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  • Recap: Knicks defeat Cavaliers, take 3-0 series lead

    Recap: Knicks defeat Cavaliers, take 3-0 series lead

    Jalen Brunson dropped a game-high 30 points in the Knicks’ Game 3 victory over the Cavaliers.

    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 Saturday’s Matchup

    -Knicks Take 3-0 Series Lead: New York has won 10 straight games and is now just one win away from reaching the NBA Finals.

    Game 4 will be in Cleveland on Monday.

    Top Performers of the Night

    -Jalen Brunson had 30 points, three rebounds and six assists.

    -Mikal Bridges amassed 22 points, six rebounds, two assists, three steals and two blocks on 11-for-15 shooting.

    -OG Anunoby accrued 21 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

    -Karl-Anthony Towns tallied 13 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals.

    -Josh Hart had 12 points, nine rebounds, four assists and five steals.

    -Evan Mobley collected 24 points, six rebounds and two assists.

    -Donovan Mitchell provided 23 points, four assists and three steals.

    -James Harden totaled 19 points, five rebounds and five assists.

    11:04 PM / May 23, 2026

    Knicks Defeat Cavaliers, 121-108

    New York has taken a commanding 3-0 lead in this series.

    The Knicks shot 56 percent from the field, 39 percent from 3-point range and 89 percent from the free-throw line.

    They also recorded 27 assists to 14 turnovers, while Cleveland had 22 assists to 17 turnovers.

    Jalen Brunson led the way with 30 points, three rebounds and six assists.

    All five starters scored at least 12 points.

    Game 4 is on Monday.

    10:49 PM / May 23, 2026

    Knicks Take 3-0 Series Lead

    New York has won 10 straight games.

    They’ve also won five straight road games by 10-plus points, which ties an NBA record.

    In that 10-game winning streak, the Knicks are winning by over 20 points per game.

    10:30 PM / May 23, 2026

    One Final Push for Cleveland?

    The Cavaliers need a comeback here to avoid a 3-0 hole in this series.

    Landry Shamet has hit three massive 3-pointers this quarter, and New York has a game-high 17-point lead with five minutes remaining.

    See the finish on ABC. 

    10:07 PM / May 23, 2026

    Knicks Lead Cavs After 3Q, 91-82

    New York is still shooting 57 percent from the field.

    Jalen Brunson leads the way with 21 points, three rebounds and four assists.

    James Harden leads Cleveland with 19 points and five rebounds.

    See the fourth quarter on ABC. 

     

    9:41 PM / May 23, 2026

    Second Half is Underway

    New York leads Cleveland, 60-54.

    They led for the entirety of the first half, but Cleveland did tie the game at 50-50.

    The Knicks lead this series, 2-0.

    See the second half on ABC. 

    9:25 PM / May 23, 2026

    Knicks Lead Cavs at the Half, 60-54

    New York shot 57 percent from the field in the opening half.

    They also out-assisted Cleveland, 13-8.

    James Harden leads Cleveland with 14 points and four rebounds.

    OG Anunoby leads NY with 13 points and three rebounds.

    9:07 PM / May 23, 2026

    Jaylon Tyson Fantastic Finish

    Cleveland is coming back, and this is part of their big run.

    They have tied the game at 48-48 midway through the second quarter.

    See the action on ABC. 

     

    8:44 PM / May 23, 2026

    Knicks Lead Cavs, 37-27

    New York shot 71 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point range in that opening quarter.

    They lead this series, 2-0.

    Karl-Anthony Towns has 11 points and two rebounds.

    See the action on ABC.

    8:15 PM / May 23, 2026

    Game 3 is Underway on ABC

    We’re down to the final four teams in the NBA.

    This Eastern Conference Finals has the Knicks sitting with a 2-0 series lead.

    With that said, both games were at home for NY, so Cleveland could hold serve with two home wins.

    They need to start that comeback here!

    The Knicks have a 9-1 lead early in this game, but San Antonio led 15-0 yesterday!

    See the action on ABC. 

    7:59 PM / May 23, 2026

    Game 3 Starting Lineups

    They say a series never starts until the home team has lost, but Cleveland desperately needs a win here.

    They trail 0-2 in this series but had a 27-14 record at home during the regular season.

    A 3-0 hole is almost insurmountable, while a 2-1 series will put Cleveland right back on serve.

    Game 4 will be in Cleveland on Monday.

    See the action on ABC. 

  • Live Updates: Cavaliers vs. Knicks on ABC

    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 About Saturday’s Matchup

    -Knicks Lead Series, 2-0: New York was lucky to escape in Game 1, but they took care of business in Game 2. The Cavaliers blew a 21-point lead in the fourth quarter of Game 1, but the Knicks won Game 2, 109-93.

    -New York has won nine straight playoff games: The Knicks have been the best team in the playoffs, carrying a 2-0 lead into Game 3. They’ve been winning their last nine games by an average of 23.5 points per game throughout this amazing postseason run.

    10:30 PM / May 23, 2026

    One Final Push for Cleveland?

    The Cavaliers need a comeback here to avoid a 3-0 hole in this series.

    Landry Shamet has hit three massive 3-pointers this quarter, and New York has a game-high 17-point lead with five minutes remaining.

    See the finish on ABC. 

    10:07 PM / May 23, 2026

    Knicks Lead Cavs After 3Q, 91-82

    New York is still shooting 57 percent from the field.

    Jalen Brunson leads the way with 21 points, three rebounds and four assists.

    James Harden leads Cleveland with 19 points and five rebounds.

    See the fourth quarter on ABC. 

     

    9:41 PM / May 23, 2026

    Second Half is Underway

    New York leads Cleveland, 60-54.

    They led for the entirety of the first half, but Cleveland did tie the game at 50-50.

    The Knicks lead this series, 2-0.

    See the second half on ABC. 

    9:25 PM / May 23, 2026

    Knicks Lead Cavs at the Half, 60-54

    New York shot 57 percent from the field in the opening half.

    They also out-assisted Cleveland, 13-8.

    James Harden leads Cleveland with 14 points and four rebounds.

    OG Anunoby leads NY with 13 points and three rebounds.

    9:07 PM / May 23, 2026

    Jaylon Tyson Fantastic Finish

    Cleveland is coming back, and this is part of their big run.

    They have tied the game at 48-48 midway through the second quarter.

    See the action on ABC. 

     

    8:44 PM / May 23, 2026

    Knicks Lead Cavs, 37-27

    New York shot 71 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point range in that opening quarter.

    They lead this series, 2-0.

    Karl-Anthony Towns has 11 points and two rebounds.

    See the action on ABC.

    8:15 PM / May 23, 2026

    Game 3 is Underway on ABC

    We’re down to the final four teams in the NBA.

    This Eastern Conference Finals has the Knicks sitting with a 2-0 series lead.

    With that said, both games were at home for NY, so Cleveland could hold serve with two home wins.

    They need to start that comeback here!

    The Knicks have a 9-1 lead early in this game, but San Antonio led 15-0 yesterday!

    See the action on ABC. 

    7:59 PM / May 23, 2026

    Game 3 Starting Lineups

    They say a series never starts until the home team has lost, but Cleveland desperately needs a win here.

    They trail 0-2 in this series but had a 27-14 record at home during the regular season.

    A 3-0 hole is almost insurmountable, while a 2-1 series will put Cleveland right back on serve.

    Game 4 will be in Cleveland on Monday.

    See the action on ABC. 

  • Starting 5: Shai, OKC bench overpower Spurs for 2-1 lead, Knicks-Cavs tonight

    Starting 5: Shai, OKC bench overpower Spurs for 2-1 lead, Knicks-Cavs tonight

    J-Will wows with the 4-point play.

    J-Dub loves the dagger, and a 2-1 Thunder lead.

    5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

    May 23, 2026

    Storm Then Thunder: Shai and OKC outlast Spurs’ hot start to take 2-1 series lead

    Bench Boom: 76 points from Thunder reserves overpower San Antonio in Game 3

    Numbers For Nine: Inside the Playoff-leading offensive & defensive stats fueling NY’s win streak

    Spida’s Dream: Down 0-2 again, Shaun Powell writes that Mitchell must lead Cavs back to the arena he idolized: MSG

    All-Defense: Unanimous First Team pick Wemby leads 2025-26 Kia All-Defensive Teams

    BUT FIRST … ⏰

    Saturday’s Playoff stop in The Land…

    Scores & Schedule

    The Eastern Conference Finals shift to Cleveland, with the Knicks up 2-0 and the Cavs facing a familiar challenge in Game 3 (8 ET, ABC | Tap To Watch).

    Bam Adebayo

    Heat center Bam Adebayo was named the 2025-26 NBA Social Justice Champion on Friday, receiving the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Trophy for his work empowering equality for under-resourced communities.

    “It just means all the people that I’ve helped got a voice.” Adebayo told the NBA Showtime crew upon winning.

    Read on to Section 5 ⬇️ for the All-Defensive First & Second Team selections also announced Friday.

    Up Next: 2025-26 All-NBA Teams will be unveiled Sunday (7 ET, NBC/Peacock) prior to Thunder-Spurs, Game 4. The 2025-26 Kia NBA Coach of the Year will be announced Tuesday.

    Playoff bracket

    1. SHAI, THUNDER WEATHER SPURS’ EARLY STORM FOR 2-1 LEAD

    Less than 3 minutes into the game, it was 15-0 San Antonio.

    But less than 3 minutes into the 4th quarter, and again at the final horn, it was OKC with a 15-point edge – and control of the West Finals.

    Thunder 123, Spurs 108: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put up 26 points while matching his Playoff career-high with 12 assists, and Jared McCain’s 24 points led a 76-point bench onslaught, as the Thunder took a 2-1 series lead.

    Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs, matching Shai’s 26, with all five starters in double figures for 85 combined points. Devin Vassell reached 20 points for a second straight game, while De’Aaron Fox (7 reb, 6 ast) had 15 points in his series debut. | Recap

    • Settling In: After San Antonio’s 15-0 opening blitz, Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso got OKC on the board. 5 minutes in, up 19-4, Wemby went to the bench
    • What happened next would be a running theme: Cason Wallace, Caruso and Jaylin Williams (2x) hit triples in a 15-5 OKC burst during Wemby’s 3:17 of rest
    • Score Reset: OKC finished the 1st down only 5, which it quickly overcame with three straight 3s to open the 2nd. The quarter played out with all nine of the game’s lead changes, before another Wemby break
    • Another Run: Down 45-43 with 5:22 before half, OKC launched a 9-0 run, forcing Wemby right back in at 3:11. The Thunder carried that 7-point lead to halftime, on the strength of four Jaylin Williams triples and nine 2nd-quarter points from SGA
    • “We just wanted to compete. Down 15-0, nothing’s gonna happen in the snap of the fingers to get back into the game,” Shai said… “They really challenge you, and we like to think of ourselves as one of those teams that really challenges you too.”
    • “It takes maturity,” Jared McCain said of the champs’ poise. “Not getting too high or too low. [San Antonio’s] gonna go on runs, but being able to throw a punch back is huge for us.”

    “We have a lot of confident players,” coach Mark Daigneault said. “When you have a team as connected as this team is, then that confidence becomes contagious.

    When there’s tough portions of the game… I think that has power, too.”

    After halftime, SGA (17 pts second-half pts) and McCain (16) combined for 33 and OKC never gave the lead back. Shai outdueled Wemby 12-9 in the 3rd to keep OKC ahead by at least two possessions.

    • Four-Point Dagger: Midway through the 4th, Williams drilled his fifth 3 through contact, adding a free throw to put the Thunder up 111-96. They lead by double digits for the final 6:39
    • Night & Day: After San Antonio’s 15-0 start, OKC outscored their hosts 123-93 to win by 15. The Thunder were +19 when Wemby was off the floor
    • Range & Rebounds: OKC held the Spurs to 42.5% shooting and just 37 total boards, their lowest marks of these Playoffs

    The defending champs have now started the Playoffs 10-1, becoming the first team since the 2020 Heat to start a Playoff run 10-1 or better.

    San Antonio will try to get the series back to even Sunday night in Game 4 (8 ET, NBC/Peacock).

    “Of course there were gonna be hard trials. It’s to be expected. But now we’re gonna see what we’re made of,” Wembanyama said.

    2. OKC’S SCORING DEPTH SURGES IN SAN ANTONIO

    OKC Thunder

    Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

    Seventy-six points.

    Of 123.

    Put in context, the Thunder bench’s 76 points on Friday came within a possession of two teams’ scores across an entire game this postseason.

    • OKC’s 76-point bench boom is the highest bench production in any Conference Finals game since the Conference Finals’ first year, in 1970-71
    • Four OKC bench players finished in double figures, with Playoff career-highs from Jared McCain (24 pts) and Jaylin Williams (18 pts) leading Alex Caruso (15) and Cason Wallace (11)
    • Not Just Offense: The Thunder also put the clamps on the Spurs’ reserves, with OKC winning the bench battle by 53 points, 76-23

    “We talk about our team identity being a ‘compete-together’ team,” coach Daigneault said. “Even if you don’t know anything about basketball… we want you to say: ‘This team competes together.’”

    • OKC’s only new face since last year’s title run, McCain’s 24-spot puts him with James Harden as the only Thunder players to drop 20+ points off the bench in a Playoff game before turning 23 years old
    • “He just oozes confidence,” Shai said of McCain. “Whether the ball goes in or out, he makes the next play – he makes the best play, for himself and for the guys out there… We needed it tonight.”
    • “My family, they gave me that confidence,” McCain said. “I feel like I’ve played in big games… not the Western Conference Finals, but being able to just take that confidence and be fearless… I love what my life is right now.”
    • J-Will Thrills: Williams had already set a new Playoff career-high by halftime, leading the Thunder back into the game with 14 points before the break
    • AC’s 60-Plus: Caruso has followed up his Game 1 Playoff career-high (31 pts) with back-to-back 15+ point games, making him OKC’s second leading scorer (63 total pts) in the series

    “Caruso, J-Will, they came in and made a splash right away, and really saved our group,” said SGA. “They were special tonight.”

    Jaylin Williams

    Alex Slitz/NBAE via Getty Images

    OKC has totaled 183 bench points through the first three games of this series, the most in the first three games of a Conference Finals in NBA history.

    • Give & Take: In addition to boasting the overall leading scorer of these Playoffs in Shai (28.5 ppg), the Thunder also have eight players averaging 8+ points, and seven players averaging at least one steal
    • The Result: That gives OKC the Playoffs’ highest-scoring offense (120.9 ppg) alongside the 2nd-highest average of steals per game (10.6)
    • The Potential: It’s a pace that would make the Thunder the first team to average 120+ ppg and 10+ spg in any Playoff run since steals were first tracked in 1973-74

    3. THE NUMBERS FUELING NEW YORK’S RECORD 9-WIN PLAYOFF STREAK

    Karl-Anthony Towns, James Harden, Jalen Brunson

    Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images

    Nine in a row.

    Two hundred twenty Playoff wins into their storied history, the Knicks have strung together nine straight in the same year for the first time.

    Tonight in Game 3 (8 ET, ABC), they’ll aim to extend the franchise record to 10 in a row.

    These Knicks haven’t lost since April 23. And they haven’t just won, they’ve dominated.

    • Up 200: New York hasn’t scored less than 108 points in any game during the streak, outscoring opponents by a combined 212 points
    • That’s the highest point differential over a nine-game span in NBA history, regular season included
    • Eight of the nine wins have come by double-digits, four of which were 25+ point blowouts. The third win of the streak was the Knicks’ Playoff record 51-point takedown of the Hawks
    • Stingy NY: New York has held its opponents under 100 points in six of the nine wins. Philly’s 114-point Game 4 of the East Semis was the only instance of the other side scoring over 104

    Josh Hart

    Take a closer look into the offensive and defensive numbers that have made New York’s improbable nine-game run possible.

    • Splashing & Stopping: The Knicks have been dominant on both ends of the floor, ranking 1st in scoring (122.3 ppg & 53.6 FG%) while holding opponents to just 98.9 ppg and 29.3 3P% (both 1st) during the streak
    • Offensive Package: In addition to the shooting and scoring highs, New York ranks 1st in offensive rating (124.5), 3P% (41.0%), paint points (55.6 ppg), assists (27.9 apg) and assist points created (67.0 ppg) during the nine wins
    • And it’s not just Jalen Brunson’s iso game or Karl-Anthony Towns in the post. The Knicks rank 3rd in cutting/alley-oop attempts (4.9/g), converting those at a dominant rate of 81.8 FG%

    “[Offensively] it’s an advantage for us, learning how to play differently,” Brunson said of New York’s scoring styles. “We’ve just got to continue to be open to figure out how we can win the next game.”

    • Defensive Foundation: The offense has soared on the strength of the defense behind it, with New York flexing the top defensive rating (100.6) during their run
    • “[It’s] our defense that has always been special in these Playoffs, and is what carried us in these Playoffs,” Karl-Anthony Towns said after Game 2
    • Doubles, Traps: The Knicks lead all defenses in double teams per game (13.9) and rank 2nd (125) behind the Spurs (134) in total double teams during their win streak
    • Knicks teammates account for three of the top-5 most frequent double team defender combinations during the streak, with KAT participating in 29 of the traps to lead all Playoff defenders

    Heading to Cleveland, they’ll now try to go up 3-0 against a Cavs team that’s excelled with its back to the wall, Jamal Collier of ESPN writes.

    4. CLIMB TIME AGAIN FOR SPIDA’S CAVS, DOWN 0-2 AT HOME

    Donovan Mitchell

    Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images

    Down 0-2 in the Playoffs and fighting to get back to the bright lights of Madison Square Garden.

    Tonight in Game 3, the Cavaliers will look to Donovan Mitchell’s leadership to flip a second straight series this postseason.

    And as NBA.com’s Shaun Powell writes, if he can pull it off, it would be a partial dream come true for Spida:

    “It must be stressed that the Cavs were wobbly twice before in this postseason, when they were forced into a Game 7 against Toronto in the first round, then fell behind 2-0 to the top-seeded Pistons in the semis and needed another Game 7 win.

    ‘It’s 2-0. They did their job,’ Mitchell said, this time of the Knicks. ‘They protected home court. That simple. This isn’t our first time facing adversity … we’re ready to go for Game 3.’

    ‘I’m happy because we didn’t let the Game 1 (collapse) affect our mental.’

    Truth be told, Mitchell is now dreaming like the kid from the New York suburbs all over again, the kid whose mom drove him to Harlem on weekends to seek the top competition in AAU, a strategy that paid off.”

    That teenaged Donovan Mitchell wanted to one day play in the Garden, home of the Knicks.

    This adult Donovan Mitchell wants that, too — for this series to return to the Garden for a Game 5.” | Read More

    5. WEMBY, CHET LEAD ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM SELECTIONS

    Rudy Gobert, Chet Holmgren, Ausar Thompson, Victor Wembanyama, Derrick White

    Bigs put their best feet forward defensively this season across the NBA, and were well-represented in Friday’s unveilingof the 2025-26 Kia All-Defensive Teams.

    Three 7-footers landed on the All-Defensive First Team, where Kia Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama was the sole unanimous selection. Fellow rim protectors in the Thunder’s Chet Holmgren and Wolves’ Rudy Gobert joined him.

    Filling out the first five were the Pistons’ Ausar Thompson and Celtics’ Derrick White. Here’s how they stood out defensively this season.

    Victor Wembanyama, Spurs: Returning to the First Team after being included in his rookie season of 2023-24, Wembanyama led the NBA in blocked shots (197, 3.1 bpg) for a third consecutive season and took home his first Hakeem Olajuwon DPOY Trophy.

    Chet Holmgren, Thunder: A finalist for DPOY, Holmgren anchored the league’s top defense (106.5 DefRtg) to earn his first All-Defensive First Team selection. Holmgren led the league this season with the lowest defended field goal percentage (48.9) within 6 feet of the basket, among players facing at least 200 shots there.

    Ausar Thompson, Pistons: Also among the DPOY finalists, Thompson earned his first All-Defensive First Team selection as one of just three players to swipe over 140 steals this season (146). That’s the most steals in a season by a Piston since Ben Wallace in 2005-06.

    Rudy Gobert, Wolves: A defining member of the All-Defensive Team over the past decade, Gobert has been named to the First Team in eight of the last 10 years. Gobert’s 124 blocks were 5th-best in the league this season, in his tenth season with over 120 swats.

    Derrick White, Celtics: Making the First Team for the first time, following Second Team selections in 2023 and 2024, White was one of two players in 2025-26 with 80+ steals and 80+ blocks. The other, Scottie Barnes, led the Second Team in voting points.

    All-Defensive Second Team and votes

    The All-Defensive Second Team includes Toronto’s Barnes, OKC’s Cason Wallace, Miami’s Bam Adebayo, New York’s OG Anunoby, and Atlanta’s Dyson Daniels.

    What’s Next: 2025-26 All-NBA Teams will be unveiled Sunday (7 ET, NBC/Peacock) prior to Thunder-Spurs, Game 4. The 2025-26 Kia NBA Coach of the Year will be announced Tuesday.

  • Spurs vs. Thunder has the ingredients to be a rivalry … but it’s not there yet

    Spurs vs. Thunder has the ingredients to be a rivalry … but it’s not there yet

    Both the Thunder and Spurs have young cores, with Kia MVP contenders, smart front offices and solid coaches.

    • Download the NBA App

    SAN ANTONIO — This is a wish that can be envisioned, publicized, perhaps rationalized. But above all, in order to be taken seriously, it must be realized. And in the case of Oklahoma City vs. San Antonio, the rivalry that the basketball world desperately craves and anticipates, well that hasn’t happened yet, not now, not three games into the Western Conference Finals. 

    And not until the Spurs make it happen. 

    Until further notice, the Thunder remain in control and command, bringing more troops, smarter adjustments, better composure and all the plays when it truly matters. 

    They’re up 2-1 in the series after swatting away the Spurs’ 15-0 run to start Game 3 and eventually cruised with room to spare Friday in a breezy 123-108 win. The one-game margin in the series might not seem comfortable, at least until context is applied. 

    Because here are the unimpeachable details so far: 

    • The Thunder have been without Jalen Williams for nearly two games with nagging and recurring hamstring issues; he of course is the former All-NBA player who serves as OKC’s scoring wingman to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
    • The Spurs needed not just a colossal performance from Victor Wembanyama to capture their lone win, but his deep 3-pointer to force a second overtime in that win.
    • And when the series shifted to their home court Friday, the Spurs were rather flat overall, Wembanyama in particular wasn’t impactful, while Dylan Harper and De’Aaron Fox are clearly dealing with lingering effects from injury. 

    Meanwhile, the Thunder’s strength in numbers once again is devastating. They are reserves in name only, and they outscored the Spurs’ bench by an incredible 76-23. Jared McCain was insane with 24 points and showed he’s much more than a 3-point shooting threat. In this series, the bench totals are 183 for the Thunder — OKC’s subs have scored 50-plus in three straight games — and 64 for the Spurs. 

    Jared McCain (22 points) and Jaylin Williams (18 points) both score playoff career-highs as the Thunder bench propels them to win.

    Conversation can change quickly in these playoffs; we’ve seen it happen many times. It’ll just require more from the Spurs, a young team trying to skip a few steps in its transition into a championship contender and scary enough to pull that off … soon. 

    But right now? Against OKC, the defending champions? The only team in this series that has been there and done that already? 

    “It’s the first playoffs for me, for us,” said Wemby. “Of course there’s going to be hard trials. That is expected. But now we’re going to see what we’re made of.” 

    A rivalry needs to be evenly contested in order to be classified as one. The four wins by the Spurs over OKC during the regular season certainly raised possibilities. But there’s a difference between playing a game on a random February night, and in a best-of-seven series where adjustments can be made and lessons are learned and clues are unlocked. 

    It’s a roundabout way of saying rivalries, like trees, need to mature. This one hasn’t. 

    From the standpoint of potential, then yes, Spurs-Thunder could someday rank with the greatest in-conference rivalries ever, right with those Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics classics featuring Julius Erving and Moses Malone, Larry Bird and Kevin McHale. These rivalries aren’t between teams in separate conferences and therefore aren’t playing for the NBA championship, but that makes it even harsher. Because the loser won’t even get a shot at a title and might be better qualified that the East team that reaches the Finals. 

    The ingredients in this rivalry recipe are apparent and real, though. Both teams have a young core, with Kia MVP contenders and depth, the front offices are smartly run, the teams are well coached and there’s no sign of locker room drama. 

    And it has spice: A chippy third quarter was prolonged Friday by hard fouls delivered by both teams. Alex Caruso chopped Stephon Castle. When Ajay Mitchell moments later clubbed Castle, pushing and shoving ensued. Next up? Wemby lowered his shoulder into Chet Holmgren, driving the Thunder center into the ground. However, there was no hair-pulling this time; Isaiah Hartenstein, guilty a few nights earlier, kept his fingers away from Castle’s dreads. 

    So in addition to being somewhat evenly matched, these teams don’t appear to be fond of each another, precisely the sour flavor a rivalry needs to be fully appreciated. 

    The Spurs and Thunder are also stocked with assets to nourish and improve the rosters over the next several years, which could sustain excellence for both teams. These two will think of each other whenever they make a trade and sign a free agent; everything will be done with “how will this help us against them” in mind. 

    They will not, however, make deals with each other. Coincidently, OKC president Sam Presti cut his teeth in the Spurs organization decades ago, but you can imagine the Spurs have since told him to lose their number. The Thunder and Spurs will talk trade when hell freezes over … twice. 

    In the meantime, it’s up to the Spurs to get this rivalry going sooner rather than later. 

    Wemby is dealing with an OKC defense that’s constantly adjusting and making him guess. One minute it’s Caruso, who surrenders more than a foot, guarding him, then a chunky Hartenstein, then a lengthy Holmgren, then a physical Jaylin Williams. Each offer different looks and degrees of sharp elbows. 

    Victor Wembanyama finishes with 26 points in a 123-108 Game 3 loss to the Thunder.

    He has done so much to bring the Spurs this far, and with the exception of a few lapses has been brilliant for much of this series and the postseason. He feels he needs to reach another level, and quickly. 

    “I have trouble making my teammates better right now,” he said. “My shooting has been terrible. I need to be more of a team player. Rebound better, facilitate better.” 

    It’s not just Wemby. A bigger issue is the availability and health of Fox and Harper. Fox made his series debut but, after a fast start, appeared to re-injure his ankle. Harper left Game 2 with an adductor injury and Friday labored through 17 minutes, scored just six points. 

    “All we can do is just ask as much from them as they can give,” said Spurs coach Mitch Johnson. 

    And OKC knows how to rub the Spurs the wrong way. If it’s not Shai getting creative to draw fouls (he went 12-12 from the line Friday), it’s the rough play that’s designed to unravel the young Spurs. 

    “There’s no place for frustration,” said Wemby. “It’s annoying, of course, but we gotta use that as energy. They’re physical but the difference in that team is they’re experienced. They may be more smart about it.” 

    If the Spurs fail to draw even Sunday, this rivalry might soon be placed on hold. If so, it will eventually be worth the wait. Because this features Shai, a two-time MVP, and Wemby, who might soon have a string of MVPs. It has Wemby’s “ethical” comment from earlier in the season regarding OKC’s controversial style of play. It has the Spurs’ fans who directed “flopper” chants at Shai. And so on. 

    The folks who’ll eventually draw the most enjoyment from Spurs vs. Thunder will be basketball fans on the outside. Meanwhile, in San Antonio and Oklahoma City, the stress level will be steep. 

    It’s not exactly that way right now, at least not in OKC. There’s a season, right now, that in order for this series to develop suspense, it’s up to the Spurs. 

    “We’re going to have to find the answers,” said Wemby. 

    * * *

    Shaun Powell has covered the NBA since 1985. You can e-mail him at spowell@nba.com, find his archive here and follow him on X.

  • 4 takeaways: Thunder bench picks up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, elevates OKC to Game 3 win

    The Thunder defeat the Spurs, 123-108, in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals to take a 2-1 series lead.

    • Download the NBA App

    SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Spurs had cut Oklahoma City’s lead from 15 points to nine in the fourth quarter, and Thunder coach Mark Daigneault called timeout.

    In the huddle, Daigneault wanted to settle his team and get better offense on the next possession. Jared McCain responded with an 11-foot jumper, and after a Spurs miss, Jaylin Williams completed a four-point play with 5:57 left, pushing the lead back to 15 and pushing the Thunder closer to another playoff road victory.

    Oklahoma City finished the job, defeating San Antonio 123-108 in Game 3 on Friday for a 2-1 series lead.

    While Game 3 differed from Game 2 just as Game 2 differed from Game 1, themes have emerged: the Thunder’s depth is having an massive impact on the series, MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is excelling with the pass and the Thunder are not flustered by a double-digit deficits.

    “Credit them, they were ready to play, and they got us early,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “I just thought we showed great poise and understanding the 48-minute nature of the game.”

    Game 4 is Sunday in San Antonio (8 ET, NBC/Peacock).

    Here are the takeaways from another Thunder win:

    1. The other J. Williams, McCain lead Thunder bench effort

    The Thunder’s starters scored just 47 points – zero from Lu Dort, two from Ajay Mitchell. For most teams that would be problematic. Not for the Thunder, whose reserves outscored the Spurs’ reserves 76-23 in Game 3.

    McCain, who the Thunder acquired from Philadelphia at the February trade deadline, scored a playoff career-high 24 points, including 16 in the second half – two of which came on a crafty lay-up with the 7-4 Wembanyama trying to block the shot.

    Jaylin Williams scored 14 of his playoff career-high 18 points in the first half and added five rebounds. Cason Wallace, who was named to the KIA NBA All-Defensive second team just before the game, had 11 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals and Alex Caruso delivered 15 points three rebounds, two steals and one block.

    Jared McCain (22 points) and Jaylin Williams (18 points) both set playoff career-highs as the Thunder bench propels them to victory.

    For the series, the Thunder’s bench has outscored the Spurs’ bench 183-64.

    “We just try to look at things through the lens of our own strengths,” Daigneault said. “We’re not looking at anything relative to the opponent. The last thing you want to do is assume that an opponent has a weakness that they don’t have. We assume the opponent’s always at their best, and we need to be ours and depth is a part of that. But it’s not relative to San Antonio. It just needs to be one of our strengths that we rely on regardless of circumstance.”

    The Thunder’s reserves also steadied a game in which the Spurs jumped to a 15-0 lead.

    “We go out there and just play our brand of basketball no matter who’s out there,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.

    2. Gilgeous-Alexander excels despite not shooting great

    MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t score in the first quarter. However, he began impacting the game with his passing and finished with 26 points on 6-for-17 shooting and 12 assists. He also was 12-for-12 on free throws.

    The Spurs have tried to force the basketball out of Gilgeous-Alexander’s hands.

    “They’re into the ball, they’re aggressive, they pressure,” he said. “They’re heavy in the gaps, especially when I have it. And at times they send double teams – and recklessly. Before halfcourt, after halfcourt, they just send them randomly. Every time I come down, there’s a play for me to make, whether it’s for myself or my teammates, and I just try to do so to the best of my ability.”

    He has 33 assists and seven turnovers in the series.

    “What’s working for him or what’s not working, he’s just moving the team,” Jaylin Williams said. “A lot of guys in that situation do everything they can get points and get shots off, but he’s doing the right thing.”

    3. Injuries still weighing on series

    Jalen Williams reinjured his left hamstring in the second quarter of Game 2, and the Thunder ruled him out for Game 3. Williams also missed the final two games against the Phoenix Suns in the first round and missed all four games against the Los Angeles Lakers in the conference semifinals with hamstring strain. The Thunder offset his absence with that depth.

    De’Aaron Fox returned to the Spurs’ starting lineup after sustaining a sprained right ankle against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He had 15 points, seven assists and six rebounds, and while he had four turnovers, his presence helped the Spurs cut back on turnovers after they had 44 turnovers in the first two games. They had just 15 in Game 3.

    There were times when Fox favored his right ankle, including one time when he left the game because he was in pain. San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson has indicated Fox will be a game-time decision for the remainder of the playoffs.

    Spurs reserve Dylan Harper (right adductor soreness) also played after sustaining an injury in the third quarter of Game 2. He had six points.

    4. Thunder finding ways to limit Wembanyama

    Daigneault and Thunder players have expressed multiple times how difficult it is to defend Wembanyama. Oklahoma City has managed to reduce his impact game by game since that historic 41-point, 24-rebound performance in Game 1.

    Wembanyama had 26 points on 8-for-15 shooting from the field and 8-for-10 on free throws but for the second consecutive game he had just 10 points in the paint after scoring 26 paint points in Game 1. He also had just four rebounds and no offensive boards.

    The Thunder used various defenders on Wembanyama, including 7-foot, 268-pound Isaiah Hartenstein and the 6-foot-10, 241-pound Jaylin Williams.

    “I know I’m not going to play as many minutes as he is, so the minutes I’m out there, I’m trying to make his job as tough as I can make it,” Williams said. “It’s fun to be out there doing the physicality (and) those types of things.”

    * * *

    Jeff Zillgitt has covered the NBA since 2008. You can email him at jzillgitt@nba.com, find his archive here and follow him on X.

  • Spurs guards De’Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper cleared to play in Game 3 but Thunder’s Jalen Williams ruled out

    Spurs guards De’Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper cleared to play in Game 3 but Thunder’s Jalen Williams ruled out

    Jalen Williams has been ruled out for Game 3 in San Antonio, but Dylan Harper and De’Aaron Fox will return to the floor.

    SAN ANTONIO (AP) — San Antonio Spurs guards De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper will play in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals, but the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Jalen Williams was ruled out.

    All three were listed as questionable but their status was updated 45 minutes before the scheduled start of Game 3 (LIVE, NBC/Peacock) with the series tied.

    Williams played in Game 1 after missing the previous six postseason contests with a hamstring injury. The 6-foot-6 wing exited Game 2 with tightness in his left hamstring.

    Recurring hamstring injuries in both legs limited Williams to 33 games during the regular season.

    Fox missed the first two games of the series after his right leg was rolled on by Minnesota guard Ayo Dosunmu in San Antonio’s semifinal-clinching victory May 15. Fox finished that game but did not play Monday or Wednesday due to an injury Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said will likely linger as long as they are in the postseason.

    Harper made his first two postseason starts in place of Fox but exited Game 2 shortly after landing awkwardly and grabbing his hamstring with 4:50 left in the third quarter. His injury was diagnosed as right adductor soreness.

    “I can tell you there’s games that people are playing right now that wouldn’t be playing in the regular season, and, so, that’s what I mean by different,” Johnson said. “I think there are levels of competitiveness and urgency and as of right now we’re at the height of that. So, you just try to make sure you keep some of these guys from themselves and their own competitiveness and desire to be out there because, again, their well-being is still the priority.”

  • Live Updates: Thunder, Spurs aim to secure 2-1 lead in Western Conference Finals

    Live Updates: Thunder, Spurs aim to secure 2-1 lead in Western Conference Finals

    Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder visit Stephon Castle and the Spurs in San Antonio for Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals on NBC/Peacock. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)

    Enjoy 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 and highlights from Friday’s action.

    Happy Friday, hoops fans! Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals shifts 467 miles south to San Antonio, as the Spurs will host the Oklahoma City Thunder (8:30 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock) with both teams fighting to take a 2-1 advantage in the series.

    What we know about Friday’s game:

    • The team that wins Game 3 of a best-of-7 series tied at 1-1 goes on to win the series 73.2% of the time. Will the Spurs’ hometown crowd help them pull ahead? Or will the Thunder regain home-court advantage?
    • Injuries playing key role in Western Conference Finals. Game 3 of this thrilling series will be without Jalen Williams (hamstring) for OKC, as he’ll miss his seventh full postseason contest. Meanwhile, De’Aaron Fox (ankle) and Dylan Harper (adductor), who were listed as questionable leading up to this game, are both available for San Antonio. Fox will be making his debut in the Western Conference Finals after sitting out Games 1 and 2.
    • How will superstars dazzle fans next? Victor Wembanyama posted a historic performance in Game 1, tallying 41 points (14-25 FG), 24 rebounds and 3 blocks, then dropped 21 points (8-16 FG, 3 3PM), 17 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 swats in Game 2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander followed up his 24-point (7-23 FG), 12-assist, 5-steal outing in Game 1 with a clinical 30 points and 9 dimes on 12-for-24 shooting in Game 2.

    MAY 22, 2026 / 8:15 ET

    Fox on the loose

    De’Aaron Fox will make his Western Conference Finals debut after missing the first two games with an ankle injury. Fox is averaging 18.8 points, 5.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game on 46.2 / 34.6 / 73.3 shooting splits in 11 playoff appearances this season.

    MAY 22, 2026 / 7:51 ET

    Bam crowned NBA Social Justice Champion

    Congratulations to Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat for being named the 2025-26 NBA Social Justice Champion!

    MAY 22, 2026 / 7:47 ET

    Kia NBA All-Defensive Teams announced

    Congratulations to the 2025-26 Kia NBA All-Defensive First Team!

    Congratulations to the 2025-26 Kia NBA All-Defensive Second Team!

    A closer look at the voting results:

    MAY 22, 2026 / 7:54 ET

    Tonight’s injury report

    OKC @ SAS — Jalen Williams (hamstring) is out for the Thunder.

    De’Aaron Fox (ankle) and Dylan Harper (adductor) are both available to play for the Spurs. Fox will be making his debut in the Western Conference Finals.

  • Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo named 2025-26 NBA Social Justice Champion

    NEW YORK – The NBA today announced that Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo has been named the 2025-26 NBA Social Justice Champion and will receive the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Trophy.  The NBA will also donate $100,000 to the Bam, Books & Brotherhood Foundation – consistent with the award’s history of donating to an approved charitable beneficiary selected by the winner on their behalf.  Adebayo was selected from a group of five finalists for helping promote social justice and advancing Abdul-Jabbar’s life mission to engage, empower and drive equality for communities that have been historically disadvantaged and under-resourced.

    Through the Bam, Books & Brotherhood Foundation, Adebayo has continued to make a lasting impact through his commitment to educational equity, food security and youth development in communities across South Florida and North Carolina.  During the 2025-26 NBA season, Adebayo led 18 social justice-and impact focused initiatives, investing more than a half-million dollars into programs designed to expand access and opportunity for youth and families.

    Adebayo’s efforts included providing mattresses, uniforms and school supplies for students at The SEED School of Miami, funding transportation for more than 19,000 students to attend the Miami Book Fair and hosting mentorship and enrichment experiences designed to expose students to new opportunities and career pathways.  He also addressed food insecurity through large-scale holiday meal distributions serving thousands of families across South Florida and hosted his annual toy drive at Kaseya Center, serving more than 2,000 children and distributing over 36,000 toys. Through his Bam Basketball Camp and ongoing support of the Liberty City Warriors youth program, Adebayo has continued to remove barriers to participation in sports and mentorship opportunities for underserved youth.  Additionally, he donated a renovated Miami Heat-themed basketball court at Camillus House Homeless Shelter to create a permanent recreation and wellness space for residents experiencing homelessness.

    “Bam Adebayo has followed in the path of Kareem and other humanitarian leaders from throughout the league’s history by using his platform to create sustained impact for young people and families across South Florida and North Carolina,” said NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum.  “From investing in educational access and youth mentorship to addressing food insecurity and creating spaces where young people can thrive, Bam has demonstrated a deep commitment to advancing opportunity and equity for others. We are proud to recognize him as the 2025-26 NBA Social Justice Champion.”

    Adebayo’s selection as the NBA Social Justice Champion was determined by a selection committee led by NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum and comprised of social justice leaders including NBA Legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Realize The Dream Co-Founders Martin Luther King III and Arndrea Waters King, GirlTREK Co-Founder and President Vanessa Garrison, National Museum of African American History & Culture Acting Director Shanita Brackett, Civic Nation CEO Kyle Lierman, NBA President of Social Responsibility & Player Programs Kathy Behrens, National Basketball Players Association Foundation Executive Director Erika Swilley and Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Court of Leaders member and Class of 2027 high school basketball player Cayden Daughtry Jr.

    Adebayo was chosen for the award from among a group of finalists that included Harrison Barnes (San Antonio Spurs), Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics), Tobias Harris (Detroit Pistons) and Larry Nance Jr. (Cleveland Cavaliers).  This season, the NBA also announced Adebayo as the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award winner for the month of December.

    Inaugural Social Justice Champion Carmelo Anthony announced Adebayo as the winner during pregame of Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock.  In addition to Anthony, previous NBA Social Justice Champion award winners include Reggie Bullock, Stephen Curry, Karl-Anthony Towns and Jrue Holiday.

  • The Athletic: Victor Wembanyama’s brilliance has NBA execs searching for his ‘kryptonite.’

    The Athletic: Victor Wembanyama’s brilliance has NBA execs searching for his ‘kryptonite.’

    Victor Wembanyama is becoming a driving factor in how NBA executives build their teams.

    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. 

    ***

    Imagine being an NBA front office executive watching these Western Conference finals.

    You see Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot-4, 22-year-old basketball alien who descended upon San Antonio just a few short years ago, dominating in the kind of way we’ve never seen against the historically great, reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder. And you wonder, while scanning a roster that now seems so depressingly ill-equipped, how your team is supposed to deal with this terrifying talent for the next decade (plus) to come.

    That conversation is happening all around the league of late.

    Wembanyama’s early exploits in this series (tied 1-1, with Game 3 in San Antonio on Friday) merely confirm what was already known by most: He is the kind of generational two-way player who is so elite, and so unique, that he is changing the way teams are built. The hope for his foes — the prayer, really — is that you can somehow land enough players (big and small) with the sort of skillsets that give you a puncher’s chance at stopping his superpowers.

    “There’s kryptonite out there somewhere,” as one Western Conference general manager put it.

    No matter what comes next, the bigger-picture issues that come with Wembanyama’s arrival are as unavoidable as his eight-foot wingspan. Does that mean teams will suddenly load up on athletic, strong big men, like they did in the old days while trying to counter the likes of Wilt, Russell, Kareem, Hakeem or Shaq down low? Or, given Wembanyama’s ability to play like a guard, do you chase those rare wings who have the right combination of size, speed and strength to mitigate what he does all over the floor?

    And with the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes already headlining this summer, is there a chance teams might be even more willing to make a run at the Milwaukee star as a way of countering the Wemby effect?

    With those sorts of questions in mind, I discussed the impact of it all with a few veteran executives this week — two from the Western Conference and one from the East. They were granted anonymity by The Athletic as a way of inspiring as much candor as possible. And while they certainly didn’t have the answers, this much was clear: The people in their positions will search for them for a long time to come.

    “Teams will definitely have to start figuring out, ‘How do we get through this guy?’” the Eastern Conference executive said. “So you look at it, and it’s like, ‘What do we need? How do we build our team to get better to compete against (Wembanyama and the Spurs)?’

    “Trust me, it’s on everybody’s mind. Teams will try to find ways that they can build a roster out to beat the Spurs, just like they are to beat OKC.”

    First things first, teams must decide what sort of gameplan works best against Wemby before they decide what direction to take with their rosters. That, as we’ve seen so far in this series, remains an open debate.

    The Thunder took the small-but-mighty approach in Game 1, using Alex Caruso (6-5, 186 pounds) and Jalen Williams (6-5, 211) on the 236-point Wembanyama for much of the night. Thunder big man Chet Holmgren (7-1, 208) spent some time guarding his rival, but Wembanyama had his way throughout the 122-115 double-overtime win. According to Stathead.com, Wembanyama was just the fifth player in league history to have at least 41 points, 24 rebounds and three blocks (regular season or playoffs), joining Chamberlain (who did it 12 times), Olajuwon (twice), Patrick Ewing (once) and Joe Barry Carroll (once).

    But Thunder coach Mark Daigneault and his staff switched it up in Oklahoma City’s 112-113 Game 2 win, putting big man Isaiah Hartenstein (seven feet, 249 pounds) on Wembanyama for the lion’s share of the defensive duties, with cameos from the likes of Jaylin Williams (6-9, 240) and Lu Dort (6-4, 220). Wembanyama, in turn, finished with 21 points, 17 rebounds, six assists and four blocks. His impact was certainly lessened from the series opener, but he was still a serious problem.

    “What’s the profile of a player, or the profile of a defense, that he struggles with?” the Western Conference GM said rhetorically. “There’s always an area you can attack, (and) his is the strength factor. It’s better now than when he came into the league three years ago, but (still a weakness). And with OKC playing Caruso and Dort (on him), I get the thought process. But they’re just too small. Then again, your 7-1, 7-2 guys aren’t able to match up. I think you need to find someone in the 6-8, 6-10 range who’s strong and athletic. They have to be strong enough to get into his body, to force him off the block, but quick enough to keep him in front. But the answers aren’t readily available.”

    Yet herein lies the irony: If the Spurs are able to get past the Thunder, they could be headed for a rematch in the NBA Finals against a team that did very well in a high-stakes Wembanyama test five months ago: The New York Knicks. After the Spurs eliminated the Thunder in the NBA Cup semifinal in mid-December, they fell 124-113 to the Knicks in the championship game, during which Wembanyama had just 18 points, six rebounds, one assist, one block and a game-worst minus-18 mark.

    The Knicks, with first-year coach Mike Brown pulling the strings, had Mitchell Robinson (7-0, 240) and Karl-Anthony Towns (7-0, 248) share the assignment, while OG Anunoby (6-7, 240) played the part of disruptor on the wings. Wembanyama had better luck in his other two outings against the Knicks this season (the teams split those games), but that Cup finale was the closest you’ll find to a blueprint performance against him. As the Eastern Conference executive pointed out, there are already other teams rushing to collect that sort of skillset variety with, presumably, the hopes of slowing Wembanyama.

    “Look at what Utah did at (the February trade deadline), adding (6-10, 242-pound rim-protecting center) Jaren Jackson (in a trade with Memphis),” the executive said. “Now you have him and (7-1, 240-pound forward Lauri) Markkanen, with (7-2, 245-pound center Walker) Kessler potentially back (he’s a restricted free agent this summer). It’s like they’re gearing up for that reality that they’re gonna be facing (these Spurs) for the foreseeable future and need big, athletic, defensive-minded guys to combat Wemby.”

    “You’ll see it in the draft, too, with the kid from Michigan (7-3, 260-pound center Aday Mara) going really high because he has size, is agile and is a pretty good defender.”

    As for the notion that the Bucks might have a more robust market for Antetokounmpo because of what Wembanyama is doing, all three of the executives agreed that it’s a logical conclusion. The 6–11, 243-pound “Greek Freak” still has one of the league’s most elite physiques, with the athleticism and aggressive styles to maximize it, as well as the ability to play inside and out that is an absolute must.

    “Yeah, Giannis is a matchup solution for Wemby, so I could definitely see teams factoring that in when they’re discussing trading for him,” one of the Western Conference executives said.

    When Wembanyama had his most memorable game yet in the series opener against the Thunder, I compared the viewing experience (hypothetically speaking) to the equivalent of watching “Wilt and Russell all at once.” Then again, that comparison made little sense considering he had just buried a three-pointer from more than 32 feet that forced the second overtime. So … Steph Curry meets Wilt combined with Russell?

    The comparisons, as we all agreed, are futile.

    “He’s a problem from inside the halfcourt, and there’s just no one like that,” one of the West executives said with a laugh. “At least Shaq was human in the sense that you needed three centers to bang with him. You’ve got 18 fouls (to work with). Maybe one was skilled, and the other two could hold him up while the other guys get rest. But there’s no archetype like (Wembanyama) — no player ever. It’s a problem, and it’s going to be a problem for 15 years.”

    ***

    Sam Amick is a senior NBA writer for The Athletic. He has covered the Association for the better part of two decades while at USA Today, Sports Illustrated, AOL FanHouse and the Sacramento Bee. Follow Sam on X @sam_amick.

  • 4 takeaways: Knicks’ starting lineup delivers in big Game 2 win over Cavaliers

    The Knicks defeat the Cavaliers 109-93 to take a 2-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference Finals.

    • Download the NBA App

    NEW YORK — There were 10 winning streaks of at least nine games in the regular season. You probably don’t remember them all.

    The New York Knicks didn’t have any of those 10. Their longest winning streak of the season was eight games long, and it included wins over the Brooklyn Nets, Sacramento Kings and Washington Wizards.

    Those teams did not come close to making the 2026 NBA Playoffs, when every opponent is tougher and every possession matters more. To win three straight games in the postseason is significant.

    Nine straight? Incredible.

    The Knicks’ ninth straight playoff victory, a 109-93 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, wasn’t as dramatic as the last one. But it was just as important, and it gave them a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals

    A starting lineup that struggled in Game 1 two nights earlier was terrific in Game 2. All five Knicks starters scored at least 18 points, and they were led, amazingly, but Josh Hart. His 26 points were the most of his playoff career (55 games).

    Josh Hart finishes with a playoff career-high 26 points in a Game 2 win over the Cavaliers.

    The game was tied early in the third quarter, but the Knicks then went on an 18-0 run, with Cleveland going scoreless on nine straight possessions. The Cavs were able to cut the deficit to seven early in the fourth, but the Knicks then scored 14 points on their next seven trips to regain some separation.

    Here are some notes, quotes, numbers and film from Game 2, with the Knicks now two wins away from a trip to the Finals:

    1. Josh Hart is wide open

    For much of this game, the Cavs player assigned to guard Josh Hart was nowhere near Josh Hart. Cleveland used that defender to help on the ball, leaving Hart alone on the perimeter. That was generally the strategy in Game 1, but the Cavs were more aggressive in helping off Hart on Thursday.

    Late in the second quarter, the Knicks got the switch that fueled much of their comeback on Game 1: James Harden guarding Jalen Brunson. And when Brunson drove, Max Strus came with a double-team, leaving Hart alone in the right corner, from where he missed a wide-open 3:

    Josh Hart misses corner 3

    Four possessions later, the Knicks got Donovan Mitchell switched onto Brunson. Jarrett Allen (Hart’s primary defender for most of the game) basically played a one-man zone to prevent a Brunson drive into the paint. That left Hart wide open again, and this time, he made a 3 from near the top of the arc:

    Josh Hart wide-open 3-pointer

    The Cavs strategy looked pretty smart when Hart was 0-for-3 from 3-point range in the first quarter. But he was 5-for-8 thereafter, including 2-for-2 during the 18-0, third-quarter run that, basically, determined the game.

    Hart didn’t let those first three misses from deep deter him. If he starts hesitating, the Knicks’ offense will get bogged down and the Knicks might need to replace him with a better offensive threat.

    That was the case at the end of Game 1, when Landry Shamet was on the floor instead of Hart, who shot 1-for-5 from deep. There was one possession (during that 18-0) run where he passed up a couple of open looks and handed Brunson a late-clock grenade, but otherwise, he was shooting. More importantly, the shots went in.

    Hart finished a *usage rate of 31.9%, the highest mark of his career (650 games). And that doesn’t take his seven assists into account.

    * Usage rate = the percentage of a team’s possessions a player finishes (via field goal attempt, turnover or trip to the line) while he’s on the floor.

    Including regular season and playoffs, Hart is now shooting 39.3% from 3-point range this season, up from 34.3% over his previous eight years in the league. He’s the guy in the Knicks’ lineup you most want to help off of, but he’s able to make you pay a lot more than he has in the past.

    “If they continue to leave him open,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said afterward, “he’s gotta continue to let it fly.”

    2. Brunson doesn’t force things

    The biggest reason that Hart got so many shots is that Brunson got so few. Brunson’s usage rate of 24.1% was his fourth-lowest in his 54 playoff games with the Knicks; his 14 assists, a career playoff-high.

    When Brunson got a matchup he wanted (vs. Harden or Donovan Mitchell), the Cavs often sent a double-team. If they didn’t double aggressively, they zoned up to prevent Brunson from driving.

    And Brunson didn’t force anything. He trusted his teammates and willingly gave up the ball.

    Jalen Brunson assist to Mikal Bridges

    “That’s what great players do,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said of Brunson. “They read the game.

    “Credit to him. We took away some of his scoring options, blitzed him, gave him different looks. He made the right reads, right plays.”

    3. Cavs’ offense has told the story

    The difference between the Cavs’ eight wins (120.7 points scored per 100 possessions) and their eight losses (102.7 scored per 100) has been almost entirely about their offense. They’ve scored 115 on 99 (116 per 100) in their least efficient win and just 104 on 96 (108 per 100) in their most efficient loss.

    According to tracking data, the Cavs’ shot quality on Thursday wasn’t nearly as good as it was in Game 1. It was their fourth-lowest of their 16 playoff games.

    But they still got some great looks, taking advantage of the Knicks’ aggressive defense by getting the ball to the weak side of the floor:

    Jalen Tyson wide-open 3-point miss from left corner

    “I loved everything about the looks that we got,” Mitchell said. “And some days, you just miss the open ones.”

    The Cavs shot 9-for-35 (26%) from beyond the arc, including just just 6-for-19 on wide-open 3s.

    “I thought we had a lot of good looks,” Atkinson said. “Good looks from 3, good looks at the rim. I thought our process was right. We took care of the ball, offensive rebounded. It wasn’t a great shooting night. At the end of the day, you gotta put the ball in the hole. Tonight, we didn’t.”

    If this was the regular season, the Cavs probably wouldn’t stress over a night where they missed a bunch of open shots. But this is the Playoffs, and a night like that puts your season close to the brink.

    That doesn’t mean the Knicks want to treat Sam Merrill and Max Strus (combined 40.3% from deep this season) like the Cavs are treating Hart.

    “We have to do a better job getting to those shooters,” Brown said. “[Merrill and Strus] 1-for-11 from the 3. That’s not going to happen again. So we have to do a better job of getting to their bodies.”

    4. Knicks close off the paint

    But the Knicks’ defense is prioritizing the paint. And that’s worked out for them so far. Over the two games, the Cavs have shot just 39-for-75 (52.0%) in the paint, down from 58.5% through the first two rounds.

    Evan Mobley needs to play big, but he’s taken just 10 (42%) of his 24 shots in the paint in this series, down from 65% through the first two rounds and 70% in the regular season.

    The Cavs’ screeners are getting clean catches on the short roll, but when they get near the basket, there are bodies there to meet them:

    Evan Mobley turnover

    The Cavs’ hope is that better shooting for the perimeter will loosen up the paint. And if that doesn’t happen in Game 3 on Saturday (8 ET, ABC), they will really be on the brink.

    * * *

    John Schuhmann has covered the NBA for more than 20 years. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Bluesky.