After Friday night’s loss, the San Antonio Spurs find themselves in a daunting 2-0 hole against the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals. Victor Wembanyama had a chance to even the series in the closing seconds of Game 2, but his go-ahead attempt missed the mark. Now, the Knicks have the Spurs exactly where they want them.
As electric as San Antonio’s home crowd was during the first two games, it won’t compare to what awaits on Monday night. Madison Square Garden will be at full volume as Knicks fans, former players, celebrities, and even the President pack the arena. The challenge facing the Spurs is much steeper than the series score alone suggests.
Knicks fans haven’t experienced an opportunity like this since the franchise’s last NBA Finals appearance in 1999. Ironically, that series also came against the Spurs and marked the beginning of the Gregg Popovich-era dynasty. Back then, however, San Antonio carried a 2-0 lead into New York for Game 3.
Jun 5, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (2) reacts against the San Antonio Spurs in the second half during game two of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
The Knicks responded to the energy of Madison Square Garden on June 21, 1999, cutting the series deficit to 2-1 before dropping the next two games. Nearly three decades later, the roles have reversed.
NBA Finals history re-written?
Now holding a 2-0 advantage in this 27-year rematch, the Knicks return home with momentum firmly on their side. The atmosphere inside Madison Square Garden is expected to be unlike anything seen in years. By failing to secure at least a split on their home floor, the Spurs may have already put themselves in an impossible position.
Anything can happen in sports, but asking San Antonio to win multiple games in New York is a tall order. If the Spurs couldn’t protect home court, stealing victories at Madison Square Garden becomes an even greater challenge.
General view of the in-season tournament court logo during warmups before a game between the New York Knicks and the Miami Heat at Madison Square Garden. Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Perhaps San Antonio can grab a win on Wednesday and breathe life back into the series. Doing so would at least give the Spurs a chance to return home with some momentum and an opportunity to redeem themselves in front of their own fans.
With two days to prepare, the Spurs must regroup quickly and maintain complete focus. Madison Square Garden will present one of the most hostile environments imaginable, and history is no longer on their side. Digging out of this deficit will require a truly historic effort.
Can the Spurs overcome the odds and rally on the road? Or do the Knicks have them exactly where they want them as they move one step closer to an NBA championship?
Thousands of Knicks fans gathered outside Madison Square Garden Friday night to watch Game 2 of the NBA Finals, but celebrations after the team's win led to multiple arrests and an injured police officer, according to the NYPD.
Police estimate approximately 6,500 people attended the watch party outside the arena.
The NYPD said the crowd became increasingly disorderly throughout the evening. Officers made arrests for assault and for individuals climbing light poles before the game ended.
Following the Knicks' victory, police said multiple people refused orders to leave the area, blocked traffic along Seventh and Eighth avenues from West 31st Street to West 35th Street, and climbed on food vendor carts, light poles and subway entrances.
According to police, one person jumped over a barrier into a restricted area. When an officer attempted to remove the individual, the person allegedly punched the officer in the face multiple times, causing lacerations that required medical treatment. The officer was later treated and released.
Police also arrested several people accused of selling counterfeit merchandise. One of those individuals was additionally charged with possessing a loaded firearm, according to the NYPD.
In total, 26 people were taken into custody. Police said 17 people were arrested and charged, while nine others were issued criminal court summonses for disorderly conduct and released.
Videos posted to the Citizen app showed large crowds gathered outside Madison Square Garden after the game, with police attempting to disperse fans from the area.
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
If the NBA world didn’t know just how dedicated New York Knicks fans were before the first two games against the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals, it knows now.
That’s because Knicks fans just about took over the Spurs’ home court in both games.
We certainly wouldn’t compare it to Madison Square Garden, but Knicks fans were loud enough that it was very noticeable and almost felt like a home atmosphere for New York.
Once the Knicks wrapped up Game 2 and secured a 2-0 series lead over the Spurs, several fans stuck around, which gave us an even better idea of how many attended the game.
That price is 1,148% higher than the get-in price for Game 2, and 143% more than it cost to attend all seven games of the 2025 NBA Finals.
Another absurd stat is this: a fan can spend $4,558 to attend every New York Giants and Jets game this coming season and every remaining Yankees and Mets game.
That’s a total of 120 games for thousands less than the get-in price for Game 3.
Let all that sink in.
How many Knicks fans attended Game 3?
Jun 5, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) falls into the fans in the first quarter during game two of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
We can’t say for sure how many, but we do have a stat from TickPick that at least gives us a ballpark figure.
TickPick revealed that 33% of ticket purchases for Game 2 of the NBA Finals came from New York and New Jersey, and 26% came from Texas while 11% were from California.
Game 3 is seeing a significant difference, with 66% of purchases coming from New York and New Jersey and only 1.6% coming from Texas.
As we suspected, Spurs fans will not be invading MSG on Monday night.
Spurs must overcome NBA history
Jun 5, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) shoots the ball against New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) in the second half during game two of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Five teams have recovered from an 0-2 deficit in the NBA Finals to win, but no team has ever done that after losing the first two games at home.
The Orlando Magic lost the first two games at home in 1995 to the Houston Rockets and were swept, and the Phoenix Suns dropped their two home games in the 1993 NBA Finals before ultimately losing in six to the Chicago Bulls.
Safe to say, the San Antonio Spurs are in big trouble, and that’s especially true when you consider they have to go into an electric Madison Square Garden on Monday night.
Comparisons to last year may be affected by Nielsen’s shift to the new Big Data + Panel standard, which has generally inflated live sports viewership by 15%. Needless to say, a 90% increase from last year cannot be fully explained by Nielsen’s shift to Big Data.
Additionally, Game 1 drew a larger audience than every MLB World Series Game 1 since 2017. Game 1 of the 2016 Chicago Cubs-Cleveland series averaged 19.37 million viewers.
More recently, Game 1 outdrew each of the first five games of the 2025 Los Angeles Dodgers-Toronto Blue Jays World Series, which was the first major sports championship measured under the Big Data standard.
If history is any indication, a long series could be a massive ratings boom for the NBA and ABC. The Warriors-Cleveland Cavaliers Finals are the only other NBA Finals since 2012 to draw more than 16 million viewers for Game 1, and each of those series topped 20 million viewers by Game 5.
The NBA has not had a Finals game top 20 million viewers since Game 5 in 2017.
The 2026 NBA Finals have already delivered plenty of drama after just one game. The New York Knicks stole Game 1 in San Antonio with a fourth-quarter comeback that no one saw coming. Now, before Game 2, an off-court development is drawing nearly as much attention.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) walks off the court during the first quarter against the San Antonio Spurs during game one of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
President Donald Trump confirmed he will attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on Monday, June 8. Knicks owner James Dolan extended the invitation personally. “He’s invited me. I’m going,” Trump said. If he attends, it will mark the first time a sitting U.S. president has ever watched an NBA Finals game in person. Former President Barack Obama was the last sitting president to attend an NBA game.
Game 1 set the stage for the historic visit. The Knicks entered Frost Bank Center in San Antonio on June 3 as underdogs in front of a hostile crowd. Jalen Brunson went down in the first quarter after Harrison Barnes fell and struck his knee. He left for the locker room,returned to play through the pain, then suffered a second scare when Luke Kornet stepped on his left ankle in the second quarter. None of it stopped him.
When the Knicks trailed by as many as 14 points in the second half and needed a response, he delivered one. He scored 13 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter alone,including a high-arching pull-up jumper with 37 seconds left that gave New York a six-point lead and ended the game. Karl-Anthony Towns added 18 points and 12 rebounds. The Knicks closed the game on an 11-0 run to win 105-95.
Jalen Brunson dubbed “the antithesis” of what critics say about him
The Knicks have not hosted an NBA Finals game since 1999 and have not won a championship since 1973. Brunson has been the engine behind this run. He averaged26.9 points and 6.6 assists across 14 playoff games heading into Game 1, shooting 48.6 percent from the field.
Jay Williams praised him during the Finals run, saying Brunson was “the antithesis” of everythingpeople say is wrong with modern NBA stars. “This dude hurts his knee, he hurts his ankle, he comes back in and he closes a game down the stretch. You tell me this guy at 6’1, 6’2 isn’t the most likable player in the NBA right now, how do you root against a guy like that,” Williams added.
Meanwhile, Trump’s attendance at MSG is already creating major logistical and security challenges. According toCBS News, the NYPD is coordinating with the Secret Service on a security plan for the arena. Fans may be required to arrive two hours before tip-off. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also confirmed he will attend Game 3, though he made clear he will be seated in a separate section from the president.
Trump has already attended major sporting events during his second term, including the Super Bowl and Daytona 500. Game 3 at MSG on June 8 would add an NBA Finals to that list. For the Knicks, Madison Square Garden will be at its loudest. For the Spurs, holding home-court advantage for a series that now travels to New York will be the only goal.
Game 1 of the NBA Finals had a bit of everything. Both ESPN, and the league have to be thrilled with the trajectory of this series and the playoffs in general. But of the many social media discussions that popped up last night during the game, a familiar complaint surfaced.
ABC/ESPN broadcasting the NBA Finals in 2026 in 720p resolution is criminal negligence. Especially after the high visual quality that was on display this past Saturday for the Western Conference Finals that were on NBC/Peacock. This video quality looks atrocious on big screen…
The odd thing about the posts, both of which were full of colorful replies, is that ESPN had announced that the NBA Finals would be broadcast in 1080p. “The 2026 NBA Finals will be ABC’s first NBA Finals presented with 1080p HDR capture and transmission,” ESPN’s press release on the subject read.
The always helpful Sports Video Group did a whole piece about the extensive effort and investment made into improving the picture quality. It’s packed full of impressive details, photos, and technical terms that will go over the head of most sports fans. If you take the time to read the thorough piece, it’s beyond clear ESPN was motivated to present a crisp and robust presentation of the Finals.
“Support by the reliable broadcast compounds, ESPN looks to continue down the path of 1080p HDR. Nearly its entire production chain is running in the format: signals from the venue to remote staffers in Bristol, CT; internal signal flow in Bristol; and delivery to ESPN’s streaming platforms and the ESPN App. The sole workflow in 1080p SDR is linear transmission and integration on ABC.”
So if that’s the case, why all the negative social media chatter about picture quality? To get to the bottom of this, I connected with Kristian Hernández, Senior Editor of Sports Video Group and the author of the article on ESPN’s efforts. The biggest culprit in the underwhelming picture quality that was observed ? Local TV affiliates.
“For this year’s NBA Finals, the ESPN App is streaming the game in 1080p HDR (high dynamic range for brighter highlights, deeper contrast, and a wider availability of colors) but the network is transmitting the feed linearly to ABC in 1080p SDR (standard dynamic range). This means that the original video feeds captured in 1080p HDR at the venue are downconverted for distribution. Depending on where viewers are watching, their local affiliate might not have the infrastructure to handle a 1080p broadcast of varying dynamic ranges. In addition, the television that someone is watching the game on may also impact what they’re seeing. The broadcast becomes downscaled to match these certain limitations, so on YouTube TV, they’re not watching on a traditional cable box but they’re receiving the feed from their home affiliate.”
If your local affiliate, or your cable provider, is downscaling the picture, you do have some options.
“Broadcasts through the network’s own streaming platforms or through OTT distribution, for the time being, are given more freedom to experiment with broadcasts in higher formats. For instance, CBS Sports produced the 2026 Men’s Final Four in 1080p HDR for the first time, but on HBO Max through their partnership with TNT Sports. There are less obstacles and hoops to jump through in regard to distribution and transmission.”
So, more or less, if you notice your picture seems bad, it’s worth trying to use the ESPN App in this case, or the streaming app of whatever broadcast you are watching to see if there is a difference. Hernandez adds that as more networks shift to 1080p HDR production and the format becomes a more consistent standard, affiliates are more likely to adapt it.
Poor, or inconsistent, picture quality is at the top of our list of annoyances here at Awful Announcing. It’s not like a certain announcer, where some fans may like how they call a game, and others will not. Nobody has ever said, “You know, I actually enjoy the bad picture!”
Let’s hope everyone from networks to local affiliates continue to make progress on standardizing the picture quality experience for all viewers. It’s got to be a major annoyance to invest so much time and money into improving the picture quality, when a lot of fans don’t see it, and actually complain. Ultimately the complaints land with the network, as most fans aren’t savvy enough to figure out who and where the culprit actually is for a poor experience.
Just when there is seemingly a ceiling on how high tickets can go for NBA Finals tickets at Madison Square Garden, the escalating madness around Knicks fandom still finds an entirely new level.
Get-in pricing for Games 3, 4, and 6, if necessary, at MSG took another massive jump on multiple ticket resale marketplaces in the wake of the Knicks’ 105–95 road win over the Spurs in Game 1. As of Thursday afternoon, low-end tickets for Monday’s Game 3 started at about $8,200, nearly doubling the comparable figure of $4,200 from just three days ago, and more than quadrupling the market level from less than three weeks ago.
Game 4 on June 10—which is now a potential clinching scenario should the Knicks complete another postseason sweep—has taken an even bigger leap. Pricing that began at $3,900 on Monday for that contest has now soared to around $8,500 per ticket across multiple markets.
Game 6 on June 16, still a tentative contest based on the outcome of the series, has pricing beginning at about $9,000 per ticket, up from $5,300 at the start of this week.
Rarefied Air
These figures are far beyond the comparable data from Super Bowl LX in February, and show just how manic the demand for Knicks tickets has become. In addition to the 27-year gap since the Knicks last appeared in the NBA Finals, the team has not won a league title since 1973, which means fans are that much hungrier to see a championship happen.
“There have been some high tickets for the NBA Finals before, and the event has been steadily going up [over recent years], but this is totally unprecedented territory and is a whole other thing,” TicketIQ founder and CEO Jesse Lawrence tells Front Office Sports. “It’s also not surprising, though, given the intensity of the Knicks fan base and the disposable income that’s in New York.”
These get-in figures are all for the upper sections of MSG, and lower-level seats continue to command resale pricing well into five figures. Notably, the get-in price for Game 3 of the NBA Finals also exceeds the comparable $7,900 figure for the FIFA men’s World Cup final on July 19.
As has been the case since the Knicks-Spurs matchup was set last weekend, pricing is far cheaper in San Antonio. Friday’s Game 2 has a get-in resale price of less than $800, with that figure falling by several hundred dollars after the Spurs’ loss to open the series. A potential Game 5 on June 13 at Frost Bank Center starts around $1,800, while a possible Game 7 there on June 19 begins at $3,200.
Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Watching Prices Rise
Even Knicks watch parties outside of MSG, or elsewhere in New York, are not immune to the ticket resale price escalation that is accelerating all around the NBA Finals.
A sold-out Game 2 watch party inside MSG that carries a $10 ticket cost, with proceeds going to the Garden of Dreams Foundation, now has resale costs beginning at around $100. Outside the arena, additional watch parties can proceed after New York officials reversed a prior ban.
The outcome of Friday’s Game 2 of the NBA Finals will have significant sway on resale market activity over the weekend heading into the two games at MSG next week.
“If the Knicks win and go up 2–0 [in the series], you’ll see the market go crazy, especially for Game 4,” Alex Warner, CEO and cofounder of season-ticket management company Winventory, tells FOS. “In that case, you’ll see a lot of folks looking to get in for that one. It would either be a clinch possibility, or at worst, the Knicks go into that one up [two games to one] with an opportunity to really put the Spurs on the ropes, and that will certainly drive the market.”
Karl-Anthony Towns played one of his best games since joining the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, and he also gave his best interview after it.
Jalen Brunson looked angry after the Knicks took Game 1 of the Finals on the road against the Spurs. He looked angry at the San Antonio fans, he looked angry at the officials, he looked angry at the way the Knicks played, even in a win. But when Towns joined Inside the NBA after the game, he was relaxed. And apparently, Towns was just as relaxed leading up to the game.
Kenny Smith asked Towns about the intensity of the NBA Finals and what surprised him after playing Game 1 during their postgame interview, and the All-Star center took the opportunity to open up, crediting his late mom for giving him a sense of peace.
KAT:
“I just felt a calm and a peace that had to be come from the woman above (his mom). I felt like a kid. It was just fun out here. It felt like I was a kid getting ready to go play my Saturday AAU games and Sunday AAU games. In a way I felt like I was seeing her in the… pic.twitter.com/iGj4FwxL8C
“I just felt a calm and a peace that had to be come from the woman above (his mom). I felt really confident about today. I felt good. I felt like a kid,” Towns admitted. “It was just fun out here. This is something that as a kid, you just dream about. You always hope about to be an NBA player, let alone to be in the NBA Finals. All day, it was just a weird feeling, it felt like I was a kid getting ready to go play my Saturday AAU games and Sunday AAU games. In a way I felt like I was seeing her in the stands and it was just fun, it was really fun and it was really comforting.”
Karl-Anthony Towns noted he was expecting to feel a heightened sense of pressure while playing in the first Finals game of his NBA career. But he came away from his first Finals game with the opposite experience.
“It felt like a certain presence was here that was very comforting and very loving,” Towns continued. “And it felt like I could have fun out here during Game 1 of the NBA Finals, which was the weirdest thing, because you would expect to have the pressure at the highest.”
Towns’ mother died from COVID-19 in April 2020, during the height of the pandemic. In the following months and years, the loss of his mother and other family members led Towns to be vocal about the dangers of COVID and the importance of getting vaccinated. And just as he was vulnerable after losing his mother, Towns showed his vulnerability again Wednesday night on Inside the NBA.
The Knicks should hope Karl-Anthony Towns is able to play just as freely for the rest of this championship series against the Spurs. Because despite being tasked with going up against a seemingly impossible force in Victor Wembanyama, Towns played one of his most consistent all-around games as a Knick Tuesday night. And if that’s going to continue, the Knicks might end their 53-year championship drought.
Jun 3, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama speaks to the media after game one of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
The 2026 NBA Finals tipped off on Wednesday night with an intense back-and-forth affair between Jalen Brunson’s New York Knicks and Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs. On an evening where neither star was particularly efficient, Brunson willed the Knicks to a 105-95 victory, scoring 30 points on 12-for-31 shooting.
Wembanyama’s losing effort included 26 points on 6-for-21 shooting, and there’s rising concern that the 7’4″ Frenchman may be too fatigued after an intense seven-game series against the Oklahoma City Thunder to turn things around and get San Antonio back in the series.
“Wemby looked tired. I don’t know if he shot his wad in the first half or what happened, but I just, I don’t know what the answer is,” The Ringer’s Bill Simmons told former NBA head coach Doc Rivers during a Game 1 recap on The Bill Simmons Show.
Bill Simmons and Doc Rivers think Wemby looked tired and sped up last night:
Bill: Wemby looked tired. I don’t know what the answer is
Doc: I texted you in first half and said Wemby looks sped up tonight. I think he had 6 or 7 turnovers Bill. A lot of them were putting the ball… pic.twitter.com/TarC2EVzrD
“I texted you in the first half. Wemby looks sped up tonight,” Rivers responded.
“And one of the things I would look at first is how many dribbles did he have? I know that sounds crazy, but it felt like he dribbled the ball way more than usual,” Rivers added. “The other thing is time of possession. How often did he hold the ball and have the ball in his hands? It, it looked like way more than usual. Yeah. And so I think that played right into the Knicks’ hands.”
Simmons and Rivers aren’t the only ones concerned with Wemby’s fatigue and approach. ESPN analyst Brian Windhorst said that he noticed a low energy level from Wembanyama as early as the first quarter.
“He might deny it, but I felt Victor Wembanyama was low on energy from the first quarter,” Windhorst said on SportsCenter after the game. “Now I know the game started out frenetic. I know when the stakes are high, you sometimes see players need their second wind. I saw Victor bending over and grabbing his shorts midway through the first quarter, and I didn’t think he was able to maintain a good energy flow for most of the game.”
“I felt Victor Wembanyama was low on energy from the first quarter.”@WindhorstESPN says Wemby’s energy level might play a factor in this series pic.twitter.com/6c4aMxv7lf
“I think Brunson smelled it down the stretch that he was moving quicker than Victor,” he added. “And that’s gonna be something to monitor. In the last series, I felt it went up and down. So he could just as easily come out Friday and have that more of a burst, but this is something that I think is going to be a story in this series. What is Victor’s energy level?”
For his part, Wemby doesn’t feel there are any underlying issues that need to be addressed and that it’s simply a matter of him playing better. He’ll have an opportunity to prove himself right and show that he has enough left in the tank to get the job done in Game 2 on Friday night.
The Knicks have had a tremendous playoff run this season, leading them to the NBA Finals. Warriors veteran Draymond Green recently weighed in on their playoff success and had nothing but high praise for the finalists. Even though he previously downplayed the Knicks, this time he praised their domination of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Draymond Green Impressed by Knicks’ Playoff Run
The New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs are currently facing off in the NBA Finals. While the San Antonio Spurs have the generational sensation Victor Wembanyama, the Knicks have Jalen Brunson. The Spurs defeated the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, who had been unbeaten in the playoffs before the Western Conference Finals.
Ankle Injury Sidelines Jalen Brunson After Luke Kornet Collision in NBA Finals Game 1 (Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images)
The Knicks, on the other hand, entered the Finals with a 12-2 playoff record. They beat the Atlanta Hawks 4-2 in the first round, dropping Games 2 and 3, before reeling off 11 consecutive wins. They swept the Philadelphia 76ers 4-0 and followed that up with another clean sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
This tremendous streak is no small feat, and Draymond Green acknowledges that. “When you win 12 out of 13 playoff games, I don’t care if you’re playing Sisters of the Poor, that’s no fluke,” Draymond Green said on the Draymond Green Show.
According to Green, the last team to dominate the playoffs like this was the Warriors in 2017. “The last team that I can recall right off the top of my head doing that is the Warriors. That’s the last team that I can recall right off the top of my head winning 12 of their first 13 playoff games and going to the NBA Finals,” Green added.
He had also previously been skeptical of the Knicks’ defense, particularly doubting Karl-Anthony Towns. But Green has since changed his tune, taking back that skepticism and giving full credit to both Jalen Brunson and KAT.
Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns Cement the Knicks’ Domination
The Knicks made several key adjustments to take control of their playoff run. Jalen Brunson has been one of the most crucial factors in their success. In the playoffs, Brunson has averaged 26.9 PPG, 6.6 APG, 2.8 RPG on 48.6% FG, 35.2% 3PT, and 83.9% FT.
Brunson has been remarkably consistent and impactful throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs. His ability to put pressure on opposing defenses, his scoring efficiency, and his overall consistency have helped the team find its rhythm. He elevated his teammates and built tremendous chemistry with Karl-Anthony Towns, which helped the Knicks control games from end to end.
KAT’s defensive transformation has been one of the most impactful changes for the Knicks this season. His sustained defensive improvement is widely seen as a major reason behind the team’s success.
“I think with the changes they’ve made from their offensive play to the way Karl-Anthony Towns is defending — remember I always said the Knicks are going to struggle,” Green recalled, acknowledging his earlier skepticism. “Well, KAT changed that. KAT’s been defending at a very, very, very high level throughout these playoffs — and especially giving that type of effort defensively.”
Despite his earlier doubts, Draymond Green has come around as a full advocate for the Knicks. As they head into the NBA Finals, praise from a player of Green’s caliber means a great deal to the fanbase. Getting kind words out of Draymond Green is never easy, and hearing them right at the start of the Finals is sure to energize Knicks fans everywhere.
Game 1 of the NBA Finals was at a dramatic point in the fourth quarter when something truly bizarre happened – a fan ran onto the court in search of a selfie with Victor Wembanyama.
The game was coming back from a timeout following a crucial run spurred by Jalen Bruson’s heroics had given the Knicks a six-point lead over the Spurs. Just as play had resumed, a fan very quickly made his way onto the floor and got far enough that he was actually in the middle of the action.
Before security could remove the fan, he pulled out his cell phone in what looked to be an attempt at a selfie with the French superstar.
Usually, network broadcasts will try to cut away form play when a fan invades the court or field so as to not encourage any similar behavior for people looking for a fleeting moment of fame. But this happened so quickly that ESPN was unable to do so. Mike Breen immediately called the situation on play-by-play while analysts Tim Legler and Richard Jefferson condemned the fan’s actions.
What was really surprising was that ESPN ran a replay of the fan storming the court, even focusing on Mitchell Robinson’s flummoxed reaction.
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 4, 2026
“A fan just ran on the floor and wants to take a selfie. Security quickly takes him away. Crowd gives him the appropriate boo, fortunately nobody hurt,” Breen said.
“It’s just too good for that to happen,” Legler admitted.
“That person wasn’t here for the basketball,” Jefferson added.
Thankfully, nothing truly nefarious happened here and order was quickly restored with a jump ball. Fans on the field or the court can provide some humorous moments from announcers calling the action. However, it’s still more than a little scary was able to get that close to Victor Wembanyama that quickly. And that security was caught sleeping.
SAN ANTONIO — In his 13 years as Kings owner, Vivek Ranadivé has come nowhere near the NBA Finals. His team has played in just one playoff series in that time.
But Ranadivé’s fingerprints are all over the Knicks–Spurs Finals.
In Dec. 2024, the Kings fired Mike Brown as their head coach amid a 13–18 start. Two months later, they traded De’Aaron Fox to the Spurs after the star guard requested a trade.
Brown’s firing was shocking in NBA circles. Two years after he led the team to its first playoff berth since 2006, he was fired over the phone.
“I’m not surprised that Mike Brown got fired, because I got fired by the same person,” then-Nuggets coach Michael Malone said at the time. “And what really pissed me off about it was the fact that they lost [Thursday] night, fifth game in a row, I believe. Tough loss. … They had practiced this morning. He does his postgame media, and he’s in his car going to the airport to fly to L.A. and they call him on the phone.
“No class, no balls. That’s what I’ll say about that.”
Less than two years later, Brown and Fox are reunited—on opposite sides of a championship series. Brown is the head coach of a Knicks team in its first Finals in 27 years, while Fox was an All-Star for the Spurs this year.
At media day on Tuesday, both Brown and Fox spoke highly of each other.
“Fantastic player, fantastic human being,” Brown said of Fox.
Fox said he can see the parallels between how his former coach runs his teams compared to his current one.
“I think the biggest thing is just how open he is,” Fox told reporters. “That’s from an organizational standpoint. Whenever he came in, the first thing he’s like, well, I want the entire organization to be in, from ownership to front office, coaching staff, players, medical staff, everybody on down. Whenever you have that—and I’ve seen it since I’ve been here—and I’m like, well, that’s probably where he got it from. That’s why he wants to do it that way.”
The Knicks and Kings both dumped their coaches in bold, expensive firings. When Ranadivé fired Brown, he had just given him a three-year extension six months before. The man Brown replaced in New York, Tom Thibodeau, was owed about $30 million from a recent extension when he was fired last summer.
The bet obviously paid off for the Knicks. In Sacramento, the bottom fell out after Brown and Fox left. The Kings were 22–60 this year, one of the worst records in the league. The “light the beam” teams that Brown and Fox led to the playoffs remain the only winning teams of Ranadivé’s tenure as owner.
Jun 2, 2026; San Antonio, TX, USA; A view of the midcourt logo during San Antonio Spurs practice on Media Day for the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
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College Softball Women’s College World Series Championship Series, OG&E Energy Field at Devon Park, USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex, Oklahoma City, OK
Announcers: Beth Mowins/Jessica Mendoza/Michele Smith//Holly Rowe
Game 1: Texas vs. Texas Tech — ESPN/ESPN Unlmited, 8 p.m.
Announcers: Courtney Lyle/Danielle Lawrie/Amanda Scarborough/Madison Shipman
NCAA Women’s College World Series Pregame Show live from OG&E Energy Field, Oklahoma City, OK — ESPN2/ESPN Unlimited, 6:30 p.m.
7Innings Live: Championship Finals Special — ESPNU/ESPN Unlimited, 8 p.m.
FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup 2026: Stories From the Series: Toronto — FS1, 10 p.m.
FIFA World Cup 26 Preview Series: To The Wire — FS1, 10:30 p.m.
FIFA World Cup 26 Preview Series: Legacy — FS1, 11 p.m.
Golf PGA Tour The Memorial Tournament, Muirfield Village Golf Club, Dublin, OH
On the Range — Golf Channel, 11:30 a.m.
HotelPlanner Tour Series Highlights: 2026 Danish Golf Challenge — Golf Channel, 7 a.m.
5 Clubs With Gary Williams — Golf Channel, 8 a.m.
The Smylie Show — Golf Channel, 9 a.m.
Vanity Index Podcast — Golf Channel, 10 a.m.
Live From the U.S. Women’s Open — Golf Channel, 1 p.m.
The Smylie Kaufman Show — SportsGrid, 4 p.m.
Golf Central — Golf Channel, 10 p.m.
Mixed Martial Arts
UFC Countdown: UFC 325: Volkanovski vs. Lopes 2 — CBS Sports Network, 10 a.m.
UFC Reloaded: UFC 300-Pereira vs. Hill — CBS Sports Network, 6 p.m.
UFC Reloaded: UFC 303-Pereira vs. Prochazka — CBS Sports Network, 9 p.m.
UFC Reloaded: UFC 313-Pereira vs. Ankalaev — CBS Sports Netwok, midnight
MLB American League
Chicago White Sox at Minnesota — Chicago Sports Network/Twins.TV, 1:30 p.m.
Detroit at Tampa Bay — MLB Network (main)/Detroit SportsNet/Rays.TV, 1 p.m.
Baltimore at Boston — MASN/NESN, 6:45 p.m.
Cleveland at New York Yankees — CleGuardians.TV/Prime Video (NY/CT/NJ), 7 p.m.
National League
Miami at Washington — MLB Network (backup)/Marlins.TV/Nationals.TV, 1 p.m.
San Diego at Philadelphia — Padres.TV/NBC Sports Philadelphia, 6:30 p.m.
San Francisco at Milwaukee — NBC Sports Bay Area/Brewers.TV, 7:30 p.m.
Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona — MLB Network/Spectrum SportsNet LA/Dbacks.TV, 9:30 p.m.
Interleague
New York Mets at Seattle — SNY/Mariners.TV, 3;30 p.m./MLB Network, 4 p.m. (joined in progress)
Kansas City at Cincinnati — Royals.TV/Reds.TV, 7 p.m.
Toronto at Atlanta — Sportsnet/Sportsnet One/BravesVision, 7:15 p.m.
Texas at St. Louis — Rangers Sports Network/Cardinals.TV, 7:45 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Houston — SportsNet Pittsburgh/Space City Home Network, 8 p.m.
Sacramento at Chicago Cubs — NBC Sports California/Marquee Sports Network, 8 p.m.
Colorado at Anaheim — Rockies.TV/Angels Broadcast Television, 9:30 p.m.
Announcers: Steve Phillips/Eduardo Pérez/Xavier Scruggs
The Leadoff Spot — MLB Network, 9 a.m.
Announcers: Robert Flores/Lauren Shehadi/Mark DaRosa
MLB Central — MLB Network, 10 a.m.
Host: Brian Kenny
MLB Now — MLB Network, noon
Announcers: Greg Amsinger/Harold Reynolds/Dan Plesac
MLB Tonight: National Pregame Show — MLB Network, 6:30 p.m.
Blue Jays Central — Sportsnet/Sportsnet One, 6:30 p.m.
MLB Network Strike Zone — Check your local listings, 7 p.m.
MLB Big Inning — MLB.TV, 8 p.m.
NBA Playoffs NBA Finals Game 1, Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX Announcers: Mike Breen/Richard Jefferson/Tim Legler//Lisa Salters
New York Knicks at San Antonio Spurts — ABC/ESPN Unlimited, 8:30 p.m.
Announcers: Malika Andrews/Danny Green/Chiney Ogwumike/Kendrick Perkins/Shams Charania
NBA Today live from Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX — ESPN, 3 p.m.
Announcers: Ernie Johson/Charles Barkley.Shaquille O’Neal/Kenny Smith
NBA Tip-Off live from Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX — ESPN, 7 p.m.
NBA Tip-Off live from Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX — ABC/ESPN Unlimited, 8 p.m.
Inside the NBA live from Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX — ESPN, 11 p.m.
Run It Back — FanDuel TV, 10 a.m.
Basketcast — NBA TV, 11:30 a.m.
Hoop Collective — ESPN2, 2 p.m.
NBA Shot Clock: The 2001 NBA Finals: 25th Anniversary Philadelphia vs. Los Angeles Lakers — NBA TV, 5:30 p.m.
The Association: Finals Pregame — NBA TV, 6:30 p.m.
New York Knicks vs. San Antonio NBA Finals In-Game Live Gameday — SportsGrid, 8 p.m.
Commissioner Adam Silver Finals Game 1 Press Conference — NBA TV, 7:30 p.m.
The Association: NBA Finals Game 1 Postgame — NBA TV, 11 p.m.
NFL
Good Morning Football — NFL Network, 8 a.m.
Good Morning Football: Overtime — Check your local listings/The Roku Sports Channel, 10 a.m.
Pushing the Pile — CBS Sports Network, noon
Ross Tucker Football Podcast — DraftKings Network, 3 p.m.
NFL Live — ESPN2, 4 p.m.
The Insiders — NFL Network, 7 p.m.
This Is Football — ESPNews, 8 p.m.
NHL
NHL Now — NHL Network, 5 p.m.
NHL Tonight: Stanley Cup Final Edition — NHL Network, 6 p.m.
Missin Curfew — DraftKings Network, 10 p.m.
Soccer Men’s International Friendly, Stadion Feijenoord (De Kuip), Rotterdam, Netherlands
Netherlands vs. Algeria — Fox Soccer Plus, 2 p.m.
International Friendly, The Stadium at South Field, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT
Republic of Korea vs. El Salvator — BYUtv, 8:58 p.m.
Morning Footy — CBS Sports Golazo Network, 8 a.m.
Football Report — Fubo Sports Network, 9:30 a.m.
Best of Morning Footy — CBS Sports Golazo Network, 2 p.m.
Fútbol Picante — ESPN Deportes, 3 p.m.
Scoreline — CBS Sports Golazo Network, 5 p.m.
ESPN FC — ESPN+, 5 p.m.
Generación Fútbol — ESPN Deportes, 6 p.m.
Tricolor al dìa — TUDN, 8 p.m.
Scoreline — CBS Sports Golazo Network, 10 p.m.
Línea de cuatro — TUDN, 11 p.m.
Sports News & Talk
SportsCenter — ESPN, 7 a.m.
The Early Line Live — SportsGrid, 7 a.m.
Nothing Personal with David Samson — DraftKings Network, 8 a.m.
Get Up — ESPN, 8 a.m.
SportsCenter — ESPN2, 8 a.m.
Fubo News — Fubo Sports Network, 9 a.m.
Morning Buzz — CBS Sports HQ, 9 a.m.
SportsCenter — ESPN2, 9 a.m.
The Dan Patrick Show — NBCSN/Peacock, 9 a.m.
The Dan Le Batard Show With Stugotz — DraftKings Network, 11 a.m.
Up & Adams — FanDuel TV, 11 a.m.
The Craig Carton Show — SportsGrid 11 a.m.
B1G Today — Big Ten Network, noon
BYU Sports Nation — BYUtv, noon
Midday Rundown — CBS Sports HQ, noon
The Pat McAfee Show — ESPN, noon
The Rich Eisen Show — ESPN Unlimited/Disney+, noon
The Dan Le Batard Show With Stugotz — Peacock, noon
NewsWire LIVE — SportsGrid, noon
CBS Sports HQ Spotlight — CBS Sports Network, 2 p.m.
SportsCenter — ESPN, 2 p.m.
The Pat McAfee Show — YouTube, 2 p.m.
Trending Now — CBS Sports HQ, 3 p.m.
SportsCenter — ESPN2, 3 p.m.
The Paul Finebaum Show — SEC Network, 3 p.m.
Ross Tucker Even Money — DraftKings Network, 3:30 p.m.
CBS Sports HQ Spotlight — CBS Sports Network, 4 p.m.
SportsCenter — ESPN, 5 p.m.
Inside ACCess — ACC Network, 5 p.m.
Pardon the Interruption — ESPN, 5:30 p.m.
ACC PM — ACC Network, 6 p.m.
Primetime Pregame LIVE — CBS Sports HQ, 6 p.m.
SportsCenter — ESPN, 6 p.m.
All The Smoke Unplugged — DraftKings Network, 6:30 p.m.
Gameday Scoreboard and Highlights — CBS Sports HQ, 7 p.m.
All The Smoke Dugout — DraftKings Network, 7 p.m.
Mystery Crate — DraftKings Network, 8 p.m.
E60: Unrivaled — ESPN2, 9 p.m.
BBC Sport — BBC News, 9:45 p.m.
All The Smoke — DraftKings Network, 10 p.m.
Contacto deportivo — TUDN, 10 p.m.
SportsCenter at Night — ESPN, 10:30 p.m.
SEC Now — SEC Network, 10:30 p.m.
BBC Sport — BBC News, 10:45 p.m.
Scoreboard Final — CBS Sports HQ, 11 p.m.
All the Smoke Dugout — DraftKings Network, 11 p.m.
BBC Sport — BBC News, 11:45 p.m.
El pelotazo — Telemundo, midnight
SportsCenter at Night With Scott Van Pelt — ESPN, midnight
Contacto deportivo — Univision/TUDN, midnight
Scoreboard Final — CBS Sports HQ, 1 a.m. (Thursday)
SportsCenter at Night — ESPN, 1 a.m. (Thursday)
Pushing the Odds with Matt Perrault — SportsGrid, 1 a.m. (Thursday)
TMZ Sports — FS1, 1:30 a.m. (Thursday)
SportsCenter at Night — ESPN, 2 a.m. (Thursday)
South Beach Sessions — DraftKings Network, 3 a.m. (Thursday)
Mystery Crate — DraftKings Network, 4 a.m. (Thursday)
Boomer and Gio — CBS Sports Network, 6 a.m. (Thursday)
Unsportsmanlike with Evan, Carly and Michelle — ESPN2/ESPNU, 6 a.m. (Thursday)
Maggie and Perloff — YouTube, 6 a.m. (Thursday)
Tennis French Tennis Federation French Open, Stade Roland Garros, Paris, France
Men’s Quarterfinals: Felix Auger-Aliassime vs. Flavio Cobolli — TNT/HBO Max, 7:30 a.m.
Women’s Quarterfinals: Aryna Sabalenka vs. Diana Shnaider — TNT/HBO Max, 10 a.m.
Men’s Quarterfinals Night Match: Matteo Berrettini vs. Matteo Arnaldi — TNT/truTV/HBO Max, 2:15 p.m.
Live at Roland Garros: Day 11 Studio Show — TNT/HBO Max, 7 a.m.
Live at Roland Garros: Day 11 Studio Show — TNT/HBO Max, 9;30 p.m.
Live at Roland Garros: Day 11 Bridge Show — TNT/truTV/HBO Max, 1 p.m.
Live at Roland Garros: Day 11, Postmatch — TNT/truTV/HBO Max, 5 p.m.
WNBA Commissioner’s Cup WNBA on USA Announcers: Kate Scott/Tamika Catchings//Terrika Foster-Brasby
Toronto Tempo at New York Liberty — USA Network/CTV2/TSN1/TSN5/WWOR, 7:30 p.m.
Announcers: Meghan McPeak/Lea B. Olsen//Paris Lawson
Phoenix Mercury at Seattle Storm — USA Network/KPHE/KUNS, 10 p.m.
Announcers: Lisa Kerney/Chamique Holdsclaw/Renee Montgomery
WNBA on USA Pregame Show — USA Network, 7 p.m.
The New York Knicks were among the most heavily-linked to Giannis Antetokounmpo throughout the season. Neither the Greek Freak nor his current team the Milwaukee Bucks confirmed it but rumors lived on.
Shams Charania is among the reporters relentless in reporting about Antetokounmpo’s move away from Wisconsin and in his latest scoop, he revealed that the Knicks’ Giannis trade interests were strong.
“They did make offers, but they felt the Bucks didn’t really want to move Giannis. The Bucks, meanwhile, felt the Knicks weren’t making strong enough offers to entertain trading Giannis,” Charania said during an appearance in Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter’s podcast.
There was strong interest from the Knicks. Will they push through with it? Charania said they will set it aside now.
“At the end of the day, they washed their hands of that situation. Now, they’re in the NBA Finals, and I think we can all safely say the Knicks are not going to be one of the teams Giannis will be on next season. There are going to be other destinations for that.”
The Knicks were able to build a team around Jalen Brunson and they are now in the 2026 NBA Finals to face the San Antonio Spurs. Brunson sacrificed around $110 million during his contract extension signing the Knicks brought in players that complement his skills.
The Knicks’ interest is dead for now but it will probably be only get killed ultimately if they win the NBA title.
2 teams chasing Giannis Antetokounmpo
Antetokounmpo did not play much in this ongoing season. His team failed to make the playoffs. He also had some issues with his team late in the regular season after being barred from returning to play. It looks like the road is ready for him to walk away from the Bucks.
“More and more, with sources saying Miami [Heat] and Portland [Trail Blazers] are already in pursuit, Antetokounmpo’s future is increasingly expected to be resolved over the next few weeks in conjunction with NBA Draft proceedings,” insider Marc Stein wrote his own site Stein Line.
Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez (11), guard Damian Lillard (0) and forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) celebrate after winning the Emirates NBA Cup championship game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
As for the Heat, their biggest asset is the fact that they are in the Eastern Conference. Reports said Giannis will choose to stay in that conference rather than the West where competition is tighter.
San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama speaks like someone who has experienced 40 years of life and that’s what the media and fans love about him. His mentality about being a public figure is changing conversations.
Even Spurs’ former coach and NBA great Gregg Popovich was astounded by the wisdom the French star carries.
“He’s probably the most mature 20-year-old I’ve ever run into,” Popovich said. “He’s just … worldly. He understands priorities. All the hoopla around him doesn’t affect him. He just does his job, works hard.”
He’s got a quote about NBA physicality, about getting dunked on, being emotional for a man, and more.
He got something about inexperience, too.
The Spurs’ main weakness in the playoffs, according to critics, is their youth. This is the first time the Spurs reached the postseason since 2019. Their core is relatively young with the exception of De’Aaron Fox who reached the postseason just twice since entering the league in 2017. Devin Vassell, Julian Champagnie, Dylan Harper, and Stephon Castle are also relatively young.
Their bench got veterans like one-time champion Harrison Barnes, Kelly Olynyk, and Bismack Biyombo but these three guys hardly play.
Wemby somehow turned inexperience to a weapon.
“The lack of experience is a strength of us…because we could do impossible stuff because we don’t know it’s impossible.”
The Spurs are set to face the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals after surviving the defending champions Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals.
Victor Wembanyama with final boss quote
Fans on X were amazed as usual by Wemby’s quote.
“This is not a quote, that’s a final boss cutscene monologue 😭,” one reply from a Hoops Central post reads.
“Holy aura. We are witnessing a goat in real time,” said another.
The naïveté of youth is often a superpower, especially in golf but in all sports. You don’t know what you don’t know and aren’t afraid to fail because you don’t have the scar tissue yet. There’s a freedom that has an unquantifiable value and once it’s gone you can’t get it back. https://t.co/7qViQQbjq8
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama sits at the scorer’s table during Spurs practice on Media Day for the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Draymond Green certainly knows how to make his presence felt.
Last month, while once again filling in for Shaquille O’Neal on Inside the NBA, Green offered several memorable opinions, none more potent than his jab at the final chapter of Inside star Charles Barkley’s playing career. While parrying Barkley’s assertion that the Golden State Warriors’ run was over, Green responded that he and his teammates are just trying to avoid looking like Barkley did while with the Houston Rockets in the late 1990s.
The joke made for some awkward television and sparked a discussion about Green’s disposition as a television commentator and whether he was actually cut out for a career in media.
In response, Barkley said he refused to “punch down” at a lesser player like Green and that Green’s presence in the Inside studio during the NBA postseason was proof that they had been knocked from their throne. Green, for his part, apologized and said he did not intend to “disrespect” Barkley.
For the first time since that encounter, Green is slated to return to the show for Games 3 and 4 of the NBA Finals from New York City, according to ESPN.
This season marks the first NBA Finals coverage for the legendary Inside the NBA, now that it is licensed by the Worldwide Leader. Welcoming Green in for the occasion is a good sign that his last appearance has not left any scars, but it will be fascinating to see how Green integrates with the cast, assuming he is an extra commentator this time around, rather than a fill-in.
The meteoric rise of Victor Wembanyama coupled with the New York Knicks’ return to the NBA Finals, all packaged inside of a rematch from nearly 30 years ago, has the makings of a fantastic championship series, leaving Green, Barkley and Co. with more than enough basketball storylines to focus on while leaving their confrontation in the past.
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