that's what's made us really good recently playing basketball is our execution. So we've just got to go out there and find a way to do that for 48 minutes."
If they do, if they win the NBA Cup, it's something to build on.
LAS VEGAS — The NBA Cup is not the NBA Finals. It is, however, something more than just a regular season game — putting half a million dollars per player on the line will have that effect.
Yes, Knicks or Spurs players want to grab that bag. However, they also see the Cup as a stepping stone to where they want to be next May and June.
"I think history is kind of showing that if you can make it to this Cup, then you can win a championship," San Antonio's De'Aaron Fox said.
Last season, Oklahoma City lost in the NBA Cup championship game but went on to win the NBA title in June. The Lakers, who won the inaugural tournament in 2023, did so with essentially the same core that won the NBA title three years before. Los Angeles beat an Indiana team that advanced to the NBA Finals last season.
The stepping-stone analogy particularly resonated with a young Spurs team looking to grow into a contender.
"It's a high-stakes game that both teams are going to be very invested in winning," San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama said. "It just shows that we are preparing and we will pass the next step for more significant games in the playoffs. This is a complicated explanation, but it's as simple as that: As competitors, we want to win every game, and this one brings something new on the table, so we want to win it even more."
"Being able to have this, obviously it's not going to be the exact same, but you get a little glimpse of what it could be like playing in the Playoffs and the different officiating," Fox said. "No matter how much they say they don't officiate the games differently in the playoffs, we all have eyes, and we can see it. But being able to play in as many of those games, it definitely helps you come playoff time."
These Knicks have more playoff experience — they were in the Eastern Conference Finals last season — but also see the Cup as a path forward.
"I think the Cup is big for us just for the energy it brings to our team…" Karl-Anthony Towns said, adding that the energy and winning foster belief this team will need in the postseason. "I think it brings great energy to the team, great mojo to the team. It also brings that feeling of winning. No matter if it's the Cup, NBA Finals, winning any game, when you get that feeling of winning, it's addictive. Obviously, I want us to have that mindset where we're addicted to the next championship if we can win this one."
Can Knicks stop Wemby? Can the Spurs stop Brunson?
As for the game itself, Wembanyama's return against the Thunder in the semifinals changed the dynamics. While the Spurs' speedy guards — De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper — can all get downhill and touch the paint, Wemby adds another dynamic.
"You're not going to be able to guard a guy like that one-on-one," Knicks coach Mike Brown said. "You try to put length, size, physicality at the point of attack when it comes to him, but it's got to be five guys guarding the basketball at all times… But we have some pretty good defenders with length, and hopefully they can, at the point of attack, try to make it as difficult as possible with him, knowing that they have help behind them."
The Spurs have their own defensive challenge in slowing Jalen Brunson. San Antonio is loaded with long defensive wings who are strong at the point of attack, but so did Orlando in the semifinals, and Brunson dropped 40. In the quarterfinals, it was Toronto with their long, rangy defenders, and Brunson dropped 35 on them.
What might be the story in this game is the Knicks' 3-point shooting. Under Brown, the Knicks get 37.4% of their points from beyond the arc, ranking in the top 10 in the league. With Wemby patrolling the paint, New York may need those threes coming over the top of the defense to win this one.
Towns said the key for the Knicks is to keep doing what got them to this point—and to the Eastern Conference Finals last season.
"Everything for us is about execution," Towns said. "I think that's what's made us really good recently playing basketball is our execution. So we've just got to go out there and find a way to do that for 48 minutes."
If they do, if they win the NBA Cup, it's something to build on.
Detroit Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan announced on Monday that forward Patrick Kane, who scored the 498th goal of his NHL career during their 4-0 victory on Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks, will miss at least the next two games.
In Kane's stead, the Red Wings decided to call up forward John Leonard from the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins, where he led all AHL scorers with 19 goals scored in 20 games.
During Monday's practice, Leonard skated in Kane's spot on the second line alongside Alex DeBrincat and Andrew Copp, and all signs point to him making his regular-season Red Wings debut on Tuesday evening against the New York Islanders.
Leonard, who already has 70 games of NHL experience with the San Jose Sharks, Arizona Coyotes, and Nashville Predators, is looking forward to the opportunity.
"I think any time you get to play in the NHL, it's special. I'm excited for the opportunity, and it's obviously a historic organization to be a part of."
Leonard is playing in his first season with the Red Wings organization, having signed a one-year, $775,000 contract with the club after playing last season under contract with the AHL's Charlotte Checkers.
He enjoyed a productive campaign in Charlotte, tallying 36 goals while adding 25 assists in 72 games, and followed that up by contributing eight goals with six assists in 18 postseason games.
As the AHL's current leading goal scorer, he hopes to bring the mentality that's made him successful to the Red Wings.
"I think I just want to bring the same kind of mentality, use my speed and be a good 200-foot player. Responsible in both ends, being able to get pucks up on the walls and hopefully create some offense."
A Massachusetts native, Leonard grew up a Bruins fan but is appreciative to continue his NHL career with a historic club like the Red Wings, who are in their centennial campaign.
"I grew up in Massachusetts so I watched a lot of Bruins hockey," he said. "The Red Wings are an Original Six team, so it's special to be a part of."
The Red Wings will face the Islanders on Tuesday evening beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET.
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Raphielle Johnson
