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Knicks News Today: WCF Now 3-2 , KAT Teases Finals Practice Changes

Isaiah De Los Santos|
The latest news and headlines around the Knicks.
The latest news and headlines around the Knicks. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

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New York Knicks

While the long wait for the Knicks to play basketball again continues, there's plenty of interesting news around the team and the league as a whole that's relevant during New York's latest extended break.

Let's take a look at those recent happenings while Jalen Brunson and co. bide their time:

Knicks watch Thunder take 3-2 lead over Spurs

On Tuesday night, the Western Conference finals shifted back in the Thunder's favor after they won Game 5 127-114. Oklahoma City's decision to give Jared McCain his first-ever playoff start paid dividends, as the second-year guard logged 20 points and was the only other OKC starter to hit that mark aside from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The Spurs were pesky in Game 5, recording an impressive 14 steals, but they also lost the rebounding battle 48-41. A poor performance from deep (12-41, 29%), as well as off nights for Victor Wembanyama (4-15 from the field, six rebounds) and Dylan Harper (five points in 25 minutes), doomed San Antonio.

Wemby's showing seemed to particularly get in his head, as the monk-trained big man surprisingly ignored his media responsibilities after the game.

Stephon Castle was also upset in the aftermath of the loss, highlighting his belief that a friendly whistle helped Oklahoma City take the series lead.

Now, the Spurs have to shake off the bad vibes and look to stave off elimination at home. They most recently defeated the Thunder at Frost Bank Center 103-82 in Game 4, but dropped their first contest there in Game 3 by a score of 123-108, showing they aren't a shoo-in to extend the series despite playing in friendly confines.

For the Knicks, their best hope is that San Antonio comes firing back with its playoff lives on the line. It's clear this series is draining both sides, as the Spurs' young core stresses about knocking off the defending champs and the Thunder try to advance despite several injury absences.

Game 7 of the WCF would take place on Saturday, May 30, which cuts into the break OKC can create for itself if it wraps things up on Thursday instead. Anything can happen in those do-or-die contests as well, plus it'd be an exhausting way to even make the Finals, so New York will be San Antonio's biggest fan in Game 6.

Karl-Anthony Towns hints Knicks' practices for NBA Finals will be different than ECF

Earlier on Tuesday, SNY's Ian Begley shared some intriguing insight from the Knicks' locker room following their sweep. According to Begley, Karl-Anthony Towns believes Mike Brown heard players "loud and clear" about their desires for practice tweaks leading up to the NBA Finals.

KAT made sure to specifically note "a change up (to) the philosophy" of scrimmages that the team "didn’t do last time." He said that's in order to "be better prepared" with another long layoff and fears of rust for Game 1 of the Finals.

This is very encouraging to hear. After all, New York's roster could be high on its own supply after pulling off a second straight sweep and currently touting an 11-game win streak.

The Knicks very well could just rely on their incredible chemistry to pick up where they left off. And though the start to Game 1 against the Cavaliers wasn't the greatest, they still found a way to pull things out before finding their stride the rest of the series.

But instead, players are still focused on how they can improve with the ultimate prize just four wins away. This shows the championship-worthy mentality that's permeating throughout the locker room. That starts with big names like Towns leading the charge, and his comments make it clear he's pushing the coaching staff to prepare them even better for the Finals.

Now it's on Brown and his staff to meet this challenge. Considering how he's pushed each of the right buttons during this magical postseason run, it'd be no surprise if the Knicks have a very productive week of Finals practice.

NBA media finally taking Knicks seriously as championship team

It's taken an unprecedented win streak and a pair of sweeps, but the Knicks are starting to earn some fans among NBA media and are being given their credit.

Ex-head coach and notable basketball voice Jeff Van Gundy has come out and claimed New York should now be the favorite to win the title, despite the Thunder and Spurs still in play.

Shaquille O'Neal, who previously made his doubts about Towns and the Knicks as a whole known, has now been fully converted. He issued an apology to the entire state of New York and remarked how impressed he is by the team's synergy.

Kenny Atkinson keeps his job despite Knicks sweep

In very surprising news, Kenny Atkinson is keeping his job on the heels of an early exit at the Knicks' hands. His staff and the front office are staying in place as well, per The Athletic's Joe Vardon, which has to make New York happy, considering how poor an effort the players gave in the ECF.

It's notable that this also comes when unhappiness from Cleveland's locker room has seeped out in recent days. Atkinson's coaching style seemed to rub some players the wrong way, yet the Cavaliers are planning to run things back with him.

While Atkinson's return is positive for the Knicks, it also opens the door for a major roster shakeup in Cleveland that could impact New York defending its Eastern Conference crown. Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James are two names already swirling around in rumors involving the Cavs, and it makes sense considering the pressure to deliver another title to The Land with Donovan Mitchell in tow.

That means the Knicks can't write off this Cavaliers team despite their sweep, with changes possibly coming for the 2026-27 season.

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Isaiah De Los Santos
ISAIAH DE LOS SANTOS

Isaiah De Los Santos has been in sports media for 10 years, most recently joining OnSI to cover the New York Knicks, New York Jets and New York Yankees. Previous stops for Isaiah include FanSided, SB Nation and SLAM.