Knicks fans threw objects at Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama as he and his teammates returned to their Midtown hotel following New York’s historic comeback win on Wednesday night.
Wembanyama had just gotten off the team’s bus and was walking towards the entrance of the Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad when an object was hurled towards him and smashed into a street sign, according to video posted on X.
San Antonio’s towering 7-foot-5 center, wearing street clothes and carrying a large Louis Vuitton duffel bag, ducked as the apparent piece of trash shattered against the post.
An object is thrown at Spurs’ star Victor Wembanyama as he walked from the team bus to the Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad after Game 4 of the NBA Finals on June 11, 2026. @KingCharge/X
Security guards grabbed Wembanyama and rushed him inside the luxury hotel as the crazed fans continued jeering the NBA Defensive Player of the Year, shouting “Wemby” after the Spurs blew a 29-point lead in the 107-106 loss.
Wembanyama made one last glance at the thousands of Knicks fans behind metal barriers before he vanished inside the hotel.
Police have not been called or made any arrests around the hotel as of early Thursday morning, the NYPD told The Post.
“The Alien,” as he is known, scored 24 points and one assist in the 44 minutes he played, making only eight points in the second half and missing two crucial free throws when the Spurs were up 104-103 with 1:47 left in the 4th quarter.
Play got chippy early Wednesday night as Knicks center Mitchell Robinson was called for a flagrant foul after throwing an elbow into Wembanyama, knocking San Antonio’s big man to the floor.
As his teammates ran to pick him up, Wembanyama stared down Robinson, pointing at his temple, saying ‘I’m in your head.”
Knicks fans throwing stuff at Wemby and the Spurs as they arrive at their hotelpic.twitter.com/R2qGunsxBW
Wembanyama made one last glance at the thousands of Knicks fans behind metal barriers before he vanished inside the hotel. @KingCharge/X
Two quarters later, Wembanyama was hit with his own Flagrant 1 after his elbow came across the face of Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns while he was trying to break free as the Spurs held their 29-point lead.
Knicks fans had swarmed the area around W28th Street waiting for the Spurs to return to the luxury hotel they’ve been staying at while in town for Game 3 and Game 4 of the NBA finals.
Hours before tip-off, Knicks fans had given the Spurs a “boo-filled” send-off to Madison Square Garden as the team boarded the bus headed towards the “World’s Most Famous Arena.”
Wembanyama had been branded public enemy number one after he got away with shoving Knicks’ captain Jalen Brunson in a dirty play during the first quarter of Game 3 on Monday.
Had Wembanyama been charged with a flagrant in Game 3, he would now have four flagrant foul points that would’ve suspended him for one game, meaning he would have missed Game 5 back in San Antonio on Saturday.
New Yorkers had called for “Wemby” to be charged with a flagrant foul, but both the referees and NBA officials declined to charge the penalty to Wembanyama.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 08: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs works against Jose Alvarado #5 of the New York Knicks during the fourth quarter 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 Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I cannot believe that just happened.
At halftime, I remarked in the P&T group chat that I wasn’t doing player grades. Why should I? The entire team deserved a big ol’ F.
He wasn’t immune to the unanimous feeling of being flustered in the first half that every last Knick felt, so some of the possessions looked downright ugly early, but he calmed everything down in the second half, leading the impossible comeback.
He played 23 minutes in the second half. He had 17 points on 6-11 shooting. He nailed momentum shot after momentum shot. It was vintage Jalen Brunson.
— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) June 11, 2026
But what was most impressive was that he was more willing to get the ball out of his hands. He had some bad turnovers, but had a series-high in assists and was more willing to work off-ball. The plan coming into the game was very clearly to get back to the KAT-centric offense, but him getting in foul trouble early ruined it.
I cannot find it in my heart to critique really anything. Even his startling final shot was calculated. He dragged Victor Wembanyama out of the paint with his gravity, and it allowed OG Anunoby to fly in for a putback to win the game.
I refuse to be too negative after that game, but this was another disappointing game for Bridges, who’s now just 1-for-4 in the Finals on impactful games.
He played just 28 minutes and spent a lot of the fourth on the bench after not making much of an impact early. The defense wasn’t good enough. The offense wasn’t good.
For all the good that Josh Hart has done for this franchise, this could’ve been the game that sealed him in history in infamy.
The brick open layup for the lead. The ball-watching on the Stephon Castle offensive rebound. Two disastrous plays threatened to spoil one of the greatest comebacks in sports history.
Even aside from that, he didn’t really do much. He clearly had some sort of impact, being on the court for pretty much the entire comeback, but man.
This is one of the greatest games in Knicks history. This was, quite simply, unbelievable.
He made clutch three after clutch three. His shooting in the first half was the only reason we weren’t down 50. Every time he had the ball, he made something happen.
— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) June 11, 2026
He made a game-saving play when he swatted De’Aaron Fox on a layup with 15 seconds to go. He then hit the greatest shot in franchise history by tipping in a missed 3 by Brunson.
It was absolutely abysmal that he was forced out of the game in one minute because of two ticky-tack calls. He’s a star. Why doesn’t he get a whistle like one? Oh, wait, I can think of a reason.
Anyway, the one benefit of him being glued to the bench for the entire first half is that he was able to empty the tank in the second half, playing 17 of his 26 minutes. He was unable to get to much offense, but he was a beast on the boards, re-established physicality on Wemby, and played with energy.
He also scored five points in that fourth-quarter run, including an incredible stepback three and a drive on Wemby himself that was probably also a blocking foul. Zach Zarba, this is why you let the man play.
Genuinely unbelievable that this is the shot KAT ended up with on this possession lol pic.twitter.com/rrvX1JvPI8
— Nekias (Nuh-KAI-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) June 11, 2026
(Bonus: He seems to have tipped the game-ending inbound that led to Castle not getting a clean catch. Big time stuff.)
Mike Brown got bold in the fourth quarter. He played Alvarado alongside Brunson, giving up a ridiculous amount of size on the defensive end to diversify the team’s offense and take pressure off JB.
In his 16 minutes, he committed five fouls. He played with intensity. He bit Wemby’s ankles. He made two massive shots in a row to cut the lead to four with 3 minutes to go.
Couldn't believe this from Alvarado. Big time move with no fear of the moment. pic.twitter.com/y6smvAAS1u
He probably deserves a D, to be honest. He looked gassed when he had to come in to play early for KAT. He missed three layups early and a dunk in the third quarter. He was pulled for Ariel Hukporti and Jeremy Sochan.
Why does he get a C? He got a lick back on Wemby late in the first quarter for his shenanigans the last two games. It wasn’t the turning point, per se, but it was the warning shot that the Knicks were done getting punked by Victor Wembanyama. That’s what an enforcer does.
Wemby has been great in isolation so far this game and gives Mitch Rob some extra words afterwards
These were some ugly minutes. When the Knicks tried to make a run in the third quarter, he was extremely clumsy with the ball and threw away multiple possessions.
You had to reward him with minutes with the way Deuce is playing and how he played on Monday, but goodness.
Miscellanous
Ariel Hukporti: Welcome to the series, Huk! Three minutes, 1 block, 1 foul. He didn’t really do much, but I guess he was the start of slowing down Wemby late in the second quarter?
Jeremy Sochan: The only thing I remember him doing in three minutes was taking a hilarious turnaround jumper that missed badly. The center rotation was in shambles in that first half. Trey Jemison III, where art thou?
CLEARWATER, FL - MARCH 21: Juan Sanchez #13 of the Toronto Blue Jays bats during the game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Philadelphia Phillies at BayCare Ballpark on Saturday, March 21, 2026 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Nathan Ray Seebeck/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Jays’ International Free Agent pipeline has been a bit down in recent years. Vladimir Guerrero jr. and Alejandro Kirk are homegrown stars who signed at 16, but they’re it on the roster right now. There isn’t a ton of immediate promise on the farm, either. Recent top dollar signings, including like Manuel Beltre, Luis Meza, and Enmanuel Bonilla have crashed out in the low minors. On our top 40, the highest rated homegrown IFA was Fernando Perez at #8, and he’s slammed into a wall at AA this season and is now on the non-injury development list trying to rebuild his arsenal. He’s joined by Victor Arias, another prospect struggling a bit in New Hampshire, Silvano Hechavarria, who signed at 20 out of Cuba and so effectively represents a different class of prospect, and Juan Caricote, this year’s big signing who’s just getting his feet wet in the Dominican Summer League.
Juan Sanchez, our #12 pre-season prospect, represents one of the few bright spots. He was actually the third largest bonus the Jays handed out last year, behind Cristopher Polanco (not looking great) and Seojun Moon (just 5 appearances at the complex so far, but early reports are intriguing). Sanchez got off to a hot start to his pro career, posting a .341/.439/.565 line that was the 11th best in the DSL, with most of the guys ahead of him being older players repeating the level.
The Jays rewarded his precocious debut with a jump over the complex and straight to A ball to begin the 2026 season. Sanchez is one of just 11 qualified hitters 18 or younger in full season ball. The early returns weren’t promising. Through his first 20 games, Sanchez was hitting just .118, with a 30% strikeout rate and just two extra base hits. Since then, though, he’s found his footing, trimming his strikeout rate to 25% and posting 13 XBH, including a triple and three homers, for a .313/.367/.554 line.
The cornerstone of Sanchez’ game is power. He’s listed at 6’3” and 180lbs, and while he already looks substantial his shoulders are broad and he has plenty of room to pack on good weight. He’ll probably be huge as a full grown man. Baseball America notes in their scouting report that he hit a ball over 115mph last season. That would be a monster number for a 17 year old, and he hasn’t gotten close to that this season, but his hard hit rate is a respectable 37%, and 45% since things started to click for him this time last month. His swing also naturally produces his hardest contact in the 8-32 degree range of launch angles that accounts for almost all extra base hits and home runs. This is the profile of a potential 30 home run hitter if he can refine his hit tool enough to allow all that power to play in games.
Admittedly, there’s work to do on that front. Sanchez has been aggressive this year, swinging at right around 50% of the pitches he sees. He’s chased exactly a third of the time against a 66.1% in-zone swing rate. That’s not terrible plate discipline, but it’s not great either. He’s also got a fair bit of swing and miss in his game. His in-zone contact rate is 75.1%. That’s a huge drop from the 89% he posted in the DSL, but he’s trending in the right direction by raising it to 78.3% over the past month. That’ll be a key thing to watch going forward. League average zone contact is around 85%. It’s fine if Sanchez comes in a bit below that if it’s the result of a swing that allows him to use his power, but not many productive hitters land below 75%, and ideally he’d get into the 80s. Contact outside the zone is less important, but his 39% rate there is also low.
The good news is that I think experience and pitch selection are a bit part of the issue. He has great bat speed and doesn’t have trouble catching up to high heat, with a contact rate of 80% on fastballs 94 and above in the zone. The big issue seems to be on breaking balls, which he whiffs on in the zone and chases below it far too often. That’s hardly a surprise for a teenager who’s suddenly facing a steady diet of college drafted pitchers whose arsenals and approach are far beyond anything he’s seen before. Over time, he’ll hopefully learn to lay off and adjust to pro quality breakers, and indeed his improvement over the last month shows that he’s already taking steps in that direction.
Sanchez has mostly played third base so far this season, moving off shortstop in deference to Jojo Parker. That’s probably his long term home anyway, as he’s already a fringy runner who’s almost certainly going to slow down as he bulks up. His actions are just OK, but he has a strong arm that can make all the throws for the position and I think he can stick on the dirt. He projects as a 5-6 hitting slugger whose big power production more than makes up for lower averages. There’s a lot of ground to cover between here and there, but his holding his own and showing he can adjust after big jumps in competition this season cements him as a major prospect and a bright spot in the international talent pipeline.
Visualizing LeBron James leaving the Los Angeles Lakers to join the Warriors requires tuning out financial implications, a hyperactive imagination and prolonged suspension of disbelief. Too many reasons why it can’t happen. Won’t happen. Shouldn’t happen.
And some are saying off the record that it cannot be dismissed.
“I know it seems crazy,” one well-connected league source told NBC Sports Bay Area on Wednesday. “But there is at least curiosity on both sides. This wouldn’t even be a conversation five or six years ago, and it might not happen now, but there’s enough there that we shouldn’t ignore the possibility. It’s mostly up to LeBron.”
The general belief is that James likely will remain in Los Angeles, where he can continue to play alongside his son, Bronny, and stay close to his family. The Lakers can offer a considerably larger contract than Golden State, which tops out at the non-taxpayer midlevel exception of about $15 million.
Many other factors keep supplying oxygen to the speculation, from the mutual respect between Stephen Curry and James, along with Steve Kerr’s deep appreciation for smart players. There also is the proximity of the Bay Area to James’ home and business infrastructure in greater LA.
There is another factor, however, that won’t leave my mind: Attempting a feat never accomplished has a seductive appeal for alpha competitors like Steph and LeBron. No team with its top four players averaging more than 35 years of age has won the NBA Finals.
Curry and James have built legendary careers by defying realistic expectations. Steph, selected seventh overall by the Warriors in the 2009 NBA Draft, is the only unanimous MVP winner in league history and the engine within a once-forlorn franchise becoming a global icon. James entered the league as a teenager advertised as the next superstar and has exceeded that. He’s the all-time leader in games, minutes and points, top five in assists and top 25 in rebounding. At age 40 in 2024-25, he still was putting up MVP-like numbers.
Once bitter rivals in four consecutive NBA Finals, Curry and James have since bonded over shared greatness and as teammates on Team USA basketball. Their competitive fires continue to burn, and they still enjoy beating each other. But when elite athletes see the sun setting on their careers, they better understand they share a bigger community. Different teams, same society. Their hearts tend to find enough room for appreciation.
James went on record years ago saying he likes the idea of playing with Curry.
Curry has not fully reciprocated, not yet, but a meeting is expected, according to Brett Siegel of Clutch Points. Knowing Steph’s thirst for playing “meaningful basketball,” he’d listen to any move that would bolster the Warriors.
Is that enough for Curry to gather influential teammates Jimmy Butler III and Draymond Green – one of LeBron’s best friends – to make a recruiting pitch? Probably. The least that can happen is no agreement.
The most that can happen is James rocking the world by working out a deal with Golden State. Why would he even consider such a thing? Because his presence would intensify marquees in every town the Warriors visit. Because he knows it would be unique to punctuate an illustrious career. Because he likes/respects Steph and Jimmy and Draymond.
And because LeBron’s contract, whether $50 million in LA or $15 million in Bay Area, won’t be the primary force behind his decision. He’s already said as much. And it’s believable insofar as his net worth, according to the pocket-watchers at Forbes, is about $1.4 billion.
Why would Warriors CEO Joe Lacob be on board? Because he loves stars. Because he learned 10 years ago, after successfully recruiting Kevin Durant, that anything is possible if you persuasively shoot your shot. Lacob knows the value of a superstar goes beyond on-court metrics, and that every game at Chase Center would be The Event, not just in the NBA but across sports.
As captivating as it is when it’s Steph vs. LeBron, Steph and LeBron would be irresistible.
Durant was a rival until the Warriors chased and caught him. Chris Paul was a rival, and the Warriors traded for him. Perhaps the poster man for Golden State’s surprising star-level additions is DeMarcus Cousins in 2018.
But it was only a few weeks ago that Kerr said he didn’t want another roster top-heavy with guys unable to play back-to-back sets. Butler turns 37 in September and isn’t expected back until midseason. James turns 42 in December. Green turns 37 next March, 10 days before Curry turns 39. If all four are on the roster, Kerr could find a way to stagger them.
James is set to become an unrestricted free agent in month’s end. The chatter connecting him to the Warriors isn’t going anywhere until somebody on either side shuts it down.
Meanwhile, enjoy this improbably juicy morsel of summer. For however long it lasts.
OG Anunoby of the New York Knicks blocks De'Aaron Fox of the San Antonio Spurs in the closing seconds of Wednesday night’s Game 4 of the NBA finals.Photograph: Michael Gonzales/NBAE/Getty Images
For nearly 47 minutes, the San Antonio Spurs looked poised to leave Madison Square Garden with the NBA finals level at two games apiece.
They’d led by 81-52 in the third quarter, brought a frenzied Madison Square Garden crowd to heel and put themselves on the verge of reclaiming home-court advantage after having dropped the first two games at home. Even after the Knicks mounted a furious second-half fightback and wiped out the entirety of San Antonio’s 29-point cushion, the Spurs still appeared to have one final lifeline.
Then came a decision that could haunt San Antonio for years if the Knicks go on to end their 53-year championship drought.
The Spurs led 106-105 with less than 15 seconds remaining Wednesday night when Jalen Brunson’s floating bank shot ricocheted into the backcourt. The loose ball bounced toward De’Aaron Fox, who sprinted after it and found himself racing toward the basket with only a trailing OG Anunoby between him and what looked like a game-clinching score.
Instead of pulling the ball out and forcing New York to foul, Fox attacked the rim. But Anunoby chased him down and blocked the lay-up attempt.
Seconds later, the Knicks had the ball back. Brunson missed a 31-footer off the front of the rim, but Anunoby soared in from the top of the key and tipped home the winner with 1.2 seconds remaining, completing an improbable 107-106 victory and the largest comeback in NBA finals history.
Fox did not shy away from explaining his thought process afterward.
“You have to score. Try to get a lay-up, get up three [points]. Force them to need a three,” Fox said. “OG made a good block.”
Asked why he went for the basket rather than dribbling out the clock and forcing a foul, the ninth-year point guard was to the point.
“I just thought I’d be able to outrun them. That’s it.”
The explanation did little to quell the criticism.
On TNT’s post-game show, Charles Barkley delivered a verdict that quickly spread across social media and sports television.
“That was a dumbass play,” Barkley said. “He did not have to shoot that ball.”
The blunt assessment reflected the reaction around the basketball world. With the Spurs clinging to a one-point lead, Fox had safer options available. He could have retreated from pressure and waited to be fouled, shaving precious seconds off the clock. He could have used San Antonio’s final timeout. Instead, he chose the most aggressive path – a gamble Anunoby made him pay dearly for.
Of course, reducing the collapse to a single possession would let the Spurs off too easily. The final mistake merely capped a spectacular unraveling that had begun long before Fox found himself alone in the open floor. San Antonio scored 76 points in the first half but just 30 after half-time. The crisp ball movement and long-distance sharpshooting that had carved apart New York’s defense evaporated as the Knicks chipped away at the deficit.
“Obviously let that get away, being up [29 points],” Fox said. “Got away from doing the things that got us up and put ourselves in that position.”
“I think we played a little slower,” he added. “The ball wasn’t moving the same way that it did in the second half like it did in the first half. We didn’t get a flow on the offensive end in the second half.”
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson saw the same thing.
“We got away from what got us the 76 points in the first half,” Johnson said. “Then you saw at times the aggressiveness and just conviction that we played with early on dissipate a little bit. They made some shots. That’s where you felt the momentum a little bit. We just needed few more tough-minded plays to finish the job.”
He added: “To put as much good work into that first half as we did, get the lead that we had and not finish the job, is disappointing to say the least.”
Wembanyama said he was unable to see Fox’s fateful layup attempt after tumbling to the floor during the play, but he offered a curt appraisal of the Spurs’ second-half performance.
“We clearly weren’t the most hungry in the second half,” Wembanyama said. “Stopped moving the ball. Stopped executing.”
That reality may ultimately be what stings most for San Antonio. Fox’s layup attempt did not create the collapse. The Spurs had already let a 29-point lead fritter away by then. What the play did was quash their last chance to survive it.
“Going down 3-1 is obviously very different,” Fox said. “But we feel like we have a team to be able to come back from this.”
Two minutes earlier, the Spurs were staring at a tied series with momentum to burn and a restored clear path to a championship. One miscue later, they were left to reckon with a reality that had seemed impossible minutes earlier.
For the fourth time in the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, the Knicks did not start off the game well in Wednesday night’s Game 4 at Madison Square Garden, going down 41-22 after the first 12 minutes.
It was actually the worst first quarter, in regards to point-differential, by New York not just in the series, but during the playoffs. And after dropping Game 3 on Monday night following another disappointing opening quarter, the Knicks vowed to get off to a better start in Game 4.
What happened instead, though, was New York falling behind by as many as 29 points and going into halftime down by 27 points. A good third quarter helped things slightly, but the Knicks still found themselves trailing by 20 points with nine minutes left in the fourth quarter and almost assuredly leaving New York without a win while losing the momentum of the series as well.
Of course, that didn’t happen after the Knicks pulled off the largest comeback in NBA Finals history thanks to a complete shift in execution and OG Anunoby’s tip-in game-winner with 1.2 seconds left.
While New York is up 3-1 in the series and just one win away from its first NBA championship in more than 50 years, the series, which moves back to San Antonio for Saturday’s Game 5, is far from over.
Therefore, the Knicks need to start playing like they did in the second half in the first quarter if they want to thwart any ideas of a comeback by the Spurs.
“We got a lot to learn in these next couple of days, but our mentality has to be 0-0 – the way it’s been,” Jalen Brunson said. “It has to be that way and I feel like us moving forward with that mindset could really benefit us. There’s nothing to celebrate because it’s not over yet. Not even close.”
Sure, Brunson is right. While New York hasn’t won anything just yet and the main celebration cannot commence, the team surely celebrated together following Game 4’s improbable comeback win.
But after all of that dies down and the Knicks get closer to Game 5, the goal will once again be to win at all costs.
“We can get excited and enjoy this, but we got one more to do,” Jose Alvarado said. “So that’s the main goal, the next game.”
If New York is able to enjoy a better first quarter, it will give it a better chance to come out on top. And even though it’s possible the Knicks can overcome yet another poor opening frame – let’s face it, they’ve done it three times already – it’s a dangerous way to live.
Sooner or later, New York’s luck will run out if it keeps putting itself into these tough positions. Remember Game 2 where San Antonio was one bad pass away from possibly winning the game?
One could even make the argument that the Spurs deserve to be up 3-1, not the Knicks. Of course, the most deserving don’t always get what they want, and it’s New York who is one win away, but it goes to show just how close San Antonio is and for the Knicks to not take it lightly.
“The most important thing for me over these next 48 hours is just focusing on what I can do to win Game 5,” Brunson said.
It’s the kind of question that’s hard to ask athletes in moments like this.
Wembanyama had led his team to a 29-point lead over the Knicks. He was so confident after sprinting to a 21-point advantage in the first quarter that he taunted Mitchell Robinson, telling him, “I’m in your head.” The Spurs were about to tie the series at 2-2. The Larry O’Brien Trophy was within their grasp once again.
It was wild. It was stunning. It was jaw-dropping.
After the final buzzer, the cheers in the hallway at Madison Square Garden were so loud that it was hard to hear Spurs coach Mitch Johnson address the media even though he was using a microphone. Taylor Swift, Timothee Chalamet and Ben Stiller were among the people dancing and screaming in the impromptu celebration that resembled Mardi Gras more than a workplace.
As for Wembanyama, he knew what was coming.
The criticism was going to be brutal. There was going to be an avalanche coming from TV screens, airwaves and newsstands. As the future face of the league, everything ultimately falls on him. But nothing could compare to the demons in his own head.
This is the type of thing that can break a player.
Or it can be his villain origin story.
“What’s going through my mind right now?” Wembanyama asked. “I think it’s going to go one of two ways. One of two ways. A bad one and a good one. The bad one would be giving up. The good one would be getting stronger through this, getting more together. I know this is what we’re going to do.”
So much went wrong for the Spurs in the fourth quarter.
San Antonio star Victor Wembanyama looks on during the Knicks’ historic 107-106 comeback win over the Spurs in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on June 10, 2026 at the Garden. NBAE via Getty Images
They were outscored 32-16. They were outshot from the field 60% to 21.1%. They were bested from beyond the arc 60% to 20%.
As the Knicks chipped away at the third-largest halftime lead in NBA Finals history (27 points), a comeback seemed impossible. Improbable. But the crowd got louder. The Knicks inched closer. And suddenly, Madison Square Garden had transformed into the embodiment of a nightmare for the Spurs.
Fingers can be pointed in a lot of directions.
How could Wembanyama have missed two free throws with 1:47 left and the Spurs up 104-103? Jalen Brunson then made a floating jumper with 1:22 remaining to give the Knicks their first lead of the game, 105-104.
Victor Wembanyama said it’s up to him and his teammates to “hold each other accountable” after the Spurs’ historic Game 4 loss to the Knicks. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Why in the world did De’Aaron Fox attempt a layup instead of dribbling out the clock with the Spurs ahead 106-105 and 13.5 seconds left?
Then came the dagger.
How in the heck did no one box out OG Anunoby following Brunson’s missed 3-point attempt?
Anunoby came flying out of nowhere to make a tip-in with 1.2 seconds remaining, delivering the Spurs a blow to their jugular.
It was brutal.
How do the Spurs recover from this?
“Holding each other accountable,” said Wembanyama, who had team highs in points (24), rebounds (13) and blocks (3). “Communicating. Not pointing fingers. And after that, we either got it or we don’t. But we’ve proven that we can surpass these difficulties. Even though we haven’t been there before, I’m convinced we’re built that way and we’re going to use the better of this. It’s going to tighten us up.”
For the Spurs, there’s a lot of string to spool after the greatest unraveling in NBA Finals history.
Remember that turnover that haunted Wembanyama in the final seconds of Game 2, when he threw the ball off Stephon Castle’s back? Child’s play. What happened in Game 4 is the type of thing that will reverberate for years.
Maybe longer.
The Spurs had outshot the Knicks at halftime 59.6% to 40.5% from the field and 53.8% to 33.3% from beyond the arc. They were soaring. The narrative was about to become, “Will the Spurs be the first team in Finals history to recover after losing their first two games at home?”
Now it’s something else altogether.
This was embarrassing. It was shocking. It was gut-wrenching.
As nearly 20,000 people roared with joy inside Madison Square Garden at one of the most stunning games in sports history that brought the Knicks within one win of their first championship in 53 years, a shocked 7-foot-4 superstar tried to show his resolve.
But this loss was devastating. It was a collapse of epic proportions. An undoing.
It left a wound that’s not going to scar anytime soon.
For the first time since 1996, Major League Baseball’s Midsummer Classic returns to Philadelphia.
The 96th All-Star Game arrives just in time to celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday.
And with the turnaround of the Phillies under former six-time All-Star and now interim skipper Don Mattingly, there is more juice surrounding the weekend and who will participate in the game.
Mattingly, who has led the Phils to a 28-12 record, was asked by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to join his coaching staff alongside Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol. Roberts took down Mattingly’s Blue Jays, where he served as bench coach, in last year’s Fall Classic.
But what about personnel?
Who will don the red pinstripes on July 14 at Citizens Bank Park?
It starts with the group fans cannot vote on.
Pitchers.
Two names stand as locks, pending health, a little more than a month out.
Cristopher Sánchez has registered the second-lowest ERA in baseball at 1.54 while leading the sport in starts (14), innings pitched (93 1/3) and bWAR (5.0). The Phillies’ lefty ace also authored a 50 2/3-inning scoreless streak, the fifth-longest in the modern era and longest by a left-handed starter.
It would make a lot of sense if Sánchez started the game for the National League, but that will ultimately be Roberts’ decision.
If Sánchez gets the ball, he would become the 14th pitcher to start an All-Star Game in his home park. He would be the first since Clayton Kershaw at Dodger Stadium in 2022 and the first Phillie since Robin Roberts at Shibe Park in 1952.
Sánchez has also helped the Phillies hand the ball to closer Jhoan Duran in low-scoring save situations. So far, Duran has provided the return on the investment.
He has converted 17 saves in 18 opportunities. That save total is tied for the second most in the National League, behind San Diego’s Mason Miller with 18.
Duran has posted a 1.99 ERA and a 38.6 percent strikeout rate, third best among relievers with at least 20 appearances and second best in the National League.
A lot would have to go wrong for Duran to not have a strong case to make his first All-Star team. He could become the first Phillies closer since Jonathan Papelbon in 2015 to make it.
Zack Wheeler also has a real chance.
In nine starts since returning from thoracic outlet decompression surgery, Wheeler has posted a 2.22 ERA, fifth among NL starters with at least nine starts. His 0.85 WHIP is the third best in baseball under the same criteria.
His consistency and the respect he has across the league give him a convincing case.
There are stipulations involved.
Every team needs a representative. Some players will opt out. That opens opportunities.
Last year, Roberts carried seven starting pitchers on the National League team. One was Kershaw as the “Legend Pick,” so really six.
Sánchez, Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski, Cincinnati’s Chase Burns, Atlanta’s Chris Sale and Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes feel like the other shoe-ins. If you include Wheeler, that is six.
If the National League takes seven again without a “Legend Pick,” one of Los Angeles’ Justin Wrobleski or Yoshinobu Yamamoto could also make the game. Another Dodger, Shohei Ohtani, will take up a roster spot, but if he does not plan to pitch, that should not restrict the National League from taking another starter.
That would be an interesting and devastating group for American League hitters.
Speaking of arms, one more Phillies arm, a dark horse, could pitch himself into the All-Star Game with a dominant stretch before the break.
Setup man Brad Keller currently sports a 3.38 ERA. He has been solid with 13 holds, tied for the third most in the NL. But his durability gives him a chance if names start to drop out.
Keller is one of 15 National League relievers to appear in 30 or more games. He is one of 10 with an ERA below 3.50 and one of four right-handers in that group.
It sounds like a stretch, but as the game inches closer, Keller could find his way next to his bullpen mate in the Midsummer Classic.
The Phillies have sent two relievers to an All-Star Game once in franchise history. That came in 2024 in Texas, when Matt Strahm and Jeff Hoffman made the team as part of a franchise-record eight total All-Stars.
Offensively, it is pretty clear what the Phillies have to offer.
That is where the fans come in.
Kyle Schwarber, the league leader in homers with 24, should be in play to start the game at designated hitter, but Ohtani stands in his way.
The Phils’ slugger has posted a .933 OPS, third best in the NL and just seven points behind Ohtani. The Dodger has a dozen fewer home runs, but his average (.299) is exactly 60 points higher and his on-base percentage is ahead by nearly the same margin.
Regardless, Schwarber, the 2025 All-Star Game MVP, is a lock to make the game.
It would also be a surprise not to see him participate in the Derby.
Bryce Harper has more competition for a spot, but should be able to hold on if he can fend off another Dodgers veteran.
The Phillies’ first baseman has posted an .893 OPS with a .517 slugging percentage, 15 homers and 28 total extra-base hits.
While his defense has been underwhelming from a metrics standpoint, he has been the second-best first baseman in the NL behind Matt Olson, who has 19 homers, 50 RBI and a .902 OPS.
Harper has played every game of the Phillies’ season. Freddie Freeman, as Harper said recently, is also having a solid year. Freeman is hitting .283 with 10 homers and an .848 OPS.
If both play to the back of their baseball cards until the break, Harper should draw a strong vote total and logically be named as the backup first baseman to Olson as things stand.
Then there is the one that would mean a lot to the Philadelphia faithful and presents a lot of competition.
Brandon Marsh.
The 28-year-old, in the middle of a breakout campaign, is batting .326, fourth best in the majors.
Like the starting pitchers, seven NL outfielders made the team last year.
Washington’s James Wood, Arizona’s Corbin Carroll, St. Louis’ Jordan Walker, New York’s Juan Soto, Atlanta’s Michael Harris and Los Angeles’ Andy Pages feel like six names that could occupy outfield spots.
Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr. also felt like he could be in play, but he has landed on the injured list for the second time in a month.
Marsh could go toe-to-toe with San Francisco’s Jung Hoo Lee, who is batting .338, the best mark among all outfielders in baseball.
Marsh has the edge in extra-base hits, RBI and OPS over Lee, who has put the ball in play more often this year.
Defensively, they are similar.
At the end of the day, though, this comes down to a popularity contest. Lee, who was born in Japan and played professionally in Korea, has a large following and plenty of Giants fans behind him.
Marsh has Philadelphia.
It would be the first All-Star team for either player, and that could come down to the wire.
Be sure to keep an eye on NBCSportsPhiladelphia.com for more All-Star content.
Karl-Anthony Towns added 13 points for the Knicks [Getty Images]
NBA legend Charles Barkley branded the San Antonio Spurs "the dumbest basketball team in the history of civilisation" after the New York Knicks pulled off the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history.
The Spurs led by 29 points as they aimed to level the best-of-seven series in New York before hosting game five, but the Knicks fought back to win 107-106.
London-born OG Anunoby claimed a tip-in basket with 1.2 seconds left to clinch victory, much to the delight of a star-studded crowd at Madison Square Garden, which included Taylor Swift and Timothee Chalamet.
It gave the Knicks a 3-1 lead in the series and put them within one win of their first championship since 1973.
The previous biggest comeback in the NBA Finals was 24 points, by the Boston Celtics against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2008.
San Antonio went 29 points up in the second quarter and their 27-point lead at half-time (76-49) was the largest for a road team in Finals history, but they then scored just 30 points in the second half.
"That was some of the most mismanaged, stupid basketball," said ESPN analyst and former NBA most valuable player Barkley.
"When you blow a 29-point lead, the other team has to help, and the San Antonio Spurs helped the New York Knicks win this game."
Victor Wembanyama scored a team-high 24 points for San Antonio and claimed 13 rebounds.
"I can't really explain it right now," said the NBA's defensive player of the year.
"I don't know. I think it's just execution, greediness of some sort. We clearly weren't the most hungry in the second half."
The Knicks still trailed 90-75 heading into the fourth quarter but Jalen Brunson put them in front for the first time at 105-104 with 82 seconds remaining.
Anunoby then made a block with 11.1 seconds left, to stop the Spurs leading 108-105, before tipping in the game-clinching score after Brunson's three-point attempt struck the rim.
"One word that caps that all is just 'belief'," Brunson told ESPN. "It was chipping away, one possession at a time. It wasn't going to be one play to get us back."
Game five is in San Antonio on Saturday (01:30 BST, Sunday).
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
Knicks fans throwing stuff at Wemby and the Spurs as they arrive at their hotel😬 pic.twitter.com/R2qGunsxBW
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.
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.
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.
One by one, professional multimillionaires uttered the word “crazy,” in love with basketball like never before.
“I don’t think any of us have ever seen anything like that,” Landry Shamet said. “It’s a lot to process.”
A celebrating Jose Alvarado point to the stands after the Knicks’ historic 107-106 comeback win over the Spurs in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on June 10, 2026 at the Garden. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Madison Square Garden was dead.
The Knicks trailed 81-52 in the third quarter, en route to one of the most embarrassing and consequential losses in the history of a franchise that has patented pain, about to be two losses from all-time collapse, heading to San Antonio as the underdog again.
Slowly, the tune changed among the sellout crowd, growing louder with every basket made. Each massive eruption dwarfed the previous one, until the Garden somehow reached new heights.
This was Willis Reed emerging from the tunnel, colliding with Larry Johnson’s four-point play.
New York Knicks guard Landry Shamet (44) celebrates towards fans after Game 4 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the San Antonio Spurs, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in New York. AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin
This was Shamet’s bounce joining forces with Patrick Ewing’s putback. From calm to chaos. From embarrassment to elation. The Amish went electric. A funeral morphed into a party.
“I felt for all of y’all who were at the game, obviously, you could feel the abundance of joy at one time from everyone at one time, the collective joy that came out of everybody for that one moment, to hear the buzzer going off and not to see the ball go in the basket, I think we all felt something, like that emotion that was special,” Towns said. “It’s something that MSG hasn’t had that kind of moment in a long time, so shoutout to our fans for real.
“I’ve seen people leave before the game was over at MSG, watching on MSG Network before. … You could see my reaction, the emotion, it kind of spilled out of that moment. It was tears of joy … All you can do is ask for a chance. And for me personally, I just wanted one break in life. And I got one.”
The tickets, which cost thousands, went from a waste to being worth every penny. Permanent hearing loss was a fair trade after more than a half-century of misery, exchanged for a moment to last a lifetime.
“On the bench when we’re slowly walking them down and you feel it shift a little bit and there’s a little bit of hope there that creeps in, it’s hard to explain, but if you were in the building, everybody felt it,” Shamet said. “This isn’t just talking about staying in the game, let’s cut the lead. It was like, ‘No, we’re here, let’s make something happen.’”
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.
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.
Just before his game-winning putback to complete the Knicks' NBA Finals-record 29-point comeback... OG Anunoby delivered a CLUTCH block on the other end.
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.
pic.twitter.com/R2qGunsxBW
