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  • Recap: Knicks rout Cavaliers, earn first Finals berth since 1999

    Recap: Knicks rout Cavaliers, earn first Finals berth since 1999

    The Knicks are on to their first NBA Finals since 1999 after defeating the Cavaliers on Monday night.

    The Knicks defeated the Cavaliers 130-93, racing out on the fast break and never looking back to complete a sweep and advance to the 2026 NBA Finals.

    Karl-Anthony Towns (19 pts, 14 reb, 3 ast, 2 blk, 2 stl) was your top performer of the night, while Jalen Brunson (15 pts, 5 ast) won the Larry Bird Trophy as the Most Valuable Player of the Eastern Conference Finals.

    New York scored the most points in NBA Playoff history without a 20-point scorer.

    Follow along with the best of the contest by enjoying the NBA.com live blog.

    What we know after Monday’s game:

    MAY 25, 2026 / 11:07 ET

    One time for the New York Knicks

    MAY 25, 2026 / 10:52 ET

    Postgame Presser: Knicks-Cavaliers

    MAY 25, 2026 / 10:39 ET

    The celebration is on

    Jalen Brunson (25.5 ppg in the series, 15 tonight) was presented with the Larry Bird Trophy as the Most Valuable Player of the Eastern Conference Finals by Walt “Clyde” Frazier and Patrick Ewing.

    “It means a lot. I wouldn’t be here without my teammates,” said Brunson. “Our resilience — our ability to stay focused, stay composed…. from top to bottom, it means something.”

    “It’s the players… they’re just great, great human beings, and they’re obviously great basketball players,” said Mike Brown. “Every single one of the guys on the team has sacrificed. Every single one of the guys on the team has competitive spirit.”

    MAY 25, 2026 / 10:33 ET

    Knicks advance to first Finals since 1999

    With a dominant performance, the Knicks close out the Cavaliers 130-93 and head to the NBA Finals for the first time in this millennium.

    Karl-Anthony Towns (19 pts, 14 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 2 blk) led six Knicks in double figures, backed by Landry Shamet (16 pts, 4 3PM) and OG Anunoby (17 pts).

    The Knicks earned a 58-24 advantage in bench points and a 33-9 gap in fast break points, leading by as many as 45 on their way to victory.

    Donovan Mitchell (31 pts) was the top man for the Cavaliers.

    It was a dominant performance. The Cavs came out in the first with a burst of energy, and the Knicks calmly countered and raised, ushering them out the door.

    MAY 25, 2026 / 10:23 ET

    Celebrate, Knicks fans

    Patrick Ewing and John Starks are in the attendance. The rout is on, with the NBA Finals in sight.

    It’s your night, Knicks fans.

    126-86 with 2:26 to go in the fourth.

    On May 25, 1993, Starks did this. It’s a special day in history for the New York Knicks.

    MAY 25, 2026 / 10:15 ET

    Benches are in

    Jose Alvarado, Tyler Kolek, Jordan Clarkson, Mo Diawara and Ariel Hukporti for the Knicks.

    Craig Porter Jr., Tyrese Proctor, Nae’Qwan Tomlin, Jaylon Tyson and Thomas Bryant for the Cavaliers.

    111-76 Knicks with 6:35 to go in the fourth quarter. New York took control of this game early and never looked back.

    MAY 25, 2026 / 10:03 ET

    Knicks up 98-71 after three

    “If you want to talk about a perfect team, how they’ve built, how they’ve been constructed, the efficiency, the sacrifice, you can point to the New York Knicks,” said Richard Jefferson.

    We’re into rarified air in Rocket Arena, as the Knicks look poised to reach their first NBA Finals since 1999.

    MAY 25, 2026 / 9:51 ET

    Knicks rolling along

    91-63 Knicks with 3:02 to go in the third quarter.

    Landry Shamet and Mitchell Robinson just combined on the two-man game for a slam, as Shamet continues his stellar play off the bench.

    Donovan Mitchell (26 pts on 16 shots) is waving the banner for the Cavaliers, but they’re down big.

    MAY 25, 2026 / 9:39 ET

    Cavaliers within shouting distance

    72-56 Knicks with 8:46 to go in the third quarter, as the Cavaliers’ defense steps up with their season on the line.

    New York’s 1-of-8 from the field so far in the quarter, along with two turnovers.

    MAY 25, 2026 / 9:16 ET

    Knicks up 68-49 at the half

    Karl-Anthony Towns (10 pts, 10 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl), Jalen Brunson (10 pts, 4 ast) and Mikal Bridges (10 pts, 2 reb, 3 ast) are going off for the Knicks, while Landry Shamet (11 pts) leads the team in scoring in 9:38 off the bench.

    New York is shooting 52.1% from the field, while Cleveland’s down at 39.5%.

    The Knicks led by as many as 29 in the first half, opening up advantages in bench points (27-3), fast break points (26-3) and points in the paint (26-12).

    Donovan Mitchell (20 pts) and James Harden (12 pts) are the only players in double figures for the Cavaliers.

    MAY 25, 2026 / 9:12 ET

    Cavs go zone

    66-47 Knicks with 1:11 to go in the half, after the Cavaliers switched to a 2-3 zone to cut down on the New York offense.

    James Harden (12 pts) scored five points and dropped two assists during the 10-5 stretch.

    Donovan Mitchell (20 pts) is going off for Cleveland as well, as they seek to get back into this one.

    MAY 25, 2026 / 9:02 ET

    Knicks keep rolling

    61-37 Knicks with 4:44 to go in the first quarter, as New York continues to dominate in front of a mixed crowd at Rocket Arena.

    The Knicks are on pace to score 60 fast break points in this game. The NBA record in the play-by-play era (since 1996-97) is 56.

    MAY 25, 2026 / 8:54 ET

    Knick bench making waves

    New York has a 22-3 advantage in bench points so far as well, building a 53-29 lead with 8:10 to go in the second.

    “You talk about a team that’s loose and confident,” said Tim Legler. “This Knicks team, offensively, is so connected, with each guy believing in the next.”

    Seven of the nine Knicks that have played tonight have logged 6+ points so far.

    #Knickstape, anyone?

    MAY 25, 2026 / 8:47 ET

    ‘The Knicks are red hot once again’

    46-26 Knicks with 10:27 to go in the second, as they start the quarter on an 8-0 run, led by 3-pointers from Miles McBride and Landry Shamet.

    Shamet’s become a force over the course of this series — he made a catch-and-sidestep 3-pointer look like tossing a rock into the ocean a moment ago.

    The Knicks are 8-of-15 (53.3%) from 3-point range so far, while the Cavaliers are 4-of-15 (26.7%).

    MAY 25, 2026 / 8:42 ET

    Knicks up 38-26 after one

    New York took an early jab from Cleveland and responded, taking control of the quarter to take a double-digit lead into the second.

    “We did a great job weathering the first punch,” said Karl-Anthony Towns (8 pts, 6 reb, 2 ast). “We can throw our own punch now. We just have to keep that desperation, that intensity.”

    The Knicks are up to a 13-3 advantage in fast break points and 18-3 in points in the paint.

    Josh Hart (3 pts, 3 reb, 4 ast) is a team-high +16, while Jalen Brunson (7 pts, 4 ast) is +12.

    Donovan Mitchell (12 pts) is the top scorer for Cleveland, while Evan Mobley (7 pts, 3 reb) hasn’t yet been able to capitalize on a hot start.

    MAY 25, 2026 / 8:40 ET

    Knicks heating up

    38-26 Knicks with 24.3 seconds to go in the first. They’re up to 55.6% from the field.

    The Knicks have hit 55% or better four times in these Playoffs, the most by any team since the 2021 Warriors – who had Mike Brown as an assistant coach.

    MAY 25, 2026 / 8:30 ET

    Knicks on a 9-0 run

    23-17 Knicks with 4:20 to go in the first quarter, as Karl-Anthony Towns knocks down a 3-pointer and Jalen Brunson escapes on the break for two.

    The Knicks’ success on the fast break is becoming a problem for the Cavs, who have had trouble with some of the finer points of the game at times in this Playoff run.

    New York has a 10-3 advantage in fast break points and a 14-6 lead in points in the paint.

    MAY 25, 2026 / 8:26 ET

    Mobley on it

    Evan Mobley (7 pts, 3 reb) has hit his first three shots for the Cavaliers, including a 3-pointer and a dunk off an offensive rebound. He and Donovan Mitchell (10 pts) have all 17 points for the Cavs so far.

    On the other side, Mikal Bridges (6 pts on 2-of-4 shooting) has been aggressive for the Knicks.

    17-16 Cavs with 6:00 to go in the first.

    MAY 25, 2026 / 8:16 ET

    Cavaliers open hot

    Donovan Mitchell (6 pts) has two quick 3-pointers here in Game 4, as the Cavaliers look to make a statement early in Rocket Arena.

    Evan Mobley (2 pts) had the first bucket of the game. Kenny Atkinson could look to establish the power forward — of the Cavaliers, he has the most left to give.

    8-5 Cavaliers with 9:22 to go in the first.

    MAY 25, 2026 / 7:45 ET

    Update to the injury report

    Dennis Schröder is out for the Cavaliers.

    Ajay Mitchell and Thomas Sorber are listed as out for the Thunder in tomorrow’s Game 5 against the Spurs, while Jalen Williams is listed as questionable.

    MAY 25, 2026 / 6:00 ET

    Evan Mobley and the Cleveland Cavaliers look to keep their season alive tonight against the New York Knicks in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

    New York:

    • PG Jalen Brunson
      • Brunson’s skill and savvy are consistently impressive. No one carries more craft into the paint — every step, every movement is precise and poised. At 6’2”, he shows up every night while running the third-highest usage rate in the Playoffs (min. 250 minutes).
    • SG Josh Hart
      • Hart is making 1.5 of his 4.8 3PA (30.2%) in his Playoffs run — below his career average of 34.1%, but good enough to keep opposing defenses largely honest.
    • SF Mikal Bridges
      • Watch Bridges in transition in Game 4. “His feel is unbelievable,” Coach Mike Brown said of the Villanova product’s knack for getting loose in the open floor. “He’s doing that on his own. He’s picking and choosing when to go.”
    • PF OG Anunoby
      • Anunoby is shooting 58.9/50.9/83.6 from the field in the Playoffs, knocking down 2.5 of his 4.8 3PA per game.
    • C Karl-Anthony Towns
      • The Big KAT has turned into a playmaker. New York is 9-0 when he dishes out five or more assists during this Playoffs.

    Cleveland:

    • PG James Harden
      • Will The Beard rise up? Harden has averaged 21.5 ppg, 6.4 reb and 5.4 ast over 25 career elimination games. This is the 191st Playoff game of his career, passing Magic Johnson (190) for 14th all-time.
    • SG Donovan Mitchell
      • Mitchell went back to the locker room in Game 3, although he later returned. He’s lacked some of his trademark explosiveness in this series, choosing his spots more than normal. The Cavs may need a heroic performance from Spida.
    • SF Dean Wade
      • Wade has defended Brunson well in this series, holding him to 9 pts on 4-of-9 shooting while not committing a shooting foul against the Knicks’ point guard.
    • PF Evan Mobley
      • Can Mobley be the best player on the floor tonight? He led the Cavaliers in scoring in Game 3 with 24 pts; his Game 4 against Detroit, where he had five blocks and three steals, was a defensive gem. But the Cavs are better offensively with him off the floor in this Playoffs, although their defense suffers. His inability to dominate smaller defenders is limiting for Cleveland.
    • C Jarrett Allen
      • Allen is a team-low -44 in this series — one point better than Donovan Mitchell. The team has been close to statistically identical with him on or off the floor.

    MAY 25, 2026 / 5:30 ET

    Monday’s injury report

    No players are listed on this evening’s injury report.

  • Jalen Brunson named 2026 Eastern Conference Finals MVP

    Jalen Brunson named 2026 Eastern Conference Finals MVP

    Jalen Brunson leads the Knicks back to the NBA Finals, earning the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals MVP award.

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    There was no doubt who was leading the charge for the Knicks in their first run to the NBA Finals in 27 years.

    Jalen Brunson was unanimously named the Eastern Conference Finals Most Valuable Player after leading the Knicks to a resounding sweep over the Cavaliers.

    New York won 11 straight games on its way to the NBA Finals and Brunson scored 16 points in Monday night’s 130-93 Game 4 clincher.

    Brunson averaged 25.5 points and 7.8 assists per game against Cleveland, and he shot 48.7 percent from the floor in leading the Knicks to the sweep.

    The ballot:

     

     

  • Live Updates: 2026 NBA Playoffs, Eastern Conference Finals | Knicks seek first Finals berth since 1999

    Live Updates: 2026 NBA Playoffs, Eastern Conference Finals | Knicks seek first Finals berth since 1999

    Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks can advance to the 2026 NBA Finals by defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight on ESPN.

    We’re bringing you the best of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, presented by Google, with the NBA.com live blog, featuring all of the meaningful moments, performances, observations, news, notes and highlights from Monday’s action.

    Tonight, the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers tip off Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals (8 ET, ESPN), with the Knicks looking to sweep and advance to their first NBA Finals since 1999.

    What we know about Monday’s game:

    • The Knicks have won 10 straight Playoff games, earning a positive point differential of +225.
      • This is the largest cumulative margin of victory over 10 games in NBA history, regular season or Playoffs.
    • The Cavaliers are 23-24 all-time in elimination games; the Knicks are 45-42.
    • No team has ever overcome a 3-0 deficit in the NBA Playoffs, with the 2023 Boston Celtics the last team to force a Game 7.

    MAY 25, 2026 / 6:00 ET

    Evan Mobley and the Cleveland Cavaliers look to keep their season alive tonight against the New York Knicks in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

    New York:

    • PG Jalen Brunson
      • Brunson’s skill and savvy are consistently impressive. No one carries more craft into the paint — every step, every movement is precise and poised. At 6’2”, he shows up every night while running the third-highest usage rate in the Playoffs (min. 250 minutes).
    • SG Josh Hart
      • Hart is making 1.5 of his 4.8 3PA (30.2%) in his Playoffs run — below his career average of 34.1%, but good enough to keep opposing defenses largely honest.
    • SF Mikal Bridges
      • Watch Bridges in transition in Game 4. “His feel is unbelievable,” Coach Mike Brown said of the Villanova product’s knack for getting loose in the open floor. “He’s doing that on his own. He’s picking and choosing when to go.”
    • PF OG Anunoby
      • Anunoby is shooting 58.9/50.9/83.6 from the field in the Playoffs, knocking down 2.5 of his 4.8 3PA per game.
    • C Karl-Anthony Towns
      • The Big KAT has turned into a playmaker. New York is 9-0 when he dishes out five or more assists during this Playoffs.

    Cleveland:

    • PG James Harden
      • Will The Beard rise up? Harden has averaged 21.5 ppg, 6.4 reb and 5.4 ast over 25 career elimination games.
    • SG Donovan Mitchell
      • Mitchell went back to the locker room in Game 3, although he later returned. He’s lacked some of his trademark explosiveness in this series, choosing his spots more than normal. The Cavs may need a heroic performance from Spida.
    • SF Dean Wade
      • Wade has defended Brunson well in this series, holding him to 9 pts on 4-of-9 shooting while not committing a shooting foul against the Knicks’ point guard.
    • PF Evan Mobley
      • Can Mobley be the best player in this series for a game? He led the Cavaliers in scoring in Game 3 with 24 pts; his Game 4 against Detroit, where he had five blocks and three steals, was a defensive gem. But the Cavs are better offensively with him off the floor in this Playoffs, although their defense suffers. His inability to dominate smaller defenders is limiting for Cleveland.
    • C Jarrett Allen
      • Allen is a team-low -44 in this series — one point better than Donovan Mitchell. The team has been close to statistically identical with him on or off the floor.

    MAY 25, 2026 / 5:30 ET

    Monday’s injury report

    No players are listed on this evening’s injury report.

  • The Athletic: Want to ‘Read Like Wemby’? Bring an appetite for fantasy to this San Antonio library

    The Athletic: Want to ‘Read Like Wemby’? Bring an appetite for fantasy to this San Antonio library

    Victor Wembanyama says he reads before every game.

    Editor’s Note: Read more NBA coverage from The Athletic here. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA or its teams. 

    ***

    Turquoise, pink and orange words mount an exhibit of books immediately noticeable when patrons walk into San Antonio’s Central Library, the bright red building in the middle of the city’s downtown: “Read Like Wemby.”

    Just to the right of the circulation desk, where people can sign up for a library card and check out books, are some of San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama’s favorite books. Many nod to his love for science fiction and fantasy literature. Some of the books on display include “Yumi and the Nightmare Painter” by Brandon Sanderson, one of Wembanyama’s favorite authors, as well as “The Witch of Whispervale” by R.A. Salvatore and “The Eye of the World” by Robert Jordan.

    With the Spurs tied 2-2 in the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the San Antonio Public Library, of which the Central Library is one of 29 branches, is taking advantage of the most public hobby of the Spurs superstar: reading. Cate Prazak, a librarian at the Central branch who celebrated the Spurs’ 2014 title in the streets, created two reading lists for what the SAPL is calling the “Read Like Wemby” campaign.

    It launched May 14, four days before the series against the Thunder started.

    “The spark is so reinvigorated. You see it everywhere,” Prazak said of the city’s attitude toward the team. “Everyone is so proud of the Spurs.”

    One of the lists on the SAPL’s website is of print books Wembanyama has been seen reading and related fantasy and science fiction books inspired by his reading habits. Another is a list of titles on Libby, the free e-book and audiobook app. There are about 50 titles collectively across both platforms.

    When veteran forward Harrison Barnes, another avid reader, first came to the Spurs, he and Wembanyama started a book club that included a couple of other players until it eventually whittled down to just the two of them. Barnes made sure to include books from Wembanyama’s favorite genre, science fiction, and more specifically a favorite author, Sanderson.

    Wembanyama has visited Alien Worlds, a comic book store in San Antonio, “upon occasion,” said David Wheeler, the CEO of Dragon’s Lair, a comic and fantasy store in the city. Though many NBA players are photographed walking down the tunnel of an arena before games to show off their fashion, Wembanyama has often been seen clutching a book in one hand.

    In February, a clip of him and Nikola Jokić in the locker room during NBA All-Star Weekend went viral.

    “You really brought a book?” the Denver Nuggets center said.

    “Yeah …” Wembanyama responded, deadpanning as if to say, “What’s the big deal?”

    “I read before every game.”

    Jokić covered his eyes and shook his head as if he couldn’t believe it. But the librarians at SAPL were grinning with joy.

    “Library people, we’ve been paying attention to those moments,” said Scott Williams, SAPL’s marketing manager. “We just love the fact that there’s this NBA star, this international superstar right in our own backyard, who also happens to be a voracious reader.

    “To work for a library in a city where somebody who is that publicly supportive of what reading and literacy can mean for someone is really inspirational.”

    Nearly 160 copies of the books, physical and electronic, have been checked out or placed on hold since the start of the campaign. The most popular is “Alchemised” by SenLinYu, a 1,040-page, genre-bending novel that centers on a former alchemist recovering from the memories of a civil war, which has the most holds on it as a direct result of the campaign.

    “We love connecting people to new books,” Prazak said. “And we hope showing what Wemby loves to read will inspire someone to go find those books.”

    These are a few of Wemby’s favorite things. Courtesy of Central Library

    Juspreet Kaur, the chair of the SAPL’s Board of Trustees, came up with the idea for the campaign. She saw an article about Wembanyama’s love of books in MySA, a local news outlet, and, Williams said, proposed that the SAPL use the superstar’s hobby to help promote the benefits of public libraries.

    Though Wembanyama has not participated in the campaign, the SAPL hopes he might eventually. The goal is to inspire people of all ages, especially children, to read more. It shows that someone can be one of the best basketball players in the world and also love reading. They want the world to know that reading is cool. Wemby is cool. Science fiction and fantasy and world-building and magic are cool.

    The campaign is not just highlighting San Antonio’s hero but also serving as a love letter to the library as an oft-forgotten staple of communities, and to the written word as a whole, in the age of artificial intelligence and massive changes in how we consume information as a society. According to data from Gallup and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Americans are reading fewer books per year than ever before and spending less time reading than ever.

    A survey from YouGov shows that almost 40 percent of Americans didn’t read a single book over the course of a year. The Washington Post has even called this a “post-literate era.”

    The campaign inspired a second exhibit at San Antonio’s Las Palmas branch. Senior circulation attendant Lila De Los Santos and library assistant Elvia Ramos, both wearing Spurs T-shirts, helped put up a life-size cutout of Wembanyama’s gargantuan, 8-foot wingspan next to some of his sci-fi favorites, incorporating “Go Spurs Go” signs. De Los Santos and Ramos recently took a photo behind the cutout, stretching out their arms, too.

    Children who come into the libraries have taken selfies next to the exhibits, thanks to the staff’s approval of photography inside the library, something that is often prohibited in similar facilities. The Spurs’ generational talent’s chase for a title is too special not to capture.

    San Antonio resident Christy Hernandez, 34, has used the SAPL’s Wemby website list for recommendations for her next read. “Seeing Wemby’s interest in reading has definitely renewed mine,” Hernandez said. She started reading fantasy/science fiction novelist Sanderson’s books once she realized how much Wembanyama liked the author’s work.

    “I really hope the exhibit leads to a formal collaboration with Wemby,” Hernandez said. “I can only imagine what a huge impact it would be on kids to see a role model like Wemby be such a voracious reader.”

    Summer is the library’s busiest season, and the SAPL staff is hoping Wembanyama will collaborate with them at some point. If Williams could make a pitch to the All-Star, he’d like to start by saying: “Thank you. Thank you for bringing awareness to how important connection is with the written word and literature is.”

    And one more thing, Williams said: “Get a library card. Come to the library.”

    — Fred Katz contributed to this report.

    ***

    Mirin Fader is a senior writer for The Athletic, writing long-form features, primarily on the NBA. Mirin is also the New York Times best-selling author of GIANNIS: The Improbable Rise of an NBA Champion and DREAM: The Life and Legacy of Hakeem Olajuwon. She has told compelling human-interest features on some of our most complex, most dominant heroes from the NBA, NFL, WNBA and NCAA, most recently at The Ringer. Her work has been featured in the Best American Sports Writing books. She lives in Los Angeles. You can follow Mirin on X @MirinFader.

  • The Athletic: Thunder’s depth has questions to answer after Game 4

    The Athletic: Thunder’s depth has questions to answer after Game 4

    On Sunday, the Oklahoma City Thunder didn’t look as deep as they used to.

    Editor’s Note: Read more NBA coverage from The Athletic here. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA or its teams. 

    ***

    SAN ANTONIO — The Oklahoma City Thunder’s depth, magnificent throughout this season and this Western Conference finals series, had no magic to give Sunday night. Depth went from a helpful tool to dire.

    Down Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell, two of the team’s most important creators, the Thunder delivered their flattest game of the postseason, a 103-82 Game 4 loss that evened their series with the San Antonio Spurs. A game that did not reek of desperation, but instead felt weighed down by the depth chart.

    Yes, the Thunder played without a bevy of ballhandlers at different points during this season. But this is not Detroit in February. Or Utah in November. Can the Thunder conjure offense against such a harsh defense without the necessary initiators?

    “We can,” coach Mark Daigneault said postgame. “I thought we left a lot to be desired on that end of the floor. We didn’t have the sharpness, force or precision necessary to crack them.”

    After Mitchell’s prominence in the Los Angeles Lakers series, OKC entered the West finals with roughly 3 1/2 star talents on the roster. But the injuries, as well as Chet Holmgren’s disappearance, have made the life of back-to-back MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander a lot more difficult than anticipated.

    Holmgren blossomed as a play finisher this season. He improved as a rebounder. He regained mobility after last year’s hip procedure. He rounded into stardom and made the All-Star team.

    In this series, though, he’s been quiet. Overpowered on the glass. Irrelevant in the offense. Incapable of launching his jump shot. Down in volume and attempts, which might not have been such an issue previously with OKC’s numbers but undoubtedly is now.

    In 26 minutes on Sunday, Holmgren tallied 10 points on eight shots. His mythical contemporary, Victor Wembanyama, produced back-breaking plays. He scrubbed the top of the backboard for several fast-break dunks. He vacuumed any trace of OKC momentum with a half-court heave to close the first half.

    He took 22 shots, seven of them 3s, and scored 33 points. The Spurs dominated his minutes, a plus-29 on the night.

    The Thunder bench, fresh off a 76-point display in Friday’s Game 3, scored only 18 before Sunday’s fourth quarter. Alex Caruso, heroic for much of this series, played just 14 minutes. Two nights earlier, Jared McCain and Jaylin Williams were gamebreakers. NBA Jam hot. The perfect two-man antidote to the starters’ deficiencies. They were necessary wrinkles for an ever-changing series.

    In Game 4, they combined to shoot just 2 of 17.

    It’s different when the offense is more dependent on their rhythm and when a defense is fixated on them. San Antonio generally stayed home on shooters after being blasted from deep in Game 3. Its collapses on SGA felt more timely and effective. That can happen when his two best complementary ballhandlers aren’t available to attack the rare gaps in San Antonio’s defense once he gets off the ball.

    The Thunder offense was more predicated on the cohesion of five-man lineups than at any other point in the series. OKC had 17 turnovers on the night. Its display from deep, just 6 of 33, was its worst in these playoffs. The Thunder were outclassed in the paint, shooting 43.9 percent on those shots.

    “A lot of these playoff games come down to physicality and force,” Daigneault said. “Your force has to be better than their physicality on defense, and your physicality has to be better than their force on offense. That’s kind of the trenches of a playoff game. … You’ve gotta give yourselves more bites at the apple.”

    Perhaps the Thunder’s most rhythmic, unforced stint in the game came in the opening minutes, when center Isaiah Hartenstein walked into a handful of floaters. That the remainder of the period was spent struggling to get SGA the ball should’ve portended Game 4’s results.

    Daigneault will need to sort through the team’s process versus the dramatic, outlier results. He’ll need to determine how much of the ugly was sustainable and how much can be ironed out in Tuesday’s Game 5.

    The Spurs did not piece together a masterpiece in Game 4 themselves. They made just nine of their 33 3-point attempts on a night they scored 103 points. Among the tangible differences, though, was that they played with desperation.

    “They played like their season was on the line, and we didn’t,” Holmgren said.

    The task now, separate from availability, is to conjure urgency and competence. Efficiency and order. San Antonio’s defense will make that difficult. In the Thunder’s pair of wins, the fearlessness of their reserves challenged Wembanyama’s rim protection. In their losses, his impact is loud. Beyond him, Stephon Castle’s smothering of SGA remains consistent.

    This series, not unlike most, is morphing from game to game. The odds, the circumstances, the personnel. Just days ago, OKC held an advantage after its most convincing and momentous win of the postseason.

    On Sunday, it waved the white flag fairly early in the fourth quarter, its offense deteriorating well before then.

    “The series is 2-2, basically 0-0, and it’s first to two games now,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “It’s not at the front of my mind, but it is a fact and the reality of where we are.”

    Gilgeous-Alexander, experienced in the changing landscape of a series, remains undeterred. But his dwindling resources could soon become too overwhelming.

    ***

    Joel Lorenzi is a Staff Writer for The Athletic covering the NBA via Chicago. Prior to joining the Athletic, he covered the Oklahoma City Thunder for The Oklahoman for two seasons. He’s the recipient of the 2023 USBWA Rising Star Award. A graduate of the University of Missouri, Joel was born and raised on the West Side of Chicago. You can follow Joel on X @JoelXLorenzi.

  • The Athletic: The Knicks’ trade for Mikal Bridges was worth it

    The Athletic: The Knicks’ trade for Mikal Bridges was worth it

    Mikal Bridges did the hard-to-quantify things in Game 3 as usual and scored 22 points on 11-of-15 shooting for the Knicks.

    Editor’s Note: Read more NBA coverage from The Athletic here. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA or its teams. 

    ***

    CLEVELAND — Send the Brooklyn Nets more picks. They can consider all the cash they want, too.

    Mikal Bridges’ short trek from Brooklyn to Manhattan two summers ago initiated arguments that got as heated as subway platforms in July. The New York Knicks traded five first-round picks and more to the cross-town rival Nets to acquire Bridges, a reliable NBA wing without an All-Star Game to his name. Many saw it as a significant overpay for someone of his stature.

    New York’s decision-makers, though, identified Bridges as a critical piece for a team ready to transition into a serious challenger.

    For the trade to be justified, the Knicks had to quickly be in the chase for a championship. There’s no other way around it. Anything short of that could set the franchise back, as it emptied the bulk of its asset cabinet to get the move done. People could lose their jobs over such a gamble. One way or another, whenever the dust settles, an extreme result will present itself.

    Yet here we are, almost two years since the move, and New York is a legitimate title contender again. Last year, it made the Eastern Conference finals before bowing out. This year, it’s right back in that same spot and, as history says, is going to be in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 after taking a 3-0 series lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night. No team in NBA history has fumbled a 3-0 series lead.

    The Knicks wouldn’t be here without Bridges. Not without those gangly limbs irking James Harden and Tyrese Maxey each time either one has tried to make something happen. Not without that buttery midrange jumper that floats over any tertiary defender an opponent puts in front of Bridges because it has bigger fish to worry about. Not without the marathon stamina Bridges and his iron-man reputation carry as he turns hard defense into easy offense with ever-so-subtle anticipation.

    Bridges scored 22 points on 11-of-15 shooting Saturday night. He also had six rebounds, three steals and two blocks. More importantly, the Knicks are as serious a title contender as they’ve been since frosted tips were in style.

    “He’s just got a good feel,” coach Mike Brown said. “He’s picking and choosing (when to go for steals), just like when he’s picking and choosing to go for his shot when we call his number. We need him to continue to do that. I told him and OG (Anunoby) that because I don’t call a lot of plays, you guys have to impose your will on the game. They’re both doing a phenomenal job of imposing their will on the game.”

    To better understand Bridges as a Knick, you have to first come to grips with the fact he didn’t ask to be traded for such a large haul. It was the front office that made that commitment. On the surface, Bridges was never going to live up to the trade value — or perceived expectations of what someone who is traded for that much capital should be capable of — because, well, that’s not what New York needed him to do. The team had Jalen Brunson and would later acquire Karl-Anthony Towns to build its offense around. The Knicks needed Bridges, just like Anunoby, to be able to give hell defensively to the wings in Boston, while being able to fill in the gaps offensively with efficient shotmaking.

    So when you peel back the layers, Bridges has done everything he’s been brought here to do when it matters most — even if the last two regular seasons presented stomach-dropping experiences that sometimes made you queasy thinking about what else those draft picks could have been used on. Since a rough two-game stretch in New York’s first-round series against Atlanta, when Bridges was essentially benched in the second halves, the 29-year-old is shooting an absurd 68.4 percent from the floor on 11.4 field goal attempts per game over his last nine. He’s snatching almost two steals nightly.

    Last season, Bridges won Knicks’ postseason games against the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons by blocking a shot or making a deflection with his “Go, go Gadget” arms. He came through with pressure shots when New York needed them, even if they didn’t come in bulk.

    Bridges was brought here to help the Knicks win a championship. He’s done his job.

    “The expectations don’t matter,” Josh Hart, his current teammate and former college teammate, said. “That’s for y’all to talk about. There’s nothing he can do about it.

    “He didn’t call (Knicks president) Leon (Rose) and say, ‘Yo, this is the trade package!’ He got put into this situation, and he hit the ground running. We wouldn’t be in this situation without him. Look, how many games has he won for us because he got a stop down the stretch? He’s won games in every single way for us. That’s why we wanted him. That’s why he’s here.”

    Bridges lived two separate NBA lives before joining the Knicks, and he’s found a way to blend those two personas in Manhattan. He was drafted 10th in 2018 by the Philadelphia 76ers, who traded his rights to the Phoenix Suns. He spent his first 4 1/2 seasons with the Suns acting as a 3-and-D specialist and was expected to just defend the opposing team’s best player and knock down open shots. Bridges did that job so well that the Nets wanted him in the trade for Kevin Durant. In Brooklyn, with fewer expectations regarding team success, Bridges became the team’s primary initiator.

    Bridges went from a 15 percent usage rate in his last full season in Phoenix to a 24 percent usage rate in his first full season in Brooklyn. To put it in perspective, Brunson had a 29.4 percent usage rate last season with the Knicks. Brooklyn provided Bridges with the freedom to be a go-to guy.

    Two years into his time in Manhattan, Bridges finally appeared comfortable rolling his past responsibilities into one mega role. He floats around knocking down open 3s that are generated because of the talent around him. He also does the dirty work defensively to create offense for himself. Then there are times Bridges is forceful in making his presence felt, such as late in the Knicks’ 22-point comeback in Game 1, when Bridges dribbled across the floor, stumbled and hoisted a fadeaway 3 over the outstretched arm of Evan Mobley. That was the shot and confidence of a 10-time All-Star.

    “In a way, it’s a blessing,” said Knicks teammate Landry Shamet, who also played with Bridges in Phoenix. “You’ve been asked to do so many different things in your career.

    “Some nights, Mikal only gets five shots up, but he’s got to guard the best player, run around and keep him under 13 points or something. Each night is something different.”

    Winning an NBA championship is hard. There are too many factors that go into which team hoists the Larry O’Brien Trophy at the end of every season; anyone who acts as if there is an exact formula clearly just likes to hear themself talk. The best team all season doesn’t always win.

    The goal for every NBA organization is to have a chance, to be one of the teams able to make it to the sport’s mountaintop year after year. The Knicks have been in that position since they traded for Bridges, which is what the front office hoped for. In fact, that’s all that anyone can ask for.

    The Bridges trade was worth it for New York. It’s time to let that argument die.

    ***

    James L. Edwards III is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the New York Knicks. Previously, he covered the Detroit Pistons at The Athletic for seven seasons and, before that, was a reporter for the Lansing State Journal, where he covered Michigan State and high school sports. You can follow James on X @JLEdwardsIII.

  • Recap: Spurs Defeat Thunder, Even Series at 2-2

    We’re bringing you the best of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, presented by Google, with the NBA.com live blog, featuring all of the meaningful moments, performances, observations, news, notes and highlights from Saturday’s action.

    What We Know After Sunday’s Matchup

    -San Antonio defeats Oklahoma City in Game 4: This was a dominant performance for the Spurs. They were the first team to grab a 20-point lead in this series. They led by at least 15 points for the final 20 minutes of this game.

    -The Spurs and Thunder are now 2-2 in this series: This win for San Antonio evened up this Western Conference Finals. This is the matchup everyone was waiting to see, and we now have a three-game series since it’s tied at 2-2. The Thunder will host Game 5 and Game 7, while the Spurs will host Game 6. See Game 5 on Tuesday!

     

    Top Performers of the Night

    -Victor Wembanyama had 33 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two steals and three blocks.

    -De’Aaron Fox finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.

    -Shai Gilgeous-Alexander accrued 19 points, four rebounds, seven assists and two steals.

    10:55 PM / May 24, 2026

    Spurs Defeat Thunder, 103-82

    San Antonio evened up the Western Conference Finals at 2-2.

    The Spurs won all four individual quarters in this victory.

    They led by at least 15 points for the closing 20 minutes.

    Victor Wembanyama finished with 33 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two steals and three blocks.

    Game 5 will be in OKC on Tuesday.

     

    10:38 PM / May 24, 2026

    Spurs Looking to Close Game 4

    They lead by 18 with seven minutes remaining.

    San Antonio has been in control all night, and seven more good minutes will even this series.

    The Spurs built a 25-point lead, the largest for either team in this series.

    Game 5 will be in OKC on Tuesday.

    See the finish on NBC/Peacock

    10:19 PM / May 24, 2026

    Spurs Lead Thunder After 3Q, 78-60

    That was a dominant quarter by San Antonio, grabbing its largest lead of the series.

    The Spurs have outscored OKC in all three quarters.

    Victor Wembanyama has 31 points, six rebounds, five assists and three blocks.

    See the fourth quarter on NBC/Peacock

    10:04 PM / May 24, 2026

    All-NBA First Team

    9:47 PM / May 24, 2026

    Second Half is Underway

    San Antonio’s defense was unstoppable in that opening half.

    The Spurs led 50-38 at the end of the half and now hold a 65-43 lead, thanks to a 15-5 run.

    This is the first 20-point lead of the series.

    Oklahoma City leads this series, 2-1.

    See the second half on NBC/Peacock

    9:21 PM / May 24, 2026

    Spurs Lead Thunder at the Half, 50-38

    The Spurs needs this game to even this series, and they’re off to a good start.

    San Antonio held Oklahoma City to 36 percent from the field and 1-for-11 from 3-point range in a defensive showcase.

    Victor Wembanyama hit this ridiculous buzzer-beater and has 22 points, five rebounds, three assists and two blocks.

    See the second half on NBC/Peacock

    9:03 PM / May 24, 2026

    All-NBA Second-Team

    8:47 PM / May 24, 2026

    Spurs Lead Thunder After Q1, 28-19

    San Antonio ripped off a 16-0 run in that quarter.

    We saw a similar run in Game 2, but OKC pulled off the comeback.

    Victor Wembanyama has 11 points and three assists.

    See the action on NBC/Peacock

    8:34 PM / May 24, 2026

    Spurs Streaking

    San Antonio needs a win here to even this series.

    The Spurs appear to be motivated to do just that, ripping off a 14-0 run.

    They lead 21-9 midway through the first quarter.

    Check out the action on NBC/Peacock

    8:24 PM / May 24, 2026

    We’re Underway in San Antonio

    There’s some serious energy in San Antonio.

    The teams are clearly hungry because we’ve seen six lead changes through the opening five minutes.

    OKC leads this series, 2-1.

    Check out the action on NBC/Peacock

    8:13 PM / May 24, 2026

    All-NBA Third Team

    8:00 PM / May 24, 2026

    Game 4 Starters

    Oklahoma City will be shorthanded, playing without Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell.

    The Spurs got De’Aaron Fox back last game, and he’s ready to go once again.

    The Thunder lead this series, 2-1.

    Check out the action on NBC/Peacock

  • Taylor Swift attends Cavs-Knicks in Cleveland with fiancé Travis Kelce

    CLEVELAND (AP) — Turns out, Taylor Swift likes basketball, too.

    The global music superstar sat courtside at Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Saturday night along with fiancé and Cleveland native Travis Kelce as the Cavaliers hosted the New York Knicks desperately needing a win in the series.

    Swift and Kelce, who recently signed a 3-year, $54 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs, took their seats in Rocket Arena shortly before the opening tip. Their appearance caused a stir as fans reacted to seeing the power couple together.

    Kelce didn’t need long to settle in and was animated while cheering for the Cavs.

    With the Cavs trailing 91-82 at the end of the third quarter, Kelce and Swift were shown on the arena’s giant scoreboard. Fans cheered wildly as Kelce showed off his team cap and wine-and-gold shirt before chugging a beer to help rally the Cavs.

    As Kelce gulped down his beverage, Swift covered her mouth and feigned shock and embarrassment.

    Swift became a staple at Chiefs home games when she began dating Kelce a few years ago. She also accompanied him to Game 1 of the AL Championship Series at Yankee Stadium in 2024.

    Kelce has attended Cavs games in the past and he and his brother, Jason, were celebrated with a bobblehead giveaway by Cleveland in 2024.

    The couple announced their engagement last year and there are reports they’ll get married sometime this summer.

    The Knicks have a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series after also winning twice at Madison Square Garden.

  • Inside the numbers of the Knicks’ 10-game winning streak, with a lot of NBA history happening

    Inside the numbers of the Knicks’ 10-game winning streak, with a lot of NBA history happening

    Knicks en route to make NBA history as they are only one win away from their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999.

    The New York Knicks are one win away from reaching the NBA Finals. And they’ve gotten into this position on the strength of a 10-game winning streak like no other in team history.

    Or NBA history, for that matter.

    They trailed Atlanta 2-1 in Round 1, which seems like forever ago. They’re 10-0 since, after winning the final three games against the Hawks, then sweeping Philadelphia in Round 2, and now taking a 3-0 lead over Cleveland in the Eastern Conference Finals.

    It looks easy, but Knicks coach Mike Brown noted, “there’s nothing easy about this” and added having “a little bit of luck” helps as well.

    “They’re doing the things I always talk about: they’re holding each other accountable, they’re believing in the process, they’re playing with a competitive spirit that is unmatched,” Brown said. “If you do those things while focusing on the detail and communicating and bringing energy and effort you have a chance to string some games together.”

    A look inside the numbers of this monthlong stretch by the Knicks:

    +225

    The Knicks have won these 10 consecutive playoff games by a combined 225 points. There’s never been such a one-sided 10-game stretch in NBA history — regular season or playoffs.

    Before this playoff run, the most lopsided score differential in a 10-game winning streak for the Knicks came from Oct. 24 through Nov. 11, 1969 — 168 points. New York won the NBA title that season.

    The most one-sided 10-game winning streak in playoff history was turned in by the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors, who outscored opponents by 171 during that stretch on their way to that season’s title. Among the assistant coaches on that Warriors staff was Mike Brown, now the Knicks’ head coach.

    And the NBA record for point differential in any 10-game stretch, before now, was a 214-point margin by the Milwaukee Bucks during the 1973-74 season. The Bucks went 9-1 in those games. The most lopsided differential during a 10-game winning streak was also by the Bucks, who outscored opponents by 212 points from Feb. 11 through Feb. 24, 1971.

    10-game winning streaks

    New York’s 10-game winning streak is tied for the fifth-longest in a single postseason.

    Golden State started 15-0 in the 2017 playoffs. San Antonio won 12 straight in the 1999 playoffs, and the Los Angeles Lakers had a pair of 11-game playoff winning streaks — first in 1989, when they got swept by Detroit in the NBA Finals, and again in 2001 when they topped Philadelphia for the title.

    The Knicks join Boston (2024), Cleveland (2016 and 2017), San Antonio (2012) and New Jersey (2003) in having 10-game winning streaks in the same postseason.

    Before this season, the Knicks’ longest playoff winning streak (in the same season) was a six-game run in 1999.

  • Spurs seeking answers to Thunder’s dominance when Wembanyama rests

    Spurs seeking answers to Thunder’s dominance when Wembanyama rests

    Victor Wembanyama was +4 in his minutes during Game 3, but the Spurs ended up losing to the Thunder by 15.

    SAN ANTONIO (AP) — It’s tempting, but the San Antonio Spurs will not play Victor Wembanyama every minute of regulation against Oklahoma City even as they trail the Thunder 2-1 in the Western Conference Finals.

    Instead, San Antonio has to find a way to play better when Wembanyama rests because Oklahoma City is dominating when the 7-foot-4 star from France is on the bench.

    The Thunder are two wins away from returning to the NBA Finals with Game 4 on Sunday in San Antonio.

    Oklahoma City has won two straight by an average of 12 points since Wembanyama had 41 points, 24 rebounds and three blocks in 49 minutes during San Antonio’s 122-115 double-overtime victory in Game 1 on Monday.

    As the Spurs seek solutions, playing Wembanyama more minutes is intriguing but not viable.

    “The idea is there,” San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson said, smiling, “but, yeah, I think as we’ve seen it, him fresh or somewhat fresh is still the best. … We don’t want to sacrifice our style of play and the identity that we’ve been building since October.”

    The Spurs were a plus-4 in Wembanyama’s 39 minutes in Game 3’s 123-108 loss to the Thunder on Friday. That number may seem inconsequential, but San Antonio was minus-15 as a team and its main reserves were in the negative by double digits.

    MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a team-high 26 points, but the rest of the starters combined for 21 points.

    Their scoring wasn’t needed Friday.

    Oklahoma City’s bench outscored San Antonio’s 76-23 and were a combined 14-for-29 on 3-pointers. The 76 bench points are the most in the conference finals since the NBA went to the 16-team playoff format in 1984.

    “We’ve dealt with a lot of injuries throughout the year, but it’s built us,” Thunder center Jaylin Williams said. “It’s built us as a team. It’s built us as players to be ready for the moment, to be ready when your name is called.”

    Williams had a playoff career-high 18 points, and fellow reserve Jared McCain finished with 24 points.

    The Spurs opened Game 3 on a 15-0 run, the longest run to open a game in the conference finals since the play-by-play era began in 1997. San Antonio led 19-4 when Wembanyama subbed out with seven minutes remaining in the quarter but the Thunder cut the deficit to 24-19 when he returned with 3:44 remaining in the first.

    The Thunder’s depth also allows them to throw multiple bodies and looks to wear on Wembanyama and the Spurs.

    “I know I’m not going to play as many minutes as (Wembanyama) is, so the minutes I’m out there I’m trying to make his job as tough as I can make it,” Williams said.

    Making matters worse for the Spurs is two of their primary playmakers and scorers are battling injuries.

    Point guards De’Aaron Fox (sprained right ankle) and Dylan Harper (right adductor soreness) played in Game 3 but were not at 100%. Fox also appeared to injure his left ankle in the third quarter but returned shortly after exiting for the locker room.

    “They came out of the game, finished on their own accord,” Johnson said. “I took them out, so that’s a plus and as of now we expect them to be ready to go. So, those guys are giving us all they got, and I commend them and tip my cap because they’re competing … and they’re not 100%.”

    There was no update on their playing status as of Sunday afternoon.

    The diminished health of Fox and Harper along with Oklahoma City’s physicality has slowed San Antonio’s usual breakneck pace offensively.

    The Spurs played reserve center Luke Kornet alongside Wembanyama at times Friday in an attempt to improve its rebounding and spark a faster pace, but the Thunder limited that as well.

    “That’s been good for us all year,” Castle said of the Spurs’ pace. “I don’t think it’s just against them that it’s crucial that we have those possessions, but, I mean, I think that comes from getting stops first.”

    Castle did not want to give away any strategy, but he did say the Spurs discovered some “schematic stuff” that should fix their lapses on both ends for Game 4.

    Regardless, San Antonio has to find a way to keep playing with Wembanyama on the bench.

    “I feel like each and every one of us has got to be better,” Wembanyama said. “Yeah, I think it’s just that as a team, as an organization, there’s a lot of new experiences. We’re just going to have to find the answers.”