Daily Discussion Thread + Game Thread Index | Playoffs
[Highlight] Jay Williams says he can’t root for the Thunder because of the foul baiting: “As a fan of the game, I just want to see the game respected. There are times where I watch OKC play, I don’t feel like they respect the process of the game.”
Yahoo Sports: Does Shai Gilgeous-Alexander really fall more than his peers?
[Yahoo] Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has fallen to the ground on 17.4% of his FGAs in his playoff run, leading the league and almost four times the rate of the Wembanyama(4.2%)
[Highlight] Dray rips Cavs defensive effort: “Guys don’t want the challenge to fight through screens, and switch every fucking time. Ain’t Harden’s job to guard Brunson, but for some of the guys switching off it is their job…. [Nobody’s] doing that to Steph because we weren’t gonna allow it…”
Josh Hart, much to the dismay of Karl-Anthony Towns, on analytics: “at a certain point they’re a lamp post to a drunk person, you can lean on them but they won’t get you home.”
Charles Barkley on Hartensteins defense on Wemby: “For you people thinking that is physicality, you got to shut the hell up”
[Post Game Thread] The New York Knicks (2-0) take command of the series in Game 2 against the Cleveland Cavaliers (0-2), 109-93, behind Josh Hart’s 26 point performance
Dillon Brooks and Underdog create an “Unethical Hoops” SGA Operation game
The Knicks +212 point differential during their 9-game win streak is the biggest point differential in a 9-game span in NBA history, regular or postseason
Charles Barkley to Mikal Bridges: “With all the talent you had in Villanova, don’t you think Jay Wright was overrated?”
[Highlight] Brunson draws a charge?
[Sports Illustrated] Charles Barkley: “The game is too disjointed … we have disrespected the fans … I understand, Adam took the most money, but it’s hard for me … I have to go to my app to see where the game is at”
Knicks fans gathered to give belt to Earth after winning game 2 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, going up 2-0 in the ECF series.
LeBron on SGA: “SGA deserves the same respect as Giannis when he’s attacking”
In ESPN’s draft asset tier rankings, Nets, Grizzlies, Hornets, OKC, Spurs, Jazz, and Wizards were placed in Tier 1, while Denver was ranked dead last in Tier 7 all by itself.
Mike Brown: “I don’t know what to do about the free throw line. 22 to 6 in the 2nd half…it’s a pretty big discrepancy for a half…maybe we were fouling and they weren’t fouling”
Bobby Portis says Bucks players can’t even have conversations right now with each other because the future of Giannis is so blurry: “It’s hard for us right now to have a conversation when the future is so blurry. The owner said by the draft they’re going to do something with Giannis.”
[Highlight] OKC showing unmatched team chemistry after Wemby Knocked Hartenstein to the ground
[Marks] Jalen Duren, Pistons — The deal I’d offer: 5 years, \(180 million... The first-year salary is 21% of the cap and slightly less than the starting number of Rockets center Alperen Sengun. Before the postseason, you could have penciled Duren in for close to a five-year, \)239 million max contract
Mikal ‘FTP’ Bridges since game 5 of the first round: 18.7 points on 76.2% TS
[Highlight] The New York Knicks take a 2-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference Finals with a 109-93 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. They extend their franchise-record streak of 9 straight playoff wins.
Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns discuss pizza crust
Jalen Brunson in the win: 19⁄14 on 54% TS
Josh Hart in the win: 26/4/7 with 2 steals on 60% TS
Jalen Brunson is having another all time playoff run - averaging 27.6⁄3.3⁄7.6 on 59.3 TS%
The source of Josh Hart’s incredible endurance
[Charania] Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams will be evaluated day by day, game to game with a left hamstring injury, sources tell ESPN. He’ll undergo treatment and return based on how he feels recovering from the second injury to the same hamstring in under one month.
[Johnny Askounis] Nikola Jokic confirmed for Serbia’s crucial FIBA World Cup Qualifiers
The New York Knicks are the 13th team in NBA history to have at least a 9 game winning streak in a single postseason. 7 went on the win the championship.
LeBron on the loss to OKC: “We were not out worked. They didn’t out physical us. They didn’t outsmart us. I feel like we were just out talented, you know, by OKC. They just possess so much more talent.”
[ESPN] Sources: Spurs’ Harper (adductor) a game-time decision vs. Thunder
Boogie Cousins: “Milwaukee not even that damn big” — Bobby Portis says Myles Turner overexaggerated the Bucks players and Giannis being late
With their Win against the Cavs, the Knicks extend their Franchise Playoff Win Streak to 9 Straight Wins.
Donovan Mitchell: “Sometimes you’ve got to tip your cap. He made a one-handed spin move on me. Not to say he’s not capable, but sometimes that’s what happens. We’ll make our adjustments, but you’ve got to give credit where credit is due”
[Highlights] Isaiah Hartenstein vs. Victor Wembanyama in Game 2 - Western Conference Finals - 2026 NBA Playoffs.
All the times they went 1v1, all the arm pulls, the jersey pulls, the grabs, the contests, the buckets, the physicality - EVERYTHING.
[Highlight] Josh Hart makes the wide open triple to put the Knicks up 18 in the 3rd quarter. He is 4⁄9 from 3 now.
With the Knicks’ Game 2 win over the Cavaliers, their current nine-game win streak is guaranteed to be the longest in this year’s playoffs.
Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert turns grief over son’s rare disease into search for a cure
[Highlight] Josh Hart hits the tough turnaround shot to give him a playoffs career-high 26 points.
In the 2021-22 the Sacramento Kings point guards were De’Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton & Davion Mitchell. This past year the point was handled by Westbrook and Devin Carter. Is there a worse front office?
[Purdum] Thunderdogs: OKC not playoff favorites for first time in 33 games
[Highlight] Richard Jefferson and Mike Breen make a prediction the outcome of a challenge
[Highlight] While celebrating a late comeback against the Cavaliers in game 1, a Knicks fan is hit in the face by what seems to be errant shot from a t-shirt cannon
LeBron on SGA winning MVP: “One of the most efficient campaigns we’ve seen. He’s very deserving and nobody can say ‘How the hell did Shai win again?’. He does things to a defense that you have to simply account for. He’s number 1 and two and three on that scouting report and the head of the snake.”
James Harden despite the loss: 18 points on 6⁄15 shooting | Team-low +/- of -22
Josh Hart reminds the Cavs that he does indeed shoot 3’s, finishing with 26 points on 5⁄11 from deep tonight
[Rob Perez] RJ Barrett speaks with Rob about playoff physicality and how a player’s approach will change based on the officiating crew. “If we have Tony Brothers… we can all foul and everything’s gonna be cool. If we have Scott Foster you might have to be a little smarter with your certain fouls”
[Highlights] The final moments of Game 2 - New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers - Eastern Conference Finals - 2026 NBA Playoffs.
Jalen Brunson receives a standing ovation as he is subbed out, the Knicks fans chant ‘Knicks in 4’, and the Knicks go up 2-0 in the series. Franchise record 9 straight