Pre-Draft Workouts

The Pacers have begun conducting due diligence on draft prospects. After the lottery gods ignored our pleas, the Pacers currently have a grand total of zero picks in the first or second round. The quality of prospects working out for the team reflects that sad state of affairs.

Braden Smith is of course an interesting name given his local connection and that he fits the profile of what the team values in a late pick. Namely, someone who produced at a high level in college and got better over year over year. If they want him, it shouldn't be too hard to buy a second round pick and get their man.

Of course these workouts are not just about the draft. They are scouting for the Boom and Two-Ways as well. Keep an eye on these names, boring as they may be. You may end up seeing a lot of familiar faces on the Summer League squad.

2026 NBA Finals Preview

The 2026 NBA Finals are finally set. After a dramatic Conference Finals that saw the San Antonio Spurs eliminate the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in a thrilling seven-game series, they'll face the New York Knicks—a team that has dominated opponents by sweep in the Eastern Conference Finals.

This is a rematch of the 1999 NBA Finals, which the Spurs won in five games to claim their first championship. It's also a rematch of the 2025 NBA Cup championship game (the in-season tournament), which the Knicks won 124-113. For the first time since 2022, neither the first seed from each conference makes the Finals.

The implications are massive. The Knicks can end a 53-year championship drought (last title in 1973). The Spurs can launch a second dynasty led by Victor Wembanyama.

Eastern Conference Champion: New York Knicks

Eleven Straight

The Knicks arrived at the Finals with a sense of urgency. They swept the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0 in the Conference Finals, winning in dominant fashion. Before that, they defeated the Atlanta Hawks 4-2 in the first round and swept the Philadelphia 76ers 4-0 in the Conference Semifinals.

The result: The Knicks have won 11 straight playoff games. They have not lost since Game 3 of their first-round series against Atlanta on April 23.

The Drought

The Knicks are headed to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. The last time they actually won a title was 1973. Madison Square Garden hasn't hosted a Finals game in 9,845 days.

New York is carrying 27 years of Finals frustration, and the city's basketball fans sense that this might finally be their year. Win or lose, we are going to see some one-of-a-kind fan behavior outside of MSG.

Western Conference Champion: San Antonio Spurs

A New Dawn

The Spurs' path to the Finals was far more treacherous. They had to knock off the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in a seven-game Western Conference Finals that came down to a Game 7 victory on the road in Oklahoma City.

While Wembanyama led the way with 22, San Antonio had a total of six players score in double figures in an 111-103 win. Their core is a bunch of young players who logically should still be marinating for a year or two.

Nevertheless, the Spurs showed resilience, depth, and championship-level poise under pressure. They didn't just beat the Thunder—they beat them in the Thunder's building when it mattered most.

The Alien

One team is led by a 7-foot-4 alien, the other by a 6-foot-2 magician.

Victor Wembanyama has announced himself as a generational talent capable of carrying a team through the playoffs. His ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor—protecting the rim, defending multiple positions, spacing the floor with three-point shooting—makes him nearly impossible to scheme against.

Teams actions to counter him specifically will be a plot point in the league for the foreseeable future.

NBA Finals Schedule:

Game 1: Wednesday, June 3, 8:30 p.m. ET (San Antonio)
Game 2: Friday, June 5, 8:30 p.m. ET (San Antonio)
Game 3: Monday, June 8, 8:30 p.m. ET (New York)
Game 4: Wednesday, June 10, 8:30 p.m. ET (New York)
Game 5*: Friday, June 12, 8:30 p.m. ET (San Antonio)
Game 6*: Sunday, June 14, 8:30 p.m. ET (New York)
Game 7*: Wednesday, June 19, 8:30 p.m. ET (San Antonio)

All games broadcast on ABC.

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