CLEVELAND (AP) — Jalen Brunson isn't looking in the rearview mirror at the New York Knicks' 10-game winning streak while the possibility of reaching the NBA Finals is still in the horizon, even though it is one win away.
Brunson's focus, along with the rest of his teammates, is what happens in the first 12 minutes of Monday night's Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“So you have the first possession, the first quarter, and then you have the end of the first half and you go on,” Brunson said after Saturday night's 121-108 victory. “You just continue to just deal with what’s in front of you and just have your teammates' back. Make sure everyone’s on the same page, making sure that everyone’s holding each other accountable. That’s just the most important thing right now.”
The blinders approach has New York on a 10-game winning streak with an average margin of victory of 22.5 points and one victory away from its first finals appearance since 1999.
No team in NBA history has blown a 3-0 lead, and the Knicks aren't showing any signs of being the first in 164 series.
Just when everyone thinks the Knicks are peaking, they find a way to find another gear. Forward OG Anunoby, who missed the last two games of the Philadelphia series due to a strained right hamstring, had 21 points, seven rebounds and four assists in Saturday night's victory.
Anunoby is second on the team in scoring during the winning streak, averaging 19.8 points in eight games.
Brunson is averaging 29 points in the series and 27.8 in the postseason while Karl-Anthony Downs is averaging a double-double with 16.8 points and 10.3 rebounds, along with 6.1 assists.
Brunson said the next-man-up mentality has displayed itself throughout the series.
“We have a bunch of individuals in that we locker room who work really hard and they’re very psychotic about their work and the things they do, and making sure that they’re ready physically and mentally so when their number’s called and then when there’s time to go out there, they’re ready,” Brunson said. “We have a lot of real professionals on our roster.”
The Knicks have had the momentum in the series since rallying from a 22-point deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat the Cavaliers 115-104 in Game 1. Towns noted though the Knicks still have the mentality that it is the opening tip of the first game.
“We've got to come out with that same desperation as Game 1. What got us here as a team, we’ve won all these games in a row as a team, we’ve had this winning streak as a team. As long as we stay together, we stay unified, we always have felt that the sky’s the limit for us,” he said.
Cleveland will be playing its 14th game since April 29, while New York will be playing its ninth.
The Cavaliers are shooting only 29.4% from 3-point range and are 50 of 74 from the foul line. Donovan Mitchell is averaging 26 points in the series, but has appeared not to have the same burst he had in previous rounds.
Coach Kenny Atkinson is hoping his team can find something in the tank to avoid a sweep, but knows his team is winded after enduring a pair of seven-game series against Toronto and Detroit to get to their first Eastern Conference final in eight years.
“I said it before this series, the rest disadvantage is real. It’s massive, right? And it plays into it. I don’t think anybody has a grip on what that really means saying, ‘Well why are you shooting so below expected? Is that a part of it?’ I don’t know. I don’t have that answer,” he said.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown points from the sideline during the second half of Game 3 in the Eastern Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland, Monday, May 24, 2027. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) celebrates with teammates after winning Game 3 in the Eastern Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
MIAMI (AP) — Lionel Messi headed into the World Cup break a bit earlier than planned, and now it'll be Argentina waiting to see if there's an injury to worry about.
Messi — who almost never gets subbed out of matches — left in the 73rd minute, meaning he was long gone before Luis Suárez's third goal of the night lifted the defending MLS champions past the last-place Philadelphia Union 6-4 on Sunday night.
Messi had two assists and Germán Berterame scored twice during a record-setting first half for Inter Miami. But Messi basically took himself out of play in the 71st minute and reached toward his left hamstring at least once, then didn't even venture toward the Inter Miami bench when he could be subbed out.
Messi was replaced by Mateo Silvetti, then left immediately through the tunnel connecting the field with the team’s locker room. Messi was walking under his own power, albeit slowly, and without any team medical personnel with him.
Rodrigo De Paul, on his birthday, scored in stoppage time to seal the win for Inter Miami.
Heavy rain began falling early in the second half, causing some players to seem to slip on the turf. It wasn't clear if Messi's departure was precautionary or not, and it didn't seem like he took any major missteps during the worst of the rain.
Messi has said in the past that he would only play in the World Cup if healthy. Argentina starts group stage play on June 16.
Milan Iloski had a first-half hat trick — including two penalty kicks — and Bruno Damiani also scored for Union, which was up 2-0 only 10 minutes into the match. That start set the stage for the teams to be tied at 4-4 at the half.
The eight goals by halftime was an MLS record, the league said.
"It's beautiful, it's fun to be a part of the game, it’s fun to sing a national anthem and obviously to see Messi and all these greats so close to me, it’s an honor," said Grammy-nominated singer and Miami resident Luis Fonsi, who performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” pregame. "I’m a fan and I’m enjoying every bit of it.”
He was asked what it's like to share the field with Messi.
“He’s a lot more known than me — times a million," Fonsi said.
Messi has already appeared in five World Cups, winning the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player twice — first in 2014, then again in 2022 when he led Argentina to the title. That award has been given out only since 1982, but he is the lone player to win it twice.
Argentina is in Group J for the World Cup. Its group stage matches: Algeria, at Kansas City, on June 16; Austria, at Arlington, Texas, on June 22; and Jordan, back in Arlington, on June 27.
If Argentina wins that group — and the defending champions would be heavily favored to do so — then Messi would play a Round of 32 match in Miami Gardens on July 3. The only other way for Messi to play in South Florida during the tournament would be if Argentina is in the third-place match on July 18.
Of course, all that is contingent on whether Messi plays. And that would now seem to be in at least some question.
Inter Miami (9-2-4, 31 points) enters the break second in the Eastern Conference, two points behind Nashville (10-1-3, 33 points). Inter Miami is also fourth in the Supporters’ Shield standings — a trophy that Philadelphia won last season.
The Union won’t be winning that this season. Not even close.
They’re at the bottom of the league, a stunning first-to-worst collapse and head into the break with seven points — at 1-10-4.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer
Inter Miami forward Germán Berterame (19) celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's third goal during the first half of an MLS soccer match against Philadelphia Union, Sunday, May 24, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Inter Miami forward Luis Suárez celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the first half of an MLS soccer match against Philadelphia Union, Sunday, May 24, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) drives downfield under pressure from Philadelphia Union midfielder Ben Bender (16) during the first half of an MLS soccer match, Sunday, May 24, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Philadelphia Union goalkeeper Andre Blake (18) deflects a corner kick from Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi during the first half of an MLS soccer match, Sunday, May 24, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) comes under pressure from Philadelphia Union midfielder Jovan Lukic (4), midfielder Cavan Sullivan (6), and midfielder Danley Jean Jacques (21), during the first half of an MLS soccer match, Sunday, May 24, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
