NBA Basketball 3d Briefing
×Last updated: May 26, 2026, 2:54 AM ET
Eastern Conference Finals
The New York Knicks secured their improbable journey espn.com to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 through bold moves and a coaching change that paid dividends. Meanwhile, New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani trolled the Cavaliers espn.com following the Knicks' advancement, highlighting the intense rivalry brewing between these Eastern Conference finalists. The Cavaliers have faced the analytical challenge espn.com from Knicks opponents, with Kenny Atkinson noting that Cleveland has "analytically" won two of the first three games despite the series heading to a pivotal Game. Despite falling behind 2-0 in the series, the Cavs maintained their confidence espn.com feeling encouraged by their performance in Game 2 and taking comfort in their history of erasing such deficits.
Western Conference Finals
In a dramatic Western Conference finals, the Thunder experienced their worst offensive performance espn.com in years during Game 4 as the Spurs evened the series at 2-2. The setback was compounded by the Thunder ruling out guard Ajay Mitchell espn.com for Game 4 due to a right calf strain. However, the Thunder's bench provided a spark espn.com in Game, delivering 76 points during a 123-108 comeback victory after falling behind 15-0 early in the contest. This series has provided valuable roster-building lessons espn.com for the league, as the Knicks, Cavs, Thunder, and Spurs represent different approaches to team construction that could inform other franchises' offseason strategies.
NBA Awards & Recognition
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Oklahoma City and Nikola Jokic of Denver received unanimous first-team espn.com All-NBA selections, while San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama narrowly missed joining them by just one vote. Wembanyama dominated defensively espn.com as the only unanimous selection for the NBA's All-Defensive First Team, joined by Chet Holmgren, Ausar Thompson, Rudy Gobert and Derrick White. His defensive prowess has analysts predicting future greatness espn.com with the suggestion that he will be MVP for the next decade due to his ability to prevent players from even attempting shots rather than just blocking them. The NBA also honored Bam Adebayo espn.com with the Social Justice Champion award for his off-court contributions and community impact.
NBA Offseason Developments
The Lakers made their first significant offseason move espn.com by hiring Rohan Ramadas as an assistant GM under president and GM Rob Pelinka, signaling their commitment to strategic roster construction. Across the league, executives are considering six trade proposals espn.com that could rock the offseason, particularly focusing on landing spots for Ja Morant and other potential trade candidates. The NBA's two best teams, OKC and San Antonio, control draft assets espn.com across the next eight drafts, positioning themselves for continued success through careful player development and selection. Meanwhile, Kentucky freshman center Malachi Moreno returned to school espn.com after deciding to pull out of next month's NBA draft where he was projected as a second-round pick.
International Basketball & Draft Combine
In a raucous Telekom Center in Athens, Greece, Olympiakos clinched the EuroLeague title espn.com defeating Real Madrid 92-85 in a back-and-forth game that saw the eventual champions fall before rallying. The victory was particularly significant with Giannis Antetokounmpo watching from the crowd, adding star power to the championship celebration. Ahead of the