Wednesday night’s memorable Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs did not change the league calendar: Game 5 is set for Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC and the Knicks could end a 53-year championship drought, according to ESPN.
The series has produced four late finishes, each featuring San Antonio leads evaporating in the final two minutes, and the Spurs surrendered a Finals-record 29-point advantage in Game 4, according to ESPN. An Eastern Conference executive told ESPN there has been something in this series “you’ve seen that’s made you go, ‘Did you just see that?'” while a Western Conference scout called the upcoming Game 5 a “real test of the Spurs’ resolve.”
Attention around the Spurs shifted to rookie guard Dylan Harper after Game 4. Harper has come off the bench throughout the Finals, averaging 16.3 points and 6.8 rebounds in the series and scoring 21 points on 8-for-12 shooting in 32 minutes in Game 4, according to ESPN. Multiple observers said Harper’s late-game inactivity — as De’Aaron Fox handled much of the ball — suggests he should see a larger role, and one Western Conference executive told ESPN, “He’s their second-best player.” The executive added that sliding Harper into the starting lineup would mark only the seventh start of his pro career.
Victor Wembanyama’s workload also drew scrutiny after the rookie logged 44 minutes in Game 4 and appeared increasingly fatigued as the contest progressed. Several sources told ESPN they expect the two days between games could be sufficient for recovery, and many league evaluators believe the Spurs can win Game 5 to force Game 6 at Madison Square Garden.
Off the court, the Giannis Antetokounmpo situation remains the league’s biggest non-Finals storyline with fewer than two weeks until the draft. Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam has said Antetokounmpo will either be moved by the draft or the franchise will continue to build around him, and ESPN reporting indicates Milwaukee has renewed urgency to find a deal. An Eastern Conference scout told ESPN it “seems like everyone else’s business is on hold until we see what happens with Giannis,” though trading a superstar on a large contract in the current apron era presents significant challenges, according to ESPN.
