Knicks Set to Miss Out on PG Target: NBA Tracker

He wasn't interested in "ranking'' that performance, but clearly ... it ranks.

On Sunday, he was asked about how his foot feels.

"Great,'' he said, which means the Warriors' chances of winning tonight (9 p.m. ET on ABC) are just a bit "greater'' as well.

JUNE 4 NETS STEALING LUKA’S COACH?

According to NBA reporter Marc Stein, the Brooklyn Nets are expected to hire Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Igor Kokoskov this summer to be an assistant on head coach Steve Nash’s bench.

When the Mavs hired Jason Kidd to be their new head coach last summer, Kidd added Kokoskov to his stellar coaching staff soon after. Kokoskov coached superstar Luka Doncic with the Slovenian national team in 2017, so it was a natural fit.

Although Kokoskov will be missed in Dallas, there will be no shortage of qualified candidates available for Kidd to choose a replacement from. Recently dismissed Lakers and Hornets head coaches Frank Vogel and James Borrego are two names that immediately come to mind.

JUNE 3 CELTICS GO UP

The Golden State Warriors have lost before. But not quite like this.

The Boston Celtics took over the fourth quarter on Thursday night to capture a 120-108 win in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. ... all after the dynastic Warriors owned a 12-point lead in the final frame.

“It’s not ideal,” said Steph Curry, who had 34 not-enough points. "But I believe in who we are and how we deal with adversity, how we responded all year, how we’ve responded in the playoffs after a loss.”

It's true that Golden State has experience. But ... the Warriors have lost a Game 1 of a playoff series only twice in coach Steve Kerr’s eight-year run in charge.

So ... not quite like this.

JUNE 2 LEBRON MAKES HISTORY… AGAIN

LeBron James has no shortage of NBA accolades — both on and off the court. From winning championships and MVPs, to climbing the league’s all-time scoring ladder, to helping kids with their education, James has pretty much seen and done it all.

On Thursday, James made history yet again… this time with his wealth. According to Forbes, James has become the first-ever active NBA player to become a billionaire.

“LeBron James – 18-time NBA all-star, 4-time NBA champion, 2-time Olympic gold medalist – has hit yet another milestone, this time doing something no other NBA player has ever done,” writes Chase Perterson-Withorn.

“After another monster year of earnings – totaling $121.2 million last year – Forbes estimates that James has officially become a billionaire, while still playing hoops.”

The Los Angeles star has a lot to think about when it comes to his on-court future, as the Lakers have fallen far from their 2020 championship form. But no matter where James ends his career, he’s going to continue piling up money in historic fashion.

Wrote Dan Feldman of NBC Sports: “While pursuing LeBron James in 2010 free agency, the Knicks reportedly told him he had a 50% chance of earning $1 billion in New York, a 1% chance with the Cavaliers and a 0% chance with the Heat. … Once again, the Knicks were wrong.”

MAY 29 CELTICS VS. WARRIORS FINALS 

The Boston Celtics have won their first Eastern Conference title since 2010 with a Game 7 win over the Miami Heat.

The Celtics won three road games during the series to advance, including tonight's series clincher.

The Celtics will now meet with the Golden State Warriors in the 2022 NBA Finals, beginning Thursday.

MAY 29 ECF ODDS

The Miami Heat and Boston Celtics have engaged one another in a back-and-forth Eastern Conference Finals that culminates in a Sunday night Game 7, at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

The series is currently tied up at 3-3 heading into Game 7 in Florida. Who has the edge? According to PropsUS, the Celtics are actually the favorites, by 2.5 points.

The Heat had a 2-1 lead in the series, but the Celtics roared back to win two straight and take a 3-2 lead heading into Game 6 on the road. But on Friday, Jimmy Butler scored 47 for Miami for force a Game 7, with the series winner then heading to the NBA Finals to face off with Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors.

The Warriors beat the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals on Thursday.

MAY 22 HEAT TAKES LEAD

Miami Heat star guard Jimmy Butler exited Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals due to right knee inflammation. Miami is suggesting that the injury is not "serious'' and that it’s possible he’ll play Game 4.

Miami won Game 3, 109–103, over the Celtics. The Heat own a 2–1 lead over the Celtics after Saturday’s win. Game 4 is Monday at Boston.

MAY 9 WILLIAMS WINS COACH OF THE YEAR

Monty Williams has been named NBA Coach of the Year after leading the Phoenix Suns to an NBA-best 64-18 record this season.

Through three seasons with the team, Williams has led the Suns to a .656 winning percentage.

Williams was drafted by the Knicks in 1994 and played with the team until 1996 before being traded to the San Antonio Spurs.

MAY 9 JOKIC SNAGS BACK-TO-BACK MVPS

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić has been named the NBA's Most Valuable Player, according to reports from ESPN Monday morning. He beat out 76ers center Joel Embiid and Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo for the award.

Jokić, 27, averaged 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 7.9 assists on a career-high 58.3 percentage shooting. The 6-11 Serbian native was sixth in the league in scoring, second in rebounds, and third in assists while becoming the first player in league history to record at least 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 500 assists in a season.

Jokić led the Nuggets to a 48-34 record this season and the sixth seed in the playoffs. Denver drew a first-round matchup with the Golden State Warriors, who proved to be too much for Jokić and Co. in an easy 4-1 series win.

Still, despite being the Warriors' defensive center of attention, the MVP averaged 31 points, 13.2 rebounds, and 5.8 assists in the series loss.

He’s now a part of a decorated list of players to win MVP in consecutive seasons, joining Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Antetokounmpo, Wilt Chamberlain, Steve Nash, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Moses Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, and Spurs legend Tim Duncan.

Jokić and the Nuggets swept the season series with the Knicks this season. In a triple-double effort in an overtime win against the Clippers on Jan. 19, he scored a season-high 49 points to go along with 14 assists, 10 rebounds, and three steals on 16-25 shooting.

MAY 8 KINGS HIRE MIKE BROWN The Sacramento Kings hired Mike Brown to become the franchise's next head coach Sunday evening.

The Kings fired head coach Luke Walton during the season and Alvin Gentry was named the interim coach.

Brown, 52, coached the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2005-10 and 2013-14, while coaching the Los Angeles Lakers from 2011-12.

MAY 6 ROCKETS PLAN AT NO. 1 The Houston Rockets have a great chance of securing a top-3 pick in the NBA Draft Lottery on May 17. Here's the maybe-plan from our SI-powered gang in Houston.

MAY 6 MAGIC TO NFL? NBA legend Magic Johnson is entering the massive field of big-name candidates in bidding for the ownership of the Denver Broncos, according to Sportico, joining the bid group being led by Philadelphia 76ers co-owner Josh Harris.

Also working toward owning the Broncos are groups involving people like John Elway, Peyton Manning and Walmart's Rob Walton.

MAY 6 KEMBA TRADE FOR BROGDON? Malcolm Brogdon can run an offense and he can shoot from the perimeter. He could even upgrade the New York defense.

What would be the cost of such a swap? A suggestion here has the Knicks getting Brogdon in exchange for Kemba Walker, Alec Burks and a first-rounder.

MAY 5 COOL HAND LUKA, HOT DRAYMOND The NBA announced Thursday it has fined the Warriors' Draymond Green $25,000 for flipping off fans in Memphis during Tuesday’s Western Conference playoff matchup.

As the Golden State forward entered the locker room in the first quarter Tuesday night in order to get stitches for a right eye laceration, he held up two middle fingers in response to being booed by fans. And after the game ...

"You gonna boo someone who was elbowed in the eye and face is running with blood, you should get flipped off," Green said. "I'll take the fine. I'll do an appearance and make up the money. It felt really good to flip them off. ... If they are going to be that nasty, I will be nasty, too. I'm assuming the cheers were because they know I'll be fined. Great, I make $25 million a year. I should be just fine."

Fine. And fined.

The NBA Playoffs are physical. Ask the Dallas Mavs' Luka Doncic, who is averaging 40 points per game against the Suns, who are up 2-0 while trying to beat up Doncic, who has a responsibility - despite his rep of getting cross-ways with the refs - of being Cool Hand Luka when it comes to T's.

MAY 4 TYTY TIME Tankathon conducted its latest mock and has the Knicks adding the point guard from Kentucky with the No. 11 overall pick - TyTy Washington. Sensible? Read here.

MAY 3 WHAT'S A DONOVAN DEAL LOOK LIKE? So what exactly does a feasible trade package for Utah's Donovan Mitchell look like? Most trade hauls for young star players include some combination of picks, young prospects or other winning pieces depending on how much of a rebuild is being planned for. Here’s what we’re thinking ... 

MAY 3: PHIL'S BACK? Phil Jackson, at age 76, is no longer the coach. But the storied career of the former New York Knicks player, most certainly as a head coach, makes him uniquely qualified to help with the Lakers search ...

And his relationship with Jeanie Buss, a prominent member of the Lakers ownership family, probably makes it a nice fit as well.

MAY 2 THE BRUNSON OBSTACLE The New York Knicks will not have the Dallas Mavericks' help if they want a Jalen Brunson sign-and-trade. The view from the Mavs' side is here.