NBA Player News

To say Towns played poorly in the first three quarters of Game 3 would be fair. He shot 2-of-8 from the field, scoring four points. The good news for the Knicks is that Towns flipped the switch in the final frame, scoring 20 points and shooting 6-of-9 from the field. Interestingly, most of his damage was done when Jalen Brunson was on the bench due to foul trouble. Towns made some history with this performance, becoming the fourth Knick in franchise history to account for at least 20 points and 15 rebounds in a conference finals game. The other three players were Dave DeBusschere (four times), Willis Reed (twice) and Patrick Ewing (twice). Despite trailing by as much as 20, New York managed to pick up its first win in the series, and KAT had much to do with that. Game 4 is on Tuesday night.

Topić, who missed the entire 2024-25 season with a torn ACL, did not make his NBA debut until February 12 after undergoing treatment for testicular cancer. According to the Thunder, Saturday’s lumbar procedure was “minimally invasive.” While he will not participate in summer league, the second-year guard is expected to be a full go when training camp opens in late September. Topić’s chances of cracking the rotation depend on what happens in free agency, as Luguentz Dort has a team option for next season worth just over $17.7 million.

Initially listed as questionable for Game 5, Kornet logged just four minutes in Wednesday’s Game 4 defeat. While he’s likely to take on a similar workload with the Spurs’ season on the line, the veteran center will be able to provide some cover for Victor Wembanyama.

Robinson returns to the injury report for Game 5 of the NBA Finals but he is available to play. The Knicks ' big man logged 13 minutes in Game 4 and grabbed five rebounds. Robinson will continue to have a similar role as New York looks to close out the series.

Kornet, who logged four minutes off the bench in Wednesday’s Game 4 defeat, is dealing with an illness. His potential absence from Game 5 would not significantly affect the Spurs’ rotation, given his limited playing time. It’s possible that Carter Bryant would get a few more minutes off the bench, especially if the Spurs looked to keep Victor Wembanyama’s playing time in check after he logged 44 minutes in Game 4. However, given what’s on the line, it’s unlikely that Wemby would play more than 40 minutes once again.

James, who turns 42 in December, is an unrestricted free agent. And for the first time in his NBA career, he is not viewed as the priority signing going into free agency. The Lakers have prioritized building around Luka Dončić, including a desire to re-sign free-agent guard Austin Reaves. Given what Reaves’ price tag is expected to be, LeBron may have to take a significant pay cut to return to the Lakers. Agent Rich Paul said during a media appearance on Friday that “10-12 teams” have reached out to him regarding James, so he’ll have options in free agency. While James can still be a highly effective option for fantasy managers, his age has lowered the ceiling for 2026-27.

The Lakers have long viewed re-signing Reaves as a priority this offseason, and the expectation was that the cost of doing business would be high. According to The Athletic, the Nets are willing to offer the shooting guard the highest deal they can, which comes to about $178.5 million over four years. Unlike other teams, the Lakers can offer Reaves a fifth year, but the question is how much they’re willing to pay. And with other questions lingering, such as LeBron James’ future and how they’ll fill out the rest of the roster around Luka Dončić, the Lakers could find themselves in a challenging spot regarding Reaves’ deal. As for the Nets, adding Reaves would give them an undisputed building block on the perimeter. And with none of the guards selected in the first round of last summer’s draft (Egor Dëmin, Nolan Traoré and Ben Saraf) truly standing out, this is an area of need for the rebuilding franchise.

Vassell had the hot hand for the Spurs on Wednesday, as he led the team in three-pointers. Yet, he only scored three points in the second half when New York outscored San Antonio 58-30 to complete a 29-point comeback win. Regardless, he finished as one of the team’s best scorers and also made contributions as a passer. Still, Vassell and the Spurs will need to have short memories and get back on track in Game 5 on Saturday. Otherwise, their season could end.

Harper logged another impactful performance on San Antonio’s bench in Game 4. He led the team with a plus-12 rating and finished as one of two Spurs players with 20 or more points. The rookie recorded double-digit points in six consecutive playoff games at the conclusion of Wednesday’s game. He continues to log heavy minutes and will likely see another heavy workload on Saturday.

Wemby logged 44 minutes on Wednesday and put forth a strong effort. Yet, he shot inefficiently both inside and outside the arc, and couldn’t stop the bleeding well enough to prevent the Knicks from completing nearly a 30-point comeback. The Defensive Player of the Year did control the paint on that end of the floor while performing well on the glass — well enough to earn his second double-double of the series. San Antonio will likely need even more production from him on Saturday if it wants to keep its season alive.

Towns battled early foul trouble in Game 4 but showed up for his team when it mattered most. He logged just 18 minutes but scored a couple of big baskets in the fourth quarter as the Knicks mounted their comeback, and finished the period as a team-best plus-21. The veteran center earned his third double-double of the series despite the low minutes total on Wednesday. He’ll have an opportunity to tally a fourth when the Knicks attempt to close out the Spurs on Saturday.