Basketball Intelligence For 5/26/26
Today's Best NBA Reporting And Analysis
FEATURES OF THE DAY
The Thunder and Spurs Look Unbeatable. NBA GMs Disagree.
Howard Beck, The Ringer
The Grizzlies’ Long-Term Vision Should Mirror The Thunder
Paris Sharkey, LWOS
What’s Derik Queen’s Real Ceiling?
Garrison Giddens, Gidd Hoops
CONFERENCE FINALS
NYK-CLE
How the Knicks built an NBA Finals team: Patience, restraint and Jalen Brunson
Fred Katz, The Athletic
4 takeaways: Knicks serve notice as beasts of the East
John Schuhmann, NBA.com
Knicks sweep Cavs, return to NBA Finals for 1st time since 1999
Vincent Goodwill, ESPN
Brunson has led the Knicks back to the NBA Finals
Dan Devine, Yahoo Sports
the things the knicks refused
bang!
brunson took $113 million less. towns stopped shooting. bridges stayed in the lineup. history happened.
Cavaliers Swept By The Knicks: That was bad.
Danny Cunningham, The Inside Shot
Cavaliers’ collapse changes everything: Is Cleveland’s core already finished?
Joe Vardon, The Athletic
Is Kenny Atkinson’s job in jeopardy?
Chris Fedor, cleveland.com
The brutal reality facing Kenny Atkinson after a playoff collapse exposed everything wrong with the Cavs
Ethan Sands, cleveland.com
What a frustrated owner and a lack of control mean for the Cavaliers’ future
Jason Lloyd, The Athletic
Have A Good Summer: Cleveland Cavaliers
Jared Dubin, Last Night In Basketball
SAS-OKC
The Thunder and Spurs Look Unbeatable. NBA GMs Disagree.
Howard Beck, The Ringer
The (wise) path, said a Western Conference coach, is to build patiently, “just be really good and focus on yourself, and then make sure you feel like you have a game plan that you’d be able to compete against them.” But, he quickly noted, “I do think some teams are going to make some mistakes this summer” in their zeal to defeat Wembanyama or Gilgeous-Alexander.
…one talent evaluator for an Eastern Conference team noted (that) there are lessons to be gleaned from both powerhouses. Both teams scout, draft, and develop young talent at an elite level. Both teams invest smartly in analytics and sports science.
Wemby Has Forced the Thunder Into an Identity Crisis
Michael Pina, The Ringer
How De’Aaron Fox became the Spurs’ closer
Michael C. Wright, ESPN
3 things to watch in Spurs-Thunder Game 5
Jeff Zillgitt, NBA.com
The Spurs Allowed Fewer Wide Open Thunder 3s in Game 4
Paul Garcia, The Spot Up Shot
Inside the Spurs’ Chess Move That Swung the Western Conference Finals Against the Thunder
Tom Petrini, Sports Illustrated
Harrison Barnes garners praise despite limited minutes
Tom Orsborn, Express-News
Thunder need Chet Holmgren to fight back against Victor Wembanyama
Marcus Thompson II, The Athletic
Holmgren has to be better for Thunder vs Spurs, Wemby. And he knows it
Justin Martinez, The Oklahoman
The Thunder have run into a big problem. What’s the fix against the Spurs?
Kelly Iko, Yahoo Sports
Spurs-Thunder: best basketball of all time?
Henry Abbott/David Thorpe, True Hoop
THE DRAFT
NBA mock draft 2026: Perfect picks for every team
Ricky O’Donnell, SBNation
New 2026 NBA Mock Draft with 1 Month To Go
Jonathan Wasserman, Bleacher Report
Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Boozer’s Perfect 2026 NBA Draft Fit
Nathan Grubel, No Ceilings
LEAGUEWIDE
NBA extension watch: 20 players who could shape the offseason
Bobby Marks, ESPN
Ranking 5 NBA Teams With the Best Trade Assets
Grant Hughes, Bleacher Report
TEAM-SPECIFIC
LAC: Navigating an Uncertain Clippers Summer - 2026 Offseason Preview
Yossi Gozlan, Third Apron
MEM: The Grizzlies’ Long-Term Vision Should Mirror The Thunder
Paris Sharkey, LWOS
NOP: What’s Derik Queen’s Real Ceiling?
Garrison Giddens, Gidd Hoops
PHX: Pelle Larsson’s encouraging second season creates interesting offseason decision for Heat
Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald
POR: Making Sense of Deni Avdija’s Upcoming Contract Possibilities
Sean Highkin, Rose Garden Report
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