Latest news with #ex-Knicks
New York Post
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Pacers vs. Thunder Game 1 prediction, odds: 2025 NBA Finals pick, best bets
Gambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commission if you sign up through our links. Read our editorial standards for more information. It's not the NBA Finals anyone envisioned, but two of the league's smallest markets are competing for a ring in 2025. Oklahoma City is a massive -800 series favorite at bet365, with the Pacers sitting at +550. These are the second-longest odds we have seen in an NBA Finals matchup since 2005, with the only bigger favorites being the 2017-18 Warriors, who were -1075 against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in his final year before heading to Hollywood. In Game 1, the Pacers are big 9.5-point road underdogs with the moneyline coming in at +340. Indiana has been excellent on the road, going 6-2 away from Gainbridge Fieldhouse this postseason. It will require a herculean effort to replicate that against a Thunder team that is 80-18 between the regular season and playoffs. We've talked about the Pacers' ability to dominate late in games, but some cracks in the armor reared their ugly heads at the back-end of that Knicks series. For starters, the bench appeared to give the Pacers some problems once now ex-Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau opened up his lineups and gave some much-needed minutes to Landry Shamet and Delon Wright. Tyrese Haliburton warms up prior to Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 31, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Getty Images Now, imagine Wright and Shamet being replaced with Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace and you have a tough time wearing down your opposition as the Pacers did the Knicks. The Thunder have too many pieces that they can call on if some of their starters need a rest so I suspect Oklahoma City wins this series rather easily, at worst in six games, but likely before that. After posting a strong net rating through two rounds of the playoffs and early on against the Knicks, the Pacers cratered to the end the series and have a 0.0 net rating in final quarters during the playoffs. Indiana is 12-4 in the fourth quarter during the playoffs, the same record as the Thunder, but all wins are not created equal. Twelve minutes played against the Denver Nuggets is not the same as 12 minutes played against the Knicks or Heat. Betting on the NBA? Look to Oklahoma City to win this series going away, thanks to suffocating defensive pressure and strong depth at all positions that should work against Indiana's run-and-gun strategy. Live bet the Thunder if the young team gets first-half jitters and you can get them at plus-money and back their fourth quarter against the spread price of -1.5 (-108). THE PLAY: Thunder fourth quarter -1.5 (-108, FanDuel) Why Trust New York Post Betting Erich Richter is a brazilian jiu-jitsu blue belt but he has a black belt in MMA betting. During the football season he's showcased massive profits at The Post in the player prop market the last two seasons. While constantly betting long shots, his return on investment is 30.15 percent since 2022.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
2 ex-Knicks assistants lead odds to replace Tom Thibodeau
2 ex-Knicks assistants lead odds to replace Tom Thibodeau The New York Knicks are on the hunt for a new head coach after firing Tom Thibodeau on Tuesday, and the betting odds say they're likely to land on a familiar name -- though which familiar name remains a question. At DraftKings, former Denver Nuggets championship-winning coach Michael Malone is the favorite to land the job at +125 odds. Malone -- who made FTW's list of potential candidates -- is a New York native who spent his first two years in the NBA as an assistant with the Knicks from 2003-05. After Malone, former Thibodeau assistant Johnnie Bryant has the next-best odds at +400. The 39-year-old Bryant spent four years on New York's staff before becoming associate head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers last season. Bryant is currently one of two finalists for the Phoenix Suns job, ESPN's Shams Charania reported Monday. If Malone or Bryant aren't the hire, the betting odds still lean to a few other coaches with Knicks connections. Jay Wright, who coached Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges at Villanova, is tied for the third-best odds at +1500 with Mike Budenholzer and Brunson's dad, Rick Brunson -- who's been a Knicks assistant since 2022.
New York Post
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Josh Hart, Ben Stiller and more react to Knicks' jaw-dropping Tom Thibodeau firing
Fans and players across the NBA were stunned on Tuesday afternoon when the Knicks fired head coach Tom Thibodeau days after the the team saw its season come to an end in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Post's Stefan Bondy reported the decision had been made by team president Leon Rose under the guise of it being in the best interest of winning a championship. In a post on X, Knicks star Josh Hart reacted in a post with orange and blue emoji hearts. Advertisement 4 Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau reacts on the court. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post 'Forever Grateful,' Hart wrote, 'Thank You!' His teammates have not yet reacted publicly to the news, but the wife of a former one certainly seemed to. Advertisement Kendra Randle, the wife of ex-Knicks star Julius Randle, uploaded a three-second video clip of her toasting a glass wine with an Italian flag emoji in an eyebrow-raising social media posting. Celebrity Knicks fan and tennis great John McEnroe reacted to the news live on TNT's broadcast of the French Open, saying, 'That is a bummer.' 4 Actors Timothee Chalamet and Ben Stiller sit courtside for Game 4 of Knicks-Pacers. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post Advertisement Ben Stiller, who was a constant presence during the Knicks playoff run thanks, Thibodeau for all he did for the organization in a post on X. 'I am a Tom Thibodeau fan. He brought this team back,' he wrote. 'I felt he gave every bit of himself and was always looking to improve. I will always be grateful for how far he brought the Knicks. They are relevant again. They are championship contenders again. The Knicks became winners again with him. Thank you COACH THIBS.' During a hit on ESPN's 'SportsCenter,' NBA insider Shams Charania said that his 'phone is blowing up right now with executives, everyone around the league just stunned.' Advertisement 4 Julius Randle #30 of the Minnesota Timberwolves warms up before the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. NBAE via Getty Images Current Knicks leader Jalen Brunson was adamant that Thibodeau was the guy to lead the team to a championship when he had been asked by a reporter about it over the weekend. 'Is that a real question right now?' the guard responded after the season-ending Game 6 loss in Indianapolis. 'You just asked me if I believe if he's the right guy. Yes.' Thibodeau spent five seasons in the Big Apple coaching the Knicks and led them to a 226-174 record while guiding them to the playoffs in four of his five seasons as head coach. 4 Knicks guard Josh Hart #3 reacts to a call at referee James Williams. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post That also included the franchise returning to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. Rose said in a statement released by the Knicks that the Knicks 'made the decision we feel is best for our organization moving forward.'
New York Post
24-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Knicks willling to welcome back Charles Oakley to Garden if he drops lawsuit
INDIANAPOLIS — The Knicks have opened the door. The ball is in Charles Oakley's court. They would welcome him back with open arms as a celebrated team alumnus if he drops his lawsuit against owner James Dolan and Madison Square Garden, a source with knowledge of the situation told The Post. The suit stems from his infamous ejection from the Garden in 2017 following an altercation with security guards. 3 Former NBA player Charles Oakley sits courtside before the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks at Quicken Loans Arena on February 15, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio. Getty Images Oakley was initially banned from the Garden by Dolan, but that ban has long been lifted. Oakley can purchase a ticket and attend any game he wants. But if he drops the suit, he'd fully re-enter the Knicks family and get all the perks that come with that. A legion of ex-Knicks attend games with courtside seats through the team, are shown on the jumbotron and regularly attend team events. 3 Charles Oakley of the New York Knicks shoots against the Washington Bullets during an NBA basketball game circa 1992 at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. Oakley played for the Knicks from 1988-98. Getty Images Patrick Ewing, Walt Frazier, Bill Bradley, John Starks, Larry Johnson, Allan Houston, Latrell Sprewell, Carmelo Anthony, Stephon Marbury and others are constant fixtures at games. There are monetary opportunities through the team as well. Oakley brought assault and battery claims against Dolan and the Garden, though the case has twice been dismissed. It was reinstated again by an appeals court in September. 3 Charles Oakley and Ice Cube show support for the inaugural season of the BIG3 basketball league while attending New York Knicks Vs. Brooklyn Nets game at Barclays Center of Brooklyn on March 12, 2017. GC Images The main question centers around whether security used reasonable force. Other claims have been thrown out. Oakley, now 61, played 10 years with the Knicks between 1988-98. He emerged as a fan favorite and key part of a core that was a perennial contender — the Knicks made the playoffs every year Oakley was with the team. His tough, gritty style of play helped shape the Knicks' identity during those years. The bad blood between Oakley and the team has lasted eight years and is still ongoing. But for their part, the Knicks are ready to put it all behind them.
New York Post
09-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
How Knicks have put the Celtics in a perilous situation — former star David Lee reveals ‘mental' edge
Sometimes it's about winning the mind game, and ex-Knicks star David Lee says his former team has the edge in that department against the Celtics. 'I think there was definitely a mental aspect to what happened (Wednesday) in Game 2,' Lee told The Post about the shocking 2-0 series lead grabbed by the Knicks. 'If you're the Celtics, you either have to say 'Ok, we're going to keep doing what we're doing and have the confidence that we are going to shoot our way out of it.' Or you have to try to change your whole game plan. I just think they will stick with exactly what they are doing and they're going to have confidence that their shots will eventually go in.' The Celtics really struggled down the stretches of Games 1 and 2, blowing 20-point leads and shooting a horrific 17.5 percent from the field from the three-minute mark of the third quarter through the end of Game 2. They shot 14 3-pointers in that time, making only two and turning the ball over six times. 5 David Lee tells The Post that the Knicks are winning the mental game against the Celtics. Getty Images Lee wouldn't recommend that Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, who has been under fire for his lack of late-game adjustments, make any major changes to his strategy or rotations, adding that one missing piece is really hurting them. 'It helps [the Knicks] that [Kristaps] Porzingis isn't at full strength. I think he's the guy that I look at that probably hasn't given them as much as he normally does when healthy,' Lee said. 'But I think the rest of [the issues] is you kind of live by the 3, die by the 3.' 5 Jayson Tatum has been settling for 3-pointers through two games of their series against the Knicks so far. Getty Images When it comes to the Celtics' struggles, Lee is looking for Boston to continue shooting the basketball like it has throughout the season. Boston has hit just 25 of 100 3-point attempts this series. 'If you all of a sudden say 'OK, we're going to shoot less 3's and we're going to attack the rim and we're going to change our lineups,'' Lee said, 'then I think you're going away from what has been the strength of your team that won the championship last year and has been one of the best teams all season long.'' 'But if you keep shooting 3's and they keep not going in, now you're putting more pressure on yourself to make 3's. Because don't think that (Wednesday) when they go up 20, that they didn't think in the back of their minds they weren't saying, 'This is where we were in Game 1' and then the Knicks start making a couple of shots and the Celtics start thinking, 'OK, here we go again.'' That kind of mental fortitude is what has made the Knicks so infectious to watch this season. The familiar face told The Post that he'll return to The Mecca for Game 3, cheering on his former team and the rest of the Knicks as they look to take a 3-0 series lead in an already stunning semifinal. 5 NBA Clutch Player of the Year Jalen Brunson has been nails in big spots for the Knicks this year. Getty Images 'We're very excited, me and my wife will be there, going to Game 3 cheering them on,' Lee said. 'I'm obviously still a Knicks fan and have so much respect for the franchise.' The former Knick captain averaged a double-double in three of his five seasons with the team from 2005-10, including a standout performance in the 2009-10 season when he put up 20.2 points and 11.7 rebounds per game. 'Really cool thing to look back on,' Lee said about being the Knicks' captain so early in his career. 'That's not an easy thing mentally or pressure-wise to handle, and I think part of it for me was I was so young I was kinda naive about it. I was just like, 'Well, I'm just going to go out and play hard and compete.' 'And looking back on it now, to be the captain of the Knicks and be the leader on that team for a few years is a really special honor.' Lee departed for the Warriors in 2010, which just so happened to be Stephen Curry's rookie year. 5 David Lee spent five seasons in New York and was named captain. Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty 'He was a guy who struggled with injuries, but obviously a great teammate, great person. Always had the ability to shoot the ball at an elite level,' Lee said. 'Keep in mind, back then, some of the shots he's making on a regular basis now, those are the shots that, when you would shoot them back in the day, they would pull you out of the game. So this is a guy that has really changed the makeup of the NBA and what people do offensively now.' The Warriors, who are now tied in their series against the Timberwolves after stealing Game 1, will now be forced to play without their four-time champion and star guard going forward due to a hamstring strain. 5 David Lee during a 2006 game. NBAE via Getty Images And who knows, if the Knicks and Warriors both win this round and the next, then these teams would have a date in the upcoming finals, although sportsbooks have their doubts. Both are underdogs in their respective series according to oddsmakers at DraftKings, with the Knicks coming in at +100 to win the series against the Celtics despite winning two games in Boston. 'Yeah, that's surprising to me,' Lee said. 'I got the Knicks winning the series now.'
