
Thunder near NBA Finals, but stupid rule rears its head again as playoff drama grows
On this date one year ago, the great Bill Walton passed away. Let's remember the legend by watching this compilation of his funniest basketball announcing moments.
OKC's big three puts Thunder on brink of finals
All season long, the Thunder's dominance has been hesitantly accepted because of their youth. Could this young core step up under the brightest lights and on the biggest stage? After the Timberwolves showed big-time signs of life with a 42-point win in Game 3 of this series, the Thunder had a chance to put their opponents back in peril by taking Game 4 at the Target Center. But they would need more than just Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drawing a bunch of fouls and scoring a lot of points.
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SGA dropped 40 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds in another game with a lot of free throws and a lot of jump shots the Wolves couldn't guard. But it was Jalen Williams scoring 14 of his 34 points and Chet Holmgren scoring nine of his 21 points in the fourth quarter to bring home the 128-126 victory. The Thunder now head home with a 3-1 series lead. It was a phenomenal answer back from a complete dud the previous game, getting a taste of their own blowout medicine.
The Thunder didn't play the same shutdown defense we expected. They allowed 41 points in the fourth quarter, and Minnesota outscored them in both the third and fourth periods. The Wolves also hit over 40 percent of their 3-pointers for the second straight game, and actually found their way to the free-throw line (we'll get to that in a minute) more often than the Thunder did. But the Thunder did still keep forcing turnovers with 14 of Minnesota's 23 turnovers coming on live-ball miscues.
While the Thunder absolutely earned their win, the ending of the game was once again devoid of drama thanks to the NBA's embracing of games decided by accounting errors and spreadsheets, rather than basketball. We've talked about this time and time again in this space, and we'll continue to bang this drum until the NBA fixes the stupid rule: Teams should not be allowed to foul up by three (or do a hack-a strategy).
The Wolves had two possessions in the final eight seconds of a three-point game with a chance to tie with a 3-pointer … except, because the NBA allows intentional fouls – even though they ruled transition take fouls to be illegal without a shred of consistency to this concept on intentional fouls – the end of this game is robbed of a potential game-tying attempt. The Thunder operated within the current dumb rule. They fouled up three. The Wolves shot two free throws. And eventually, the spreadsheet approach overcame the basketball.
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It was a fun game and finish up until that point. And the viewers weren't respected enough once again to be given a chance to see an exciting shot. I don't know why the NBA thinks this should be allowed or the hack-a strategy is good for business. Intentional fouls are illegal until they're not, as long as they have the proper branding (transition take fouls). Maybe if we call them 'TV ratings prevention fouls' then the NBA will try to give us more finishes that don't feel like someone 'yada yada yada'd' at the end of the game.
OKC can close out and move on to the NBA Finals Wednesday night. You can watch on ESPN or stream on Fubo for free! (Despite what I just said, basketball is usually fun to watch.)
Mavericks want to time travel with Cooper Flagg
🏀 Time hopping. The Mavs are going to take Cooper Flagg first overall. It'll give them a two-timeline approach.
🏀 Homecoming. Holmgren learned his game in Minneapolis. He's showing off there now.
💺 He's back. Our long national crisis is over: Tyrese Haliburton's dad is attending Pacers games again.
🏀 Dedication. Karl-Anthony Towns had a big game this weekend. He dedicated it to his mom.
🎧 Tuning in. Today's 'NBA Daily' examines whether the Thunder's current big three is the best in franchise history.
Knicks' season saved by star big man
The Knicks still have a lot of work to do in order to feel good about the Eastern Conference finals. They enter tonight's Game 4 in Indianapolis still in desperate need of a victory. They can't go down 3-1 to the Pacers. It wouldn't be quite as dire as the Wolves' situation above with OKC having home-court advantage. The Knicks would potentially have two of the last three games at home. But the 3-1 comeback is something that happens about a quarter of the time.
The reason the Knicks are in a position to even the series at 2-2 is because Towns saved their season in Game 3. It was more than just him, but KAT was the main reason on a night New York found itself down by 20 points in the second quarter and struggling through a tough Jalen Brunson scoring effort. To his credit, Tom Thibodeau made some adjustments to try to ignite some things.
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He inserted Mitchell Robinson into the starting lineup for Josh Hart. He played Landry Shamet and Delon Wright off the bench. He trusted Deuce McBride with key minutes. But the biggest thing that rang true is that Towns, who struggled through the first three quarters, remembered one very important thing: Myles Turner and the Pacers can't guard him. They never have been able to. He has torched the Pacers his entire career.
Through the first three quarters, he had four points on 2-of-8 shooting (0-of-3 from deep), seven rebounds, four turnovers and four fouls. Yeesh. In the fourth quarter, it all changed. The 29-year-old played all but 36 seconds in the final period and matched the Pacers in scoring output.
He had 20 points on 6-of-9 shooting, 3-of-4 from deep and 5-of-6 from the line. He also had eight rebounds. It was big because Brunson played fewer than three minutes in the final period due to foul trouble. The Knicks relied on their defensive effort and Towns' scoring. Now, they'll need him to keep doing it because the Pacers don't have answers.
The Knicks, in turn, have to find a way to slow down the Pacers' attack again. Indiana had an uncharacteristically low assist-to-turnover ratio (21:12) and shot just 5-of-25 from downtown. Is that something the Knicks can expect to happen again on the road? We'll see if the Pacers can restore their dominant identity in Game 4.
The story of the greatest players in NBA history. In 100 riveting profiles, top basketball writers justify their selections and uncover the history of the NBA in the process.
The story of the greatest players in NBA history.
Award SZN ended with fantastic vibes
On Friday, the final component of NBA awards season dropped when the league announced the All-NBA teams. As a completionist, I feel the need to do a section on arguably the biggest award given out aside from MVP, even though it happened four days ago. That's the All-NBA honors. I don't feel the need to give you my entire résumé as a completionist to prove that this is just how I operate. Just know that I watched every episode of 'Ballers.'
These are the All-NBA teams. I'll also drop some things I found interesting below:
First Team
Second Team
Third Team
It's always cool to see guys get their first All-NBA selections. I know the number of All-Star selections is usually the highest honor thrown around for players, but All-NBA is a far more prestigious accolade. One recognizes you're either popular or having a great start to the season. The other acknowledges you were one of the 15 best players for that entire season. It should be talked about far more than All-Star selections as accolades.
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The First Team was pretty obvious because with the positionless voting now, it should always be what the final MVP ballot ended up as. That's what happened here. For the Second Team, I don't really have any surprises. It wasn't quite my ballot, but we can get into that in a little bit. For me, the Third Team had one curious inclusion. With that, let's jump into All-NBA Snubs!
Snubbery!
Those are the only real snubs I have there. Nobody else came close in the voting. Harden is the inclusion I am shocked made it. He was good this season, but I didn't think he was one of the 15 players in the league. I didn't even think he was an All-Star over teammate Norm Powell or the best Clipper for the entire season over Ivica Zubac. That's not any shade at Harden. I'm just surprised his shooting inefficiency and turnover issues didn't knock him down.
Financial implications for the selections and snubs
There are some interesting financial implications with these awards and snubs! Some of the max extension bumps are tied to All-NBA honors, so here's what to know about those:
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USA Today
23 minutes ago
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of the Washington Mystics, Gabby Williams #5 of the Seattle Storm, Jackie Young #0 of the Las Vegas Aces, Sonia Citron #2 of the Washington Mystics and Brittney Sykes #15 of the Washington Mystics wear shirts saying "Pay us what you owe us" prior to the 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 19, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) Less Getty Images Caitlin Clark's rookie trading card sold for $366,000 four months ago. That figure represents over $150,000 more than the maximum WNBA single-season salary and $28,000 more than Clark will earn across her entire four-year rookie contract. This disparity reveals a fundamental disconnect between market demand and player compensation that undermines the league's growth potential. 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Clarks's record trading card price demonstrates market demand not just for individual stars, but for the high-quality basketball that emerges when more players can focus exclusively on their craft over the course of a single season rather than seeking overseas supplements to inadequate salaries. For that reason, the players' positions reflect strategic thinking about capturing value from continued anticipated growth while recognizing that individual marketability depends on collective play and competitiveness among all players and teams. of a trading card is shown as Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever signs autographs before the game against the Dallas Wings at College Park Center on September 01, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by) Less Getty Images According to Dr. David Berri, professor of economics at Southern Utah University, "the WNBA has $200 million in revenue today. Adjusted for inflation, per team revenue in the WNBA today appears to exceed where the NBA was at back in the early 1970s when the NBA was the same age as the WNBA is today. The WNBA appears to be on the same path as the NBA." Berri has also noted, "WNBA players get less than 7% of (league) revenue. The top salary in the WNBA right now is less than $250,000. The NBA 50 years ago was paying its top players $400,000 a year, and that was (at a time) when the NBA only had $30 million in revenue 50 years ago. The WNBA is at $300 million in revenue, at least, and we also know that with the new television deal, it'll be at least $500 million." This comparison refutes the common myth that the WNBA operates in some fundamentally different economic reality from the NBA. Yet the treatment of players couldn't be more different and at no time in NBA history, including throughout the 1950s when the NBA was a very small operation with very few fans (roughly a fifth of the size and scope of the WNBA in 2025) were NBA players being treated as poorly as current WNBA players. of the Las Vegas Aces and Jackie Young #0 of the Las Vegas Aces wear shirts saying "Pay us what you owe us" prior to the 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 19, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) Less Getty Images WNBA players are positioning themselves for the future of the league. These players are negotiating their fair portion of the profits that growth trends suggest are becoming more realistic, not asking for a larger share of losses. The revenue sharing structure established now will determine whether players benefit from the success their talent and marketability are driving into the future. As union president Nneka Ogwumike articulated during recent negotiations, "We see the growth in the league and as it stands, the current salary system is not really paying us what we're owed. We want to be able to have that fair share moving forward, especially as we see all of the investment going in." The key phrase from Ogwumike is "moving forward." Current negotiations are not simply about adjusting salaries to match existing revenue, but about creating structures that allow players to benefit from the growth trajectory for the league. Further, the "revenue isn't there" argument collapses under scrutiny because it conflates current constrained revenue with market potential. Every metric suggests the WNBA operates well below its revenue ceiling due to strategic choices rather than market limitations. Engelbert acknowledged this reality, "we want to significantly increase their salary and benefits while balancing with our owners, their ability to have a path to profitability, as well as continued investment." The path to profitability runs directly through maximizing the product's appeal, which requires treating players as valuable assets rather than cost centers. As Liberty guard Natasha Cloud noted, "We're fighting for what we're due, what we're worth, our value. They're going to be fighting for what they think protects the business. Our job is to find the common ground." That common ground exists in recognizing that player compensation and league growth aren't competing interests. These components of the business of women's sport are complementary strategies to be used to capture the massive market opportunity that current trends have revealed. The question isn't whether the WNBA can afford to pay players what they're worth; it's whether the league can afford not to make the investments necessary to realize its full potential. sign saying "Pay the players" during the 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 19, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) Less Getty Images Schedule Expansion: While the NBA generates revenue across 82 regular season games from October through June (a span of nearly nine months) the WNBA season encompasses only 44 games compressed into five months from May to September. This means the WNBA has 46% fewer games to sell tickets, concessions, and merchandise, while also offering broadcasters less than half the inventory of live content. Expanding the WNBA season to even 60 games would increase revenue opportunities by 36%, without accounting for the multiplier effect of sustained fan engagement across a longer season. Yet the current CBA caps the season at 44 games, creating an artificial ceiling on revenue generation that has nothing to do with market demand and everything to do with ownership's investment priorities. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has indicated flexibility for seasons extending into November, particularly with the 2026 FIBA World Cup creating scheduling considerations. A longer season means more games, more broadcast inventory, and more opportunities for the viewership growth the league is already experiencing. Strategic Time Slot Optimization: When games receive proper placement and promotion, the numbers speak volumes about untapped demand. Weekend afternoon games between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. ET consistently deliver exceptional ratings, with four of the five highest-rated games airing at 3:00 p.m. on Saturdays and averaging 2.16 million viewers. Yet this proven time slot represents less than 25 percent of the national schedule. Meanwhile, only 25 percent of WNBA games currently air during traditional primetime windows, and many of those are relegated to cable networks with limited reach. The May 17 Chicago Sky at Indiana Fever game drew 2.7 million viewers on ABC at 3:00 p.m., which made it the most-watched regular season game since 2000. Shifting just half of the games to these proven time slots could increase average viewership from around one million to between 1.5 and 2 million per game. Expansion Economics: The league has already approved franchises for Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia at the record $250 million expansion fee. Each new market brings additional revenue streams through ticket sales, local sponsorships, and regional media rights. The expansion trajectory suggests demand far exceeds current supply, creating artificial scarcity that limits overall league revenue potential. of the Indiana Fever and Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the New York Liberty wears a shirt saying "Pay us what you owe us" prior to the 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 19, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) Less Getty Images 'Pay Us What You Own Us' When a trading card commands more market value than the athletes themselves can earn, the system isn't simply unfair, it's also inefficient. The WNBA's current revenue-sharing model represents a fundamental misallocation of resources that constrains the very growth it claims to seek. Players receiving less than 10% of league revenue while generating record viewership, sold-out arenas, and $250 million expansion fees defies basic economic principles that govern every other major sports league. The "Pay Us What You Owe Us" movement isn't about charity or special treatment. It's about applying standard sports economics to a league that has operated under artificial constraints for too long. When players can focus exclusively on their craft without being forced to compete overseas for additional income, when games air in optimal time slots, and when the season expands to meet demand, it's more than likely that the revenue ceiling will experience a significant rise. When a piece of cardboard sells for more than the maximum salary, it reveals the WNBA's fundamental failure to invest in the very players whose talent and marketability have generated and will continue to generate historic growth and fan demand.