There have been 48 total 5-game spans by teams in NBA history (reg or post) where they led by 8+ points at the end of the first quarter in all 5.
In 47 of the 48, the team had a winning record over the 5 games.
All except the Spurs in the 2026 NBA Finals.
They went 1-4.
Rick Brunson: "I'm gonna stop the argument too, no disrespect, I love my son. Patrick Ewing is the greatest Knick I've ever witnessed" — Kenny Smith: "Well, I'm gonna say it, it's gonna be debatable now"
Via: https://t.co/oNQteVdmkg
ABC delivered the largest NBA Finals Game 4 audience since 1998, averaging 20.9M viewers, according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel.
Through four games, the 2026 NBA Finals are ABC and ESPN’s most-watched ever and the most-watched NBA Finals since 1998, averaging 19.6M viewers. It is up 116% from last year’s Championship series.
Iman Shumpert on the iconic bus ride speech from LeBron after going down 3-1 to the Warriors:
“When you’re in one of those positions you’re just like we’re just going to come out here for Game 5 to fight on pride alone… roll the dice. But when Bron broke it down, he was like, ‘Nah, ‘cus when we do that, they not gonna wanna win. Game 6, that’s gon’ be way too much pressure on them. Now, when we go back Game 7, and that pressure up here.’ He starts explaining, and I was like I don’t want to be the guys on the other side with the pressure up here. We started thinking about it, we don’t have any pressure on us.”
(via The Richard Show, @Rjeff24)
De'Aaron Fox in the 4th quarter:
0 PTS
0 AST
2 TO
0-2 FG
in 11 minutes
Dylan Harper led the Spurs in scoring through 3 quarters but only played 3:33 in the fourth.
KAT: "I don't know what it was but I just felt a calm and a peace that I don't know, had to be coming from the woman above
"I felt really confident…I felt like a kid. It was just fun out here. This is something as a kid you always dream about…to be in the NBA Finals
"All day…weird feeling. I felt like a kid getting ready to play in my Saturday and Sunday AAU games
"In a way I felt like I was seeing her in the stands
"It was really fun. It was really comforting
"Game 1 of the NBA Finals you're told how the pressure's gonna be…
"I don't know, it felt like a certain presence was here that was very comforting and very loving and I felt like I could have fun out here––in Game 1 of the NBA Finals…"
Shaq: Yes. Rest in peace to your beautiful mother"