New York Knicks superfan Spike Lee is hoping his team has some divine intervention to lead them to their first championship since 1973.

The Academy Award-winning director was seen wearing a custom Pope Leo jersey to Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. Lee received the jersey from the pontiff last year during his visit to the Vatican in November.

President Donald Trump turned Game 3 of the NBA Finals into something of a White House road trip Monday night. He arrived at Madison Square Garden with a notable entourage in tow.

Joining Tump in the suite were White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino, EP Administrator Lee Zeldin, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Trump's granddaughter, Kai Trump.

CNN reported that his son-in-law Jared Kuschner was also in the suite.

Editor's Note: Click here for live coverage and all the latest news from Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs.

Game 3 of the NBA Finals will be the first NBA championship game at Madison Square Garden in 27 years. The energy was high in New York City all day on Monday, June 8, even as fans had to wait in line for hours to get into the historic arena to watch their beloved New York Knicks. There were heightened security measures due to President Donald Trump attending the matchup with the San Antonio Spurs.

Besides the president, there were countless celebrities at the game, including the usual Spike Lee and Ben Stiller along with Pete Davidson, Tina Fey and Derek Jeter. Walt "Clyde" Frazier stole the show in an orange and yellow geometric tuxedo jacket.

Clyde is on his way pic.twitter.com/aVANjrQrLi

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) June 8, 2026

But we're here to talk about the players ...

With the series moving from Texas to the Big Apple, surprisingly nobody broke out their Timbs for the pregame tunnel. But one Knicks player paid tribute to one of New York's finest rap groups and several others continued to make strong fashion statements.

Here is the NBA Finals Game 3 fit check:

7. Stephon Castle - San Antonio Spurs

Stephon Castle has mastered the art of cozy. He doesn't just throw on a random sweatsuit. He picks interesting pieces and just looks cool. For Game 3, the San Antonio Spurs guard opted for a Patti LaBelle graphic T-shirt and these interesting Balenciaga sweatpants with tattoo-like doodles on them.

View this post on Instagram

6. Jordan Clarkson - New York Knicks

Jordan Clarkson went with kind of a sailor-ballerina look? The New York Knicks guard, who is never afraid to play with his fashion choices, wore an all-tan ensemble with a v-neck jacket and gray legwarmers with his sneakers. It's... different!

I’m calling Jordan Clarkson’s Game 3 look “Sailor Ballerina.”

📷 @nyknickspic.twitter.com/VSxnA9swEJ

— Victoria Hernandez (@LadyViii) June 9, 2026

5. Jordan McLaughlin - San Antonio Spurs

Jordan McLaughlin's outfit starts simple enough with a white long sleeve T-shirt from Kith and a single chain. What boosts him onto the list is these really cool pants. They have a dark-colored base with an elegant baroque floral pattern.

Jordan McLaughlin’s pants are super cool!

📷 @spurs#NBAFinalspic.twitter.com/kMIUjVXXW3

— Victoria Hernandez (@LadyViii) June 9, 2026

4. Victor Wembanyama - San Antonio Spurs

Victor Wembanyama went with a classic look, the Canadian tuxedo. His teammate, Carter Bryant, might have had a more interesting set in Game 1. But the Defensive Player of the Year does a great job with proportions as is evidenced here. The large red Louis Vuitton duffel is a nice pop of color.

WEMBY ARRIVES FOR GAME 3 👽

NYK LEADS SAS, 2-0.
8:30 PM ET on ABC & ESPN. pic.twitter.com/duAwrhHJVE

— NBA (@NBA) June 8, 2026

3. Karl-Anthony Towns - New York Knicks

Karl-Anthony Towns was too cool for school in this look. He wore long black sweatpants with black sneakers and a backwards baseball cap. The statement piece here is definitely the Dipset graphic T-shirt. Doesn't get more New Yawk than that.

Karl-Anthony Towns is repping New Yawk in the Dipset tee 🫡

📷 @nyknickspic.twitter.com/6tFO7r8ViK

— Victoria Hernandez (@LadyViii) June 9, 2026

2. Mikal Bridges - New York Knicks

In a sea of neutrals, it was impossible to miss Mikal Bridges in this coral-colored polo from one of the most popular brands right now, Martine Rose. He expertly let the shirt do the talking with black nylon pants and black sneakers.

Everyone loves Martine Rose, including Mikal Bridges! 🌹

📷 @nyknickspic.twitter.com/WwpJM1EICu

— Victoria Hernandez (@LadyViii) June 9, 2026

1. Jeremy Sochan - New York Knicks

Jeremy Sochan's key fashion statement, his colorful hair, might be gone, but his style is still on point. The New York Knicks forward looked clean in the best fit of the night. He wore a well-fitting white knit shirt and baggy black pants. Patent black boots gave the outfit just enough edge.

Jeremy Sochan looks GOOD in this clean look. The boots add just enough edge.

📷 @nyknickspic.twitter.com/zsF5pFUdJk

— Victoria Hernandez (@LadyViii) June 9, 2026

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA Finals Game 3: Mikal Bridges, Victor Wembanyama among best-dressed

Donald Trump turned the 2026 NBA Finals into a chaotic mess by deciding to attend Game 3 between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs. Fans were told to arrive two hours early and waited in airport-style lines just to get into Madison Square Garden. Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox told reporters “The president being here just makes it inconvenient on everybody else.”

New Yorkers showed Trump how they feel about him when he shown on the jumbotron during the national anthem.

The result? Loud boos. Watch some videos from inside the arena here:

Trump’s approval rating is near a record low right now, so the boos aren’t surprising. Trump is the first sitting United States President to ever attend an NBA Finals game.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver defended Trump’s appearance to the “Inside the NBA” crew before the game:

The Knicks are up 2-0 in the series entering Game 3. Will Trump’s appearance curse the vibes? We know some Knicks players don’t like him. Here’s a 2020 tweet from Knicks wing Josh Hart:

The Knicks have won 13-straight games entering Game 3. If they lose, you already know who to blame.

The Uptown Knicks Polo may be sold out, but several standout pieces from the collaboration remain available.

Avery Wilson handled national anthem duties this week wearing the sold-out Malbon x New York Knicks Uptown Knicks Polo, and it immediately reminded me how good this collection really is.

The polo may be long gone, but there are still a few standout pieces available if you're a Knicks fan or just appreciate what Malbon has been doing with its team collaborations lately. The collection does a nice job of balancing New York sports culture with golf.

Trump is a guest of Knicks owner James Dolan at Monday night's game between the Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs. This is the first Finals game at Madison Square Garden since 1999.

"He’s welcome to be here," Silver said. "What makes sports so special, especially when there’s so much that divides people, is it’s something that we have in common. We should look for those things that we have in common and build off that," Silver told the NBA Tip-Off crew before the game.

Trump has gone to many sporting events during both his terms as president, including the Super Bowl and the U.S. Open tennis tournament. That he would come to Madison Square Garden is not a surprise, given his long affinity with the Knicks.

Donald Trump was loudly booed when he was shown on the video screens at Madison Square Garden on Monday night before Game 3 of the NBA finals between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks.

Trump was shown on the jumbotron while the Star-Spangled Banner was being sung before the game, and jeers and boos broke out around the arena. The president was shown for a little over eight seconds and held a salute the whole time with a smile on his face. A few seconds later, the video board showed Knicks players in line and the boos turned to cheers.

The US president, a longtime Knicks fan, attended as the guest of team owner James Dolan as New York hosted their first NBA finals game since 1999. Trump entered the arena amid a heavy security presence. He watched the game from the owner’s box above center court, while Secret Service personnel commandeered the neighboring suites on either side. Also in the box were Dolan, interior secretary Doug Burgum,
transportation secretary Sean Duffy and Trump’s granddaughter Kai.

The hostile reception comes as little surprise. NBA fans skew liberal and the Knicks play in a city that firmly backed Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.

Related: The world heard JD Vance being booed at the Olympics. Except for viewers in the US | Bryan Armen Graham

Trump’s appearance added another layer of spectacle to a city already in the thrall of basketball fever. The Knicks entered the night carrying a 2-0 series lead over the Spurs and seeking to move within one victory of their first championship since 1973.

Hours before tipoff, fans encountered heightened security around Madison Square Garden. A 10-foot perimeter fence surrounded the arena, ticket holders were advised to arrive at least two hours early and the team implemented a strict no-bag policy.

By midday, dozens of fans were already queueing to pass through metal detectors manned by Secret Service agents to access the team store.

“He could have picked any other day. This night is for the fans,” said Joanne Cadden, 53, a Knicks supporter from the Bronx who has followed the team since the early 1990s. “You’re making people go away from the Garden. This wasn’t the time.”

Gesturing toward the fencing and checkpoints surrounding the arena, Cadden added: “This looks like prison.”

Not every fan objected to Trump’s attendance, but many said it had altered the atmosphere around one of the biggest nights in the team’s history.

Rich Becker, a 54-year-old Knicks fan from Queens who came to Midtown despite not having a ticket, said the president’s visit had changed the feel of the day, including the cancellation of the outdoor watch party that had drawn thousands of fans outside the Garden during earlier playoff games.

“It changed everything,” Becker said. “Should he be here? I don’t think he should, but he’s coming. He used to be a Knicks fan. He spent a lot of time at the Garden back in the day. But now it’s a little different. Just stay away.”

Becker said he worried the extensive screening procedures could affect the atmosphere inside the building.

“There is some concern,” he said. “Not everybody’s going to be in their seats by tip-off.”

Beginning at around 4pm, authorities sealed off several blocks around the arena, creating what NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch described as a “frozen zone”. The restrictions encompassed the area between West 30th and West 35th Streets and Sixth and Eighth Avenues, with police checkpoints limiting access to ticket holders, rail passengers, credentialed personnel and others with an authorized reason to enter.

The restrictions also led officials to cancel the outdoor watch party that had drawn thousands of fans outside the Garden during earlier playoff games, though city officials said other viewing events, including ones at Bryant Park and Central Park’s Wollman Rink, would go ahead as planned. The watch party outside MSG was expected to return for Game 4 on Wednesday.

The precautions echoed scenes from Trump’s appearance at last year’s US Open men’s final in Queens, where security bottlenecks produced lengthy queues outside Arthur Ashe Stadium. Despite a delayed start, thousands of fans were still filing into their seats well into the second set.

The heightened security followed massive celebrations around the Garden after New York’s Game 2 victory in San Antonio on Friday. Thousands of fans packed the surrounding streets, while police said multiple arrests were made after some supporters climbed light poles, blocked traffic and refused orders to disperse following the Knicks’ win.

Trump confirmed last week that he planned to attend the game after receiving an invitation from Dolan. His appearance on Monday night made him the first sitting US president to attend an NBA finals game.

While Trump has become a regular presence at major sporting events during his second term, including the Super Bowl, Daytona 500 and Ryder Cup, his appearance at Madison Square Garden carried particular resonance. Long before entering politics, he was a fixture courtside during the Knicks’ 1990s glory years.

Trump’s appearance also placed two of the city’s most prominent political figures under one roof. New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani was also in attendance. He told reporters earlier in the day that he bought a standing-room only ticket from Madison Square Garden for about $1,000.

Other prominent names at Madison Square Garden on Monday included Knicks fans Spike Lee, Timothée Chalamet, Ben Stiller, Jon Stewart and Tracy Morgan.

For Tom Meade, 76, who attended Knicks playoff games during the franchise’s championship era and brought his son Tommy to Monday’s game, the fences, checkpoints and presidential motorcade were ultimately secondary to the occasion itself.

“This is amazing,” Meade said as fans streamed toward the Garden. “The only thing close to it was the Willis Reed and Walt Frazier years. Those championship teams [in 1970 and 1973].”

The heightened security was “a nuisance”, he added, “but we’re here to enjoy the game and the Knicks.”

NEW YORK — United States President Donald Trump is at Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals, just as he promised.

Trump officially became the first sitting U.S. president to attend an NBA Finals game when he arrived at Madison Square Garden for Game 3 between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs on Monday, June 8.

After a few chants of "USA, USA, USA" for the flag, Trump was booed loudly when he was shown on the large video screens during the national anthem. The president was saluting and smiled slightly as the boos grew. Once the feed showed Knicks players, the cheering returned.

Trump was in a suite, protected by thick glass on three sides, though open on top. EPA administrator Lee Zeldin and Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Trump's granddaughter Kai were in the suite with Trump.

Trump's large motorcade rolled up to the Garden at 7:28 p.m., with intense security locking down most of midtown for his arrival. His route to the game took him down the FDR and he was greeted by signs that included, "Nobody wants you here," and "Trump Must Go."

Trump previously said he was considering attending the first NBA Finals game hosted by New York since 1999 at the invitation of Knicks owner James Dolan.

That would be good news for the Washington Wizards, who have the No. 1 pick this year and are expected to use it on the star freshman from BYU.

“It won’t take that long, especially with my adaptability and my work ethic,” Dybantsa said Monday. “I think that will be, I’m not going to say easy, but pretty similar to what these guys do in terms of the forecast.”

The Spurs made a rapid rise after taking Victor Wembanyama from France with the No. 1 pick in 2023. Stephon Castle from UConn went No. 4 the next year, and both players were voted NBA Rookie of the Year. Guard Dylan Harper was the No. 2 selection last year from Rutgers.

Dybantsa got an up-close look at the Spurs when they played in Paris last year and has another chance now as one of the NBA's player correspondents at the NBA Finals. He was at Game 3 and will work at practice before Game 4 on Tuesday.

Dybantsa, from the Boston area, went to Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals, when the Celtics beat Dallas. Now he gets to watch the games and also be behind the scenes, gaining knowledge from the many players involved and former players such as Shaquille O'Neal that he spoke with Monday.

“It feels good,” Dybantsa said of the opportunity, “especially tomorrow and on Wednesday, me working the finals.”

Caleb Wilson from North Carolina, also expected to be a high pick, performed the role in Game 1, followed by the New Orleans Pelicans' Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears, who just finished their rookie seasons. Charlotte's Kon Knueppel, the runner-up for Rookie of the Year, would have Game 5 if the series extends that long.

The 6-foot-9 Dybantsa led the nation in scoring with 25.5 points per game and also averaged 3.7 assists in his lone college season. He said he hasn't spoken with the Wizards or any other teams since the draft combine.

He has been working out three times a day since, saying the college season felt as though it flew by but the last few weeks have dragged. The draft begins June 23 in New York, and if the Wizards do select him, Dybantsa expects they'll end up with a player whose skills translate quickly to the pros.

“There's a lot of it. I think my ability to get in the paint and dish out to my teammates, as well as creating for myself,” Dybantsa said. “So I think I’m just a natural playmaker, meshing myself with others.”

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Knicks fans have been waiting a long time for this one.

For the first time in 25 years, New York hosted the NBA Finals on Monday. 

While prices were through the roof and things were a bit chaotic getting into Madison Square Garden, that didn’t prevent the orange and blue faithful from bringing the energy right off the bat. 

Knicks fans were sure to give their heroes a warm welcome back home as they took the court just two wins away from their first championship since 1973. 

Here are some of the scenes from intros and warmups at MSG…

The Garden roars to life before Game 3 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/AELMbRbEEw

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) June 9, 2026

Chuck "I've got goosebumps"

Ernie "Sports, there's nothing like it"

Garden deafening as Knicks take the court for Game 3 pic.twitter.com/7YdnwkRTcr

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) June 9, 2026

NUMBER 8.

O

G

ANUNOBY pic.twitter.com/3yRu0Brtzk

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) June 9, 2026

The Knicks are introduced before Game 3 of the NBA Finals 🔥 pic.twitter.com/N8g43pb3tt

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) June 9, 2026

President Donald Trump made it to Madison Square Garden on Monday night.

Trump, a native New Yorker, attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs in Manhattan on Monday. The president was seated for the game in a box above the first bowl at the arena with protective glass on each side of it.

But Trump's presence inside Madison Square Garden was not necessarily a welcome one. After passing several protests on the way in, he was hit with a loud chorus of boos from fans when he was first shown on screens during the national anthem.

Trump is now officially the first sitting U.S. president to attend an NBA Finals game. He's attended several notable sporting events in the past, including the College Football Playoff championship game earlier this year in Miami and a session at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black last fall. He revealed earlier this month that he was invited by Knicks owner James Dolan to attend.

Trump has also attended several UFC fights throughout his time in and out of office. He is planning to host UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House on Sunday, too, in what would be a historic first — though a lawsuit was filed this weekend in an effort to stop it from happening. 

Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world's biggest soccer tournament

Trump's presence at the game, and the strong reaction from fans in the arena, comes amid what's been a turbulent stretch for him. His approval ratings held around 35% in the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll, which is near the lowest levels of his political career.

"I found out [he was coming] because Jim Dolan invited him to the game, and he said yes," commissioner Adam Silver said about Trump on ESPN before the game, adding that Trump was a "genuine Knicks fan" who used to have courtside seats for the Knicks.

"He's welcome to be here. I think that what makes sports so special, especially when there's so much that divides people, is it's something that we have in common, and we should look for those things that we have in common and build off that."

Trump's 'inconvenient' presence led to long delays, security changes

Of course, Trump's presence came with increased security both in and around Madison Square Garden on Monday. There were perimeter fences set up around the arena and long lines to get into the building even as early as Monday morning, which led to headaches for arena staffers and even players. Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox said accessing the arena was like "getting screened by TSA."

"I think the president being here just makes it inconvenient on everybody else," Fox said before the game. "We've got more, obviously more security … Obviously, we're getting screened like it's TSA. [It's] a little inconvenient for the people that's gotta play. It is what it is."

Fans were also encouraged to show up "at least two hours" before tip, and a "strict no-bag policy" was put in place. The traditional watch party outside of Madison Square Garden was canceled as a result, too, though mayor Zohran Mamdani put together a free event nearby. 

The lines outside of the arena more than three hours before tip were incredibly long.

"Yes, there's some inconvenience to the fans here," Silver said. "But one, looking around at the arena, it's packed. So people listened, they came early, they got through whatever extra security, which is necessary."

Mamdani, meanwhile, revealed earlier on Monday that he purchased a standing-room-only ticket for the game for nearly $1,000. 

The Knicks entered Game 3 on Monday night with a 2-0 lead in the series after taking both of the first two contests in San Antonio. The Knicks have won 13 straight games, dating back to their opening-round series with the Atlanta Hawks. The franchise is looking for its first NBA title since 1973, and Monday's contest was the first NBA Finals game for the team at home since 1999.

Where: Madison Square Garden (New York, NY)

When: Monday, June 8 at 8:30 PM EST

How to watch: ABC

Betting Line: NY -1.5 (subject to change), O/U 216.5 (subject to change) via FanDuel

Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much. The rule against trolling also applies to members of this site that visit other fan sites.

Is it over? Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?¹ Hell no! It’s not over. The Spurs are in a bad spot, down 2-0 and going on the road to Madison Square Garden, where there will be a lot of distractions, many of them having nothing to do with basketball. It’s going to be a challenge for both teams as try to play their best basketball and win a game in a legendary arena. The Spurs haven’t played a complete game in the series, but they had a terrific second half in Game 2 until the final seconds when their inexperience betrayed them with an inopportune turnover in the final seconds gave the Knicks a chance to retake the lead late, a lead that they held onto when Wembanyama’s midrange shot rimmed out as time expired.

The Spurs will need more than two good quarters tonight, and Victor Wembanyama will need to get more than 4 shots in the first half to pull out a road win. De’Aaron Fox has been looking healthier as the series goes on, and if he could get some of his lift back on his shots, it’s going to be helpful. The Knicks were a little off in the first game, but got everything going in the second game, and it wasn’t just Brunson, who was mediocre until crunch time, it took great games form Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns to pull out the win. Even Josh Hart, who had a goose egg in the scoring column, made some critical plays with rebounding and assists.

The Spurs will need more from their bench tonight, and Keldon Johnson needs to contribute more than the 3 points he scored in Game 2. It’s going to be do or die tonight. The Spur have had an incredible year so far, but they can keep it going with a win tonight and Wednesday. If the Spurs get this to a 3 game series with home court advantage, I like their chances. GO SPURS GO!!

1. The Germans did not, in fact, bomb Pearl Harbor. [Forget it, he’s rolling.] But that’s the opening line in Bluto’s [played by John Belushi] famous speech in the movie Animal House, where he convinced the members of Delta Tau Chi [aka Animal House] to engage in a really futile and stupid gesture to counter the actions of Dean Wormer.

Game Prediction:

Jalen Brunson get the final shot and misses it, and doesn’t even draw a foul, which is the first time that’s happened, ever. As far as I can tell.

San Antonio Spurs at New York Knicks, NBA Finals, Game 3
June 8, 2026 | 7:30 PM CT
Streaming: ESPN
TV: ABC
Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.

Another day, another player who played in the bubble telling everyone how impressive that title was.

Time and time again, whenever players who actually took part in the bubble sit down and talk about it, they repeatedly tell everyone how difficult it was to win that title. It’s not even restricted to Lakers from that team, who would obviously make a point to defend their ring.

This time, it was Danny Green who sat down and talked about the team’s entire 2019-20 season in a video for Bleacher Report. It was a great video that included lots of anecdotes about the season, but it also included him presenting the case for that ring being the toughest of his career.

“It was by far the hardest championship that I had to achieve. To make that adjustment playing through COVID, having your family and friends not really there, not being able to even celebrate it properly. We went to the same restaurant that we go to every day and celebrated as a team but, after that, no real parade. So, it was just different. In the bubble, a lot of different things were going on where the walls start closing in on you mentally and emotionally. It was a hard-fought win. Also the physical task of every other day playing, which wears on you. By far the hardest because, again, mentally taxing.”

To add further credence to Green’s case, he’s someone who has won multiple rings in multiple places, so this is a statement that holds some weight. He also contended that, even if the bubble — and a global pandemic — didn’t exist, the Lakers would have won the title, calling it an “iconic, legendary team.”

Game 5 game-winning shot

Green didn’t shy away from the elephant in the room, either, when talking about the Finals. Prior to the Lakers coming out victorious in Game 6 against the Heat, Green had a shot to end the series and win a title in Game 5.

The shot missed and Green and the Lakers had to regroup. Green talked about the shot and the moment in the interview. The biggest takeaway was that he didn’t realize how much time was left when he took the shot, admitting he rushed it as a result.

Even after that missed opportunity, he said the vibe around the team was that they would bounce back and win in Game 6. Fortunately, that turned out to be the case.

Anthony Davis’ game-winner vs. Denver

To get to the Finals, the Lakers had to go through the Nuggets. That memorable series included one of the long-lasting highlights of Anthony Davis’ career.

In Game 2 with the Lakers down one, AD knocked down a 3-pointer at the buzzer. Instead of being tied in the series 1-1, the Lakers took a 2-0 lead and used that to go on and win the series.

Green talked about that shot and what it did for both the Lakers and Nuggets.

“With that game-winner, it gave us the momentum and confidence and everything we needed and also kind of put them in a — like that’s a devastating play to experience on the other side. When you lose by a game-winner, it’s really hard to bounce back from it. That was the play that, pretty much, I think, won us the championship. No disrespect to Miami. Miami was a very good team but I think this was the hardest overall team that we faced during that playoff run.”

The whole interview is worth a watch, if for no other reason than to take a trip down memory lane.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

The New York juggernaut keeps rolling on, as the Knicks won both games in San Antonio to make it 13 straight postseason victories. The series now shifts to Madison Square Garden, where tickets on secondary market are going for $10k and the blood of a firstborn child. The last time a team came back from down 0-2 to win the Finals was 2021, when Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Milwaukee Bucks over the Phoenix Suns. A starter on that Suns team? Mikal Bridges. Could history repeat itself for the Sixer-for-less-than-an-hour?

Honestly, the Knicks just look like the team of destiny right now. The Spurs’ young squad looked a little shook by the big moment and that was when the games were in San Antonio. Now the crowd will be going bonkers in the Garden. Karl-Anthony Towns has been playing great against Victor Wembanyama, who has had a much tougher time against the stronger Towns than Chet Holmgren in the previous series. We haven’t even seen a dynamite Jalen Brunson game yet. He shot just 7-of-25 in Game 2, after 12-of-31 in Game 1 (albeit with an incredible fourth quarter to carry the Knicks across the line). The Spurs have the stable of tall, athletic guards to throw at Brunson defensively, but you still assume he has at least one huge game, even in a less-than-ideal matchup.

What do you think? Do the Knicks take care of business back home or can the Spurs return the favor and steal a game on the road? Let us know in the comments and follow along with all the Game 3 action.

Game Details

When: June 8, 8:30 p.m. ET
Where: Madison Square Garden
Watch: ABC
Radio: ESPN Radio
Follow: @LibertyBallers

Tonight, the Washington Mystics host the Indiana Fever. Watch it on Monumental Sports Network at 7:30 p.m. ET. Then Game 3 of the NBA Finals is at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC (WJLA-TV) in the DMV. Enjoy!

Editor's Note:Click here for live coverage and all the latest news from Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs.

The New York Knicks didn't have to search too far for a halftime performer.

The Knicks tapped Grammy award-winning rapper and New York native Cardi B to provide halftime entertainment for Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the Knicks and San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden on Monday, June 8, a person with direct knowledge of the matter confirmed to USA TODAY Sports.

The person spoke under the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter.

There's always celebrities in the arena whenever the Knicks play at home, but the star power has turned up a notch as the team hosts its first NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden since 1999. In addition to Cardi B, a variety of celebrities and dignitaries are set to attend Game 3 on Monday, ranging from President Donald Trump, to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and actor Ben Stiller.

NBA FINALS GAME 3: Celebrities, politicians pack the house at Madison Square Garden

Cardi B is the latest New York native to turn the basketball court into her stage. Singer Mary J. Blige served as the halftime performer during Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals last year.

The rapper recently wrapped her critically-acclaimed Little Miss Drama Tour, which featured two stops in New York at Madison Square Garden in March. It's not clear which songs she'll perform, but Cardi B's discography includes hit songs "Bodak Yellow" and "Hello" among many others.

Cardi B has attended several Knicks games over the years, including Game 4 of the Eastern Conference last year alongside NFL beau Stefon Diggs.

Contributing: Lorenzo Reyes

Reach USA TODAY National Women’s Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at chenderson@gannett.com and follow her on X at @CydHenderson.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cardi B set for Knicks vs Spurs NBA Finals Game 3 halftime show at MSG

Monday was the dawn of a new era for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Out is Daryl Morey, who served as the franchise’s president of basketball operations for six seasons. In is Mike Gansey, who previously served as the general manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Gansey spoke to reporters for the first time at the team’s practice facility in Camden. He didn’t divulge much (who needs a “we sold high” type of quote on their first day?), but made it clear he wants to build around the team’s Big 4 while fostering a positive culture from the front office on down.

After Gansey’s introductory presser, Bob Myers and the newly-promoted Jameer Nelson spoke as well. Here are five takeaways from the day.

Building around the Big 4

Again, there wasn’t a ton of clarity as far as the direction Gansey wants to go, but there were plenty of questions surrounding Joel Embiid and the team’s ability to be a contender with three max contracts.

The main goal is obvious — though it’s easier said than done.

“I’ve had a lot of good conversations with him so far,” Gansey said of the former MVP. “Excited to meet with him this week. … With him and the roster we have, that’s who we have. We got to get those guys on the floor, we got to create an identity and just get them to play basketball.”

Gansey pointed to the fact that the Sixers were 24-14 with Embiid on the floor and to the upset of the Boston Celtics in the first round of the postseason. He didn’t sugarcoat things (more on that in a bit) or attempt to gaslight the fan base. The reality is there’s little other recourse. Embiid is owed a lot of money over the next three seasons and Paul George over the next two.

It makes sense to not obsess over the dual timeline situation and just build the best team possible with the resources at hand.

“I don’t look at it as a timeline,” Gansey said, “I just look at like we have those four and we got to maximize those four. Obviously, VJ [Edgecombe] and Tyrese [Maxey] are younger, but Paul and Joel can still play at a high level. … We gotta rely on those four, and obviously keep them on the floor, and then just build around them.”

Building the culture

Morey has long been known as one of the smartest minds in basketball. It’s an earned reputation.

With that said, the biggest criticism of Morey is how cold and calculated he could be. The Jared McCain trade — which did not go over well in the Sixers’ locker room — is a decent example. You could understand some of the basketball reasons for the decision, but, ultimately, it might’ve been a bit shortsighted.

Gansey seems like he’s viewed as an antidote to the disconnect between the front office and the players — and really everyone else in the organization.

“My philosophy is simple: build a culture rooted in character, work ethic, competitiveness, accountability and teamwork,” Gansey said in his opening statement. “Our fans deserve a team that they can be proud of. There will be alignment throughout the entire organization with a relentless focus on putting our players and staff in the best position to succeed.”

The word “alignment” came up an awful lot. With the turmoil surrounding the Sixers for the last decade or so, it’s fair to wonder how much “alignment” there’s been.

Gansey seems intent on changing the culture here. He talked about wanting to be “attached at the hip” to head coach Nick Nurse and speaking with all of the players about what this team needs. Will it lead to more wins? Who knows? But the organization clearly needs to try something different.

“I want guys that want to be in Philly, first and foremost,” he said. “Obviously, guys that can fit around our players that we have currently under contract, and I want fountains, not drains. I want guys with high character, guys with high work ethics, and guys that want to be in Philadelphia.”

Building an identity

But it wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies.

The reality is the Sixers are in one of the weirdest spots in the league. They had what could be considered a decent season, upsetting the second-seeded Celtics in the first round. They were also handily swept in the second round by the New York Knicks, who currently hold a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals. It’s clear the gap between the Sixers and Knicks is massive.

Gansey is now charged with bridging that gap.

“They got swept in the second round, so it’s not a championship-caliber team right now,” Gansey said, “but we’re going to work on that. Getting the Big 4 together on the floor, but we’re going to do everything we can to bring players in here that fit, and that obviously can help. … We got a great staff here, and we’re going to do everything we can to get the best players in here to help us get to the mountaintop.”

“Identity” was another buzzword used by all of Gansey, Myers and Nelson. With all the uncertainty surrounding the statuses of Embiid and George, it was nearly impossible for the 2025-26 team to create one. They were essentially middle-of-the-pack by most statistical measures.

There wasn’t any one thing they could hang their hat on.

“We gotta find an identity. We just don’t have one,” Myers said. “I mean, that’s maybe a harsh thing to say, but look at the numbers. I mean, we were not elite offensively or defensively, and … if you’re gonna win at the highest level, you gotta be great at something. We have the capabilities, I think, and we have the players and some of the talent, but in order to see what we are, we’ve got to be on the floor.”

The front office triumvirate

For those unfamiliar, Gansey was a very good college basketball player at Saint Bonaventure before transferring to West Virginia. He then spent a few years bouncing around playing in the G League, overseas and getting NBA summer league invites.

Myers, who stands at 6-foot-7, had a decent college career at UCLA, helping the Bruins reach the Elite Eight in 1996-97.

And we’re all familiar with Nelson’s playing career.

It’s an interesting dynamic. The franchise has gone from more analytics-driven executives like Sam Hinkie and Morey to people who played the game at a high level. That doesn’t mean analytics won’t be involved in the decision-making (they will) or that it will lead to success.

But it does change things for an organization in desperate need of a shake-up.

“I think it’s helped me a lot throughout my career,” Gansey said, “just because I’ve been in the locker room, I’ve been in wars, I played with some of the guys who are still playing in this league a little bit in college, so I think my understanding of maybe what they’re going through day to day. They’re going through training camp, or they’re exhausted, or the travel, or their confidence is low, like I can kind of relate to them a little bit, and say, ‘hey, I didn’t play at the highest level, but I played at a pretty good level,’ where they can come to me and ask me questions, and I can relate to them a little bit more than maybe someone that didn’t play.”

What’s next?

The first round of the 2026 NBA Draft will take place on June 23. The Sixers will have the 22nd overall selection — a pick they received in the McCain trade that originally belonged to the Houston Rockets.

For so many reasons, it’s crucial for the Sixers to nail this pick. Right after that will be free agency.

“I think with where we’re at now … we have pick 22 in the draft, we got to hit on that,” Gansey said. “We got to get a good player there. Just building depth. We got to get guys in here in free agency that we like, we got to get minimum guys, and then the big part is just internal development with Tyrese, VJ, and some of our other young guys, they got to get better too. I think it’s internal growth, 22 and then free agency, and trying to add as much depth as we can to this roster.”

The good news for the Sixers is Gansey has already been doing draft prep for the Cavaliers, who hold the 29th overall pick. If there’s one area where you can see Gansey’s fingerprints with Cleveland, it’s the draft.

“I ran the draft in Cleveland, so I was really big on the player personnel and the valuation, but I’m a connector. I build relationships with everyone in the building, all the way from our star player to the janitor.”

This wasn't supposed to be a 3-point prop article, but that's exactly what it turned into.

Game 3 between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks offers plenty of value from beyond the arc, though some of that value comes from backing players to keep the ball on the deck rather than firing away from deep.

My Spurs vs. Knicks props and NBA picks point toward New York maintaining control of the series, with Game 3 set to tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET on Monday, June 8.

Best Spurs vs Knicks props for Game 3

Player	Pick
Karl-Anthony Towns	Over 1.5 3-pointers	+122
Julian Champagnie	Under 2.5 3-pointers	-135
Victor Wembanyama	Under 1.5 3-pointers	+145

Game 3 Prop #1: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 1.5 3-pointers

Do not make this bet simply because Karl-Anthony Towns went 3-for-5 from deep in Game 2. Do not make it simply because his five attempts are the threshold at which it becomes far more likely than not that the New York Knicks’ center will hit multiple 3-pointers. Do not even make it because Towns has hit 48.1% of his 3-pointers this postseason.

Rather, make it because Towns is returning to Madison Square Garden. He shoots far more often at home than he does on the road.

Towns took 4.4 threes per home game this season, compared to 3.8 per road game. That has held up this postseason, taking four per home game and 2.7 per road game.

Towns is shooting so well that the only question is related to quantity. He is clearly more comfortable loading up in New York City.

Game 3 Prop #2: Julian Champagnie Under 2.5 3-pointers

The usual logic here would be to doubt a role player in a road game, but Julian Champagnie actually shot better and more often on the road this season than he did at home. The difference in percentages, in particular, was rather negligible.

The logic here instead looks at Game 2 compared to Game 1. The San Antonio Spurs’ best shooter took 10 3-pointers in Game 1, going 5-for-10 as part of 16 points. But in Game 2, he pulled up from beyond the arc only five times, going 2-for-5 as part of eight points despite playing nearly five more minutes than in Game 1.

The Knicks defense adjusted to Champagnie, and that adjustment should hold as the NBA Finals move to the East Coast.

Game 3 Prop #3: Victor Wembanyama Under 1.5 3-pointers

The inverse approach has yielded profit this postseason. Betting on Victor Wembanyama to find comfort beyond the arc at home has paid off. Because he clearly does not like shooting from deep on the road.

So, let’s take the chance to fade the French superstar.

The following trends have been true of all three years of Wembanyama’s young career. These are simply the most recent and therefore the most pertinent stats: He shot 37.9% from deep at home this regular season, compared to 31.3% on the road. He took 5.9 threes per game at home compared to just five per game on the road.

Look at the Western Conference Finals. Wembanyama went 9-for-21 from deep at home, 42.9% on seven attempts per game. He went 7-for-19 in four games on the road, 36.8% on 4.75 attempts per game.

If Wembanyama is not going to attempt six 3-pointers, it becomes more likely than not that he will not hit multiple threes. To get such a reality at plus money is a foolish offering from the sportsbooks.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Basketball bettors are in a New York state of mind for Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

The New York Knicks are home and holding a 2-0 series edge over the San Antonio Spurs, who enter what will be a madhouse inside Madison Square Garden tonight.

My Spurs vs. Knicks same-game parlay isn’t getting in the way of New York and loves these two role players – one veteran and one rookie – to blow up their scoring props in the Big Apple.

Here are my best NBA picks and Spurs vs. Knicks predictions on Monday, June 8.

Our best Spurs vs Knicks SGP for Game 3

SGP leg #1: Knicks moneyline

The New York Knicks have the San Antonio Spurs on their heels, proving they’re the tougher team physically and mentally. The Knicks have outworked the Spurs for almost every 50/50 ball while also showing their experience edge in crunch time. New York is making big shots late in games while San Antonio is stumbling with massive miscues, burying itself in a 0-2 hole.

We saw the New York bench put in work in Game 2, and that was a big X-factor entering the series, playing a bigger role as the finals roll on. With a healthy lift from an insane crowd at MSG, the Knicks put San Antonio on the ropes with another strong team effort on both ends in Game 3.

SGP leg #2: Dylan Harper Over 12.5 points

Rookie guard Dylan Harper is a “rookie” in title only. We’ve seen his maturation during the playoffs, and Game 2 proved he could be San Antonio’s second-best scorer. While most of the Spurs shrank in crunch time, Harper made the most of the extra minutes in the fourth quarter, attacking the rim and igniting a late surge. His size and speed are a tough blend for the Knicks defense to deal with, and models call for as many as 15+ points in Game 3.

SGP leg #3: Mikal Bridges Over 13.5 points

Mikal Bridges was huge for New York in Game 2, and his mid-range game is the perfect foil for the Spurs, who pack the paint and hope the Knicks miss outside shots. He’s getting good looks with San Antonio focusing on Jalen Brunson and has scored 14+ in five of his last six games and nine of his last 11 outings. Most models call for close to 15 points from Bridges tonight.

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Get Jason Logan's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his Spurs vs. Knicks predictions for Game 3.

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Midtown Manhattan was already going to be a wild scene with the NBA Finals returning to Madison Square Garden for the first time in 27 years — and with the Knicks up 2-0 on the Spurs, New Yorkers believe they are witnessing a coronation.

They are also witnessing the most intense security around an NBA game anyone can remember. What was already going to be a strong law enforcement presence around the game ramped up to a whole new level when President Donald Trump confirmed he would accept the invitation of Knicks governor James Dolan.

What does that look like? How about five blocks around the arena being shut down to all vehicular traffic, and only people with a ticket for the game can get past the security barrier.

That means the outdoor watch parties planned near the arena in Midtown had to be canceled, which was announced days ago.

There is also a security fence around Madison Square Garden now.

"There should be extra security for the President of the United States to be at a game, but I think the fans are very understanding of that," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said when Trump confirmed he would attend. "I think they recognize that it adds to the bigness of the event."

Inside the arena, Trump will not be on celebrity row courtside but will watch the game from a suite, NBC Sports confirmed.

"This President, Donald Trump, before he ever ran for office, he was a big Knicks fan..." Silver said at an NBA Cares event.

"I think sports, in particular, is something where we can emphasize what we have in common, not what pulls us apart, that it creates a sense of belonging. We're seeing that in New York, and I think President Trump is very much a New Yorker, and I'm thrilled that yet another New Yorker wants to participate in the enthusiasm and the joy around this Knicks team."

Knicks fans won't care much about who attends the game so long as their team wins, but those fans will also face additional security. Fans entering MSG can't take bags of any kind into the game and will have to undergo additional screening, much more like a TSA screening at the airport than at a typical NBA game.

All of this security has led to a slight decrease in the cost of buying a ticket and getting into the game on secondary markets, according to reports. Although this is still shaping up to be the most expensive game to attend in NBA history.

The question is, will those Knicks fans witness history and see their team move within a game of their first NBA championship in 53 years?

Dylan Harper hasn’t looked like a rookie on the NBA Finals stage, and he certainly didn’t sound like one after the San Antonio Spurs fell behind 0-2 in the series against the New York Knicks.

After scoring 16 and 15 points in the first two games, Harper remained unfazed, telling reporters, “It's not the first to win two. We can’t really hang our heads on that.”

Now, with the series shifting to Madison Square Garden, the New Jersey native gets a homecoming of sorts. The Spurs enter Game 3 as 2-point underdogs, but my Spurs vs. Knicks predictions and NBA picks expect Harper to rise to the occasion in front of a familiar crowd.

Additionally, Douglas Farmer's got a trio of Spurs vs. Knicks props for Monday, June 8.

Spurs vs Knicks Game 3 prediction

Who will win Spurs vs Knicks Game 3?

Knicks: There were plenty of patches of orange and blue in San Antonio the past two games. You can only imagine just how nuts MSG is going to be for Game 3. New York continues to show its veteran composure in this series, playing its best in the crunch while watching the wheels come off the young Spurs.

The extra day off helps those aging legs recharge, including Jalen Brunson’s tender knee, and the Knicks will once again win the war when it comes to hustle points.

Spurs vs Knicks best bet:  Dylan Harper Over 12.5 points (-112)

Dylan Harper went from rookie to floor general in Game 2. He recorded his most minutes and his third-most FGAs of the playoffs – save for OT in Game 1 against OKC.

More importantly, he was the catalyst for the San Antonio Spurs’ late run, scoring nine of his 15 points in the fourth quarter by attacking the rim and drawing fouls. His mix of speed and strength is a handful for even the New York Knicks’ stingiest defenders.

Mitch Johnson is now trusting Harper in crunch time, and his Game 3 projections hover around 14 points, given a similar workload.

COVERS INTEL: Harper’s usage climbed from 17.9 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals to 20.8 in Game 2. He was second on the team behind only Victor Wembanyama when it came to usage and points percentage in graded clutch time (final five minutes).

Spurs vs Knicks Game 3 same-game parlay

The Knicks just won’t die. Or better yet, the Spurs don’t have the killer instinct to put them away. New York is locked in from the starters to the bench, fighting for every 50/50 ball and thriving under pressure.

San Antonio, on the other hand, sees its wheels wobble in the clutch, as evidenced by careless turnovers and poor offensive rebounding. 

New York is not dependent on Jalen Brunson to carry the team, as long as he’s there to hit those backbreakers. Madison Square Garden gives the Knicks a hefty home-court edge, and the bright lights of Broadway blind San Antonio’s youngsters.

Mikal Bridges was huge in the second half of Game 2. With the Spurs blitzing Brunson, Bridges’ mid-range stroke was the Spurs’ kryptonite. He was steady on 8-for-13 shooting and anchored a third-quarter surge with Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns on the bench. 

His Game 3 models flirt with 15 points.

Spurs vs Knicks SGP

• Knicks moneyline
• Dylan Harper Over 12.5 points
• Mikal Bridges Over 13.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Brunson Burner!

Bridges continues to pick up the scoring slack with Brunson under fire, but the Knicks’ point guard still does damage from outside.

The Over 2.5 triples has been my "white whale" prop in this series, as Brunson has had plenty of open looks from long range but can’t get past two makes.

Home cooking helps in Game 3. Towns had four dimes on seven potential assists in Game 2, and his ability to stretch the floor and pass over smaller defenders helps him repeat that feat in Game 3.

Spurs vs Knicks SGP

• Knicks moneyline
• Mikal Bridges Over 13.5 points
• Jalen Brunson Over 2.5 threes
• Karl-Anthony Towns Over 3.5 assists

Spurs vs Knicks betting trend to know

New York is 28-15 ATS as a home favorite on the year, including 5-2 ATS in the playoffs. The Knicks are 11-2 SU and 8-5 ATS as home chalk hosting Western Conference foes. Find more NBA betting trends for Spurs vs. Knicks.

Spurs vs Knicks odds for Game 3

• Spread: Spurs +2 | Knicks -2
• Moneyline: Spurs +110 | Knicks -130
• Over/Under: Over 215.5 | Under 215.5

How to watch Spurs vs Knicks Game 3

Spurs vs Knicks latest injuries

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In a scathing defense of Gilgeous-Alexander, Presti spoke for nearly seven minutes straight about how the reigning league MVP doesn't deserve much of the criticism he is given. The GM made a point to note how Gilgeous-Alexander does not fit into the stereotypes about NBA players in the modern era, but has become the latest target of the "machine" of criticism aimed at players.

"We've got a litany of things that the narrative is about NBA players that they do wrong. Well, based on those narratives, I don't agree with them, but he would be doing them right. And he doesn't really complain about any of it," Presti said toward the conclusion of that rant.

Gilgeous-Alexander has been criticized all season for falling after shooting, which some consider a form of flopping or foul-baiting. It's been an opinion shared by multiple players, including the Boston Celtics' Jaylen Brown, during postgame press conferences. In December, Spurs center Victor Wembanyama went as far as to call his own version of the game "pure and ethical basketball." As a result, "ethical basketball" become a rallying cry for critics of Gilgeous-Alexander's penchant for drawing fouls.

Presti opened his defense on Monday by addressing this narrative, and the players who have helped disperse it.

"The postgame press conference has turned into the bully pulpit to create competitive advantage," Presti said. "It used to be you'd get up there, you'd talk about your own team. Now everyone gets up there and they talk about the officials and they discredit the other team."

Presti said that he doesn't "fault" players who do that, because "they may think it works" to give themselves a competitive advantage. But that "narrative" against Gilgeous-Alexander, he added, created additional obstacles for the two-time league MVP.

"He's playing against six people. He's got five defenders, and the sixth defender is social media," Presti said. "That's a reality. He's not going to be the last player that the machine decides to target, but no one's going to handle it as gracefully because, when they turn it on somebody else, they're not going to step up there every night and not acknowledge it."

Presti then went even further, breaking down some of the things that NBA players are criticized for and noting how Gilgeous-Alexander is counter to that. Narratives he mentioned included criticisms of NBA players not playing defense, being "totally inaccessible," in Presti's words, and solely making 3-pointers.

Presti tried to dispel that idea that Gilgeous-Alexander could be criticized for any of those things: "Shai's a two-end player," he said of the defense argument, before speaking on the 3-pointers.

"He's brought the mid-range back to an art form," Presti said. "He's not a guy that's just launching 3s. So we can check that off the box."

Other debates he mentioned included the narrative of players complaining to referees, and the ongoing discussion about players skipping games under the guise of "load management."

"All NBA players do is complain, bitch and moan and try to intimidate the officials with bad behavior in the games to give foul calls," Presti said, before pointing to Gilgeous-Alexander's record. "He's gotten three technical fouls this year. None for complaining. One for waving a towel in support of someone that hit a shot that doesn't play very often. OK. So he's not doing that.

"The other thing is load management. Nobody plays. They take all these games off. Shai plays every night. He missed a bunch of games this year for an oblique strain, and we might give him a night off two or three times a year, maybe. But he plays back-to-backs. He plays heavy minutes. He plays against good teams. He plays against teams that are bad teams," Presti said. "He plays every night. His consistency is well documented. So you can't get him on that."

Central to Presti's ramble was the question of fouls, and the idea that Gilgeous-Alexander was unfairly drawing them.

"If we're just talking about trying to draw fouls, well, every other great player in the NBA, that's part of the game, is drawing fouls," Presti said.

(As Yahoo Sports' Tom Haberstroh noted during the Western Conference Finals: falling works.)

Presti added that Gilgeous-Alexander is tied with Joel Embiid at eighth among all players for fouls drawn this season. "But I understand, if you listen to the narrative, you'd think he's 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5," Presti said with a laugh. "He drew a lot more fouls before we got much better, and when we got better, obviously people pay more attention to him.

"I don't think he's being unfairly handled. I just think, instead of talking about something that we are looking to find as a negative, can we please also acknowledge that he also does a lot of positive things for the game?" he continued.

The question of the fouls Gilgeous-Alexander draws has become a touchpoint on social media, to an absurd degree. (At the end of May, Gilgeous-Alexander's lawyers sent a cease-and-desist to Underdog Sports for trying to sell a board game called "Unethical Hoops," featuring a character that looked a bit too much like the Thunder guard.)

Presti said that much of this circles back to social media, where opinions drive the way fans perceive the game — creating that sixth defender.

"This is the world we live in today. There's a lot of financial incentive to create these things, career ambitions, like I said before," Presti said. "The best thing we can do when those things happen is stay above it."

Trump was seen on the Jumbotron saluting and seated in a suite with Knicks owner James Dolan, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Kai Trump, the president’s granddaughter, as his presidential motorcade was seen pulling up to the arena about an hour before tipoff. The sellout crowd booed the president loudly when he was shown.

Trump’s appearance caused more than enough headaches for fans, who were told to arrive at the arena two hours before tipoff, while the U.S. Secret Service checked each patron before they entered the building.

Knicks fans at MSG boo Donald Trump during National Anthem pic.twitter.com/wLbHUSD7PS

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 9, 2026

The New York City Police Department blocked off a 14-block area around Madison Square Garden, prohibiting pedestrian and vehicle traffic while the President was in the area. Large steel barriers also surrounded “The World’s Most Famous Arena,” and fans went through airport-like security, some waiting nearly two hours to get inside.

Trump is the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game. Barack Obama and George W. Bush both appeared at Finals games, though Obama’s appearance in 2019, when the Toronto Raptors played the Golden State Warriors, occurred after he had left office. In 1999, Bush was the governor of Texas when the Spurs played the Knicks. 

NBA COMMISSIONER: Adam Silver calls President Trump 'genuine' New York Knicks fan

Those who had difficulty scoring a ticket, some priced in the $10,000 range, couldn’t even watch the game outside of the Garden because a watch party was canceled amid the President’s arrival in New York.

Trump’s attendance at other sporting events in New York has also created a security headache. Last September, the U.S. Open men’s tennis singles final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner sparked an uproar when the original 2 p.m. ET start time was delayed because thousands of fans were still waiting to enter Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Motorcade arriving at MSG pic.twitter.com/IYC5picD4z

— Acyn (@Acyn) June 8, 2026

USA TODAY has live updates from inside MSG as the president takes in the game:

How President Trump will enter and exit Madison Square Garden

The presidential motorcade will drive up the five-story entrance ramp that players and coaches use to arrive, where President Trump will be escorted to elevators and taken to a suite, where he will watch the game.

While the President is being whisked up, the wing where the corresponding elevator is will be momentarily blocked off to foot traffic. Similar protocols will be followed when Trump leaves the arena.

–Lorenzo Reyes

Is there extra security at Game 3 of the NBA Finals?

The NBA warned fans that U.S. President Donald Trump's expected appearance at NBA Finals Game 3 would lead to extra security measures, and they were already visible around Madison Square Garden nearly 12 hours before the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs tip off on June 8.

A security wall around the perimeter of the "World's Most Famous Arena" in midtown Manhattan is in place. NYPD officials said during a news conference about 12 hours before the scheduled start time for Game 3 that the police's security perimeter will run from West 35th Street to West 30th Street between Sixth Avenue and Eighth Avenue around Madison Square Garden.

All fans will encounter TSA-style magnetometer screening before entering the arena, according to Matt McCool of the U.S. Secret Service, who encouraged those attending Game 3 of the NBA Finals to arrive at MSG at least two hours before Monday's 8:30 p.m. ET tip.

Read more on the extra security at Madison Square Garden here.

– Mark Giannotto

New York City has waited a long time for tonight — 27 years, to be exact.

Game 3 of the NBA Finals are tonight, June 8, on the Knicks’ home court at Madison Square Garden. It’s the first NBA Finals game to be hosted at the World’s Most Famous Arena since the 1999 Finals.

In addition to extending their postseason win streak to an incredible 12 games, the Knicks are now up 2-0 over the San Antonio Spurs.

In a Game 2 defined by a down-to-the-wire finish, the Knicks relied on their veteran poise to survive a fierce counterpunch from San Antonio. Karl-Anthony Towns was magnificent for New York, finishing with a team-high 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Mikal Bridges delivered a highly efficient 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists to help New York steal both games on the road.

There will be extra eyes on tonight’s matchup since President Donald Trump plans to attend. Security is tight inside and around Madison Square Garden and watch parties in the area are being cancelled.

Spurs vs. Knicks start time:

Tonight’s (June 8) NBA Finals Game 3 is scheduled to tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET.

NBA Finals Game 3 streaming: How to watch Spurs vs. Knicks for free

If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the game for free.

DIRECTV is our top pick for watching basketball live for free — its five-day free trial includes ABC, where every game of the NBA Finals will air. When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $44.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.

Sling TV is another affordable way to watch TV live and stream NBA games; its Select plan includes ABC and starts at $19.99/month.

NBA Finals schedule 2026

All games will air on ABC at 8:30 p.m. ET.

• Game 1: Knicks 105, Spurs 95
• Game 2: Knicks 105, Spurs 104
• Game 3: Monday, June 8
• Game 4: Wednesday, June 10
• Game 5: Saturday, June 13*
• Game 6: Tuesday, June 16*
• Game 7: Friday, June 19*

* if necessary

Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post

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Quin Snyder is getting rewarded thanks in part to some moderate playoff success against the Knicks.

The Atlanta Hawks coach, 59, signed a new multiyear contract extension, the team announced Monday, after they were eliminated from the playoffs in a six-game first-round series against the Knicks.

After going 46-36, the Hawks were the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference and once led the Knicks 2-1 in the best-of-seven series before the Knicks won three straight to begin a 13-game winning streak that they’ve ridden to a 2-0 NBA Finals lead over the Spurs.

The Hawks also traded four-time All-Star Trae Young this season, but were able to pry Nickeil Alexander-Walker away from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a sign-and-trade deal that helped change their trajectory and defensive prowess.

Atlanta had the 12th-best total net rating in all of basketball during the regular season, which was actually better than the 53-29 Lakers.

The Hawks hope to continue developing their young players, including Jalen Johnson, who just made the All-NBA third team.

Atlanta made some moves at the trade deadline and competed in the playoffs against the eventual Eastern Conference champions, who haven’t lost a game since.

After the Knicks won three straight against the Hawks, Snyder tipped his metaphorical hat to the Knicks, calling what Mike Brown’s group did to the Hawks the “perfect storm.”

Snyder was hired by the Hawks in February 2023 after they fired Nate McMillan midseason. Snyder resigned from the Jazz at the end of the previous season following an eight-year run. He was a Hawks assistant for one season before becoming Utah’s head coach.

A tectonic shift may be required to change the course of the 2026 NBA Finals

Two Games, Same Story

Twice in this series, San Antonio has built significant leads. Twice, it hasn’t mattered.

Through two games, the Spurs have been good enough to control stretches but not disciplined enough to finish them. That distinction has defined the Finals so far.

The Knicks have reduced the game to its simplest elements and executed them better. Their three-point production comes from three repeatable sources: Karl-Anthony Towns above the break, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges mainly in the corners, and Landry Shamet as a rhythm shooter.

Nothing exotic. Just precision.

The Wembanyama Problem

Victor Wembanyama’s Finals performance has, by his standards, been underwhelming, not just in output, but in impact.

I have aggregated the “concussion” and the “flagrant 2” games into one, thus counting 16 games pre-Finals. 

Finals vs. rest of the post season:

Points: 27.5 vs 24.6

• Rebounds: 10.5 vs 11.4
• Blocks: 3.8 vs 3.5
• Assists: 2.0 vs 2.9
• Steals: 1.5 vs 1.0
• Turnovers: 5.0 vs 2.9
• PF: 2.0 vs 2.75
• FG%: 40.5% vs 50.9%
• 3PT%: 26.7% vs 37%
• FT%: 81% vs 87%

Compared to earlier rounds, his efficiency is down, turnovers are up, and his influence has diminished. The eye test confirms it: less force, less inevitability, fewer moments where the game bends around him.

From the Knicks’ perspective, Towns’ shooting (43% from deep) stretches the Spurs’ defense because it is embedded in structure, rhythmic, balanced, with options. KAT’s long threes, top of the key, are in rhythm and he always maintain his triple-threat options, which has led to some impressive drives to the rim leaving Vic behind, or he timely passes the ball (4 assists per game) to his teammates. 

On the other end, Victor’s attempts look like the threes a SG or a PG would take, especially someone like Curry. Wembanyama’s threes are often high difficulty attempts that disconnect possessions when they miss.

A Matchup the Knicks Are Winning

Karl-Anthony Towns has contained Wembanyama effectively. He is mobile enough to stay in front, disciplined with fouls, and large enough to contest. KAT has reduced his “silly” fouls to a point where it doesn’t impact him anymore and he can maintain defensive pressure for 48 minutes.

Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson have limited second chances. Individually small wins, collectively significant. The result is a version of Wembanyama that feels manageable.

Vic’s troubles are not just behind the 3-point line, they can also be found in ISO situations when he faces the basket. Too many dribbles leading to turnovers and difficult shot attempts, especially in Game 1.

The Paradox of His Development

At 15, Wembanyama turned down Barcelona’s academy offer. He explained he did not want to be confined to a traditional center role. He chose development built on versatility, ball-handling, shooting, and freedom. Vic has given his youth coaches at Nanterre a lot of credit for giving him this freedom to experiment and develop skills rarely seen in prospects of his height.

Beyond his unique skillsets, Victor Wembanyama has showed a maturity, a drive to succeed, and work ethics never seen before from such a young person. What die-hard Spurs fans have known for almost 3 years now, is that Vic’s unique abilities come with some downfalls. There have been games where Vic will shoot too many threes or will take too many dribbles in traffic. 

That path created extraordinary upside, but also a tension. His game is built on optionality, not constraint. For three seasons, that balance favoured the upside. In this series, it has shifted.And unfortunately for Vic and the Spurs, the Knicks are clearly banking on this, and it’s working.

His youth coaches and his family’s open-mindedness supported his unique development. It might be time for Victor to demonstrate some open-mindedness of his own and make some changes. 

What once gave him an edge may now require recalibration.

Down 0–2, the Spurs have no margin for error. Their ceiling runs through Wembanyama.

The “Big Fundamental” Adjustment. Not long-term. Immediate.

Since Victor Wembanyama joined the Spurs organization, many fans have been left wondering what kind of signature move, he could / should add to his arsenal. There are games where he seems unstoppable and others where he looks like a mere mortal rather than an Alien.

With 2 games left to avoid a sweep, there is no time to develop a Kareem Sky Hook or a Timmy Bank Shot. Many fans have been asking for something like this, but it would take hours in the gym to perfect such moves.

Victor’s incremental adjustment that I think is required would already be a Big Fundamental Shift for him. Vic needs to work in the low post, not facing the basket, but playing his back against his defender and the rim. We keep hearing that Vic is not strong enough to gain positioning in the low post. Well, after battling the likes of Clingan, Gobert, Randle, Hartenstein, Holmgren, Dort, KAT and Robinson, I disagree. 

Vic has managed to get the ball in the high post; there is no reason he could not position himself in the low post. He has the will power to do so. Establishing deeper position in the low post is the key here.

Second incremental change, after receiving the ball, he needs to stay tall on the catch. So far, the Finals referees have been better than those he experienced in the Western Conference playoffs, they will protect him to some extent. Otherwise, when he receives the ball, he has a tendency to lower his center of gravity, to avoid to be pushed around, but he immediately loses his height advantage.

Final adjustment, Vic needs to use his Hakeem’s moves. Vic’s mobility and length are better than anybody of his height in the world. 9 times out 10 he would win this battle and would get a chance to score, being so much closer to the rim. 

Down 2-0, only a drastic adjustment can change the course of history, and it must come from Victor Wembanayma. The coaching staff might even consider bringing Mason Plumlee for short sequences to add a banging body in the paint when Victor is establishing position. 

I don’t think the Spurs can now win the Finals without a 40-20 game from Vic. To pull this off, especially at the Madison Square Garden, he needs to demonstrate he can adjust his skillset to the circumstances.

Simple, but critical.

There is still a path. Narrow, but real.

If Wembanyama simplifies, anchors, and imposes himself, the series changes. Until it doesn’t.

Spurs in seven.

King was the sixth pick out of Oklahoma in the 1989 draft, a 6-foot-11 big man who won three NBA titles alongside Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen in his first five seasons with the Bulls.

He never truly stopped being a Bull.

After his playing career ended, he joined the team’s broadcast crew in 2006 and became its color commentator. He’s the voice that a generation of Bulls fans grew up hearing, even the reason some tuned in at all during a lot of lean years. He won an Emmy, but perhaps the better legacy is that fans knew his catchphrases like, “Let me step back and kiss myself,” by heart.

King was pronounced dead Sunday morning in River Forest, where he lived. No cause of death was given.

Here is what we know.

The Bulls confirmed his death Sunday

The announcement came from the team’s X account Sunday afternoon: “We are devastated by the passing of 3x NBA Champion and beloved broadcaster Stacey King.”

Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement: “Stacey King was a cherished member of the Bulls family and one of the truly unique personalities in our organization’s history. His connection to Chicago, the Bulls and our fans spanned more than three decades – first as a player and later as the unmistakable voice that helped bring Bulls basketball into the homes of generations of fans.”

The Bulls said details on a service honoring King would be announced at a later date.

Authorities say he fell at his home

Authorities said King suffered a fall at his residence, though officials are continuing to review the exact cause of death. An autopsy was conducted as part of the process, ESPN 1000 host David Kaplan reported.

Autopsy is pending

The medical examiner’s office said a head autopsy is needed to determine the cause of death. No timeline for results has been released.

Stacey King’s legacy as a player

The sixth pick in the 1989 draft, King was on the Jordan teams and was never a star. Still, King was quick for a big man, useful and willing to do the grunt work — the kind of guy that helps win championships.

In Game 6 of the 1992 Finals against Portland, with the Bulls down 15 in the fourth quarter, Phil Jackson went to a reserve lineup that included King. He hit a big jumper to pull Chicago within three points during the comeback.

He finished his career averaging 6.4 points and 3.3 rebounds over eight seasons, with additional stops in Minnesota, Miami, Boston and Dallas.

King’s legacy after his playing career

King joined the Bulls’ broadcast team in 2006, starting on pregame and postgame shows before becoming the color commentator. For a lot of younger Bulls fans, he was the guy in the booth making them laugh and cheer for a team that had given them very little to be optimistic about for a long time.

His former teammates responded

"We shared some special years together as teammates, and he was part of a group that helped define an era of Chicago Bulls basketball," Michael Jordan said in a statement. "My thoughts are with Stacey's family, friends, and everyone whose life he touched."

Scottie Pippen wrote on Instagram: “Sad to hear about the passing of Stacey King. A champion, a great teammate and a true ambassador for the game. His impact on the Bulls organization and the city of Chicago will be remembered for generations. Rest in peace King.”

Bulls’ president and CEO Michael Reinsdorf said: “Stacey loved being a Bull. You could feel it in everything he did – the way he played, the way he called games and the way he connected with our fans.”

The NBA issued a statement mourning a “three-time NBA champions and longtime Chicago Bulls television analyst,” who “made his mark on the game as a player, coach and commentator.”

Chicago paid tribute

Outside the United Center, fans left flowers alongside printouts of his most memorable lines. The Cubs held a moment of silence before their game Sunday night and a tribute ran on the Wrigley Field scoreboard.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stacey King death: What we know about the Bulls' broadcaster

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Due to the planned appearance of President Donald Trump at the invitation of Knicks owner James Dolan, accessing Madison Square Garden is turning into a headache for everybody involved, including fans, arena staffers, media and even the players.

San Antonio Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox spoke with media from courtside about the player experience after arriving to Madison Square Garden early Monday. He says that accessing the arena was "like getting screened by TSA."

"I think the president being here just makes it inconvenient on everybody else," Fox said. "We've got more, obviously more security. We've got to send stuff early, I think our buses are a little earlier. …

"The less stuff you can bring the better. Obviously, we're getting screened like it's TSA. A little inconvenient for the people that's gotta play. It is what it is."

Arena staffers who arrived early to work Monday were met with a perimeter fence surrounding Madison Square Garden and long lines to get in the building.

Per one report, the line for employees to get in entailed a one-hour wait as early as 9:25 a.m. for a game that's scheduled to tip at 8:30 p.m.

On-site media, meanwhile, are reporting that they have been barred from the typical pregame access that's normally granted as they cover the biggest game yet of the NBA season.

The morning headaches for early arrivals served as a warning for the nearly 20,000 fans planning to show up to watch the game in person, many of whom spent thousands and even tens of thousands of dollars for their seats: Get there early.

Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world's biggest soccer tournament

Citing "enhanced security measures" amid the presence of the U.S. Secret Service, the Knicks released a statement Saturday urging fans to show up to Game 3 "at least two hours" before tip. Fans face a "strict no-bag policy," were warned to "limit personal items to an absolute minimum" and were told to anticipate "TSA-style screening procedures."

When fans started arriving hours before tip, they were, indeed, met with multiple check points and lines that spanned for blocks.

As for the fans without tickets who have become accustomed to a game-watch party outside of the arena during the playoffs, they're out of luck. The watch party has been canceled.

Although mayor Zohran Mamdani did come up with an alternative plan.

It’s not all that surprising that a former Villanova player hasn’t won NBA Finals MVP.

Main Line legends have plenty of championship hardware — from Herman “Red” Klotz in 1948 to the historic 1956 run with Paul “Pitchin’ Paul” Arizin and Larry Hennessy, and the 1967 squad featuring Wali Jones and Bill Melchionni.

More recently, Chris Ford (1981), John Celestand (2000), Kyle Lowry (2019), and Donte DiVincenzo (2021) have all come away with championship rings.

But historically, these Wildcats were more culture-setters and complementary pieces. The only real “what ifs” are are Arizin’s 1956 run (Finals MVP hadn’t been invented yet) and Lowry in 2019 — but let’s be real, Kawhi Leonard was an absolute unit for the Toronto Raptors and rightfully claimed the honor.

That is what makes Jalen Brunson’s current trajectory with the New York Knicks so unprecedented for a Wildcat.

As the 2026 NBA Finals head to Madison Square Garden with New York holding a 2-0 lead over the San Antonio Spurs, Brunson is the betting favorite to win the Bill Russell Trophy.

The recently crowned Eastern Conference Finals MVP is actively rewriting the script on what a Villanova guard can be. Alongside fellow Wildcats Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges, Brunson is leading a charge few saw coming. Not even Brunson’s former coach Jay Wright thought the 29-year-old would be this good.

History is waiting at MSG, and Brunson is ready to claim a crown no Wildcat ever before him could.

The legacy Stacey King left behind with the Chicago Bulls as a player and broadcaster came pouring out in tributes during the 24 hours since the team announced the 59-year-old's death on Sunday, June 7. He was a constant link between the franchise's greatest years and its current generation of players, with achievements that helped establish the most famous Bull of them all.

Michael Jordan released a statement on Monday, June 8 in the wake of King's passing and emphasized King's role on his first three NBA championship teams with the Bulls (1991-93). King was the No. 6 overall pick in the 1989 NBA draft by Chicago and played eight seasons in the NBA before a long career as a beloved color commentator on Bulls' television broadcasts.

He was 59 years old.

More: Stacey King, three-time NBA champion, longtime Bulls broadcaster, dies at 59

NBA insider Marc Stein is reporting that Nikola Vucevic is not expected to return to the Celtics:

“Former All-Star center Nikola Vucevic is increasingly regarded as a certainty to switch teams this summer after a fractured right ring finger in March helped derail his brief stint as a Boston Celtic in the spring. He’ll be 36 in October but figures to draw some interest on the open market given that there is generally always a clamor for floor-spacing big men.”

Vucevic was acquired at the trade deadline from the Chicago Bulls for Anfernee Simons and the pick that ended up 38th in the draft.

Vucevic played 16 regular season games with the Celtics, averaging 9.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game while coming off the bench in 15 of the 16 games. He missed 14 games from March 8th to April 3rd due to a fractured right ring finger.

In the playoffs, Vucevic played in six games, averaging 6.2 points and 4.3 rebounds before a DNP-coach’s decision in Game 7, where the Celtics were eliminated by the 76ers. Vucevic played a big role in the Celtics Game 3 win in Philadelphia, where he played 31 minutes with 11 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists.

In today’s Dub Hub:

• On a recent episode of The Draymond Green Show, Draymond Green weighs in on Spurs’ 2-0 NBA Finals deficit.
• The San Francisco Standard’s Tim Kawakami outlines why a potential partnership between Lebron James and the Warriors would benefit both sides.
• Former Knicks’ star Jeremy Lin breaks down New York’s offensive success heading into Monday’s Game 3.

As a four-time NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors, Draymond Green has never been shy about sharing his perspective on what separates good teams from championship-caliber ones. So, with the San Antonio Spurs staring at a dreaded 2-0 deficit against the New York Knicks, the veteran forward shared his concerns with San Antonio’s mentality during the most recent episode of The Draymond Green Show.

The Spurs advanced to the Finals after an emotional Game 7 victory over the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Western Conference Finals MVP Victor Wembanyama was visibly overcome with emotion after the win, shedding tears following what was arguably the biggest victory of his career up to that point.

However, as Green pointed out, the inexperienced Spurs have looked a step behind to begin the Finals. They blew a fourth quarter lead in Game 1 last Wednesday, then followed that up with several critical mistakes in the final seconds of Game 2 on Friday.

The Knicks, by contrast, have looked hungry. A franchise that hasn’t won a championship since 1973, playing in front of a city that has waited over five decades, they’ve carried that urgency into every game. They’ve now won 13 straight playoff games — the second-longest streak in NBA playoff history — with no signs of slowing down either.

Green may be onto something with the Spurs’ inexperience revealing itself on the biggest stage, and if they can’t rediscover that competitive edge starting in Game 3 at Madison Square Garden on Monday night, New York could be on the verge of celebrating very soon.

For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Monday, June 8th:

Warriors News:

Richard Jefferson admits Cavs’ Finals plan vs. Steph Curry was to ‘beat him up’ | NBC Sports Bay Area

NBA on ESPN analyst Richard Jefferson, who faced Golden State in the 2016 and 2017 NBA Finals as a member of the Cavaliers, detailed Cleveland’s brutal game plan for Curry on Friday night’s broadcast. While discussing a hard foul on New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson during Game 2 of the 2026 Finals, Jefferson recalled his job against Curry a decade ago.

“When we played Steph Curry in the Finals, our job was to beat him up like that,” Jefferson said in the first quarter. “And it wasn’t anything dirty, but if you’re going to foul him, foul him in a physical nature.”

Kawakami: LeBron + Warriors? A late marriage that might never be more convenient | The San Francisco Standard

Yes, I get it. At this point, Warriors fans are bellowing: How would signing LeBron make the team younger and healthier? My answer: LeBron is old but actually remains quite durable; he registered 1,989 minutes this regular season, more than every Warrior except Brandin Podziemski. (More info: LeBron has averaged 2,195 minutes over the last five seasons.)

Warriors Window Still Open?? Jerry Stackhouse on Head Coach Job Openings, Mike Malone to UNC!

NBA News:

NBA Finals: Spurs’ chances of surviving hinge on unlocking Victor Wembanyama | Yahoo Sports

I’d argue, if you’re looking to unlock Wembanyama more, that the roll direction needs to tilt the other way more often. Second Spectrum has Wembanyama down as the empty side PnR screener nine times in this series; he’s rolled or popped to the empty side once. Surely there’s room for more, right?

Force a back-pedaling Karl-Anthony Towns (Finals MVP right now, in my opinion) or Mitchell Robinson to high-point and contest lobs consistently. See how aggressive the Knicks want to peel in their low man within that context.

Former Knicks’ star Jeremy Lin breaks down New York’s offensive success

In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:

Report: Steph Curry plans to meet with LeBron James to discuss joining Warriors

The Warriors clearest path to signing James is with the non-taxpayer mid-level exception (worth roughly $15 million per season), which would still mark a 70% pay cut for LeBron. A sign-and-trade could be a different path to paying James more, but that would require Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, or Kristaps Porzingis heading out in the deal.

Follow @unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.

I was at the Barclays Center when it happened last year. As NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced the Phoenix Suns’ selection of Duke Center Khaman Maluach with the 10th pick of the 2025 NBA Draft, the Shams Charania notification came in that Phoenix was acquiring Charlotte Hornets big man Mark Williams for the 29th pick and a 2029 first-rounder. It felt like a huge moment for the Suns and the future of their center position.

It was known when Phoenix selected Maluach that he was going to be a project. He started playing basketball as a teenager, and he’s one of the youngest players in the league. Pairing him with Williams, with whom he had a prior relationship as Williams went to Duke, made sense, especially with what center lineups looked like the previous two seasons with Jusuf Nurkic and Nick Richards manning the five and producing lackluster results.

In the first year of the two together, Williams played as the starter, while Maluach played third string behind him and Oso Ighodaro. When Williams missed time at the end of the year, Ighodaro started while Maluach played the backup five.

As Maluach now enters his second season and is widely viewed as the player with the most untapped potential on the roster to pair with Devin Booker, we’ve reached an inflection point in Williams’ tenure with the Suns.

Now a restricted free agent, if Phoenix feels Williams’ presence could disrupt Maluach’s growth, there should be concerns about what his future should be with the team, even if it means Phoenix gets rid of a player that they traded multiple first-rounders for. If the goal is to build another Finals caliber roster around Devin Booker, as team owner Matt Ishbia continues to say is the plan, acquisitions and signings can’t be made that block or prohibit the development of players with high-end potential.

With Maluach’s physical gifts (He’s 7’1” with a 7’7” wingspan) and willingness to shoot the three, Phoenix needs to ensure he has opportunities to grow if they view Maluach the way that many do, and if continuing to employ Williams hurts their vision for him, then serious conversations need to be had about whether they should resign him.

Playing the most games he did in his four-year career last season in his first with the Suns, Williams averaged 12 points and eight rebounds on 64% shooting from the field. Averaging just 24 minutes a game, Phoenix was very conservative with his minutes to help him avoid injuries.

While he played the most winning basketball of his career, he had just eight games with 20 or more points and only 13 games with two or more blocks this season. In 14 fewer games played and averaging nearly 15 minutes less per appearance, Maluach had eight games with at least two or more rejections. All of them came in the final 45 days of the regular season, as Williams missed significant time with a foot issue, demonstrating the growth he made throughout the season as a rim protector, and the value that he could provide when Williams wasn’t playing.

What Phoenix gave up to acquire Williams in 2025 shouldn’t matter for how they move in 2026. To accomplish their longterm goals, they need to move in the direction that they think gives them the best opportunity to surround Booker with top-end talent. If they believe keeping Williams disrupts that goal, then they shouldn’t resign him. The idea of what Maluach could be is too precious, considering the lack of assets Phoenix possesses.

Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan was "deeply saddened" to learn about the death of his former teammate Stacey King. In a statement Monday, Jordan paid tribute to King, who died at 59 over the weekend, the Bulls announced Sunday.

Jordan's full statement read:

"I'm deeply saddened to learn of Stacey's passing. We shared some special years together as teammates, and he was part of a group that helped define an era of Chicago Bulls basketball. My thoughts are with Stacey's family, friends and everyone whose lives he touched."

King joined the Bulls just as the team was on the precipice of greatness. Jordan had already established himself as one of the game's premier superstars, but was still searching for his first NBA championship.

Enter King, whom the team selected with the No. 6 overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft. King was mostly used as a reserve as a rookie, though he wound up leading Chicago in rebounds.

King remained in a reserve role the next three seasons, where he helped the Bulls with three straight championships. King averaged nearly eight minutes per game in the postseason in the 1990-91 and 1991-92 seasons. His playing time and scoring increased in the playoffs during the 1992-93 season, averaging 12.1 minutes and 4.1 points per game.

During the 1993-94 NBA season, King was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Luc Longley and a draft pick. Because of that, King was not a member of the Bulls' second three-peat, with Longley essentially taking King's place.

Following his NBA career, King eventually joined the Bulls as a team broadcaster. He became a beloved figure in Chicago for his enthusiasm and catchphrases while calling games.

Since Jordan's retirement from basketball, he's made sporadic appearances with the Bulls. One of those came in 2011, when the team celebrated the 20th anniversary of its 1991 championship. Both Jordan and King were in attendance for the celebration.

The San Antonio Spurs are desperate. Can their superstar turn that desperation into success against the New York Knicks in Game 3 of the NBA Finals?

TheseVictor Wembanyama picksand Spurs vs. Knicks predictions see the added day of rest as the biggest key before tip at 8:30 ET on Monday, June 8.

Victor Wembanyama prop pick for Game 3

Victor Wembanyama best bet: Over 11.5 rebounds (-110 at bet365)

The start of the Western Conference Finals was only 19 days before Game 2 of the NBA Finals, which is to say, Victor Wembanyama played nine high-stakes games in 19 days, concluding Friday night. In a very real way, that clearly had the San Antonio Spurs’ superstar worn out.

One could reasonably wonder if his game-costing gaffe resulted from mental fatigue. His attempt at a game-winner falling short almost certainly was the result of physical fatigue. And all understandably so.

But the NBA slotted an extra day between Games 2 and 3 for precisely this reason (It must be for this reason. A game in prime time on Sunday night is about as ideal as it could have gotten for television ratings).

Wemby may not be fully rested, but that added day off, combined with desperation, should give him some renewed energy.

When fatigued, his rebounds have sagged a bit, both in the postseason and the regular season.

Wembanyama has cleared this modest rebounding prop only once in his last seven games after notching it in eight of his first 12 games these playoffs — and more genuinely, that would be eight of his first 10 games once discounting a concussion and an ejection.

In the regular season, Wembanyama averaged only 10.8 rebounds on the second night of back-to-backs, 11.4 rebounds when enjoying a day off and 12.75 when getting two days off.

This may not be an aggressive bet, and it may be priced at a ho-hum -110, but given the chance to catch his breath, trusting Wembanyama on the glass in Game 3 is exceedingly logical.

Victor Wembanyama same-game parlay

While rest should help Victor Wembanyama crash the glass regardless of the venue — he averaged 11.75 rebounds at home this regular season compared to 11.25 on the road — neither he nor the Spurs should be trusted to shoot on the road.

Wembanyama has always been more reluctant to heave away from San Antonio, and with good reason. He shot 37.9% from deep at home this regular season, compared to 31.3% on the road, while taking 5.9 threes per game at home and just five per game on the road.

Those trends have held up in the last two rounds of this postseason.

Logic expects the Spurs’ role players to have similar struggles and/or reluctance, thus cutting into Wemby’s assists total.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The New York Knicks are back home for Games 3 and 4 of the NBA Finals with a chance to wrap up the series against the San Antonio Spurs.

Despite having a 2-0 lead in the series, Jalen Brunson and the Knicks are trying to keep their focus ahead of Game 3.

"I do my best to stay present in the moment, to do the things I can to make sure my mind is right,” Brunson said. “Being mentally and physically ready every day. Trusting my work. That's what's gotten me here."

The Knicks will have the opportunity to provide a sense of accomplishment for the franchise and fanbase with their first NBA Championship in 53 years.

New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani will attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks on Monday night.

Mamdani announced at a press conference on Monday morning that he would be at the game. The event itself was about the upcoming World Cup, but he was asked if he was attending the game later that evening.

The NYC mayor said, "I bought my ticket for nearly $1,000 from Madison Square Garden. I will be going to tonight's Game 3; I will be standing for the duration of the game.”

Later, he was asked to clarify his comment. He reiterated that the ticket cost close to $1,000 and explained that it is a standing-room-only ticket.

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Mamdani isn't going to be the only politician in attendance, as President Donald Trump is scheduled to attend the game. He was invited by Knicks owner James Dolan.

The mayor attended a Knicks playoff game earlier this postseason, sitting in the nosebleeds, per The Athletic.

During a news conference last week before the Finals began, Mamdani was asked whether he would attend a game when the series was in New York. He said that he planned to be in the building, but added that he believed he would "be in a very different section of the stadium (than Trump)."

The Knicks head into Game 3 with a 2-0 series lead. A win on Monday night would mean that New York has a chance to win the championship with a sweep on Wednesday night.

Intense playoff basketball calls for heightened scrutiny on the margins.

Every rotation matters. The margins are small enough that each small schematic shift can not only swing games, but also define entire seasons.

For that reason, coaching stands out this time of year. The good coaches are usually the ones who make it to this stage, and a team rarely makes a deep playoff run without coaching playing a big part in the team’s execution.

In Mike Brown’s case, no head coach has been watched closer throughout this entire postseason than him. The Knicks controversially fired their most successful head coach in 20 years after reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years last June, and went on a highly publicized coaching search that saw them be “turned down” by five teams in their pursuit.

When they ended up with Brown, it was viewed as a desperation hire that was way down the Knicks’ list. Why fire Thibodeau if you didn’t have a plan, right?

After mixed results in the regular season and a 1-2 series deficit in the first round against the Atlanta Hawks, the sharks were circling on not just the core, but the coach. Could he be one-and-done? How would he respond?

Well, after Game 3 in Atlanta, he made a key adjustment. The same way he made a big adjustment to end the three-week stretch from hell in January.

And then, he adjusted again.

And again.

And again.

Across this postseason, one in which the Knicks have carried a 13-game winning streak to being a pair of wins from ending their 53-year title drought, Coach Brown has been integral in making a multitude of adjustments, both mid-game and mid-series, to slow down and throttle everyone in the Knicks’ path.

Let’s start with Game 3, where the shellshocked Knicks were left picking up the pieces after being punched in the mouth twice by CJ McCollum’s heroics. The house of cards was collapsing. If they didn’t immediately bounce back with multiple victories, the Grim Reaper himself would be sitting courtside at Madison Square Garden to tear down this core.

So they went to work. Three massive adjustments were made on both ends of the court to give the Hawks a different look.

They switched from a Brunson-centric offense to a KAT-centric offense, putting the ball in the big man’s hands up high and making him the facilitator. From there, he’d have options. They’d run a back screen with Brunson and Anunoby that, most of the time, would generate an open cut to the rim by Anunoby or a clean look from three by Brunson. That switch alone kicked the half-court offense up a notch.

He abandoned the full bench lineups that had gotten crushed in the first three games. For all but a few minutes of the last 13 games (notably in the third quarter of Game 2 on Friday), there has been either Brunson or Towns on the court for every single minute outside of garbage time.

But the other adjustment also neutered McCollum’s impact. Instead of playing him 1-on-1, they hedged against Atlanta’s lack of creation and shooting depth by blitzing him to get the ball out of his hands. Predictably, when guys like Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels had the ball, the Hawks’ offense cratered.

By blitzing McCollum, his efficiency nosedived. He went from averaging 27 points on 51/39 splits across the first three games to 11.3 points on 39/10 splits in the final three. The Knicks won the final three games by a combined 96 points and made those two one-point defeats feel like a pity party.

The gameplan of blitzing the ball handler was also applied to their second-round series against the Sixers, forcing the ball out of Tyrese Maxey’s hands or forcing him into bad decisions. With a hobbled Joel Embiid not able to take command of the offense, it allowed the Knicks to put the clamps on Philadelphia’s offense.

There was also the offensive gameplan of abusing Embiid in the pick-and-roll, which they did to an almost mortifying degree. It was abuse out there.

There weren’t many opportunities for adjustments in a relatively uncompetitive series, but this was where Mike Brown really started to lean on Landry Shamet off the bench. When the team fell behind 20-8 in Game 3, behind fiery play by Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, he rode bench lineups that overwhelmed the Sixers, which was especially important as Towns dealt with foul trouble.

Moving into the Cleveland series, the same plan of blitzing the ball handler was falling apart… fast. The shooting depth that the Cavs had on display was hurting them throughout Game 1. A once close game had spiraled to a near 20-point hole late in the third that ultimately ended up at 22.

In the moment of facing the most adversity since Game 3 against the Hawks, there were three more big adjustments to be made.

The first was to start playing 1-on-1. Late in the third, they stopped showing two to James Harden, who had rebounded after a miserable first half to be the best facilitator on the floor. It immediately slowed down their offense.

The second was to optimize spacing with the five-out offense. Josh Hart was badly struggling, so Brown replaced him with Shamet and rode him the rest of the way as Cleveland was unable to use ghost coverage to load up on Brunson.

And that brings us back to Brunson, who began hunting the switch onto Harden before frying him into oblivion, single-handedly making this a ballgame before clutch threes by Shamet and Mikal Bridges took it home.

That massive 22-point comeback fundamentally broke the Cavaliers. After renewed confidence in Hart resulted in a playoff career-high 26 points in Game 2, it was abundantly clear that the Knicks were at a different level, steamrolling their way to a clean sweep to formally vindicate the decision to hire Mike Brown and reach the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years.

There hasn’t been anything too noticeable in terms of adjustments thus far in the Finals against San Antonio. The opening plans of Towns sticking with Wemby and playing with physicality, and going back to a Brunson-centric offense to take advantage of their desire to deny him at all costs have mostly worked to this point, but there will likely come a time where a big adjustment has to be made, whether in the rotation or in the scheme.

But based on how this postseason has gone, you have to like where the Knicks stand in that regard.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are returning to their roots next NBA season with a new logo, new uniforms and a new court.

The team revealed their wholesale updates on Sunday, June 7, including some subtle nods to the design elements present in the team's 1989 debut.

"This franchise means something different to every generation of fans," Timberwolves CEO Matt Caldwell said in a news release. "We wanted this new look to reflect the pieces of Timberwolves basketball fans have always connected with, while also feeling true to the team and culture surrounding this franchise today."

Fittingly, Timberwolves icon Kevin Garnett (1995-2007, 2015-16) helped model the new unis. 

Ticket approved. 🎟️ pic.twitter.com/9B402DxZQu

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) June 7, 2026

The most obvious change is a return to the franchise’s original blue, green and white color palette.

While the "Wolves" part of the team nickname is prominent on the updated jerseys and on the new on-court logo at Target Center, the team is also paying homage to the "timber" portion as well − with a ribbon of pine trees lining the sleeves of the uniform and waistband of the shorts.

And finally, the franchise offers an updated look for the beloved Old Shep mascot, with a brighter, more colorful wolf logo.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Timberwolves unveil new uniforms, logo for 2026-27 NBA season

Before this NBA finals series against the New York Knicks even started, there was one little thing that had been gnawing at the back the of my mind, and that was what has made the Knicks successful against the Spurs in the regular season did not align well with a strategy that had gotten the Spurs to the Finals in the first place: double teaming the star and making the role players beat you.

It worked well against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round for a few reasons, one being that Anthony Edwards can at times be a reluctant passer and try to be the hero by himself, but more than anything it was because his best target, Donte DiVincenzo, was out with a ruptured Achilles. The results were a little more mixed against the Oklahoma City Thunder in large part because Alex Caruso decided to go nuclear from beyond the arc for a few games. (If he could have done that in college, maybe Texas A&M’s greatest achievement in men’s basketball would be something beyond a handful of Sweet 16 appearances.)

However, what brought the Spurs back from a 3-2 deficit in the Western Conference Finals was their ability to adjust. Specifically, they switched things up from “stop Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at all costs” to “stay at home on role players and make him beat us by himself”. The result was a big Game 7 performance from him, but it was for naught as he didn’t have enough help, allowing the Spurs to pull away as the game wore on.

That brings us to the Knicks. Coming into the series, I had this aching feeling the Spurs would at least start with the same approach: stop Jalen Brunson and make everyone else beat you. They’ve mostly achieved the first part (outside of crunch time) with Brunson shooting under 34%, but the problem is unlike their previous opponents, the Knicks have the shooters to punish you for leaving them open, and so far, they have done just that.

In the regular season, seven of the Knicks’ top nine rotation players hit greater than 36.8% from three on 3.5 or more attempts per game. The two that didn’t — Mohamed Diawara and Tyler Kolek — haven’t even played in this series. So that means the Knicks often have five above-average shooters on the floor at once. The only three Knicks getting minutes who aren’t on that list are Mitchell Robinson, whom you still have to stay home on down low, and of course Spurs fans know what killers Jose Alvarado and hometown kid Jordan Clarkson can be off then bench if they get hot.

The Knicks haven’t been at their best from three so far in this series (which is concerning as the series shifts to their home court), but they have been hitting them in timely fashion, and just like I have imagines implanted in my brain of Mikal Bridges nailing five open threes in their regular season blowout win over the Spurs in Madison Square Garden, I saw similar instances in Game 2 in particular, where a Spurs defender left his man open in the corner for a split second to double-team or swipe at Brunson, only for him to immediately find the open shooter before the defender could recover. And as Mike Breen would put it, bang.

I don’t know if this is the strategy the coaches have chosen up to this point or if the players are having momentary but costly lapses. Regardless of the reason, both parties need to make the adjustment back to staying at home on shooters, especially in that left hard corner. Just take a look at the Knicks shot chart in this series:

If this doesn’t scream “keep letting Brunson work in the midrange but stop leaving corner shooters open”, then I don’t know what does. (In case you’re wondering, the Spurs are also green in the left corner but on a smaller sample size of 4-9, otherwise they’re red everywhere except inside the restricted area, where they are a similar 35-55. You can check out all the stats and charts here.)

Of course, there are plenty more things the Spurs could do better besides defend one particular shot. They actually led in the final two minutes of both games before proceeding to blow it in crunch time, Game 2 in particularly painful fashion (but it still doesn’t beat Game 6 of 2013 — I don’t think anything ever could), so better decision making with the game on the line is paramount. Leaving a combined 12 points on the court via missed free throws (seven in game 2) is another thing they can go back and kick themselves over. (Speaking of which, blowing two games in which they had an optimal whistle is also costly, because how long will that last?)

Things happen in-game that no one can predict or control. What can be controlled is strategy and game plan, and the Spurs staff and players have shown throughout these playoffs that they can learn and adjust. They made the exact same adjustment of staying home on shooters and guarding the opposing star one-on-one last series, and hopefully the plan heading into Game 3 is to do that again. Brunson may be more capable of going nuclear than SGA — he has scored 60 points on the Spurs before — but guess what? The Spurs won that game.

There is nothing fun about being down 0-2, knowing you could just as easily be 1-1 or even 2-0, and facing the gauntlet of needing to win 4 of 5 games, including two on the road, to win a series — never mind a championship in an era when the Finals are a lot more difficult to reach than they were during the Spurs’ dynasty days (which is insane). However, if there is a silver lining, it’s that all pressure is on the Knicks now, and the Spurs can play free and make adjustments without fear of consequence. They’ve shown they can do it before, and now it’s time to do it again.

As much as everything seems stacked against the Spurs at this point, FanDuel Sportsbook only has them a 1.5 point underdog in Game 3. That’s how tight this series has been and should continue to be, coming down to minute details and split second decisions. However, with the correct adjustments and mindset, maybe the Spurs can force the pendulum to swing back their favor.

Welcome to our annual Lakers season in review series, where we’ll look back at each player on the team’s roster this season and evaluate if they should be part of the future of the franchise. Today, we take a look at Luke Kennard.

When Luke Kennard arrived in Los Angeles via mid-season trade with the Atlanta Hawks, he didn’t have big shoes to fill in replacing Gabe Vincent, who was underwhelmingly bad throughout his time as a Laker.

So when Kennard contributed to the table right off the bat, it was a welcome sight. The 29-year-old guard from Duke University aided the Lakers’ need for 3-point shooting and spacing, which you can never have too much of around Luka Dončić and LeBron James.

So, by that alone, acquiring Kennard was a fantastic move by Rob Pelinka that also paid dividends in the playoffs. The only caveat, however, was that the veteran was on an expiring contract when they acquired him, so even today, there’s no certainty as to whether or not he’ll be back on the purple and gold next season.

How did he play?

It’s hard to complain about Kennard’s short stint, especially since he won a handful of games for them. He also had that memorable game-winner in March against the Magic that kept the team’s win streak going. He’s an excellent fit on this team and his average of nine points per game on 44.8% 3-point shooting perfectly depicts that.

What also stood out about Kennard’s game during his time as a Laker was that he’s more than just a shooter. His ability to cut to the rim, handle the ball and move without it are some of his best qualities, not to mention his high basketball IQ, which is such an asset alongside James and Dončić. It didn’t take long for him to not only become an essential piece in head coach JJ Redick’s rotation.

Kennard will always be remembered for his performance in Game 1 against the Rockets when he put up 27 points on 5-5 shooting from three and 9-13 from the field. As the playoffs went on and the opponents’ defensive pressure intensified, he had his fair share of struggles.

Ultimately, Kennard’s time as a Laker was productive and he was a depiction of the type of role player that works well around the team’s superstars.

What is the contract situation moving forward?

Since the Lakers acquired Kennard while he was on an expiring deal, he’s set for free agency this offseason. Ideally, it would be nice to retain him for the right price.

Should he be back?

If the deal is right, then absolutely yes. Kennard is the type of player who is going to win the Lakers games, especially in the regular season. He got a feel of what it’s like to play alongside Dončić and James and bringing him back would do wonders for the team’s continuity. Re-signing Kennard addresses the Lakers’ 3-point shooting needs and adds a boost offensively.

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.

The first two games of the 2026 NBA Finals have been thrilling, with the Knicks stealing both road games and heading back to New York with a 2-0 lead over the Spurs.

Track the Finals with our live NBA bracket, latest NBA odds to win the series, and more.

2026 NBA playoffs bracket

2026 NBA Playoffs matchups and results

Here are the current series odds for the NBA Finals between the Knicks and Spurs.

(3) New York Knicks vs (2) San Antonio Spurs odds and schedule

Knicks lead 2-0

NBA Finals schedule

• Game 1: Wednesday, June 3 (Knicks 105, Spurs 95)
• Game 2: Friday, June 5 (Knicks 105, Spurs 104)
• Game 3: Monday, June 8
• Game 4: Wednesday, June 10
• Game 5: Saturday, June 13
• Game 6: Monday, June 16
• Game 7: Thursday, June 19

2026 NBA Playoffs schedule

NBA playoff format

The NBA playoffs adopt a format designed to favor successful teams while giving underdogs a shot at the championship. Here's a brief look at the structure:

• The postseason begins with a Play-In Tournament featuring the 7th through 10th-ranked teams in each conference. This extends from April 14 to 17.
• The NBA Playoffs kick off with the first round on April 18, where the top one to six teams in each conference join the winners of the Play-In.
• The matchups are set as No. 1 vs. No. 8 seed, No. 2 vs. No. 7 seed, No. 3 vs. No. 6 seed, and No. 4 vs. No. 5 seed.
• Each playoff round, including the Conference Semifinals, Conference Finals, and NBA Finals, features a seven-game series.
• In these series, the higher-seeded team hosts Games 1, 2, 5 (if necessary), and 7 (if necessary) following a 2-2-1-1-1 format.
• The NBA Finals start on June 3.

Looking for more intel? Our NBA Championship odds break down the clubs with the best odds of winning the NBA Finals. And be sure to check out our NBA Finals MVP odds page to see which player is most likely to hoist the Bill Russell Trophy when the dust settles.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

“It’s not a championship caliber team right now,” Gansey said.

Gansey is already at work as Philadelphia’s latest president of basketball operations, trying to find ways to raise the team to a championship level, while deeply hindered by near-untradeable, unwanted contracts tied to aging and unreliable Joel Embiid and Paul George.

Can the Sixers still expect to win a title with Embiid and George on the roster while also trying to build around Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe as the long-term centerpieces for any kind of championship future?

Gansey had few hard solutions — “I just got here,” he noted — at his first press conference Monday at the 76ers’ complex in New Jersey. He certainly can’t solve all that ails the Sixers on Day 1. Those obstacles include closing the gap on the soaring New York Knicks, and getting into the NBA Finals, a task that seems unlikely to be accomplished with Embiid and George on the roster.

The 43-year-old Gansey, a Northeast Ohio native, who played collegiately at West Virginia, was hired last week to replace Daryl Morey. Morey was fired last month after the 76ers were eliminated in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

The 76ers were easily ousted by the New York Knicks to end Morey’s sixth season in charge, and the organization quickly decided that someone else would lead the basketball operations department.

Enter Gansey.

Gansey joined the Cavaliers in 2011 and had worked as their general manager since 2022 and will lead a bit of revamped front office. Jameer Nelson, the 2004 AP Player of the Year at nearby Saint Joseph’s, was promoted to general manager and replaced former Sixer Elton Brand.

They will report to former Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers, president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, which owns the 76ers.

Myers has his own questions about the franchise.

“We have to become great at something, right?” he asked.

Which raises a more pressing question.

Who is really calling the shots for the 76ers?

Gansey called Myers a “cheat code” to help him in the front office of a franchise that hasn’t advanced past the second round in the East since 2001 or won an NBA title since 1983.

“It’s just like every front office; you’ve got him, he’s an extension of ownership with Josh (Harrs) essentially,” Gansey said. “Any recommendations, any ideas, we’re going to go through them. We’re going to be in alignment throughout the whole organization, Nick Nurse included.”

Gansey said getting Nelson as his GM was a “bit of a sticking point” before he took the job and championed inheriting Nurse for at least one more season on the bench.

Myers said his main goal is to “just be supportive for Mike and the whole staff.”

Uh huh.

Myers was with Golden State for 12 seasons, getting promoted quickly to general manager and eventually being given the title of president as well. The Warriors won four NBA titles in his time there.

When it comes time to make a final decision on a major trade or signing a free agent, it strains all credibility to suggest Myers won’t have a major, major say in making the call.

What about Embiid?

How does this franchise ever win a championship as long as it’s tethered to an aging, fragile and overpriced anchor in Embiid? The 32-year-old Embiid's three-year, $187 million extension kicks in this season while George is owed more than $110 million over the final two years of his free-agent deal.

Gansey was evasive on Embiid's future — much like he was when a similar question was posed that asked about his part in bringing a washed James Harden to Cleveland — but noted he already had “good conversations” with the two-time NBA scoring champion.

“With him and the roster we have,” Gansey said, “that’s who we have. We’ve got to get those guys on the floor. We’ve got to create an identity. Just get them to play basketball.”

Embiid has played only 96 of 246 regular-season games over the last three seasons.

“We’ve got to find an identity,” Myers said. “I mean, that’s maybe a harsh thing to say. But look at the numbers. We were not elite offensively or defensively. If you’re going to win at the highest level, you’ve got to be great at something.”

The only way to get great, Myers said, is to have a team's best players on the court.

Or, player.

Embiid.

“The good news is this,” Myers said. “There’s no scheduled surgeries this summer. There’s no injury going into the offseason. In the past, there has been that. This is an opportunity to get better, not to play catch-up for Joel, but to actually get better and build on last year. And with that, the hope's that he can be on the floor a lot more.”

What’s

Gansey’s first major move?

The 76ers have the 22nd pick of the June 23 draft, a recent strong suit of the franchise after years of high-profile misses that curtailed the path toward contention.

“We’ve got to hit on that,” Gansey said.

He said it

“I want fountains not drains.” — Gansey’s way of saying he wanted high-character players with a desire to play in Philadelphia.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

BetMGM’s ladder bettor - who already won nearly $325,000 in the first two games of the NBA Finals - has $450,000 riding on the Knicks in Game 3 as New York looks to take a stranglehold of the series.

Key Takeaways

• The bettor is backing the Knicks from +4.5 to -2.5 in Game 3.
  
  
• One of the user’s few losses came at the hands of the Spurs in the Western Conference finals.
  
  
• BetMGM bettors are split between supporting the Knicks and Spurs in Game 3

The Knicks find themselves up 2-0 over the San Antonio Spurs ahead of the series’ Monday transition to Madison Square Garden. They were +4.5 and +6.5 underdogs in Games 1 and 2 but are 2.5-point favorites ahead of tipoff.

BetMGM’s ladder bettor backed New York in the first two contests and isn’t changing their tune now. The anonymous high-roller dropped six new five- or six-figure wagers on the Knicks, with values ranging from +4.5 (-225) to -2.5 (-105).

The bets are as follows:

• $200,000 on Knicks +4.5 (-225)
• $125,000 on Knicks +3.5 (-200)
• $50,000 on Knicks +2.5 (-175)
• $35,000 on Knicks +1.5 (-155)
• $20,000 on Knicks -1.5 (-120)
• $20,000 on Knicks -2.5 (-105)

BetMGM confirmed the wagers were accepted, meaning the user has now risked $1.05 million on the Knicks through just three games of the Finals.

Knicks have history on their side

No team has ever recovered to win the NBA Finals after dropping the first two games of the series at home. Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs are up against it, although the 7-foot-4 Frenchman isn’t feeling the pressure. 

Wemby on dealing with the pressure of being down 0-2 in the Finals:

"This is everything that I wish for, so there's no reason to really overthink it. I mean, this is what I'm built for." pic.twitter.com/TXMaDPU5cV

— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) June 7, 2026

Which team is public backing?

The Spurs are effectively playing for survival, seeing as no team has ever recovered from a 3-0 deficit in any round.

One of the bettor’s few disappointing nights in these playoffs occurred in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals when they lost $350,000 backing the Oklahoma City Thunder; Wembanyama dropped 33 points in the Spurs' dominant 21-point victory that leveled the series.

While the Knicks may have begun the series as +185 underdogs, they are now anything but overlooked. Sixty-eight percent of bets and 82% of the Game 3 handle in the spread market are on the Knicks to cover the 2.5-point line. 

That said, 59% of bets and 54% of the moneyline handle are still on the Spurs. The Knicks are also only -140 favorites in NBA championship odds, meaning they have a 58.3% implied chance - far from as dominant as the NBA’s precedent of no team ever overcoming home losses in Games 1 and 2.

“Before the NBA Finals began, the Spurs were the biggest remaining liability on the futures market,” said BetMGM senior trading manager Christian Cipollini. “The sportsbook was initially hoping for a Knicks win, but that has flipped after bettors jumped on New York following their first two wins. Now the series going seven games and the Spurs winning is the best outcome.”

Three of the most bet Spurs versus Knicks Game 3 player props involve players from the visiting Spurs. The full top five list includes:

• Dylan Harper Over 21.5 total points, rebounds, and assists (-135)
• Stephon Castle Over 11.5 total assists and rebounds (+105)
• Dylan Harper Over 13.5 points (-105)
• Josh Hart Over 12.5 total assists and rebounds (-135)
• Miles McBride Under 6.5 points (-140)

Finals MVP odds

The NBA Finals MVP odds market has seen a ton of movement throughout the playoffs and the first two games of the championship series. Jalen Brunson is the new leader, having shortened from +2,800 at the beginning of the playoffs to his current value of +110.

Karl-Anthony Towns is second in odds, down from +15,000 to +165. Wembanyama leads all Spurs players at +375, down from +600.

A whopping 20.1% of wagers and 63.1% of the money is on Brunson to win the award. Towns has 17.5% of bets and 10.7% of the pot, while Wembanyama has 12.1% of tickets and 9.9% of the handle.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The NBA Finals move to the Big Apple when the San Antonio Spurs take on the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

Our NBA player prop projections have you covered with NBA picks for this pivotal Game 3.

For more analysis, be sure to check out our complete Spurs vs. Knicks predictions on June 8.

Spurs vs Knicks computer picks for Game 3

Spurs	Knicks
Harper u5.5 rebounds -115	Hart u4.5 assists -112
Champagnie o9.5 points -115	Towns o3.5 assists -150
Fox o14.5 points -112	Brunson u26.5 points +100

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Spurs Game 3 computer picks

Dylan Harper Under 5.5 rebounds (-115)

Projection: 3.83 rebounds

This is the one and only five-star play our model found for this game, sitting with a 25.75% EV edge. Dylan Harper has been a beast on the boards, but our projections call for fewer rebounding chances for the guard at MSG tonight.

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Julian Champagnie Over 10.5 points (-115)

Projection: 11.25 points

Julian Champagnie took only five threes in Game 2, but still finished with eight points. The San Antonio Spurs need him to knock down outside looks to avoid a 0-3 hole, and his volume will be high enough to reach 11 points.

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De'Aaron Fox Over 14.5 points (-112)

Projection: 16.26 points

After a sluggish Game 1, De'Aaron Fox found his groove in his last outing with 20 points. Mitch Johnson has proven he is riding with his veteran PG, and he'll continue to get plenty of shots.

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Knicks Game 3 computer picks

Josh Hart Under 4.5 assists (-112)

Projection: 3.48 assists

Josh Hart has had a rough NBA Finals thus far, playing just 18 minutes in Game 2. While that was mostly due to foul trouble, our model doesn't see Hart's playmaking having much impact tonight.

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Karl-Anthony Towns Over 3.5 assists (-150)

Projection: 4.97 assists

Karl-Anthony Towns has been doing it all for the New York Knicks this series, eclipsing this assist total in both games. KAT is averaging nearly six assists per game in the postseason, and our model calls for him to dish out four more tonight.

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Jalen Brunson Under 25.5 points (+100)

Projection: 24.87 points

The Spurs have made it clear they're willing to let anyone but Jalen Brunson beat them. JB scored just 20 points on horrible efficiency, and one can only assume he'll get the majority of the defensive focus tonight at MSG.

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How to watch Spurs vs Knicks Game 3

Location	Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Date	Monday, June 8, 2026
Tip-off	8:30 p.m. ET
TV	ESPN

Not intended for use in MA.
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The NBA Finals swing to Madison Square Garden for Game 3 tonight, with the New York Knicks holding a commanding 2-0 series lead over the San Antonio Spurs.

Our NBA experts have you covered with a trio of NBA picks for you to get in before tip-off at 8:30 p.m. on June 8.

Spurs vs Knicks Expert Picks Tonight

Pick	Odds
Jon Metler: Jalen Brunson Over 25.5 points	-125
Jason Logan: De'Aaron Fox Over 5.5 assists	-135
Joe Osborne: Knicks -2.5	-105

Odds courtesy of bet365.

Jon Metler's expert pick: Jalen Brunson Over 26.5 points

Price: -112 at bet365

There was one takeaway from Game 2 that seemed to be universally shared by the broadcast crew and anyone watching: While playoff basketball is naturally more physical, the officials let the game get a little too far out of hand.

I expect that to be a point of emphasis heading into Game 3, and if the whistle tightens up even slightly, Jalen Brunson stands to benefit more than anyone. A few extra trips to the free-throw line could be all it takes for this prop to cash.

What stands out most to me, though, is the volume. Despite constant hand-checking and limited freedom of movement, Brunson still attempted 25 shots in Game 2.

Through two games, he has already put up 56 field-goal attempts, an elite workload that’s difficult to overlook. This handicap is far more about opportunity than efficiency. With Brunson continuing to dominate the offense, I price the Over 26.5 points closer to -155.

Jason Logan's expert pick: De'Aaron Fox Over 5.5 assists

Price: -135 at bet365

De’Aaron Fox has topped out at five assists in the first two games of the NBA Finals, despite sitting second on the San Antonio Spurs in total potential assists at 22. We’re seeing more pairings of him and Dylan Harper, with Fox taking a back seat in scoring when San Antonio goes small. 

The Spurs need to jump-start their transition attack and play a quicker pace, so we’ll see Fox running the point more with Harper and Stephon Castle playing off the ball as the team banks on his steady veteran hand in what will be an insane MSG. 

He’s shown success getting inside on the New York Knicks defense and dropping the ball into Victor Wembanyama at the rim or kicking to spot-up shooters. 

Most Game 3 projections lean toward six assists from Fox, with a ceiling at 6.2 dimes.

Joe Osborne's expert pick: Knicks -2.5

Price: -105 at bet365

I’m sticking with the Knicks in Game 3. Their historic playoff run has now reached 13 consecutive victories, and they continue to find ways to separate themselves when games are hanging in the balance.

New York was the better team in crunch time in the opening two games of the series, while San Antonio’s young core is showing its age. Now the series shifts to Madison Square Garden, where the atmosphere should only amplify the Knicks’ edge.

More Spurs vs Knicks Game 3 picks

• Spurs vs. Knicks prediction
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• Victor Wembanyama odds and props
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