Rumors

Viewership for the games was as high as it has been since 1998, five years before ESPN and ABC began producing the Finals in 2003, Google searches reached peak levels, social clips broke records for the NBA and Knicks related merchandise has been flying off the shelves. Sportsbooks saw a record amount of action at the window as well. DraftKings told the Post that five of the six most bet NBA games in the sportsbook’s history all came from this NBA Finals series with Game 5 at the top for most-bet NBA game ever at DraftKings. BetMGM said it saw a 28.6 percent jump in the average handle wagered on each game from the 2025 Finals to 2026 Finals. The Knicks were such a massive draw at BetMGM, the team became a liability midway through the series.

New York Post

Jeremy Lin on Linsanity: It was just a shadow that I couldn't outrun. And I think how I used to see it was look, I'm competitive. I'm ambitious. So if you're talking about what happened in 2012, that means I haven't done my job as a player. Because in 2013, I should be surpassing what I did in 2012. In 2015, I should be surpassing what I did in 2013. There should be new memories. There should be new stories, new chapters, a a new legacy. And the truth is, you cannot top Linsanity. Like I was the number one most searched person on Google. I was the most popular person on the planet. How do you top that? You cannot top that. And so for me, even if I went on, I was, let's say I was a starter, an all-star, and I won a championship on another team, it does not top Linsanity.

YouTube

While the Denver Nuggets and Milwaukee Bucks are following the 2026 NBA Playoffs, presented by Google, from afar, Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo made headlines from the VIP section of the 2026 UEFA Champions League Final in Budapest, Hungary, on Saturday. The Serbian superstar, a devoted Arsenal supporter, broke his typical stoic demeanor, going viral after broadcast cameras caught him celebrating intensely when Kai Havertz opened the scoring for the Gunners. The Joker has long credited Arsenal legend Thierry Henry as his favorite athlete of all time, explaining his passionate display during the dramatic match that ultimately saw Paris Saint-Germain triumph in a penalty shootout.

EuroHoops.net

Head coach Frederic Fauthoux has named a 16-player roster for the senior national team of France heading into the upcoming July window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers, as revealed by the French Federation of Basketball on Friday. The star-studded training camp squad is highlighted by the returns of veterans Rudy Gobert and Evan Fournier, alongside a strong NBA contingent featuring Bilal Coulibaly, Zaccharie Risacher, Alex Sarr, Guerschon Yabusele, and newcomer Maxime Raynaud. While France will be without Victor Wembanyama following his deep run in the 2026 NBA Playoffs, presented by Google, Fauthoux balanced the roster with EuroLeague standouts Sylvain Francisco, Nadir Hifi, Jaylen Hoard, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Frank Ntilikina, Elie Okobo, and Matthew Strazel, who were also called up alongside window veterans Adam Mokoka and Amine Noua to ensure continuity.

EuroHoops.net

NBA: Congrats to James Harden of the Cavaliers for moving up to 6th on the all-time playoff STEALS list! NBA Playoffs presented by Google

bsky.app

With the San Antonio Spurs clinching a berth in the Western Conference Finals of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, presented by Google, Victor Wembanyama has been ruled out for the next FIBA window in July, to resume action in the FIBA World Cup 2027 Qualifiers. The head coach of the senior national team of France, Frederic Fauthoux, confirmed during a recent interview with RMC Sport that Wemby was extremely unlikely to be available if the Spurs progress.

EuroHoops.net

Victor Wembanyama is relishing the opportunity to face his mentor, Rudy Gobert, in the upcoming Western Conference Semifinals of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, presented by Google. “It’s even more fun if I’m meant to play against Rudy,” he previewed the French matchup during a media session following team practice on Friday. “As a role model, there are a lot of things that he inspired me, but I’m sure he inspired more people in terms of taking care of their bodies. He should be a role model for all big men,” he stated, highlighting Gobert’s influence on his career and the league at large.

EuroHoops.net

As the crew analyzed the Blazers’ best-of-seven series against the San Antonio Spurs in the opening round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, presented by Google, Barkley drew a striking parallel between the Israeli star Deni Avdija and the late Hall of Famer Drazen Petrovic. “Drazen Petrovic is one of the best players I’ve ever seen from an offensive, aggressive standpoint,” he noted, emphasizing the specific mental shift he sees in Avdija’s game. “Let me tell you something, he wants to score every single time. He’s going straight, he ain’t deviating off that line, and he ain’t going around you, he ain’t going left. He’s like, ‘Hey, I’m going right to the basket.’”

EuroHoops.net

Zaccharie Risacher opened up about his declining minutes and the mental toll of the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season’s conclusion following his postseason debut with the Atlanta Hawks. Speaking to BeBasket after his side’s losing effort against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Saturday to open a best-of-seven series in the opening round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, presented by Google, the 21-year-old French small forward admitted that the situation is difficult to manage. “You can’t let yourself get down by things you can’t control. Of course, you can imagine it’s not an easy situation to manage. But here I am, still here, even more motivated, I’d say. I have to try to turn this to my advantage. Obviously, it’s tough, but I’m trying to make it a strength,” Risacher described his approach to the current situation with the team coached by Quin Snyder.

EuroHoops.net

Myles Turner: So, I think it was a way of trying to fire us up, but in a room full of ego, he kind of came with the whole ‘Google me’ thing, and I don’t think it went over as well as he might have thought it would. And again, it was a little unoriginal too, because the guy from Indiana, the coach, had just done that. It was a cringe moment for everybody at that time, because we were all kind of looking around like, ‘All right, guys. Well, I guess let’s go beat Boston now.’ You know what I mean? It was tough.”

YouTube

NBA Communications: The NBA today announced the 36 officials who have been selected to officiate the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs presented by Google.

Twitter

Awful Announcing: Shams: In a team meeting, according to six people in the room, Doc Rivers hit the Milwaukee Bucks with "Look at my resume, Google me. I took teams to the playoffs and championship that weren't supposed to be there." That was not well received internally. And that was just another example of the disconnect between players and coach.

Twitter

Disney and Fubo announced the closing of their deal merging Hulu + Live TV operations with Fubo, with Disney owning a 70% stake in the new company. The newly combined Fubo and Hulu + Live TV business creates the second largest virtual pay-TV provider in the U.S., with nearly 6 million subscribers in North America. That trails only Google’s YouTube TV, estimated to have more than 10 million paying subs, which is currently involved in a carriage-renewal fight with Disney.

Variety.com

In addition to the NBA App, NBA.com and team apps and websites, Tap to Watch will provide access to game telecasts through national and local media partners and via other NBA partners such as Google, Meta, X, Snap, Reddit, Roku, Dapper Labs and more. Further integrations with FanDuel, Fanatics and Yahoo Sports, as well as other digital and connected TV partners, will roll out during the season.

NBA.com