Sports
Mandel’s Final Thoughts: A gloomy Week 3 in the Sunshine State for Florida and FSU
And now, 18 thoughts from Week 3, which was awfully fun to watch, so long as you weren’t in Gainesville or Tallahassee, Fla.
1. Florida and Florida State claim a total of six national championships. Their state produces more blue-chip recruits than any outside of Texas. And their head coaches, Florida’s Billy Napier and Florida State’s Mike Norvell, make a combined $17 million.
How can their teams both be so bad at the same time?
2. Florida State, which went 13-1 a year ago, is now 0-3 after its latest dud, a 20-12 home defeat to Memphis. The Seminoles gained just 238 total yards and put on a Keystone Cops sizzle reel, including a muffed punt in which two players ran into each other and an offsides on a Memphis fourth-and-8 punt that allowed the Tigers to go for it and convert. FSU managed to get within one score and had an outside chance to drive for the tie, but DJ Uiagalelei was sacked twice in three plays. The beleaguered transfer quarterback was 16 of 30 for 201 yards.
Poor Memphis (3-0) thought it was going to Tallahassee to get a big resume-boosting nonconference win, but Norvell’s bewilderingly inept team is careening toward a 4-8 (or worse) kind of season.
It seems so long ago now that Florida State was the sport’s collective object of sympathy after the College Football Playoff selection committee’s snub of a 13-0 team last December. It was only a couple of weeks later that the school filed its lawsuit to get out of the ACC, with an argument that amounts to “We’re too good for your crappy TV deal.” The Noles are 0-4 since. The ACC filed its own suit against FSU, but it’s becoming harder by the week for the league to prove damages.
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3. About two hours to the east, a Texas A&M team that hadn’t won a true road game in nearly three years trounced Napier’s Gators 33-20 in the rain. It was 33-7 late in the third quarter, by which point it looked like a spring game in the stands. This, on top of Florida’s season-opening 41-17 loss to Miami in the same stadium, all but assures Napier won’t make it to Year 4. The only question is whether athletic director Scott Stricklin will keep his own job long enough to pull the plug.
Florida is a puzzling place. It has reached two extreme highs, under Steve Spurrier in the 1990s and Urban Meyer in the 2000s, and been mediocre in nearly every other era. Whoever replaces Napier will become the Gators’ fifth head coach since Meyer stepped down after the 2010 season. He better be a heck of a recruiter, because that program desperately needs a talent infusion.
4. It turns out Quinn Ewers does in fact need backup. When Texas’ starting quarterback suffered a strained abdomen (per coach Steve Sarkisian) in the second quarter against UTSA, redshirt freshman Arch Manning came in and cranked out his own personal highlight reel in a 56-7 rout. Peyton and Eli’s nephew threw for four touchdowns and broke off a 67-yard touchdown run, the longest by a Longhorns quarterback since a guy named Vince Young.
Sark indicated afterward that Ewers’ injury is not serious, but it’s uncertain whether he’ll be back for next week against Louisiana-Monroe. Fortunately, No. 2 Texas (3-0) has the best backup quarterback in the country.
5. I’m not a fan of docking teams for winning ugly on the road and thus cannot bring myself to overreact to No. 1 Georgia’s strange 13-12 win at Kentucky (1-2). If anything, it has become a tradition: Georgia (3-0) won 14-3 in Lexington in 2020 and 16-6 there in 2022. Kirby Smart likely relishes the wake-up call for his team, which has now won 41 consecutive regular-season games.
Georgia at least had one excuse for its disjointed offense, as veteran guard Tate Ratledge left with an injury early in the second quarter. Kentucky coach Mark Stoops has no such excuse for punting from his own 48, down one point with 2:58 left. The Wildcats did get the ball back — at their own 20 with 9 seconds left.
6. Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama offense came alive in the fourth quarter last week against USF and only looked more explosive in the fourth-ranked Tide’s 42-10 waltz at Wisconsin on Saturday. Quarterback Jalen Milroe threw three touchdowns and ran for two, stud freshman receiver Ryan Williams had four catches for 78 yards, Washington transfer Germie Bernard caught a 26-yard touchdown and tailback Jam Miller had a 34-yard touchdown run for the 3-0 Crimson Tide.
The Badgers (2-1) are still struggling to find themselves in Year 2 under Luke Fickell and likely will now be without quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, who was on crutches following a first-half knee injury.
7. What a missed opportunity for South Carolina (2-1), which led visiting LSU 17-0 early and 33-29 with less than two minutes left before falling 36-33. The Gamecocks had touchdown runs of 75 and 66 yards, but their offense stalled after starting quarterback LaNorris Sellers suffered an ankle injury shortly before halftime. Also, what would have been a dagger fourth-quarter pick six got wiped out by an unnecessary roughness penalty on edge rusher Kyle Kennard, arguably the best player on the field for most of the game.
One big bright spot for LSU (2-1): a breakout showing by freshman running back Caden Durham, who carried 11 times for 98 yards and two touchdowns.
8. On Thursday, Power 5 castoffs Oregon State and Washington State got to strut for the first time in nearly a year, as the rebuilding Pac-12 raided the Mountain West for four of its best programs. The Cougars (3-0) followed it up on Saturday with a cathartic 24-19 Apple Cup win over hated Washington. On a fourth-and-goal from inside the 2-yard line with just over a minute left, the Cougars defense stuffed an option play to take down one of the schools whose departure to the Big Ten helped kill the old Pac-12. Wazzu quarterback John Mateer, who broke touchdowns of 23 and 25 yards in the win, continued his emergence as one of this young season’s breakout stars.
Oregon State (2-1) was not as fortunate in its own in-state rivalry game, falling 49-14 at home to No. 9 Oregon (3-0). The Ducks offense was strangely out of sync in their first two games, but a couple of changes on the offensive line may have solved their issues. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel, sacked seven times in his first two games, was 20 of 24 for 291 yards and two touchdowns, ran for a 54-yard TD and was not sacked once, as his team averaged 9.3 yards per play. This looked much more like the Oregon team voters expected to see when they ranked the Ducks No. 3 in the preseason polls.
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Oregon State’s loss a low point, but better times — with a more certain future — on the horizon
9. No. 18 Notre Dame (2-1) must have flushed that loss to Northern Illinois quickly. The Irish went on the road and handed Purdue its worst loss in program history, 66-7, in a game Notre Dame led 42-0 at halftime. It was the kind of explosive performance fans were hoping for this season, with touchdowns of 70, 48, 34 and 28 yards on offense, plus a 34-yard pick six by defensive lineman Boubacar Traore. Quarterback Riley Leonard showed off the wheels we saw from him at Duke, with touchdown runs of 34 and 13 yards in the second quarter alone. He was still fairly quiet in the passing game, though the Irish didn’t need him to pass for very long.
10. In one of just two Top 25 games over the weekend, No. 6 Missouri (3-0) spotted No. 24 Boston College (2-1) a 14-3 lead, stormed back to lead 17-14 at halftime and won 27-21. The Tigers defense held the Eagles to 49 yards on the ground, gave up three passing touchdowns to BC quarterback Thomas Castellanos but also picked him off twice. Meanwhile, it appears Eli Drinkwitz hit in the portal jackpot when he landed Appalachian State running back Nate Noel, who had 22 carries for 121 yards.
I don’t believe Mizzou is actually the No. 6 team in the country, but it may have the most favorable schedule in the SEC. The league has four other top-10 teams, of which the Tigers face one, No. 4 Alabama.
11. In the other Top 25 game, played Friday night, No. 14 Kansas State (3-0) looked every bit like a Big 12 title contender in its 31-7 rout of No. 20 Arizona (2-1). K-State allowed an early touchdown, then shut out Arizona’s explosive offense the rest of the way, while quarterback Avery Johnson ran for 110 yards and Colorado transfer Dylan Edwards broke a 71-yard punt return touchdown. It was an impressive rebound for K-State’s defense after struggling against Tulane the week before.
Although Arizona is in the Big 12 now, this was a previously scheduled nonconference game and did not count in the league standings. Because nothing in this sport makes sense.
12. UNLV (3-0) has become one of the best stories in the sport. Barry Odom came in last year and led the Rebels to a nine-win season for the first time since 1984. Now, they are 3-0 for the first time since that season after knocking off Kansas 23-20 on Friday. Odom was the defensive coordinator at Arkansas prior to taking the UNLV job, and a pair of his former players, linebacker Jackson Woodard and safety Jalen Catalon, helped the Rebels hold Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels to 153 passing yards and two interceptions.
It’s still early, but UNLV and Boise State look like the clear-cut favorites for the Mountain West championship, which this year could come with a CFP berth.
13. No. 15 Oklahoma plays its first SEC game next week against Tennessee, and I don’t know what to expect from Brent Venables’ 3-0 team. It bears almost no resemblance to the Bob Stoops/Lincoln Riley pass-crazy offenses. Quarterback Jackson Arnold threw for 169 yards and ran for 97 in the Sooners’ 34-19 win over Tulane (1-2). He has not reached 200 passing yards in a game this season. But Venables’ defense is legit. A week after lighting up Kansas State, Tulane’s Darian Mensah was just 14 of 32 for 166 yards against Oklahoma.
I’m confident the crowd in Norman will be electric next week but uncertain about everything else.
14. At his introductory news conference, first-year Indiana coach Curt Cignetti memorably told reporters, “I win. Google me.” The former James Madison head man is thus far true to his word. The Hoosiers (3-0) went to the Rose Bowl and trounced UCLA (1-1) 42-13. Cignetti nailed it when he brought in former MAC Offensive Player of the Year Kurtis Rourke from Ohio. The sixth-year quarterback finished 25 of 33 for 307 yards and four touchdowns.
The Hoosiers, who have outscored their first three opponents 150-23, play their next three games against Charlotte, Maryland and Northwestern. They may be bowl-eligible by the first weekend of October. UCLA, which plays its next three against No. 16 LSU, No. 9 Oregon and No. 8 Penn State, likely will not be going bowling this season.
15. Pittsburgh (3-0) is having a blast living dangerously. Last week the Panthers, down 27-13 entering the fourth quarter, kicked a field goal with 17 seconds left to beat Cincinnati 28-27. This week, they trailed rival West Virginia 34-24 with 4:55 left before rallying to win 38-34. The key to both wins: Alabama transfer quarterback Eli Holstein. The redshirt freshman was 21 of 30 for 301 yards and three touchdowns, including a 40-yard TD to Daejon Reynolds with 3:06 left. It’s quite the start to the season for coach Pat Narduzzi after last season’s 3-9 debacle.
16. I wasn’t kidding last week when I said Colorado’s defense has gotten better. The Buffs forced four turnovers and shut down rival Colorado State 28-9 in their best overall performance since early last season. Quarterback Shedeur Sanders threw four touchdowns, and Travis Hunter had another do-everything performance: 13 catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns and an interception on defense. But perhaps most encouraging for coach Deion Sanders’ team: It ran the ball (a little). Freshman tailback Micah Welch ran nine times for 65 yards.
Don’t go penciling in Colorado for a bowl game just yet, but that defense should be good for at least a couple of wins.
17. We said all offseason the new 16-team Big 12 would be highly competitive, and the first conference game of the season did not disappoint. UCF (3-0), down 31-13 in the third quarter, stormed back to win 35-34 at TCU (2-1) despite having three kicks blocked. Fourth-year coach Gus Malzahn has assembled quite an offense in Orlando. Running back RJ Harvey, who ran for 1,416 yards last season, scored on touchdowns of 29 and 27 yards, and former Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson hit receiver Kobe Hudson (six catches, 145 yards, two TDs) for the game-tying 20-yard catch with 36 seconds left.
The Knights have a week off before welcoming Colorado to the Bounce House.
18. Last week, Northern Illinois did the MAC proud. This week, it was Toledo (3-0), which housed Mississippi State 41-17 in Starkville, the most lopsided win for a MAC team over an SEC team since Ohio beat Kentucky 35-6 in 1971. It’s a great milestone for ninth-year coach Jason Candle’s program, which won the conference in 2022 and went 11-3 last season.
But the gap between the two conferences has not completely closed yet. Also on Saturday, No. 7 Tennessee hammered 0-3 Kent State, 71-0. Though it was only 65-0 at halftime.
(Photo: James Gilbert / Getty Images)
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We’re approaching the biggest sporting event North America has ever hosted.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup takes place across the USA, Canada and Mexico in 13 days.
Bettors and fans already have their sights set on the global spectacle, which will kick off on June 11. The World Cup final will be held at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on July 19, 2026.
After the World Cup groups were announced in December, Spain opened as the favorite at +450, followed by England (+550) and France (+750).
Now, with less than two weeks to go, Spain has slightly drifted to +475, with both France and England making up ground on the oddsboard.
Let’s dive into the odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of May 29.
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2026 World Cup winner odds
Spain: +475 (bet $10 to win $57.5 total)
France: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)
England: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)
Brazil: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)
Argentina: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)
Portugal: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
Germany: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Netherlands: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)
Norway: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Belgium: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Colombia: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
Morocco: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)
Uruguay: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)
United States: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total)
Switzerland: +6500 (bet $10 to win $660 total)
Japan: +6500 (bet $10 to win $660 total)
Mexico: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)
Croatia: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)
Ecuador: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)
Senegal: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total)
Sweden: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
HOST NATIONS
United States
The United States is led by Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, and Chris Richards, with several players competing in Europe’s top leagues. The U.S. has appeared in 11 previous World Cups, with its best finish coming in 1930 when the team reached the semifinals.
Canada
Canada’s key players include Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David, giving the squad top-tier pace and goal-scoring ability. Canada has made two previous World Cup appearances, and is still looking for its first win ever in the tournament.
Mexico
Mexico’s top contributors include Raul Giménez and Edson Álvarez, forming a strong mix of attacking talent and midfield stability. Mexico has played in 17 previous World Cups and reached the quarterfinals twice, in 1970 and 1986.
UEFA TEAMS TO KNOW
Spain
Spain’s top talents include Pedri, Lamine Yamal and Rodri, forming a core that blends elite playmaking with scoring depth. Spain has appeared in 16 previous World Cups and won the tournament once, lifting the trophy in 2010. The team also won the 2024 Euros.
France
France enters with Kylian Mbappé as the star player, with the 26-year-old just five goals shy of passing Miroslav Klose (16) for the most career goals at the World Cup. France has made 16 previous World Cup appearances and won the title twice, in 1998 and 2018.
England
England’s key players include Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice, forming one of the nation’s strongest generations in decades. England has reached 16 previous World Cups and won the trophy once, in 1966.
Germany
Germany features Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala and Joshua Kimmich as central figures in a talented squad. Germany has participated in 20 previous World Cups and won four titles, most recently in 2014.
Portugal
Portugal’s top group includes Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, with Cristiano Ronaldo still involved as the team’s all-time leading scorer and cap leader. Portugal has competed in eight previous World Cups and recorded its best finish in 2006, reaching the semifinals.
Netherlands
The Netherlands features top players such as Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch and Denzel Dumfries, forming a core built around elite defending and midfield control. Memphis Depay should also be on the team, the country’s all-time leading goalscorer. The Netherlands has appeared in 11 previous World Cups and finished as runner-up three times, in 1974, 1978 and 2010.
CONMEBOL TEAMS TO KNOW
Argentina
Argentina is anchored by Lionel Messi, with Julián Álvarez, Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez— headlining one of the most talented rosters in the tournament. Argentina has played in 18 previous World Cups and won three, including the most recent tournament in 2022.
Brazil
Brazil’s roster is led by Vinícius Júnior, Raphinha and Marquinhos, giving the team elite attacking and defensive quality. Brazil has appeared in every World Cup and holds a record five titles, with its most recent one coming in 2002.
Uruguay
Uruguay’s leading players include Federico Valverde, Darwin Núñez and Ronald Araújo, forming a core with elite midfield range and speed. Uruguay has appeared in 14 previous World Cups and won the tournament twice, in 1930 and 1950.
Colombia
Colombia is headlined by Luis Díaz and James Rodríguez, with the former playing for Bayern Munich and the latter having a decorated World Cup résumé. Colombia has made six previous World Cupsand recorded its best finish in 2014, reaching the quarterfinals.
CAF TEAMS TO KNOW
Morocco
Morocco’s key contributors include Achraf Hakimi, Noussair Mazaroui and Brahm Díaz, each with major European club experience. Morocco has appeared in six previous World Cups and achieved its historic best finish in 2022, reaching the semifinals.
Senegal
Senegal’s top players include Sadio Mané, Kalidou Koulibaly and Idrissa Gueye, forming one of Africa’s most experienced cores. Senegal has appeared in three World Cups and reached its best finish in 2002, advancing to the quarterfinals.
Ghana
Ghana is led by Mohammed Kudus, Antoine Semenyo and Inaki Williams, giving the squad strong playmaking and midfield presence. Ghana has competed in four previous World Cups and reached its best result in 2010, making the quarterfinals.
AFC TEAMS TO KNOW
South Korea
South Korea is headlined by Son Heung-min, supported by key players such as Kim Min-jae and Lee Kang-in. South Korea has played in 11 previous World Cups and reached its best finish in 2002, advancing to the semifinals as co-host.
Japan
Japan features Takefusa Kubo and Kaoru Mitoma as its leading players, blending top European experience with emerging talent. Japan has appeared in seven previous World Cups and reached the Round of 16 four times, its best result to date.
Australia
Australia’s top players include Jackson Irvine and keeper Mathew Ryan as its most experienced members. Australia has competed in six previous World Cups and reached the round of 16 twice, in 2006 and 2022.
OFC TEAMS TO KNOW
New Zealand
New Zealand is led by all-time leading scorer Chris Wood, with 45 international goals to his name. New Zealand has appeared in two previous World Cups (1982, 2010), and did not advance from the group stage in either appearance.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander apparently isn’t amused by a new board game that pokes fun at the Oklahoma City Thunder star’s reputation for garnering foul calls at the hint of contact by an opposing player.
Last week, a lawyer representing the two-time reigning NBA MVP sent a cease-and-desist letter to sports prediction market and fantasy sports company Underdog that includes a demand for the destruction of all copies of the cheeky and extremely limited-edition game Unethical Hoops.
Done in the style of the children’s classic Operation, Unethical Hoops requires players to use tweezers to pull objects from tiny holes, with the slightest touch of a metal border setting off a buzzer indicating failure.
Instead of pretending to be doctors attempting to remove body parts from a patient, however, Unethical Hoops players act as members of an opposing basketball team trying to take the ball from a cartoon character who very much resembles Gilgeous-Alexander.
In this game, the buzzer represents the whistle of a foul-calling referee.
“Shai has made hoops all about foul baiting and now you’re stuck guarding him in Underdog’s new board game,” a description reads on the game’s website. “Don’t get baited. Steal the ball without getting whistled.”
In a letter dated May 22, attorney Eric Fishman of ArentFox Schiff LLP demanded that Underdog “immediately and permanently cease and desist from any and all use of Mr. Gilgeous-Alexander’s NIL in any and all media, including but not limited to your website (including the Unethical Hoops Website)… and any physical goods including but not limited to the board game advertised on the Unethical Hoops Website.”
The notice also calls for Underdog to “immediately destroy all physical goods or advertisements that use Mr. Gilgeous-Alexander’s NIL, including but not limited to the board game advertised on the Unethical Hoops Website,” as well as a promise never to use the star player’s name, image or likeness without his permission.
Fishman did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Times.
According to the Unethical Hoops website, which remains active more than a week after the date on the cease-and-desist order, only 100 copies of the game were made, to be given away to Underdog users. The giveaway ended as scheduled on Friday.
Underdog declined to comment on the matter other than to point out that the company has pulled comical stunts at the expense of members of the sports world.
“We’ve poked fun at Knicks and Lakers fans, the Red Sox owners, the Mets and more,” a spokesperson said via email. “We like to have some fun with whatever is in the sports fan zeitgeist.”
Gilgeous-Alexander is a four-time All-Star who led the league in scoring last season (2,484 points) and was second in scoring this season (2,117). He led the Thunder to their first NBA title last year and has them back in the Western Conference finals this year (the decisive Game 7 against the San Antonio Spurs is Saturday in Oklahoma City).
While one of the NBA’s biggest stars, Gilgeous-Alexander is often criticized for the number of favorable foul calls he receives — he has ranked second or third in the league for number of free throw attempts per game in each of the last four seasons and is currently second among all players in the 2026 playoffs with 9.8 a game — and the lengths he appears to go to in order to receive them.
After Game 2 against the Spurs, one NBA fan account on X wrote, “Shai flopped on every single shot attempt” and posted a video that showed seven such examples (Gilgeous-Alexander actually attempted 24 shots that night). The post has been viewed 22.7 million times.
Earlier this week, prior to Game 6 of the conference finals, another fan account on X posted a video “ranking all 44 times SGA fell on the floor while shooting during the 2026 playoffs from least to most egregious.” That post has been viewed 1.3 million times.
As the cartoon likeness of Gilgeous-Alexander states in the Unethical Hoops ad, “so much as breathe on me, I’m getting the call.”
The real-life SGA was asked during a TV interview after Game 3 in San Antonio about the “flopper!” chants that rained down on him at Frost Bank Center.
“It’s part of the game,” he said. “It’s nothing. I’ve been dealing with it for a long time. I don’t really hear it. I’m focused on what’s going on on the court.”
Sports
Spurs blow out Thunder, force Game 7 as Victor Wembanyama leads the way with 28-point double-double
Trump says he thinks he’ll attend NBA Finals game
President Donald Trump said during a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday that he believes he will attend an NBA Finals game next week, as the New York Knicks make their first Finals appearance in nearly 30 years.
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The Western Conference Finals will come down to a Game 7 after the San Antonio Spurs routed the Oklahoma City Thunder, 118-91, in Game 6 on Thursday night.
Game 7 heads back to Oklahoma City, where the winner will face the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals after New York swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
With their backs against the wall, the Spurs did what was necessary on their home court and then some. And it was their phenom, Victor Wembanyama, leading the way.
Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs reacts during the first half against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Six of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on May 28, 2026. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The 7-foot-4 big man led the Spurs with 28 points on 10-of-21 shooting, including four three-pointers made, while notching a double-double with 10 rebounds, two assists, two steals and three blocks.
This was the performance head coach Mitch Johnson and the rest of the team needed from Wembanyama, and he was up for the challenge as the Thunder were looking to make it back-to-back NBA Finals appearances.
Instead, the Thunder’s three-point shooting woes returned in San Antonio, much like they did in Game 4 of this series. They took a whopping 40 threes, but only cashed in 10 of them, finishing 25% from beyond the arc on the night.
SPURS SNAP THUNDER’S PLAYOFF WIN STREAK BEHIND VICTORY WEMBANYAMA’S INCREDIBLE GAME 1 PERFORMANCE
As a team, the Thunder shot just 37%, and MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is among the culprits for the poor shooting night. He had just 15 points, going 6-of-18 from the field and 0-of-5 from three-point land. Lu Dort was also ice cold from three, going just 1-of-9 and 2-of-11 for the game.
Meanwhile, San Antonio was getting more than just “Wemby” contributions, especially from rookie Dylan Harper, who played a vital role in the blowout off the bench.
Dylan Harper of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the first quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on May 28, 2026. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Harper was quite efficient when he had the ball in his hands, going 6-of-9 from the field for 18 points, while tallying six rebounds and four assists in his pivotal 22 minutes off the pine.
And in the starting five, Stephon Castle was getting to the rim like he’s supposed to, scoring 17 points while dishing out nine assists for the Spurs. Devin Vassell also hit four of his seven three-point shots for 12 points, while Julian Champagnie poured in 10 more with six rebounds, two assists, one steal and two blocks on the other end of the hardwood.
The Spurs saw 12 different players contribute on the scoreboard in this contest, some of whom made their way into the game when the Thunder conceded and already started to focus on Game 7. And that swing came in the third quarter, when the Spurs outscored the Thunder, 32-13, and started to run away with this must-win game for their franchise.
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama shoots against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first half of Game 6 in the Western Conference finals NBA playoffs in San Antonio on May 28, 2026. (David J. Phillip/AP)
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Now, folks, it all comes down to the ever-suspenseful Game 7, where the Thunder will hope one last home game will give them the juice to push their way into the Finals.
But the Spurs are hoping to recreate 1999 by earning a matchup with the Knicks in the NBA Finals.
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