NBA Daily Digest: Knicks Are Finalists, Spurs Take 3-2 WCF Lead
The Knicks swept Cleveland 130-93 to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 — setting a record +271 point differential through 14 playoff games. Meanwhile, the Spurs won Game 5 in Oklahoma City to lead the WCF 3-2, one win from their first Finals since 2014. Game 6 is Thursday at San Antonio (8:30 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock).
The Knicks are going to the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years. While New York was celebrating a blowout sweep in Cleveland, the San Antonio Spurs quietly made a statement of their own on the road, winning Game 5 in Oklahoma City to take a 3-2 series lead. Here's everything that happened May 26.
ECF recap: Knicks sweep Cavaliers, headed to the Finals
Knicks 130, Cavaliers 93 — New York wins series 4-0
The Cavaliers never found an answer. New York jumped out to a 38-point first quarter in Cleveland, turned a brief early 17-14 deficit into a 24-9 burst to end Q1, then stretched the advantage to 29 points with a 20-0 run spanning the first and second quarters. By the time the Cavs emptied their bench in the fourth quarter, the margin had reached 45.
Karl-Anthony Towns (forward/center, NYK) finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds. OG Anunoby (forward, NYK) added 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. Landry Shamet went 4-for-4 from three for 16 points off the bench. Jalen Brunson (guard, NYK) added 15 points and 5 assists — workmanlike by his standards — and was named Eastern Conference Finals MVP, averaging 25.5 points and 7.8 assists in the series.1
The broader context makes the numbers even sharper. The Knicks' point differential through 14 playoff games stands at +271 (+19.4 per game), the highest ever by a team entering the NBA Finals. Their three series-clinching wins came by 51, 30, and 37 points. Only four other teams have ever won 11 straight games in a single postseason — the 2016-17 Warriors, the 1998-99 Spurs, the 2000-01 Lakers, and the 1988-89 Lakers — and three of those four won the title.2
The Knicks have the week off. The NBA Finals tip June 3, with Games 1 and 2 on the road against the WCF winner, and Game 3 moving to New York on June 8. All games air on ABC at 8:30 p.m. ET.3
WCF Game 5: Spurs win at OKC, lead series 3-2
Spurs 116, Thunder — Spurs lead series 3-2
San Antonio won at Paycom Center on Tuesday night, pulling off a road victory in Oklahoma City to take command of the Western Conference Finals. Victor Wembanyama (center, SAS) has been the series' dominant force — 121 points through five games, shooting 52.6% from the field and 42.9% from three. The Spurs scored 116 per the NBA.com final, and drew confidence from a second straight strong defensive showing after their Game 4 blowout.4
The Thunder played Game 5 without Jalen Williams (forward, OKC), who missed his third straight game with a left hamstring strain, and Ajay Mitchell (guard, OKC), out with a right calf strain. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (guard, OKC) — the back-to-back MVP — was shooting just 38% in the series through Game 4 and scored 19 in the Game 4 defeat. OKC's bench, which erupted for a Conference Finals-record 76 points in Game 3, had gone cold in Game 4.5
| WCF | Results |
|---|---|
| Game 1 | Spurs 122, Thunder 115 (2OT) |
| Game 2 | Thunder 122, Spurs 113 |
| Game 3 | Thunder 123, Spurs 108 |
| Game 4 | Spurs 103, Thunder 82 |
| Game 5 | Spurs 116, Thunder — (Spurs lead 3-2) |
| Game 6 | Thursday, May 28 @ San Antonio, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock |
| Game 7* | Saturday, May 30 @ Oklahoma City, 8 p.m. ET, NBC |
San Antonio goes home for Game 6 on Thursday — one win from their first Finals appearance since 2014. Oklahoma City, the defending champion, faces elimination on the road.
Injury report
Thunder (ongoing):
- Jalen Williams (forward, OKC) — left hamstring strain; missed Games 3–5; status for Game 6 to be determined
- Ajay Mitchell (guard, OKC) — right calf strain; out for Games 4–5; status for Game 6 to be determined
- Thomas Sorber (center, OKC) — torn ACL; out for the season
Spurs: No players on the injury report ahead of Game 5. De'Aaron Fox (guard, SAS) played through right ankle soreness in earlier rounds and remained active.5
What's next for the Cavaliers
Cleveland's off-season questions arrived in a rush on Monday night. The Cavaliers had the NBA's highest payroll this season, traded Darius Garland for James Harden at the deadline, and still couldn't get past the first week of the Conference Finals.
The core tension: Donovan Mitchell (guard, CLE) has one year left on his deal before free agency. Cleveland's plan appears to be offering him a full max extension, but his value as a lead playoff scorer has slipped — he averaged under three assists with Harden running point, and Ausar Thompson held him to 7-of-26 shooting in Detroit. If Mitchell walks, Cleveland likely has to rebuild around Evan Mobley (center/forward, CLE).
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James Harden holds a $42.3 million player option with only $13.3 million guaranteed. He'll be 37 next season. The Cavs have roughly three options: negotiate a restructured multi-year deal, let him play out the option as an expiring salary, or release him using the stretch provision. Harden helped Cleveland beat Detroit but was a liability in spots against New York.
The name attached to Cleveland's biggest rumored move is Giannis Antetokounmpo (forward, MIL). Milwaukee GM Jon Horst has been gathering trade information with the June 23 draft as a soft deadline. Cleveland would likely need Mobley as the centerpiece of any offer. The Bucks owner has reportedly set an expectation that Giannis' future be resolved before the draft — but the Journal Sentinel reported Tuesday that the list of serious suitors may be shorter than expected.8
Trades and roster moves
No trades or signings were reported Monday or Tuesday. Offseason movement is building context — Kawhi Leonard ($50.3M final-year deal, LAC) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) remain the two most discussed names ahead of the summer — but no transactions closed in the past 24 hours.
Tonight's slate
| Game | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|
| No games scheduled | — | — |
Wednesday, May 27 is an off night. The next action is:
- WCF Game 6: Thursday, May 28 — Spurs at OKC (if necessary), or Thunder at San Antonio — 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock
- NBA Finals Game 1: Wednesday, June 3 — Knicks visit WCF winner — 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Note: if the Spurs close out Game 6, they advance to the Finals. If the Thunder win, the series goes to Game 7 on Saturday.
References
- 1
- 2
- 32026 NBA Finals schedule
nba.com
- 4
- 5Full injury report, Yahoo Sports
sports.yahoo.com
- 6What's next for Cavaliers, CBS Sports
cbssports.com
- 7Atkinson to return as Cavs coach, CBS Sports
cbssports.com
- 8
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