News & Blogs
2026 NBA playoffs second-round odds: Spurs, Cavs favored to advance with Game 6 wins – The Athletic – The New York Times
Sources: Optimism Knicks’ OG Anunoby returns for start of ECF – ESPN
Knicks Bulletin: ‘I swear to you, he got this as a middle finger to me’ – Posting & Toasting
Jalen Brunson Gives Surprising Take on NBA ‘Star’ Status in Video Amid Knicks’ Playoff Run – BleacherReport
OG Anunoby returns to practice as Knicks gear up for Eastern Conference Finals – SNY
Knicks Notes: How Karl-Anthony Towns unlocked Mike Brown’s ‘equal opportunity’ approach – SNY
REPORT: Knicks’ OG Anunoby practices, expected back for ECF Game 1 – Posting & Toasting
Knicks History: The Game That Changed Everything for Charlie Ward #NBA #Shorts – Knicks Fan TV
Finding Value In Knicks and NBA Playoff Futures | KFS Weekly Wagers | Knicks Film School – Knicks Film School
Knicks Nightcap | ECF HERE WE COME| Top Notch Louisville Whiskey – Knick of Time
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92 replies on “Knicks Morning News (2026.05.15)”
The NBA is trying to make me stay home today lol..and it’s working. Bravo, NBA
I have rooting interests in both games. Especially our West. San Antonio is probably the only team out there that can beat OKC, and San Antonio is a less stressful matchup should our Knicks make the finals.
Hard to get a good feel on how this plays out, but I’m thinking (hoping?) that DET is going to dig deep, muck up the game, and outwork the soft-ish Cavs to steal one to get to a game 7. The Pistons know that they blew game 5 by messing up down the stretch and aren’t going to make that mistake this time. Max Strus and Evan Mobley ain’t going a combined 8-11 from 3 this game.
Then Game 7 back in DET will be a total bloodbath. These teams are so evenly matched that it might come down to a final possession.
I agree that San Antonio is a better matchup for us but I don’t agree that they’re the only team that can beat OKC. I think we can beat OKC. And not in a “anything can happen” kinda way. They’re better than us but I think it’s close now. In fact I’m think we’re as close to them as the spurs are, and we’re much closer to them than any of these East teams are to us.
Here’s a slow-motion look at the final play in regulation. Seems even more clear that the no-call was actually the correct call. One thing I didn’t notice until seeing this is that Ausar initialy used his left arm to fend off Allen. Also, their feet didn’t really get tangled up until after Ausar was already falling down, so it wasn’t really a “trip.”
Duncan Robinson scored 51 points in the first three games of the series vs the Cavs on 14/24 shooting from three (58.3%).
Game 4 he was a non-factor, as his back issue apparently kicked in. Then a DNP in Game 5.
He’s questionable for tonight. If he can’t go, or is ineffective, that’s a big hole in the Pistons’ limited offensive abilities.
Back pain is a difficult injury to predict/project for a recovery timeline. Could carry over to the next round, if the Pistons do come back to make it through.
Pistons without Robinson are not the same as regular season Pistons. (And Huerter has also been unavailable with his adductor issue.)
Good point, timo.
The no-call at the end of game 5 was definitely the right call for me, if they called that we would have endless outrage about how refs decided the game on a whistle and how players should be allowed to play.
I want San Antonio to win because I personally never liked this OKC team, honestly. It would be much more enjoyable in every way to watch this Spurs team, if it’s against the Knicks or not, than watching this brand of basketball from OKC once again in the finals.
Like I said very early in yesterday’s thread, Raven, I didn’t see the brilliant Glenn Close comp until after we had recorded. I texted it belatedly to Jon. He was amused.
Still can’t get over Jon comparing KAT to Sydney Sweeney on Euphoria.
Alan, I enjoyed the podcast. Congratulations on a nice show. Even though I only knew about half the characters (because I don’t watch much TV) I still enjoyed the discussion of each player’s makeup.
Fun trivia question in today’s KFS newsletter:
Posting my stab at it before checking, not in order: LeBron, Steph, Durant, Kyrie, Harden, Giannis, Mitchell, Butler, Tatum, Luka, and Kawhi.
I’m positive I have some misses here, but my strategy was to aim for high volume guys with multiple deep runs.
Just echoing the strong recommendation for Alan’s KFS appearance. I don’t want to spoil anything so I’ll just say the Omar choice was very well-reasoned.
My girlfriend and I just started Beef and are absolutely loving it, but unfortunately every character is kind of a terrible person so there are no comps to be made that aren’t insulting.
It’s kind of funny that the pistons turned their back on the exonerated Malik Beasley.
I agree, Alan. I was speaking of the Western Conference when I said that. I think this version(if healthy) of the Knicks can absolutely beat OKC with the way our wings have been locked in on defense, and with KAT protecting the rim much better in these playoffs. I do worry about the whistle that Shai gets against us though.
So noted, Alan. Your podcast made me want to watch television again, which is impressive as I’m the old guy on the porch rocker shaking his cane at the kids, yelling “I’d rather watch a crappy two-hour movie than any bit of an excellent three-year series that leaves you hanging every episode!”
Wonderful Katz piece in The Athletic today about what’s working for the Knicks. Lots of good bits in there, I’ll just share this one as it’s not been covered repeatedly:
“During these seven games, Brunson is laying 12.3 off-ball screens per 100 possessions, according to Second Spectrum. At no point in his career has he screened this frequently. During the regular season, he averaged only 5.4.”
Ditto on how great Alan was. Arya Stark for Cap was brilliant. Waiting for you to be on the Roomates Show.
I’m not even sure it was a foul. I don’t think the 2 minute report was covering for the refs, it seemed like normal incidental contact that didn’t need to be called in any game situation. Really bad look by Bickerstaff and the Pistons fans. You blew the game and are crying because you didn’t get a bail out. I’d be shocked if they aren’t cooked tonight.
Also finding it hard to give the Cavs a lot of credit when this Pistons team has just fallen apart. Duren is a zero. Stewart is unplayable. Thompson is killing them on offense. Robinson and Huerter are hurt. Cade is working too hard.
I made this mistake with Philly, thinking that beating Boston meant they were good when it really just meant Boston was terrible. Cleveland probably is who we think they are, and we should want them.
I just really, really want the extra rest for OG. I don’t even think we need him. I’d pick Knicks in 5 if he played 0 games.
While I want a Game 7, the turnaround between tonight and 3:30pm on Sunday is very short if the Cavs win.
It’s basically a win-win for the Knicks at this point.
Shai’s whistle is what it is. What really worries me is the whistle every Thunder player gets on defense. They’ve completely normalized fouling on every possession.
Hmm, who do we want? What do we most believe?
Cavs – what you have to believe
* Home court is a big advantage
* Harden and Mitchell won’t be consistently good at the same time enough
* Cavs defense doesn’t match up well, and Wade was not the primary cause of Brunson inefficiency
Pistons – what you have to believe
* The regular season doesn’t matter
* Their offense is too Cade dependent, and we have bodies to throw at Cade (OG, Mikhal)
* Their 3P shooting against us in the regular season is an aberration
* Home court advantage doesn’t matter as much, we can win on the road
Knicks-Cavs will be just like Knicks-Sixers. We’ll go up 1-0 and Game 2 will determine if the series is long or short. Then game 3 will determine if it’s a Gentleman’s Sweep or a Motherfucker’s Sweep.
What are the good tv shows these days?
I’m way more of a movie head myself. Might double feature sorcerer and wages of fear this weekend. Definitely give 5 bags of popcorn and maybe a couple of keychains with a whistle attached to them for any movie that holds tension through the use of dangerous truckery.
Btw I don’t know what this means, and it probably means nothing, but I’ve been dating a girl named Kat (short for Katherine) lately. I checked our texts and I met her on April 25th, which is right about when the Knicks clicked. In addition, my real name is Michael. So it’s Kat & Michael. Like KAT & Mikal. That’s weird, right? I hated KAT & Mikal, then Kat winked at me in the gym, and now I’m in love… with KAT. And Mikal. And Kat’s cool, too. But she’s getting wined and dined like no one else, at least partly bc I feel like I have to make this work at least through end of the playoffs
Hollinger has a nice article in the Athletic about the draft combine. I came away thinking that Allen Graves sounds like a Knicks sort of player.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7281165/2026/05/15/nba-draft-combine-takeaways-dybantsa-peterson-boozer/
Good luck Hubert (or should I say Michael 🙂 )
Hubert! I meant Hubert! Sorry.
Had Alan on the brain because I was also meaning to ask what he thought of the Man On Fire series 🤦🏾♂️
Wasn’t a fan, Poindexter. I think Yahya’s good as Creasy, but it’s another one of those padded “7-Hour Movie” bits of narrative mush, where they have tons of subplots about uninteresting supporting characters to help fill out the running time.
hubie – oh no, we are not supposed to give out our secret identities…
very cool though to hear you have a new friend…sounds like fun…
i finished daredevil born again finally…i think i enjoyed it…from the way it ended…i guess there is going to be another season…
watched that punisher “one final kill”…last night…that kicked ass..not much dialogue…but fight scene choreography was top notch.
Color me impressed that hubert still has women winking at him at the gym. In general, they don’t do that anymore.
which genres do you normally find the most enjoyable and interesting KBPR?
Anyone still watching The Boys? Man has that show jumped the shark. Actually looking forward to it ending.
oh yes d-mar, most certainly…waiting for the last episode so I can watch the final 2 episodes together…
much like the show Preacher I’ve enjoyed The Boys a bunch…
those 2 shows fit perfectly in to some of my wilder viewing interests…
hard to near impossible to have a tight cohesive show that runs longer than a couple of seasons…
the last couple of seasons have become somewhat painfully obvious in its themes and messaging, but still a lot of fun for me…
herogasm is still one of my fave all time episodes of any show ever…
checking in to it, looks like peter parker isn’t even in spider noir…
they’re using a character called ben reilly…
the only spiderman comics I ever followed were usually his team ups…just a teenage character normally that never really held a lot of interest for me…
so, I’m familiar with the name ben reilly, but not much of the storyline with it…
the trailer does look pretty awesome though…and, nick cage can definitely pull it together at times to put out a solid performance…
haven’t checked out the new daredevil, but enjoyed the previous seasons…
jon bernthal was born to play frank castle…
The fatal flaw is the Boys is that reality has largely sunk down to the level of its satire. Now it just feels like a hypothetical documentary on if Trump had superpowers.
Same problem with Idiocracy where a movie that used to be funny just elicits sadness. President Hector Wayne Elizondo Camacho finds the smartest guy in the world and listens to everything he says. We used to have to suspend disbelief about our leaders being absolute morons, but now we have to suspend our disbelief that we would choose a leader with such civic-minded humility.
@geo I like good thought provoking, feels like magic, emotionally driving television.
The wire, sopranos, season one of true detective, dark, first few seasons of 3% (remember when Netflix made good shows).
Always a fan of good comedies as well.
I liked the first couple of seasons of the boys but the last one is a slog. I still watch each episode but I’m playing casual chess for most of it.
OG not in uniform in practice today…
Edit: Brown apparently said he practiced in full.
Hubert must have that certain je ne sais quoi, in addition to being Mitch like brolic.
Here are a few shows from the last few years I’ve really enjoyed.
The Narrow Road to the Deep North – 1 season (6 eps). Amazon. This is a limited series based on a book. It is VERY intense as it deals with Australian soldiers who were prisoners in Japanese Interment camps during WW2. But it is really fucking good. It also spans over like 50 years, going into the 1980s. There is one episode that is very difficult to watch but it’s worth it.
The Night Manager – 3 seasons. Also on Amazon I think. This is a modern spy thriller show. First two seasons were about 10 years ago and they just did season 3.
Slow Horses – Apple. I think they’re in season 5 or 6 at this point. Gary Oldman. Also a british spy show. It is really good and also VERY funny. One of Gary Oldman’s best roles.
One Day – Netflix. Also a one season limited series. This is a love story where each episode is one day in a year in the life of this couple/friendship. It starts in the late 80s and goes through the early 2000s. There was an Anne Hathaway movie (which I’ve never seen but heard is not that good) in the mid-2000s and it’s based on a book.
Dying for Sex – Hulu. Also limited series one season. Based on a podcast and true story about a woman with terminal cancer trying to have her first orgasm before she dies. Its REALLY funny (and sad and inspiring).
Breeders – British comedy on Hulu I think? It’s like 4 seasons. Just about a family in London but won’t go more into it than that.
The Chair Company – HBO. One season so far. Tim Robbins show (he does I think you should leave on netflix and the movie Friendship with Paul Rudd). Dark comedy, sort of poking fun of conspiracy theory shows.
It’s always crazy to be reminded how much of the problem is seemingly psychological for NBA players who can’t shoot free throws to save their lives.
How can we recreate empty gym conditions at MSG when Mitch is shooting? There should be a pact in which we all agree to simply ignore Mitch shooting free throws. You should neither cheer nor be silent. Just chat about the weather or something with the person next to you.
Someone quick set up a gofundme. We all need to support this relationship until the parade cofetti comes down Broadway and to celebrate every anniversary in perpetuity. Cheers, to Kat and Michael…
Why don’t we just invite 20k screaming fans to watch Mitch practice free throws instead?
Ditto on Slow Horses and The Night Manager. Also liked Paradise on Hulu ( I’m a big Sterling K. Brown stan). Rooster on HBO/Max is a bit uneven, but enjoyable. If you’re a oenophile, you may enjoy Drops of God on Apple.
I dated someone many years ago who had just one acceptable date routine: dinner at a very good restaurant, then go home and have sex. After 3 weeks I started saying, hey, maybe I’ll bring a takeout and a video and we’ll eat and watch it together, a relaxing evening, you know. She wouldn’t hear of it.
It laster 6 weeks, and the finals will end around the 12th-15th, which is 7 weeks from April 25th. We’re in trouble!
anyone else enjoying rocking your knick gear out and about…
sort of feels like we’re coming up…
feeling very loud and proud…hoping all the folks on the team can keep that feeling flowing…
old man sez this hubie…
there are pack and partner people, and there are folks built more for solo cruises…
good friends are a must, and kids can be a godsend…
enjoy as much of it as you can…
Apparently OG was a full participant in practice today.
gonna keep you in mind KBPR…drawing mostly blank at the moment…
one thing not already mentioned…and, medieval fantasy stuff is a turn off for many – knight of the seven kingdoms (hbo/max) though has some emotionally rousing features to it…
the agency (paramount plus) is an attractive thriller…
Just finished Daredevil. Thought the season started out strong then faded pretty hard. It felt like they were pushing a White Tiger spin-off show a little too hard and I didn’t think the character fit in the show at all. I didn’t think the big fight at the end had any reason for happening at that time.
Finally getting around to Interior Chinatown and enjoying it. Loses a lot of the social commentary of the book but very enjoyable.
Instead of an expansion draft, OKC should just send half of their roster and half of their future picks to Seattle wearing SuperSonics jerseys and say no harm no foul, see you in the wc finals.
Nickerstaff trying to rest cade
Kevin Harlan is brutal
Pistons foul on every possession…its crazy what the refs allow
The nonstop Pistons fouling definitely got into the Knicks’ heads during the season.
The Cavs offense will be a challenge for the Knicks.
When did reed turn into Karl malone?
Playoff harden in da house
Cleveland conceding every offensive rebound? What a surprise.
We’ve got some country hardball being played in Flushing tonight.
I want a benches clearing brawl.
5 TOs at the half for Cade. I don’t know how his legs last another round.
Cade and Harden in a fierce battle for most turnovers
I think I still want a game 7, but Duren waking up will probably make me feel ok if the Cavs win tonight.
Both defenses look tough and neither offense looks great.
I think the Pistons defense is making the Cavs look poor. Their offense, though, is just bad.
Is Harden throwing this game? This is a pathetic effort even by his terrible standards.
Either he’s gassed or letting his reputation get to him
I have to think this many turnovers on both sides is a sign of fatigue.
Embiid -> Harden -> SGA would be the foul baiting Olympics for the Knicks.
My choice of wanting to play the Cavs is a take I can continue to live with.
Pistons defense just looks rugged
I have always loved Reed too. Not surprised he is playing well
cavs should be thankful bickerstaff’s not playing reed more…
cade already over 30 minutes played…
Is Spida playing?
Og’s hammy is smiling
by the time we play again he’ll have had enough time to regrow a new leg…
cade just dominating spida out there…
‘slipped in james harden’s sweat’ is not a sentence you would ever want said about yourself…
Face palm
Game 7 it is. Cleveland didn’t show up at all
I would rather have Jenkins and Reed than Spida and Mobley
Cavs are ass
Cavs winning in 7 is best case scenario. It could still happen.
Let’s beat Detroit. Cavs have no business being in the conf finals
Death, taxes, a Harden team blowing a close out game. A truly embarrassing effort by the Cavs. I was stunned it was only a 3 point game at the half.
And yet they still have a chance in Game 7 because the Pistons are unlikely to shoot that well from 3 (they were shooting 3s like they were playing us) and you think Donovan will play better. Weird series.
Brunson is more or less on pace to have played at least 200 fewer minutes than Cade by Game 1. 200!
Is Minnesota even trying to guard the 3?
Defense really suspect to start
The effort gap between Detroit and Cleveland is vast. The Cavs really don’t seem any better than the Atlanta/Toronto/Sixers tier.
I’ll be shocked if Detroit doesn’t just run them off the floor in game 7.
37 combined TOs.
I’m sure Donovan Mitchell is happy Harden is around to take the usual heat away from him. They were both bad but Harden is 36 and supposed to be a secondary star, while Mitchell keeps throwing up those stickers.
Really hope Detroit shoots normally from 3 next game and we get to face the Cavs.
low key dangerous push in the back by ant man on wemby’s dunk…
go ahead wemby, put them out of their misery, these wolves aren’t worthy…
As if Wemby wasn’t enough, Castle and Harper are both looking like very special players…
NBA moving the Spurs up after gifting them the Wemby pick to get Harper is annoying. Lucky franchise.
G league Timberwolves. Randle currently 1-6. He hasn’t shot 50% or above once in this series. That trade is suddenly shifting one way.
Wolves showing some life, Ant is on fire
Wolves going out sad. They seem emotionally spent. Randle and McDaniels ice cold
Listening to Harlan is like fingernails on a blackboard, all while someone smashes a beer bottle over your head.