Sports
Bronny James puts together uneven showing at NBA G League Winter Showcase
ORLANDO, Fla. — Well, the glass-one-quarter-full perspective on the Bronny James Show this weekend is to say it could have been worse. But it certainly could have been better.
The NBA G League Winter Showcase came to Orlando, Fla., this weekend, and with the Los Angeles Lakers’ decision to assign James for this event, he immediately became the star attraction, with both games nationally televised.
This was a 20-year-old rookie playing his third month of professional basketball, and I’ve certainly seen more tragic performances from young prospects learning the hard way at this level. But on a court mostly filled with players whose NBA careers will be measured in 10-day increments, James failed to stand out and at times struggled to keep up.
He got off to a hot start in his first game Thursday en route to a 16-point, five-assist night but struggled badly in the second one (six points, seven assists, six turnovers) and was plagued by cringe ballhandling miscues in both. Single-game plus-minus is pretty unreliable, but James taking home a minus-13 in a game his team won by 16 on Saturday conformed with the general eye test.
Based on James’ other G League performances, these two games were not outliers. James drew attention earlier this month by scoring 30 points in a G League game against the Valley Suns, but that was far and away his best outing. In his other seven games at this level, he’s shot just 24 of 76 with an alarming turnover rate.
No, we don’t have this level of scrutiny for other late second-round round picks, many of whom have struggled just as badly or worse in their first two G League seasons (*cough* Maxwell Lewis *cough*). At least three players drafted ahead of James have been demonstrably worse in their G League minutes this season, and several others have failed to distinguish themselves as notably better.
But if you’re looking for something to get excited about, Lakers fans, I’m not sure I have much for you just yet.
Let’s start with the positives. James showed some flashes of pick-and-roll viability in his on-ball reps, especially when he could start the move with a hard dribble left around the screen. He was comfortable getting to a right-handed floater going that way and judicious about snaking it back to his right hand to either get to the rim or force a rotation and hit the big man.
In grab-and-goes and other transition situations, his hit-ahead passes were on point and caused problems for opponents. James also showed his two-footed leaping ability at times, including an impressive traffic rebound Saturday and a flying swat in transition.
Unfortunately, that didn’t offset the other areas in which he fell short. Generally a player ready to contribute at the NBA level will cook G League defenses pretty easily, especially an aspiring guard. James’ South Bay teammate Devonte’ Graham, for instance, rolled in off his couch and scored 24 on Saturday after going unsigned following his 2023-24 season in San Antonio.
For James, that did not happen. He struggled to control his dribble at several points, a red flag for a small guard who is listed at 6-foot-3. In Saturday’s second half, he committed the holy trinity of turnovers trying to bring the ball up against pressure, getting his dribble picked on one trip, failing to clear the backcourt in eight seconds on another and wandering back into the backcourt on a third. Asking him to play the point feels like a complete non-starter.
In the half court, he could work with a screen, but isolations were a different story. James has no wiggle to his game and couldn’t shake defenders in one-on-one matchups after switches and hasn’t established himself as a legitimate 3-point threat either on or off the ball. He made two of his eight attempts from 3 in Orlando and is 7-of-33 from distance in his G League season. Between that and his limited ability to get to the cup on his own steam, his true shooting percentage of 45.4 heading into Saturday was alarmingly poor.
Of perhaps equal concern is that James’ likely role at the NBA level would be as an athletic energy guy, but his motor just doesn’t seem to run that hot and cut out at several different points. James is a good athlete with a strong frame, but you don’t “feel” him in the course of a game because his activity level is so low. Notably, there were several moments when he lazed back in transition rather than sprinting back to interfere with an opposing break; off the ball, he wasn’t nearly as active or handsy as you would hope for a small guard.
In what is perhaps a related story, fatigue seemed to be a real issue for him in both games, especially after a few minutes on the court. It was only two games, but watching him here, it sure seemed like he’d start each stint on the court with two or three good minutes, and then his glitch rate would go through the roof soon after.
Ultimately, the takeaway from many here to chronicle his performance was to go ahead and get familiar with our surroundings, because we’ll probably be doing the same thing again next year. The same can be said of a lot of the players here, especially the late draft picks, but only one of them is the son of a legendary superstar.
(Photo of Bronny James: Scott Audette / NBAE via Getty Images)
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Seven-time NBA champion Robert Horry has some simple advice for Caitlin Clark: Fight back.
Horry, 55, was asked about the criticism the Indiana Fever star has gotten for complaining to the referees, and Horry said Clark needs to protect herself.
“You think about when you when you’re the best, everybody want to knock you out. And I think a lot of people are going after her and for me, just play the game,” Horry told Fox News Digital at The World Cup 2026 Kickoff Party Blue Carpet at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark waits for play to resume during the fourth quarter against the Golden State Valkyries at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on May 28, 2026. (David Gonzales/Imagn Images)
“Some other players around the league didn’t protect themselves, and the (harassment) went on, so my best advice (for) her is protect yourself. Don’t let nobody try to punk you.”
Horry played with Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal and cited him as an example of a player who fought back.
“I think I (played) with one of the greatest players (in) Shaquille O’Neal, he got hammered. I know he’s bigger and stronger than Caitlin, but he got to a point where he just started fighting back. You know, someone (elbowed him), you elbow him back.”
Clark has taken some hard fouls during her three seasons in the WNBA, with many fans wondering if the treatment from her competitors is intentional. The 24-year-old frequently pleads her case to the referees after contact, which has drawn the ire of fans who say she complains too much.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever reacts after a foul was called during the first half against the Portland Fire at Moda Center in Portland, Oregon, on May 30, 2026. (Ali Gradischer/Getty Images)
Fever fans at least weren’t complaining when Clark buried a game-winning 3-pointer to help secure a 78-76 win over the Washington Mystics on Monday. Clark had 19 points, five assists and three rebounds in the win.
The Fever have had a tumultuous start to the season, but are over .500 at 6-5. In 10 games, Clark has averaged 18.7 points, 8.7 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game.
Horry played in the NBA for 16 seasons. He began his career with the Houston Rockets, spending four and a half seasons with them and being a key part of their championship-winning teams in the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons. The Alabama native was then traded to the Phoenix Suns, where he spent half a season before signing with the Los Angeles Lakers.
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Robert Horry and Candice Horry pose on the blue carpet for the World Cup 2026 Kickoff Party at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on June 9, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
Horry was a key contributor during the Lakers’ three-peat from 1999-2001 and earned his third, fourth and fifth career NBA titles. After spending seven seasons with the Lakers, Horry joined the Spurs, where he won two more championships in 2004-05 and 2006-07.
In 16 seasons, Horry averaged 7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
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This is the fourth year of the LA Card Show, and my, how it has grown.
The venue has grown larger and bolder with each year, beginning at the Mayan Theater in 2023. The Intuit Dome held the event in 2024 and Dodger Stadium in 2025. This year’s show will take place this weekend at the L.A. Convention Center West Hall.
Roughly 700 collectibles vendors are expected, almost double the number at Dodger Stadium. Food and drink will be available and the card show is open to all ages.
Pokémon cards and items continue to be the most popular to trade and purchase, according to show officials. All sorts of sports collectibles will be plentiful, with Shohei Ohtani — unsurprisingly — the most popular card, and card grading will be available on-site.
“More than just a card show, it is a cultural event built around the art of collecting,” LA Card Show co-founder Adam Derry said.
Trading Card Game (TCG) deck-building is increasingly popular, with players competing in games such as “Magic: The Gathering” using cards that represent spells, monsters and resources. Comic collectibles will also be traded and sold.
Other attractions include activations with the Clippers, Kings, Sparks and LAFC, and fashion and streetwear from HYPLAND, Holiday, Vandy The Pink and Research Vintage.
The card show will take place from 10 am. until 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday with VIP access at 9 a.m. A two-day general admission pass is $50 (VIP $100), with one-day passes $30 (VIP $50). Ages 8 and younger are free.
Sports
Knicks miraculously overcome 29-point deficit to take commanding 3-1 lead in NBA Finals over Spurs
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NEW YORK – The New York Knicks do not die.
After trailing by as many as 29, the Knicks had yet another comeback — this one perhaps the greatest of all-time, to steal a 107-106 win over the San Antonio Spurs and take a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals.
The winning moment came at the fingertip of OG Anunoby, whose tip-in off a missed Jalen Brunson three-pointer put Madison Square Garden in an absolute frenzy.
But it sure was a grind to get to that point.
New York Knicks PG Jalen Brunson shoots over San Antonio Spurs PG De’aaron Fox in Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden. (Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images)
Karl-Anthony Towns was hit with two fouls in just the first 62 seconds of the game, one which the Knicks faithful were not happy with. And while there was plenty of ball left after that, the game changed from that moment.
The refs certainly did not help the case, but the Spurs opened the game on a 41-20 run, mostly while Towns was off the floor. Combine that with the team knocking down 54% of its three-pointers in the first half, and you have a 76-49 Spurs lead at halftime, and they got up to a 29-point lead.
But we’ve learned to never count out New York. As they cut the deficit to 15 to close out the third quarter, the crowd that was dying to pounce was finally alive. A slow start to the fourth put San Antonio up 20, but the Knicks went on a 13-2 run to cut it to just nine with a little less than seven minutes to go. And then it was seven with 5:15 to go.
Members of the New York Knicks celebrate their 107-106 victory against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York on June 10, 2026. (Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)
KNICKS OWNER, MAMDANI TRADE BARBS OVER CANCELED KNICKS WATCH PARTY OUTSIDE MSG: ‘DON’T WANT THE CELEBRATION’
And then it was four with 4:32 to go.
Then one with two minutes.
And then the lead with just 90 seconds left.
Pandemonium.
The Spurs hit two free throws to regain the lead with 30.3 seconds left. Yet again — it’s the Knicks.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson reacts after making a three-point basket against the San Antonio Spurs during the fourth quarter of Game Four in the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York on June 10, 2026. (Al Bello/Getty Images)
Then came what head coach Mike Brown dubbed the greatest play in the history of Knicks basketball.
San Antonio was unable to get a shot off the inbound, and Madison Square Garden was the loudest it may have ever been, as the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history was complete.
After the game, head coach Mike Brown dubbed Anunoby’s tip-in the biggest play in the history of Knicks basketball.
The Knicks outscored the Spurs 58-30.
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