Sports
Surviving and thriving in the nastiest spot on NHL ice
You gotta want it, right? That’s what they always say, “they” being the NHL players who dare tread into the lawless border between slot and crease, the coaches who send them there, and the fans in the 300-level relentlessly calling for blood.
It’s about desire. It’s about a willingness to take the punishment, and an eagerness to dole it out. It’s about fearlessness and an almost wanton disregard for life and limb. That’s where the pain is, yes — the cross-checks to the back of the head, the slashes to the ankles, the elbows to the gut — but that’s also where the goals are. They’re called the scoring areas for a reason. They’re called the dirty areas for a reason, too. Pay the price, reap the reward. A red light is worth a black-and-blue every single time.
Easy to say that, of course. A tad more difficult in practice. Ever turn your back on an angry giant with a weapon in his hand? Ever step in front of a frozen projectile traveling at triple digits?
Ever do both at the same time?
“It’s scary at first,” Nashville Predators forward Filip Forsberg said. “When you had Zdeno Chara behind you and Shea Weber shooting it at you — that’s the best of both worlds right there.”
Yes, it takes guts to work the net front in the NHL. But it’s facile, folly even, to say it’s simply about who wants it most. There’s a true art to working the net front — for the forwards trying to create havoc, the defensemen trying to prevent havoc, and the goaltenders trying to see through the havoc. It requires courage, sure. But it also requires precision timing, exquisite hand-eye coordination, uncanny instincts, physical fortitude and quick thinking.
And yes, a bit of a nasty attitude doesn’t hurt. Hey, gotta want it, right?
“It’s always chaos,” Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar said. “But you’ve just got to try and make it a little bit of controlled chaos.”
The defensemen
Let’s start not with the trespassers but those patrolling the fence line.
For defensemen protecting the crease, it’s much more complicated than simply outmuscling an intruding forward — though that’s certainly part of it. It starts with picking your battles. Or more accurately, when to battle.
Just because a forward is in front of the crease doesn’t mean it’s time to start jockeying for position. As a defenseman, you have to conserve energy for when you truly need it. So if the puck is wedged between a slew of skates and sticks in the corner, you merely keep an eye, not your whole body, on that forward lurking in the goal mouth. Otherwise, you’ll tire yourself out before the real fight begins.
Former Chicago Blackhawks coach and 21-year NHL defenseman Luke Richardson made a point of having his blueliners — particularly his smaller, more offensive-minded ones — watch video of Toby Enstrom and Kimmo Timonen, a pair of 5-foot-10 guys who protected the crease from power forwards who outweighed them by 20, 30, 40 pounds while conserving enough energy to exit the zone and maintain possession once they did, rather than just dumping the puck and going for a line change. Enstrom and Timonen would use their stick as a spacer more than a weapon. Or they’d stick their arms out and stiffen them, forcing forwards to go around them, making them expend just a little more energy and just a little more time before getting themselves planted. Every fraction of a second counts when forwards are looking for drive-by tips and screens.
Now, once the puck skitters free, or you sense that a shot is coming, it’s time to start boxing out.
But wait a second, dumb question — how do you box someone out on slippery ice?
“It’s turning your skates,” Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy said. “You can actually dig in more than you can in shoes because of your edges, if you turn them outwards. So you plant your feet sideways — duck-footed, or whatever it’s called — and you can be tough to move. Sometimes, if a guy’s coming at you from the side, you just kind of lean into them and wait for the right time to push off of him to get the rebound. It’s all just feel and strength, really.”
Five-foot-10 Kimmo Timonen (44) made a living boxing out much larger players, such as 6-3 Patrick Maroon (62). (Jim McIsaac / Getty Images)
Getting there first is key, too. Better to be the guy trying to stand still than the guy trying to move the guy trying to stand still. Anticipate the play, get into position, jam those skates into the ice, get a strong and wide base and dare the other guy to dislodge you.
This, of course, is where the nastiness begins — jockeying for position can mean a light shove or it can mean a full-on two-hander to the spine. Back in Richardson’s time, it got truly violent among that amorphous mass of bodies. How violent?
“As violent as I was allowed to be,” Richardson said. “(But) you would be careful who you’re up against. I might not have been as violent against Bob Probert as I was against a smaller guy that wasn’t as tough.”
It went far beyond the usual two-handed shoves in the back that you still see today.
The can-opener — wedging your stick between the forward’s legs and either dumping them to the ice or maneuvering them around like a marionette — was popular in Richardson’s time. And good luck to the knees and ankles of any forward in the 1980s who got close enough to a Ron Hextall or a Billy Smith, who’d take their big goalie paddles and chop a forward down like a lumberjack.
That stuff is all verboten today. These days, even especially aggressive cross-checks will get you two minutes. With rising slap shots screaming toward the goal mouth, a poorly timed — or well-timed, depending on how old-school you are — cross-check can put a player’s face right into the line of fire. For obvious reasons, the league doesn’t like that.
“The game has changed,” Vegas center Tomáš Hertl said. “Hockey got a lot smaller, guys got a little faster. I got into the league when it was still Chara and Weber. It was different — there were big, strong guys and they could break their stick over your back. It’s changed, but it’s still not easy in there. The next morning, you still feel it.”
Modern defensemen have to find subtler ways to hinder a forward’s ability to tip a point shot, redirect a slap pass or pounce on a rebound. A quick stick is critical. Most intentional deflections happen on the ice, so Murphy said he’s usually trying to get his stick underneath the forward’s stick and lift it off the ice. On the flip side, when a forward intentionally raises his stick as a shot is on its way, the defenseman’s instinct is to whack it down back to the ice with his own stick or use his body to angle the player away from the net. Whatever the forward’s trying to do, don’t let him do it.
Of course, the more bodies in that net-front battle, the harder it is for a referee to see what’s really going on in there.
“I wouldn’t say it’s like free game in there,” Makar said. “But you’re still going to do anything to keep the puck out of your net. If that means grabbing a guy’s stick or something, you try to do that.”
There is another option — leave the scrum entirely and try to step in front of the shot yourself. That involves unspoken communication with a defensive partner and a trust level with the goaltender. Some goalies love it when a defenseman sacrifices his body for a blocked shot. Other goalies want a clear line of sight to the puck and would prefer to handle it themselves.
So, get there first. But monitor the puck closely so you don’t waste energy. Make sure you and your defensive partner know which forward is his and which one’s yours. Then, decide if you want to fight for position or block a shot. And if you choose to fight, determine whether the forward is going for a deflection — and what type — or if he’s looking to roll off and pick up some loose change around the net. And don’t get a penalty, but be sure to get away with whatever you can.
Oh, and process and accomplish all that in a second or two. Maybe three.
“It’s instinct,” Murphy said.
“It’s fun,” Makar said.
The forwards
Washington’s Tom Wilson can’t exactly articulate what it is that makes him effective in front of the net. It all happens too fast, too chaotically, to distill into an easily digestible soundbite that accurately conveys the experience to a layperson.
“A lot happens really quickly — we’re talking tenths of a second, pucks flying,” said Wilson, a quintessential example of what seems to be a dying breed in the NHL — the power forward. “It’s a hectic game. A lot of the best players around the league are able to slow it down and make plays.”
He was talking about extraordinary tippers like Joe Pavelski and Chris Kreider. Or quick-twitch rebound guys such as Anders Lee and Sean Monahan. Or guys with an innate ability to plant themselves in just the right spot along the blue paint for redirects and tap-ins, such as Zach Hyman and Tyler Bertuzzi.
But in the anarchic area in front of the net, sometimes skill is overrated. Being an agent of chaos can be just as effective. Maybe not like Sean Avery turning his back on the play and waving his arms in front of Martin Brodeur like a basketball player guarding an inbound pass, but, well, not not like that, either.
“There are times where maybe it’s part of my job to make it a little bit crazy,” Wilson said. “I try to thrive in that environment. That’s hockey.”
This is what players mean when they say they want to “take the goalie’s eyes away.” It’s bodies in the way, it’s arms and sticks flailing, it’s planting yourself a millimeter outside the blue paint, your backside taking up as much of the goalie’s field of vision as possible.
“Goalies are so good now, so you need to do that,” Forsberg said. “You need to find any advantage, even if it’s just causing some kind of distraction.”
As for the rest of it, it’s a lot of the same things and thoughts defensemen are working through — just in reverse. Navigate the towering trees, avoid getting mauled, keep your stick on the ice, and get in the way as much as possible. For big guys like Wilson, who is 6-4, 220 pounds, it’s often about brute strength. For smaller forwards, it’s about using your lack of size to your advantage — whether that means using your lower center of gravity to knock bigger defensemen off balance or squeezing through tight spaces and finding open ice.
Utah’s Clayton Keller used to be hesitant to get too involved in the goal mouth. But once he started scoring goals from there, it got a lot less intimidating.
“For a guy like me, a smaller guy, I try to spin off guys, and that’s when you get the rebound, or sometimes you get the tips,” Keller said. “But for a smaller guy, it’s mostly about arriving at the right time and not always standing there. Being around it and getting used to it is the most important thing. That’s where a lot of the goals are scored.”
Veterans such as Corey Perry can dig into their deep bag of tricks in front of opposing goalies. (Jason Mowry / Getty Images)
Savvy forwards can take advantage of the clutter and get away with bending the rules, too. Richardson pointed to a game last February in which Edmonton’s Corey Perry flat-out slashed the stick out of the hands of Anaheim goalie John Gibson, leading directly to an Evander Kane goal. The rules can be very different for a young guy versus a crafty veteran.
“Some guys get away with things because they’ve been around a long time, and they have relationships with the referees that the young guys don’t have,” Richardson said. “You’ve got to play that card, too. If you’re a younger guy trying to earn your stripes, play fair and don’t bark at the referee.”
When Alex DeBrincat first broke into the league, he was regularly getting into physical battles in front of the net, often leading to full-blown scraps after the whistle. Despite being 5-8, tied for the shortest player in the league, DeBrincat too often went toe-to-toe with some of the league’s biggest, strongest players.
He’s a little wiser now at 27 years old.
“I was a little bit more frisky earlier in my career,” he said. “But it’s just playing hockey. I’ve done it for so long, it’s just kind of second nature. I’m not always right in front of the net, but when I am, I’m just trying to get an edge on the other guy and trying not to get pushed out of the net. Sometimes I get a little angry, but usually I’m trying to stay out of the box. I like scoring goals better than fighting.”
The goaltenders
The Boston Bruins’ Jeremy Swayman is 6-3, 195 pounds. By most standards, he’s pretty big. By modern hockey goalie standards, he’s average at best.
“I’m still growing, trust me,” he said. “We’ll get there one day.”
There are 240 forwards and defensemen who have played in the NHL this season who are 6-3 or taller. And very often, several of them are standing directly in front of him while the puck is moving along the blue line. So eight years after arriving at the University of Maine as a scrawny, somewhat short goalie, he’s still trying to see over people’s heads so he can do his job.
“As a freshman, I had to find ways to find and track that puck because these defensemen and forwards were so good at tipping pucks, so good at sifting pucks through,” Swayman said. “And obviously, the forwards in front of me are using their bodies to take away the goalie’s eyes. So I still love bobbing and weaving. I’m probably a little more physical than most goalies, too, making sure I see the puck. Because at the end of the day, I don’t care how it’s done, I just want to see the puck.”
At 6-4, Detroit Red Wings goaltender Cam Talbot tries to peer over the scrum, too. The New York Rangers’ Jonathan Quick is one of the few remaining goalies who likes to get low, coiling his body in the crease like a snake and peering through everybody’s legs. Whatever line of sight you prefer, being able to track the puck through all the traffic might be the most important skill a goalie can have.
And if that traffic backs into you a few times each possession, so be it.
“That’s what you sign up for, right?” Talbot said. “It’s their job to make it as hard on us as possible, and it’s the D’s job to help us out as much as they can.”
Goalies such as Cam Talbot rely on their defensemen as much as their defensemen rely on them. (Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
You’d think communication between goalie and defenseman would be key, but it’s more of a luxury, really. The action’s happening too fast to truly divvy up responsibilities on the fly. There’s usually not even time for trash talk between opponents; that has to wait for the inevitable post-whistle skirmish. Talbot is more vocal than most, though, and has no trouble yelling at his teammates to get out of his way.
“They’re pretty good about it,” Talbot said. “And sometimes they come back and tap me on the pads and say, ‘Good, I didn’t want to eat that one, happy to let you take it.’”
Just as video review has made most forward-initiated contact with the goalie a thing of the past, those Hextall stick swipes have mostly disappeared, too. But if the swarm of bodies in front of the net seeps into the crease, it’s not uncommon to see a goalie take matters into his own hands and start shoving people out of his way.
And sometimes it’s not just the opponents.
“I’m color blind, so sometimes my own guys get in the mix,” Swayman said with a laugh. “Like I said, I don’t care how I get it done, I just want to make sure I see the puck.”
Shoves from behind. Shoves from ahead. Cross-checks to the back of the neck, butt-ends of sticks in the ribs, stick blades in the skates, gloves in the face. All while that hard chunk of rubber could be rocketing in — throat-high or knee-high or toe-high — at any moment.
No, it’s not glamorous at the net front. But when you do it right — whether it’s scoring a goal or stopping one — it’s totally worth it.
“It’s great in there,” Forsberg said. “OK, yeah, it’s awful sometimes. But when you get rewarded, there’s nothing better. Those are the best goals you can score. You earned those.”
(Illustration: Will Tullos / The Athletic; Photos: Maddie Meyer, Ethan Miller, Scott Taetsch, David Berding / 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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