Samwise NBA Newsletter
Saturday, June 13, 2026
Knicks Carry 3-1 Series Lead Into Game 5, One Win From First Title Since 1973
The New York Knicks carry a 3-1 series lead into Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Saturday in San Antonio, one victory away from ending a 53-year championship drought. New York won Games 1 and 2 on the road before completing the largest comeback in Finals history to win Game 4 at Madison Square Garden. Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby, whose tip-in with 1.2 seconds remaining sealed Game 4, addressed the media at Friday’s NBA Finals Media Day. Game 5 tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC. Thirty-seven of 38 teams to hold a 3-1 Finals lead have won the championship.
Sources: NBA.com, ESPN, Yahoo Sports
Anunoby’s Tip-In Caps Knicks’ Historic 29-Point Comeback to Win Game 4
Jalen Brunson scored 36 points and OG Anunoby added 33, including a game-winning tip-in with 1.2 seconds remaining, as the New York Knicks completed the largest comeback in NBA Finals history on Wednesday night, defeating the San Antonio Spurs, 107-106, in Game 4 at Madison Square Garden. New York trailed by 29 points at halftime, with San Antonio building a 76-49 lead behind a Finals-record 14 three-pointers in the first half. The Spurs managed just 30 points after the break. Anunoby first blocked a Spurs layup attempt with 11 seconds remaining before tipping in Brunson’s missed 3-point attempt to seal the win.
Victor Wembanyama One Flagrant Foul Away From Automatic Suspension in NBA Finals
Victor Wembanyama enters Game 5 of the NBA Finals carrying three flagrant foul points from this playoff run, leaving the Spurs’ franchise cornerstone one infraction from an automatic one-game suspension under NBA rules. The total includes two points from a Flagrant-2 elbow against Minnesota’s Naz Reid during the Western Conference finals and one more from a Flagrant-1 against Karl-Anthony Towns in Game 4. The league separately acknowledged a missed foul call on a Wembanyama shove of Jalen Brunson in Game 3 but declined to upgrade the play. With the Spurs facing elimination Saturday night, Wembanyama’s foul management looms as a critical subplot.
Sources: Yahoo Sports, ESPN
Spurs Must Become Only the Second Team in Finals History to Overcome a 3-1 Deficit
The San Antonio Spurs enter Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Saturday facing elimination, needing to win three straight against the New York Knicks. San Antonio would become just the second team in Finals history to overcome a 3-1 deficit — the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers are the only team to have done so. The Spurs won Game 3 at Madison Square Garden, 115-111, before squandering a 29-point halftime advantage in Game 4 and falling 107-106. Adding to the challenge, Wembanyama carries three flagrant foul points into Game 5, leaving him one infraction from an automatic suspension.
Sources: ESPN, Yahoo Sports
Heat Remain Frontrunner as Bucks Target NBA Draft as Deadline for Giannis Trade
The Milwaukee Bucks are working to resolve Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future before the NBA Draft on June 23, with the Miami Heat remaining the leading trade partner among multiple interested teams. Miami’s reported package includes Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., one of Pelle Larsson or Kasparas Jakucionis, and draft capital. The Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Portland Trail Blazers are also in pursuit. Antetokounmpo, 31, is under contract through 2026-27 with a player option for 2027-28. The two-time MVP has spent 13 seasons in Milwaukee. The Bucks are waiting to hear final offers before committing to a deal.
Sources: Yahoo Sports, Yahoo Sports
NBA Draft 2026 Professional Withdrawal Deadline Falls Today at 5 p.m. ET
Saturday marks the final professional withdrawal deadline for the 2026 NBA Draft, with early entry candidates retaining the right to remove their names from consideration by notifying the NBA in writing by 5 p.m. ET. The deadline is separate from the May 27 college eligibility cutoff, after which 38 early entry candidates already withdrew. The 2026 NBA Draft is scheduled for June 23-24, with BYU’s AJ Dybantsa widely projected as the consensus No. 1 overall pick to the Washington Wizards, who won the draft lottery. The NBA will announce any additional professional withdrawals following today’s deadline.
Sources: NBA.com, Yahoo Sports
2026 NBA Finals
Series Status
New York Knicks lead 3–1
Game 1: Knicks 105, Spurs 95 — NYK win
Game 2: Knicks 105, Spurs 104 — NYK win
Game 3: Spurs 115, Knicks 111 — SAS win
Game 4: Knicks 107, Spurs 106 — NYK win
Game 5: Tonight — San Antonio, 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Key Facts
Knicks last title: 1973 (53 years ago)
Knicks first Finals since 1999
Only 2016 Cavaliers overcame 3–1 Finals deficit
Game 4 comeback: Largest in Finals history (29 pts)
Curated by JD · samwise.agency