Samwise NBA Newsletter
Friday, May 29, 2026
Spurs Force Game 7 with Dominant 27-Point Win Over Thunder
The San Antonio Spurs dominated the Oklahoma City Thunder 118-91 in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals Thursday night, evening the series at three games apiece. Victor Wembanyama led all scorers with 28 points and 10 rebounds in just 28 minutes, hitting his first three 3-point attempts to fuel an 11-point first-quarter lead. The Spurs then buried the Thunder with a 20-0 run spanning the third quarter, holding Oklahoma City scoreless for more than seven minutes. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander managed just 15 points on 6-of-18 shooting. Game 7 tips off Saturday at 8 p.m. ET in Oklahoma City on NBC and Peacock.
Sources: ESPN, Yahoo Sports
Game 7 Preview: Wembanyama and SGA Meet in a Historic Winner-Take-All
Saturday’s Game 7 in Oklahoma City carries unusual historical weight. Victor Wembanyama and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are the first two top-three MVP finishers to meet in a conference finals Game 7 since Larry Bird and Julius Erving clashed in 1982. The Thunder enter with a 6-1 home record this postseason, their only loss arriving in double overtime in Game 1. A Thunder win would make them the first franchise to reach consecutive Finals since the Golden State Warriors’ five-year run ended in 2019. A Spurs victory would deliver San Antonio’s first Finals appearance since 2014 and cap one of the most dramatic playoff turnarounds in recent NBA history.
Sources: ESPN, Yahoo Sports
Thunder Enter Game 7 Shorthanded: Mitchell and Sorber Ruled Out
The Oklahoma City Thunder will enter Saturday’s Game 7 without guard Ajay Mitchell, who has been ruled out for a third straight game with a right soleus strain. Rookie center Thomas Sorber also remains sidelined with a torn ACL sustained earlier in the postseason. The two absences continue to thin Oklahoma City’s rotation at the worst possible moment. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who shot just 6-of-18 for 15 points in Thursday’s Game 6 blowout, is listed as active and available. The San Antonio Spurs carry a clean injury report into the matchup. Game 7 tips off at 8 p.m. ET Saturday on NBC and Peacock from Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
Sources: Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports
Knicks Rest for Finals as Trump Confirms Plans to Attend MSG Game
The New York Knicks, who ended a 27-year wait by sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals, enter an eight-day rest period before the NBA Finals open June 3 on ABC. President Trump this week said he plans to attend at least one Finals game at Madison Square Garden, confirming an invitation from Knicks owner James Dolan. The Knicks, seeded third in the East at 53-29, face a home-court disadvantage against either the Oklahoma City Thunder (64-18) or the San Antonio Spurs (62-20). FanDuel Sportsbook lists New York as +220 championship underdogs heading into the series.
Sources: Yahoo Sports, ESPN
NBA Owners Vote 29-1 to Approve 3-2-1 Draft Lottery Reform
The NBA Board of Governors voted 29-1 Wednesday to approve a sweeping overhaul of the draft lottery system designed to reduce incentives for losing. The new ‘3-2-1 Lottery’ expands the lottery pool from 14 to 16 teams and allocates lottery balls based on playoff status: three balls for teams that miss the Play-In entirely, two balls for the No. 9 and No. 10 Play-In seeds in each conference, and one ball for Play-In losers. Teams with the three worst records will be ‘draft relegated,’ losing one of their three lottery balls. The Memphis Grizzlies cast the only dissenting vote. The system takes effect with the 2027 NBA Draft.
Sources: NBA.com, Yahoo Sports, ESPN
38 Early Entry Candidates Exit 2026 NBA Draft as NIL Reshapes Decisions
The 2026 NBA Draft’s early-entry pool shrank dramatically after the May 27 withdrawal deadline, with 38 candidates pulling their names from consideration, leaving just 43 players in the draft pool — one of the lowest totals on record. The NBA confirmed 35 non-international and three international players withdrew. The steep decline reflects the growing influence of name, image and likeness deals, with some prospects commanding multimillion-dollar NIL offers to remain in college. Among those returning to school are Thomas Haugh (Florida), Braylon Mullins (UConn) and Patrick Ngongba II (Duke), all of whom had been projected as potential first-round picks. The draft is scheduled for June 23-24.
Robinson and Shamet Expected to Return to Knicks After Finals Run
Center Mitchell Robinson and wing Landry Shamet are increasingly viewed around the league as likely to return to the New York Knicks for the 2026-27 season following the franchise’s run to its first NBA Finals since 1999. Robinson, an unrestricted free agent, averaged 5.3 points and 5.5 rebounds on 73.7 percent shooting across 13 playoff games. Shamet posted 5.7 points per game on 55.3 percent shooting from the field and 60 percent from 3-point range in 14 postseason appearances, elevating to 9.8 points per game during the Cavaliers sweep. Both are expected to receive two-year contract offers. The Knicks hold Early Bird Rights on Shamet.
Sources: Yahoo Sports, Sports Illustrated
2026 NBA Playoffs
Eastern Conference
NBA Finals (starts June 3)
New York Knicks — EASTERN CHAMPIONS
Conf. Finals: Knicks def. Cavaliers 4–0
Conf. Semis: Knicks def. 76ers 4–0
Western Conference
Conf. Finals — Game 7, Sat. May 30
OKC Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs — Series tied 3–3
Thunder: def. Suns 4–0, def. Lakers 4–0
Spurs: def. Trail Blazers 4–1, def. Timberwolves 4–2
🏆 NBA Finals: Knicks vs. [Thunder/Spurs Winner] — Game 1 Wednesday, June 3 on ABC
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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