The far-reaching effects of the bizarre plot twist this postseason is not lost on New York. It erupted right after the New York Knicks punched in their first NBA Finals ticket in 27 years. When they were supposed to marinate in suspense about their opponent from the West, a supposed glitch in the NBA app apparently spoiled the Finals “script.” While Knicks fans were left with all sorts of questions ruining an emotional Finals run, Mike Brown showed up to calm the storm.

While the past week has been emotional and nerve-wrecking for the whole of New York, the Knicks bench boss brought a bit of family-centric humor after practice. With the Knicks comfortably resting after a 11-game Eastern Conference winning streak, Brown faced the media to weigh in on his preferred opponent between the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder. All while subtly referencing the massive “postseason script” controversy currently engulfing the fanbase.

When directly asked by reporters if it truly matters which Western Conference powerhouse he faces on Wednesday (June 3), Brown leaned into a mix of humble confidence and personal convenience. “No, it doesn’t,” Brown stated bluntly regarding the choice between OKC and the Spurs. “If we expect it to be who we think we are, then you know at the end of the day it doesn’t matter. If we played San Antonio in six, it would save me some money because my family lives in San Antonio. I don’t have to buy airline tickets. But at the end of the day both teams are great and both teams will be a challenge for us.”

We’re not sure if there’s any truth to that joke because his only known San Antonio connection was his time as an assistant with the Spurs and when the same team swept the Cavaliers in 2007 during his tenure (now he did the sweeping of the Cavs, fateful!) But his supposed connection to San Antonio might not be the only reason he’s rooting for them to take the West.

On one hand, the Knicks haven’t beaten OKC since 2024, on the other, the Knicks and Spurs are evenly matched since Victor Wembanyama arrived in the NBA in 2023. So the tactical choice of picking your enemies counts in a way.

But Brown’s nonchalantly shown the Knicks are prepared for either team. Although he seems to be rooting for the Spurs, perhaps because they beat them at the NBA Cup (and lost in March right after) . Perhaps a rematch of the NBA Cup would be a better script than the crazy one that’s unfolding right now.

Knicks’ resurgence overshadowed by NBA Finals ‘script’

The underdog story of the Knicks, who’ve gone through decades of rebuilds, having a shot at the title for the first time since 1973 should be the emotional storyline dominating the long rest they have. Instead, the Knicks have to worry if they would be without a big man if Mitchell Robinson is injured and if the the NBA predecided their opponent.

Right after the Knicks clinched the Finals spot, NBA app users noticed the Finals schedule was already updated. To the shock of the NBA fans, the schedule already said the Knicks will face OKC, despite the fact the Western Conference Finals were tied 2-2 after four games at that time. Some want to believe it’s an accidental interface error, like randomly putting one of the WCF finalists for convenience instead of ‘TBD.’ The larger conspiracy theory is that the league’s postseason results are scripted.

Obviously fans everywhere are raging. Even World Chess Champion, Magnus Carlsen called out the NBA for this ‘spoiler.’ Especially when that absurd ABC gaffe also ‘leaked’ the Knicks-Cavs series before the semifinals were over. For New York, this conspiracy had different implications. Brown’s casual, “If we expect it to be who we think we are,” might be a hint at this leak too.

Could they be facing the defending champions they haven’t been able to beat in three years? Or will it be a grudge match against Wemby, who has a way of showing his anger by dismantling the other team’s defenses?

After the Spurs forced Game 7, following a bloody 118-91 Game 6 win tonight, they might be invalidating the controversial app glitch. If OKC wins in 7, this conspiracy is not going to go away, and will likely overshadow what should be a historic moment for New York.

But there’s something to be noted from Brown’s response. The head coach is keeping his locker room completely insulated from the external noise and not letting what-ifs dictate the tone. From a competitive standpoint, the Knicks are actively preparing for two drastically unique basketball systems.