From The Sports Desk: The NBA’s Final Four is here - BERITAJA

The Cleveland Cavaliers shocked the hoops world Sunday pinch a 31-point roadworthy triumph successful Game 7 to beforehand past the Detroit Pistons and into the Eastern Conference Finals. There they’ll meet the red-hot New York Knicks, who person not mislaid successful the postseason since May.

In the West, the Victor Wembanyama-led San Antonio Spurs will look the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder successful a matchup of the apical 2 teams successful the league. That bid starts tonight and will beryllium streamed connected Peacock.

Also, our World Cup countdown continues pinch Colombia prima Luis Díaz. For much WNBA and World Cup coverage, cheque retired the Beritaja website.

NBA Conference Finals Preview

Donovan Mitchell reacts against the Detroit Pistons successful the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs connected May 17, 2026, successful Detroit, MI.Gregory Shamus / Getty Images

After a blowout triumph Sunday by the Cleveland Cavaliers complete the Detroit Pistons successful Game 7 of their second-round series, the convention finals are now set: The Cavaliers will play the New York Knicks successful the East, and the San Antonio Spurs will play the Oklahoma City Thunder successful the West. Here’s a speedy preview of some matchups.

Let’s commencement pinch the Thunder and Spurs, a titanic conflict that originates coming betwixt the 2 champion teams from the regular season. Let maine put this arsenic simply arsenic I can: Whether you emotion the NBA aliases not, you request to find a measurement to watch each infinitesimal of this series. This is the first clip since 1998 that 2 teams pinch astatine slightest 62 regular-season wins person met successful the playoffs, and we should beryllium successful shop for an incredibly hard-fought battle.

This matchup features 2 ascendant young stars successful Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama (who vanished first and 3rd successful MVP voting, respectively), breathtaking young talent, a morganatic location rivalry and 2 suffocating defenses. It’s arsenic high-level arsenic hoops gets connected the court, pinch the added prize of animus and history disconnected the tribunal to ratchet up the tension.

San Antonio won the regular-season bid complete OKC 4-1, but the Thunder practically ne'er had their afloat squad available. Game 1 should beryllium a small spot of a feel-out process for some sides.

In the East, the ascendant Knicks will return connected Cleveland. New York has won 7 consecutive playoff games and owns a playoff-best 20.0 nett rating. The Knicks should beryllium heavy favored this bid arsenic the Cavs person labored done the playoffs, needing 7 games to triumph successful each round.

Cleveland is coming disconnected its about inspiring performance, however, eliminating Detroit connected the road. It will person to flooded the duo of Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson, who are thriving. Brunson is averaging 27.4 points connected a profession playoff-best 48.5% shooting, while Towns is averaging a profession playoff-best 6.6 assists, adding 17.4 points for bully measure.

World Cup Countdown

Luis Diaz of Bayern Munich controls the shot astatine Allianz Arena connected May 16, 2026 successful Munich, Germany.Adam Pretty / Getty Images

Leading up to the 2026 World Cup, we’re counting down 26 players to watch. They whitethorn beryllium family names aliases unsung heroes, but they are important to their team’s success. They are the players you request to cognize earlier the games start. Today’s introduction is Colombia’s Luis Díaz.

The 29-year-old Colombian winger/midfielder is 1 of the champion extremity scorers successful the sport, presently lighting it up connected the nine level for Bayern Munich, aft 3 years pinch Liverpool. Diaz should beryllium eager and fierce successful what will beryllium his first World Cup quality aft Colombia missed retired connected the 2022 tournament.

Exactly really excited is Diaz to play successful his first World Cup? He scored a whopping 7 goals during qualification, 2nd only to Argentina’s Lionel Messi among South American players. In betwixt qualifiers, Diaz besides helped Colombia scope the 2024 Copa América Final, scoring 2 goals successful a tourney successful which Los Cafeteros vanished second. In only 72 appearances for Colombia, Diaz has already scored 21 goals, putting him 4th connected the country’s all-time list.

He besides has a flair for the dramatic. In Diaz’s first awesome tourney pinch Colombia, the 2021 Copa, he scored his first extremity via bicycle footwear against Brazil. He should besides beryllium acquainted pinch American soil, scoring erstwhile each successful 2 friendlies that took spot successful the United States past fall.

Colombia’s champion decorativeness astatine the World Cup came successful 2014, erstwhile the state made it to the quarterfinal. It could beryllium successful a position to make its champion tally yet, arsenic Diaz is entering the tourney hot. Between the Bundesliga and Champions League, during the 2025-26 season, Diaz scored 22 goals, a career-best mark. With a basking scorer successful the premier of his career, Colombia could beryllium a awesome threat arsenic agelong arsenic Diaz is successful apical shape.

Friday’s introduction was South Korea’s Son Heung-min. Read about him here.

What We’re Reading

With ICE officers perchance astatine World Cup matches, vendors are weighing the consequence of working.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr nearly walked distant from Golden State.

Listen intimately for Jamal Crawford’s new, signature catchphrase.

The female who keeps beating men successful ultramarathons runs connected mashed potatoes.

Jannik Sinner has completed the “Career Golden Masters” astatine conscionable 24.

Aaron Rodgers is simply a Steeler again, officially.

What We’re Watching

Arguably the champion matchup that could return spot successful the NBA happens tonight, erstwhile the Spurs will look the Thunder successful Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. San Antonio is led by superstar large man Victor Wembanyama, who is averaging 20.3 points, 10.7 rebounds and 4.1 blocks complete 10 postseason games. His counterpart, Oklahoma City’s do-everything defender Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, has the Thunder a cleanable 8-0 truthful acold successful the playoffs.

Meanwhile successful the NHL, we get a Game 7 betwixt the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres to find who goes to the Eastern Conference Finals. Buffalo is coming disconnected a ascendant 8-3 triumph to push this bid to the brink. The victor will return connected the Carolina Hurricanes.

All times are Eastern:

• 7:30 p.m.: No. 2 Buffalo Sabres vs. No. 3 Montreal Canadiens, connected ESPN
• 8:30 p.m.: No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 2 San Antonio Spurs, connected NBC/Peacock
• That’s it for now! We’ll beryllium backmost Tuesday.