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The noise inside Paycom Center was deafening long before tipoff. Thunder fans arrived expecting the defending NBA champions to make another statement. Oklahoma City had spent the season looking untouchable, rolling through the Western Conference behind back-to-back MVP guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the league’s deepest roster. Across the floor stood a young San Antonio Spurs squad that many believed was …

The ending of the Lakers season was certainly bittersweet. While they were able to get a playoff victory and go out fighting against the Thunder, it all came under a sense of what could have been after late-season injuries to Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić. While the former returned, the latter didn’t, meaning his incredible March performance was the lasting …

OKLAHOMA CITY — The final five minutes of Game 1 of the Western Conference finals — or the 14th round of Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier, or the fifth installment of Godzilla vs. King Kong — had nothing to do with physical skill. By the second overtime, both the Spurs and Thunder had demonstrated not only a will to win …

Victor Wembanyama delivered a 40-20 performance as the San Antonio Spurs opened the NBA’s Conference finals with a double-overtime win at the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder. The match-up between the first and second seed in the Western Conference features Wembanyama, this season’s defensive player of the year, go up against Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has been named the …

Broad stance, elbow secured, ball held high above his forehead, the silhouette of Joe Ingles’ jump shot alone should spark warm memories for those fortunate enough to witness the Aussie’s prime with the Utah Jazz. With the recent announcement that Jinglin’ Joe would return home to Melbourne United of the Australian NBL, the NBA community solemnly understands that the world’s …

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The guard with the headband carried the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night. No, not that one. With reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander largely bottled up by San Antonio’s defense, it was another headband-clad guard — Alex Caruso — who tried to come to the rescue in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. …

The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder packed a seven-game series worth of drama into their Western Conference finals opener. Game 1 took two overtimes to decide with Victor Wembanyama finally pulling the Spurs to a 122-115 victory in a history-making performance. Here’s how the instant classic broke down by the numbers: Advertisement 1 Games the Thunder have lost …

It’s too early to call this the “Dunk of the Series,” right? Either way, San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama will have an incredible still shot of a dunk he threw down between two-time league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Oklahoma City Thunder big man Chet Holmgren. Advertisement Wembanyama, in the second quarter of the Spurs’ wild Game 1 win over …

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The longest night of Victor Wembanyama’s NBA career was over. His postgame media responsibilities were done, and he had just seen his father and a few other people in a quiet hallway near the San Antonio Spurs locker room. He didn’t walk back to the room. He got a ride — in a wheeled office chair, …

Game one of the NBA Western Conference finals is in the books and it was an instant classic. The San Antonio Spurs stole game one against the Oklahoma City Thunder, in double overtime, 122-115 behind a 41-point, 24-rebound performance from Victor Wembanyama. OWembanyama’s performance will forever be talked about but what will be overlooked is the 14 critical minutes that …

The Sixers may be done for the season, but Sixers fans are never out of things to talk about. I’ll share a few in my latest “Sixers thoughts” column… Tobias Harris showed what he was truly made of in Detroit’s Game 7 loss As the playoffs progressed, I read so much online about how Tobias Harris received an unfair shake …

It’s too early to call this the “Dunk of the Series,” right? Either way, San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama will have an incredible still shot of a dunk he threw down between two-time league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Oklahoma City Thunder big man Chet Holmgren. Advertisement Wembanyama, in the second quarter of the Spurs’ wild Game 1 win over …

Don’t be surprised if the Phoenix Suns are picking in the first round of the NBA Draft next month. Despite not currently owning one, according to league sources, the team will “explore,” trading into the first round, according to Yahoo Sports Insider Kevin O’Connor. In the last two drafts, Phoenix has selected Ryan Dunn and Khaman Maluach in the first …

As The Athletic continues to roll out data from its annual anonymous player poll, the Brooklyn Nets continue to make waves in it — sized somewhere between tidal and ripple. Last week, Nets head coach Jordi Fernández and forward Michael Porter Jr. each were each top-of-mind among anonymous players voting in the survey conducted by the New York Times subsidiary. …

In the search for the coaching candidate most willing to work for exposure, the Blazers are still scouring the market for eager suitors to take the reins of their roster. Shockingly, not many clear options are stepping up. Advertisement As a result of their reluctance to pay livable wages, the Blazers are not looking at marquee free agent coaches, but …

1200 comments! You fellas and ladies love to talk and I love that for you. Here’s the last MMB Lounge in case you need to carry over arguments. I have also decided to do these for each round of the playoffs but you knew that by now. My brain is very draft-focused right now and I am having a hard …

Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much. The rule against trolling also applies to members of this site that visit other fan sites, …

It’s too early to call this the “Dunk of the Series,” right? Either way, Victor Wembanyama will have an incredible still shot of a dunk he threw down between two-time league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Oklahoma City Thunder big man Chet Holmgren. Advertisement Wembanyama, in the second quarter of the San Antonio Spurs’ Game 1 matchup with the Thunder on …

In today’s Dub Hub: Steve Kerr is returning to the Golden State Warriors, but he made one thing very clear while discussing his decision to stay. Speaking with reporters on Friday, Kerr openly admitted that the Warriors are no longer the championship-caliber team they once were and that he, personally, needs to be better as a coach after the team …

San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox will not play in Monday’s Game 1 of the Western Conference finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Fox was a late scratch in the hour before tip due to ankle soreness. Advertisement Fox was previously listed as questionable, but head coach Mitch Johnson expressed optimism in his pregame news conference that he and backup …

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s trophy case is a little more jammed. A day after the Oklahoma City guard was revealed as the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive season, he received the Michael Jordan Trophy from Commissioner Adam Silver before Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Monday night. Advertisement It was the fourth individual …

Despite A$AP Rocky’s “No Trespassing” warning on his new album “Don’t Be Dumb,” the Cleveland Cavaliers might be stepping on his concert in The Land. The Cleveland stop of the Don’t Be Dumb Tour is scheduled for Friday, May 29 at Rocket Arena. Donovan Mitchell’s squad throttled the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, May 17 in Game 7 of the conference …

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — San Antonio guard De’Aaron Fox was ruled out of Game 1 of the Western Conference finals with right ankle soreness, a huge blow to the Spurs going into the series opener against the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder. The announcement came roughly an hour before tip-off. Advertisement Fox was averaging 18.8 points and 5.8 assists …

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here. The Cleveland Cavaliers won a Game 7 in each of their first two series of the playoffs to advance to their first Conference Finals since 2018. The New York Knicks are back there for a second straight season, and they’ll look to finally …

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here. The most anticipated series of the season tips off tonight, as the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs — the two best teams in the NBA — play Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. Advertisement We’ve polled our basketball experts for …