Basketball news

• Dennis Smith Jr. and unpredictable hope

  09-06-2026 13:00 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  For more than a decade, Dirk Nowitzki provided the Dallas Mavericks with a high floor when it came to wins and losses. Nowitzki was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks ninth overall and immediately traded to Dallas for Robert “Tractor” Traylor. For the next decade and a half, the Mavericks wouldn’t select higher than 12th in the draft, thanks to Nowitzki’s hall of fame presence on the roster.Eighteen years later, the Mavericks would select ninth in the NBA draft again. This ti
  
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• NBA Finals oddities: Stunning Karl-Anthony Towns stat, Victor Wembanyama's heel turn and more

  10-06-2026 02:06 via cbssports.com
  
  The Knicks and Spurs have delivered an incredible series so far, with the road team winning all three games
  
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• New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani says Knicks watch party outside MSG back on for Game 4

  10-06-2026 01:51 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  A handful of Knicks fans gathered outside Madison Square Garden on Tuesday to burn cleansing sage, hoping to purge whatever bad energy was left behind from Monday’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.Maybe it’s working, because New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on X.com Tuesday evening that a watch party for Game 4 is back on outside MSG."We have approved a ticketed MSG watch party for Game 4. More details soon," Mamdani said. "As we prepare to watch
  
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• For first time since April, pressure is on Knicks to adjust after loss. What do they plan for Game 4?

  10-06-2026 01:45 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  It's been a while since New York has been in this position: The team coming off a playoff loss and having to adjust. It's the first time since April 23rd, 13 wins ago.That's the Knicks reality after San Antonio came into Madison Square Garden and took Game 3 behind 32 points from Victor Wembanyama, making it a 2-1 series."We have a veteran group. Nobody is 'panicking' or anything like that," Knicks coach Mike Brown said. "Everybody is disappointed that we didn't go out and execute and play to wh
  
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• Knicks fans 'cleanse' MSG with sage after Trump visit, Game 3 loss

  10-06-2026 01:36 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Following their nail-biting loss in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday night, Knicks fans gathered outside of Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, June 9, to cleanse the arena with sage.President Donald Trump, a New York City native, made an appearance at Madison Square Garden on Monday for Game 3. Fans who were in attendance were forced to arrive at the area about two hours before the start of the game and had to wait in long, TSA-style security lines.Once inside, Trump was greeted with a chorus o
  
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• Knicks in 6: NY man’s high school yearbook prediction 6 years ago goes viral

  10-06-2026 00:22 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — If the New York Knicks win it all this year, just remember that Evan Pfeufer called it six years ago, and has the receipts to prove it.While his classmates dutifully listed their academic awards, extracurricular activities and sport accolades in the high school yearbook, the Long Island resident opted for just six simple words for his entry.“Knicks in 6. 2026 NBA Finals,” Pfeufer wrote next to his portrait in the 2020 Smithtown High School West yearbook.The pres
  
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• Ranking Giannis Antetokounmpo's top 5 landing spots amid trade rumors

  10-06-2026 00:16 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  It’s becoming more apparent by the week — by the day? — that Giannis Antetokounmpo will be on the move this offseason.Months of speculation about Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee have led to this point, with Antetokounmpo set to enter the second-to-last year of his contract. And if Antetokounmpo is indeed preferring to play elsewhere, the Bucks may opt to move him if they sense he has no interest in signing a long-term extension with the franchise.Bucks co-owner Jimmy
  
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• What history says about 2-1 NBA Finals leads: Spurs, Wemby have hope

  10-06-2026 00:00 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The 2026 NBA Finals have reached a critical juncture based on past champions.The San Antonio Spurs struck back and took Game 3 over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden after the Knicks won the first two games of the series in San Antonio. A pivotal Game 4 awaits in New York on Wednesday, June 10, with history suggesting the winner could have a big advantage in the pursuit of a title.This is the 64th time in league history that the NBA Finals has featured one team winning two of the firs
  
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• Should the Knicks be worried after Victor Wembanyama halted their momentum? Here's what history tells us

  09-06-2026 23:56 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  NEW YORK — Rarely has an all-time great — and we believe Victor Wembanyama has a chance to be one — been in the position that the San Antonio Spurs center found himself in between Games 2 and 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals: down 2-0 after a pair of home games.Where he is now, though, trailing, 2-1, is quite familiar for a young superstar, and if history is any indication, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about Wembanyama's Spurs.Only twice before has anyone fall
  
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• Behind the Spurs' unsung heroes helping to maximize Victor Wembanyama in the NBA Finals

  09-06-2026 23:45 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  At a glance, San Antonio's 3-point efficiency in Game 3 — 12-for-34, 35.3% — doesn't jump off the page. In fact, over the course of the NBA Finals, the Spurs are converting just over 11 3s per game at a 32.1% clip, figures that would rank 26th and dead last during the regular season. However, it's not simply what outside shots the Spurs are generating that's given them an olive branch in this series after they cut the Knicks' lead to 2-1 following Game 3's 115-111 win. It's how
  
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• Knicks’ Jose Alvarado issues Victor Wembanyama warning after Game 3 no-call: 'That'll be the last one'

  09-06-2026 23:25 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  After a third straight physical game to begin the NBA Finals, Knicks guard Jose Alvarado has issued a warning after Spurs star Victor Wembanyama got away with a bit of nastiness on Jalen Brunson early in Game 3.In the first quarter, San Antonio’s center gave a shove to the back of Brunson’s head as the guard jockeyed for position at the high post, sending him to the ground.Brunson took exception to the uncalled one-armed shove and addressed it with Wembanyama, jabbing his finger at t
  
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• Knicks’ Jose Alvarado issues Victor Wembanyama warning after dirty play in Game 3: 'That'll be the last one'

  09-06-2026 23:25 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  After a third straight physical game to begin the NBA Finals, Knicks guard Jose Alvarado has issued a warning after Spurs star Victor Wembanyama got away with a bit of nastiness on Jalen Brunson early in Game 3.In the first quarter, San Antonio’s center gave a shove to the back of Brunson’s head as the guard jockeyed for position at the high post, sending him to the ground.Brunson took exception to the uncalled one-armed shove and addressed it with Wembanyama, jabbing his finger at t
  
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• What we learned from the Spurs heart-stopping Game 3 win over the Knicks

  09-06-2026 23:16 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Jun 8, 2026; New York, New York, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) passes the ball to forward Victor Wembanyama (1) against New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during game three of the 2026 NBA Finals in the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images I’ve never been much for horror films. Sure, I’ve always been fascinated by the destabilizing and open-ended duality of The Shining (Stephen Ki
  
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• MSG crowd boos Donald Trump at NBA Finals; 'mostly cheers,' he says

  09-06-2026 23:12 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  President Donald Trump was booed, loudly and at length, when he appeared on the Jumbotron during the national anthem before Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden Monday night.The arena had been chanting “U-S-A! U-S-A!” as Avery Wilson began to sing The Star Spangled Banner. The Trump’s face appeared on the screen for the first time since he had entered the arena, saluting the flag and the arena erupted in boos.While the booing was clear on the ABC broadcast, people
  
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• Knicks fans attacked Spurs fans in the streets after NBA Finals loss, and players are speaking out

  09-06-2026 23:04 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Madison Square Garden waited 26 years to host an NBA Finals game, but the home fans saw a loss on Monday night when the San Antonio Spurs beat the Knicks in Game 3 to trim New York’s series lead to 2-1. After the game, there were multiple reports of Knicks fans physically attacking Spurs fans on the streets. The viral videos of the assaults are so ugly that Victor Wembanyama, Karl-Anthony Towns, and others players pleaded with fans to stop the violence. In separate incidents, Knicks fans j
  
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• Boston Celtics Daily Links 6/9/26

  09-06-2026 22:57 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 08: The shoes of James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first quarter against the Boston Celtics at Rocket Arena on March 08, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images GlobePayton Pritchard says people took Jaylen Brown’s ‘f
  
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• NBA admits missed foul call on Wembanyama shoving Brunson in Game 3

  09-06-2026 22:51 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The San Antonio Spurs have officially made the 2026 NBA Finals a series after taking Game 3 on the road in Madison Square Garden. However, their victory may have come at a heavy cost. After reviewing a first quarter shove of New York's Jalen Brunson by Victor Wembanyama, the league's head of officiating, Monty McCutchen, has admitted they missed a foul call on the play. Even worse for San Antonio is that it could turn into a retroactive flagrant.NBA head of officiating Monty McCutchen, appearing
  
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• NBA Finals: League admits it missed foul call after Victor Wembanyama shoved Jalen Brunson early in Game 3 win

  09-06-2026 22:36 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama should have been called for a foul after he shoved Jalen Brunson hard in the first quarter of their Game 3 win over the New York Knicks on Monday night. Monty McCutchen, the NBA's head of officiating, acknowledged that a foul was missed in the moment while speaking on ESPN on Tuesday. The league is now reviewing the foul to determine whether a flagrant foul will be assessed retroactively. Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your pick
  
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• NBA admits Victor Wembanyama fouled Jalen Brunson with Game 3 shove, flagrant review still ongoing

  09-06-2026 22:32 via cbssports.com
  
  The Spurs held on for a victory over the Knicks Monday, but the foul discrepancies became a bigger story
  
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• Game 3 free-throw gap highlights the ability of NBA refs to put finger on scale

  09-06-2026 22:28 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  When it comes to the integrity of sport, few participants have more influence than the officials who interpret and apply the rules in real time.For basketball, eyebrows are raised when significant disparities arise in free throws.After Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday night, Knicks coach Mike Brown expressed concern about the Spurs having 24 free-throw attempts in the second half, while New York had eight.The Knicks had led by seven at halftime. The Spurs won the game, 115-111."I talked to [th
  
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• Top NBA free-agent point guards: Trae Young, James Harden could highlight the market in different situations

  09-06-2026 22:17 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  As we near the 2026 NBA offseason, several players have unclear futures, either due to free agency status, or having team or player options hanging over their heads.As such, it's time to break down the top available point guards in this year's free agent market.(Note: Positions are determined off Basketball-Reference's positional breakdowns, meaning a player will be listed at the position in which he played the most minutes.)1. Trae Young, Washington WizardsStatus: Player option
  Value of option:
  
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• It's not just the Knicks: Trump's attendance at big games often spells trouble for the home team

  09-06-2026 22:05 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — If President Donald Trump is coming to the game, bet on the visiting team. You'll usually be in the money — at least if recent history holds. The New York Knicks, coming off two straight wins in the finals against the San Antonio Spurs, lost at home 115-111 on Monday night with Trump, a longtime fan of the Big Apple's NBA team, in a luxury suite at Madison Square Garden. He similarly may have had a jinxing role for MLB's Washington Nationals during his first term, w
  
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• Mavericks have big P.J. Washington decision coming

  09-06-2026 22:00 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  PORTLAND, OR - MARCH 27: P.J Washington #25 of the Dallas Mavericks looks on during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on March 27, 2026 at the Moda Center Arena in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Cameron Browne/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Image
  
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• Victor Wembanyama, other NBA Finals players condemn violence after Spurs fans attacked following Game 3: 'It's unacceptable'

  09-06-2026 21:54 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Both the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs shot below 30% from the field in the final frame of the Spurs' redemptive 115-111 victory in Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on Monday night.The fourth quarter was a rock fight. What happened afterward in the streets of New York was much uglier.Real fighting took place, as Spurs fans were attacked by New Yorkers in the aftermath of the Knicks squandering an opportunity to go up 3-0 in the series. People wearing Spurs gear were
  
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• Mike Gansey wasn’t going to show his team-building hand on day one

  09-06-2026 21:49 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 23: Joel Embiid #21 and Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers look on against the Brooklyn Nets at Xfinity Mobile Arena on December 23, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Nets defeated the 76ers 114-106. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images As the
  
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• Wembanyama condemns apparent attacks on Spurs fans in New York during NBA finals

  09-06-2026 21:46 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Victor Wembanyama said fans should respect each other during the NBA finals. Photograph: Ross D Franklin/APPlayers from both teams in the NBA finals have condemned apparent attacks on San Antonio Spurs fans by supporters of the New York Knicks.Videos circulating on social media showed Spurs fans having their jerseys ripped off on the streets of New York in the aftermath of the Knicks’ loss in Game 3 of the finals at Madison Square Garden.“My thoughts of course [are] that we can&rsquo
  
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• Knicks understand what needs to happen 'to be better' in Game 4 after watching film of first loss in 13 games

  09-06-2026 21:45 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Josh Hart said it perfectly while talking to reporters after the Knicks’ practice on Tuesday, “We knew they weren’t just gonna lay down and let us win four straight.”Hart, of course, was referring to the San Antonio Spurs, who recovered from losing the first two games at home in the NBA Finals by beating New York in Game 3 on Monday night at Madison Square Garden and putting the pressure on the Knicks, who are up 2-1 heading into Wednesday’s Game 4.“We knew th
  
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• Knicks outline what they plan to fix ahead of Game 4 of NBA Finals against Spurs

  09-06-2026 21:45 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Josh Hart said it perfectly while talking to reporters after the Knicks’ practice on Tuesday, “We knew they weren’t just gonna lay down and let us win four straight.”Hart, of course, was referring to the San Antonio Spurs, who recovered from losing the first two games at home in the NBA Finals by beating New York in Game 3 on Monday night at Madison Square Garden and putting the pressure on the Knicks, who are up 2-1 heading into Wednesday’s Game 4.“We knew th
  
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• Knicks’ Jose Alvarado warns Victor Wembanyama after Jalen Brunson cheap shot: ‘That’ll be the last one’

  09-06-2026 21:35 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Victor Wembanyama clearly got away with a cheap shot in Game 3, and the Knicks haven’t forgotten about it.In the first quarter of the Spurs’ victory at the Garden, Wembanyama tossed Jalen Brunson to the floor. No foul was called.“I think that’s not basketball,” Jose Alvarado, the feisty reserve guard from Brooklyn, said on Tuesday. “That’s something that they gotta look at. But he got away with one. That’ll be the last one.”Brunson frustrated
  
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• How a Knicks fan’s 'Jalen Brunson' chant turned into an all-day NYC spectacle

  09-06-2026 21:31 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  As the New York Knicks chase glory in the 2026 NBA Finals, their fan base's passion has been on full display, manifesting itself in inventive and sometimes downright quirky gestures that capture the essence of New York fandom.Ahead of Game 3, one superfan named Jake Epstein took team spirit to a new level, vowing to repeat Jalen Brunson's name 100,000 times before tip-off. He set up outside the 34th Street subway entrance just steps from Madison Square Garden. Despite his unsuccessful attempts t
  
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