The Lede
🗽 An All-Time Comeback: The Knicks made history in Game 1 win.
🐴 A Clean Slate in Dallas: Jason Kidd is out as Mavericks Head Coach.
🔥 Spurs-Thunder Game 2: What can the Thunder do to slow down Wemby?
❓ Daily Trivia: Do you know the best playoff scorers of the 2020s?
Got a question about the NBA playoffs, the upcoming draft, or really anything hoops-related? Drop your question HERE for a chance to be featured next week.📫
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The Scoreboard
3 Stars of the Night ⭐
🥇 Jalen Brunson - 38 PTS, 6 AST, 3 STL
The King of New York made a statement in Game 1, leading the Knicks’ comeback charge with 15 points in the 4th quarter. Matched up against James Harden, Brunson scored practically at will down the stretch, earning praise from an NBA legend in the process.
🥈 Mikal Bridges - 18 PTS, 5 REB, 2 STL
The Knicks wouldn’t have made NBA history without Bridges last night. With a pair of clutch threes, a crucial steal on Max Strus in OT, and all-around excellent defense, the former Brooklyn Net had his hands all over this win.
🥉 Landry Shamet - 9 PTS, 3 3PM, +25
It was a “Fantastic” performance from Shamet according to his coaches and teammates. Despite playing just 17 minutes, he hit multiple massive threes, including one to tie the game with 45 seconds left in regulation, and another to put New York up nine in OT to seal it.
Daily Trivia❓
Jalen Brunson has 9 career playoff games scoring 40+ points, the most since 2020. Which of these players is tied for 2nd place with 8?
The Latest ✍️
The Dallas Mavericks made the stunning decision to part ways with head coach Jason Kidd on Tuesday despite a good amount of playoff success during his time with the team.
Mark Cuban is no longer the majority owner of the Mavericks and, while he still owns a minority stake, is not involved in the basketball operations anymore. However, Cuban’s voice still rings loudly when it comes to his former team. On Tuesday, he commented on the Kidd firing in the wake of the surprise move.
Sound Off 🔊
Do you think the Mavericks firing Jason Kidd was the right move? 🤔
The Highlight Zone 📸
Witness every bucket of this 11-point Jalen Brunson run to spark the Knicks’ comeback. 🔥
Landry Shamet gets the shooter’s bounce on this huge shot to tie the game in the final minute. 🎯
Sam Merrill was thisss close to sending the Cavs home with the win in regulation. 🤏
Looking Ahead 👀
Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals had everything you could ask for in a basketball game, and then some. Victor Wembanyama gave us one of the performances of the decade to lead the Spurs to a 2OT victory, but will lightning strike twice for him in Oklahoma City? No matter how he plays, San Antonio will be hoping for the return of De’Aaron Fox, who is a gametime decision with an ankle injury. Stephon Castle struggled with 11 turnovers as the lead ball-handler in Game 1, and they could use Fox’s reliable hands at the helm.
For the Thunder, this has to be a response game for the 2x MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who had a tough time getting to his spots against the Spurs on Monday. If he can explode for a big night, it opens up a lot more space for OKC’s perimeter shooters, who, outside of Alex Caruso, struggled to make much of an impact.
What do you think? Will the Spurs head home with a commanding 2-0 lead? Or will the Thunder fight back to tie things up?
