Knicks-Spurs Game 2: Don't Blink

Knicks-Spurs Game 2: Don't Blink

Mitchell Robinson is probable for Friday's Game 2 of the NBA Finals, and the source says it's safe to assume he'll play despite the lingering finger issue. He logged 13 minutes in the opener and grabbed six rebounds — New York expects more of the same as it pushes for a 2-0 series lead. San Antonio, meanwhile, has to win at home or the series starts to feel very short.

Gobble's Take: Probable tag, short leash, full stakes. That's a lot of tension packed into one injury report line. Source: Rotoworld

Julian Champagnie Lit the Fuse, Then Left the Building

Julian Champagnie finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds, one assist, one block, and five three-pointers in Wednesday's loss to the Knicks — but the halftime buzzer basically drew a hard line through his night. In the first half he knocked down five threes, including one at the buzzer, to rack up 15 points and a near team-best plus-9. In the second half: 0-of-5, one point, team-worst minus-17. Stephon Castle did his part with 17 points, eight rebounds, and three assists in his first-ever NBA Finals game as a second-year guard. It just wasn't enough.

Gobble's Take: Going from plus-9 to minus-17 in a single game isn't a cold stretch — it's a tale of two players sharing the same jersey. Source: Rotoworld

The WNBA Just Wrapped Its Longest Regular Season Ever

History made, regular season done. The league completed its first-ever 44-game season, and eight teams are still standing. The storylines were everywhere — the Minnesota Lynx's dominance, the Las Vegas Aces' resurgence, the Indiana Fever's injury woes, and the Golden State Valkyries crashing the playoff party as a first-year franchise. The final eight: Minnesota, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Phoenix, New York, Indiana, Seattle, and Golden State.

Gobble's Take: Forty-four games of buildup, and now eight teams find out what it was all for. Source: Storm Chasers WNBA Journal

The Valkyries-Lynx Series Was a Lesson in How Far "Defying Expectations" Goes

Minnesota delivered the same message four straight times: Game 1, Lynx 86 at Valkyries 75. Game 2, Valkyries 71 at Lynx 82. Game 3, Lynx 78 at Valkyries 72. Game 4, Valkyries 53 at Lynx 72. Golden State made the playoffs on aggressive zone defense and paint congestion, and it worked beautifully — right up until they faced the Lynx. They were swept by the Lynx and Mercury, and dropped the season series to the Aces, Dream, and Liberty too.

Gobble's Take: The Valkyries rewrote the expansion franchise record book. Minnesota just wasn't interested in reading it. Source: Storm Chasers WNBA Journal

In Case You Missed It

Yesterday's top stories:

• Victor Wembanyama struggled through Game 1 as Knicks pressure took its toll
• The Spurs blew a 14-point lead, and Wembanyama is acting like the series just started