Thomas and Uber Cup 2026: India Men look to repeat history; Women eye strong run Banking on a settled core and bolstered by the rise of Ayush Shetty, the Indian men’s team will aim to reclaim the title, while the women’s side looks to punch above its weight at the BWF Thomas and Uber Cup beginning here on Friday.India will open its campaign against Canada on Friday, followed by matches against Australia on Monday (April 27) and China on Wednesday (April 29).Four years ago, India did the unprecedented, clinching the Thomas Cup crown, considered the World Team Championship of badminton. A bunch of bravehearts, led by Kidambi Srikanth and H.S. Prannoy, defied all odds as they tamed Denmark, Malaysia and Indonesia en route to that epic moment in Indian badminton history.That week witnessed Srikanth emerge as the invincible leader, Prannoy the decider specialist, and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty the gentle giants. Two years later, India’s title defence ended against China in the quarterfinals.Cut to 2026, there is renewed hope as the Indian men, with the same core and the exuberance of rising star Ayush, eye a repeat.Ayush is coming off a strong show at the Badminton Asia Championships, where he became the first Indian to reach the final in 61 years, while Lakshya Sen recorded a second runner-up finish at the All England Championships last month.Both the Indians produced some stunning performances against top players such as Li Shi Feng and Jonatan Christie.After missing action due to a shoulder injury, Satwik and his partner Chirag will be back with a fresh mind and body as India face Pan American champion Canada, Oceania champion Australia, and 11-time winner and defending champion China in Group A.“We will have a good chance to win the Thomas Cup again. With Ayush and Lakshya in singles and Satwik and Chirag in doubles, of course, everything will have to click,” former India coach Vimal Kumar said.“India and China should pull through from the group.”The onus will mainly be on the young guns to take India through, as Srikanth and Prannoy are not in the best of form.While Srikanth had two runner-up finishes last year, he has struggled in the BWF World Tour events. Prannoy too has been bogged down by niggles and endured a forgettable season since the 2024 Olympics, when he battled through chikungunya.While India will rely on their experience, Kiran George might be called into service for the third singles. Hariharan Amsakarunan and M. R. Arjun will shoulder the second doubles responsibility.India should reach the quarterfinals first, though it is likely to face resistance from world championships bronze medallist Viktor Lai of Canada, which also has a good player in Brian Yang.In fact, China no longer has that invincible aura of the past, and on its day, Indian shuttlers are capable of taming them, as Ayush and Lakshya have shown in the recent past.In the knockout stage, India has the wherewithal to take on any team, and there will be no dearth of motivation and team camaraderie as the core remains the same.Tough road ahead for womenIn the Uber Cup, the Indian women’s team, led by double Olympic medallist P.V. Sindhu, will face Denmark on Friday (April 24), Ukraine on Saturday (April 25), and China on Monday (April 27).India has won bronze medals in the 2014 and 2016 editions, but it will be an uphill battle this time, especially without the services of Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly, who is nursing an ankle injury.The women’s team is clubbed with European Team Championships runner-up Denmark, bronze medallist Ukraine, and 16-time champion China.India has a young core, with world junior championships bronze medallist Tanvi Sharma, Thailand Open Super 300 winner Devika Sihag, Unnati Hooda, winner of three Super 100 titles and two International Challenge titles, and Isharani Baruah sharing responsibility for the second and third singles.In Treesa-Gayatri’s absence, the pair of Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra will handle the second doubles, while Kavipriya Selvam and Simran Singhi are likely to play the first doubles, with the experience of Tanisha Crasto also coming into play.A lot will depend on Sindhu as she plays the first singles, but she has struggled to maintain consistency in recent times, with a Malaysia Open semifinal her best show this season.Published on Apr 23, 2026 #Thomas #Uber #Cup #India #Men #repeat #history #Women #eye #strong #run

The NBA will have a unique champion for the eighth straight year. The San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks are squaring off in a 2026 NBA Finals matchup no one could have seen coming. Before this stretch, the league had never had more than six consecutive unique champions, which happened from 1975-1980. No team has won multiple titles over the last eight years, and no team has even repeated as a conference champion since the 2019 Golden State Warriors.

Why is there so much parity in the NBA right now? It’s mostly a combination of salary cap changes and injuries. The Oklahoma City Thunder seemed primed for a dynasty when they won the championship a year ago, but the Spurs beat them in a fantastic Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals with their second and third best creators out in Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell.

The NBA is left with a rematch of the 1999 Finals, which the Spurs won in five games over New York. It’s going to be incredible watching Victor Wembanyama chase his first championship in Madison Square Garden against a Knicks fanbase desperate for their first championship since 1973. Let’s preview the series from both sides and make a championship pick.

The Knicks just played the best 11-game stretch in league history — and somehow that’s not an exaggeration. This team is red hot right now, and they’re playing with full belief that they can deliver New York its first NBA championship since 1973.

The Spurs haven’t faced a true stretch five who can pull Wembanyama away from the basket on this playoff run. Enter Karl-Anthony Towns, the best three-point shooting center of all-time, who has suddenly been unlocked as the best version of himself over the last six weeks. Towns feels like the most important player in the series for New York. He’s a threat to score 25+ feet away from the basket, and that could potentially take Wemby away from defending the paint. The Spurs can try to stick Wembanyama on Josh Hart or another Knick, but that will create some problems for San Antonio, too.

It’s easy to discount Jalen Brunson, but he’s led his team to championships in high school and in college, and consistently rises to the occasion in the biggest moments. While the Spurs defended another mid-range shooter in Gilgeous-Alexander well in the West Finals, it’s worth noting that Brunson has a much higher three-point volume, taking 35.8 percent of his field goals from deep, compared to 22.6 for SGA. Brunson’s pull-up three ball will have to be a weapon in this series. The fact that he’s not much of a rim attacker means Wembanyama needs to come out higher on the floor when he’s not getting spaced out of the play by Towns. For as good as the Spurs’ defense is, Brunson has shown that he has so many counters to effectively get off his offense.

I’m fascinated to see how often and how effectively Anunoby defends Wembanyama. It feels like the best Wemby defenders are long and strong wings who are quick enough to neutralize him off the bounce, and Anunoby might be the best example of such a defender. Turning Wemby into a shooter is in the Knicks’ best interest, so if Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson can keep him out of deep post position, that’s a good start for a winning recipe.

The Knicks are also the much fresher team. While San Antonio just played a physically and emotionally draining 7-game series in the West, the Knicks have been chilling at home after consecutive sweeps. Sure the Knicks might be a little rusty at the start of Game 1, but that rest advantage will carry over through the remainder of the series.

It certainly feels like the Knicks have more offensive firepower than San Antonio. Brunson and Towns is an elite scoring duo, and Mikal Bridges and Anunoby can each carry the offense for a game or two themselves. De’Aaron Fox hasn’t been at his best for the Spurs basically the whole season, and asking Dylan Harper to immediately ascend to a true No. 2 option as a 20-year-old is a lot. The Knicks just have so much scoring punch in their eight-man rotation, and it’s conceivable that not even Wembanyama can slow them down.

Madison Square Garden is about to turn into one of the greatest environments in NBA Finals history. Knicks fans are craving a championship, and the team will be ready.

It feels like Victor Wembanyama ascended to best player in the world status during the Western Conference Finals, which is a terrifying thought considering he’s only 22 years old and still has plenty of room to grow as a player. When he’s really locked in, Wemby looks like a 7’5 Kevin Durant capable of self-creating step-back threes while also being a dominant a rim runner and arguably the most impactful defender in NBA history.

How will the Knicks guard Wembanyama? It’s a question that could define the series. New York only has two 7-footers on the roster with Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson, but Robinson recently suffered a broken pinky that should linger into the Finals. New York can also use OG Anunoby to guard Wembanyama, and that might be their best matchup. For as long and strong as Anunoby is, Wemby is still going to be able to shoot over the top of him whenever he wants to. If the French superstar gets hot as a jump shooter or from floater range, the Spurs will immediately have an advantage New York can’t neuter. Even if Anunoby is effective for stretches, the Knicks will still need other defenders to soak up minutes against him, and their options are pretty limited.

Wemby’s impact is even bigger on defense, especially with so many good perimeter defenders in front of him. Stephon Castle did an outstanding job on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with Wemby lurking behind him, and that same duo will cause plenty of problems for Jalen Brunson. Like SGA, Brunson takes a lot of his shots from mid-range, which Wemby’s length can help evaporate. Brunson took 51% percent of his field goal attempts from mid-range this season, per Cleaning the Glass. The Spurs feel uniquely equipped to defend that kind of superstar shot profile.

The Spurs’ role players are also fully locked in right now. Julian Champagnie had a breakout conference finals series with multiple 20-point games and consistently good rebounding. Devin Vassell is playing the best ball of his career. Dylan Harper is already taking over playoff games at times at 20 years old. Luke Kornet is one of the league’s better backup centers, and could rebound from a tough matchup vs. the Thunder.

San Antonio’s defense will really be in the spotlight for this matchup. The Knicks’ offensive rating has jumped from 118.7 in the regular season to 123.3 in the playoffs, by far the best mark in the postseason. Meanwhile, San Antonio’s defensive rating has gone from 110.4 in the regular season (No. 3 overall) to 104.4 in the playoffs (second-best behind the Knicks). The Spurs’ defense feels built for the playoffs with more contact allowed on the perimeter and Wembanyama being almost adjustment-proof. If the Spurs can limit New York’s three-point attempts, Wemby can take care of the rest inside.

In what feels like a pretty even matchup, the tiebreaker should go to the team with the best player. That’s Wembanyama.

This truly feels like a toss up to me, but I’m going with San Antonio in seven for a few reasons.

The Knicks’ romp through the East has been incredibly impressive, but they haven’t seen anything like the Spurs. The Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, and Cleveland Cavaliers are all two steps below San Antonio at least. I’m not sure if the Knicks’ hot three-point shooting is sustainable. Landry Shamet just shot 91.7 percent from three in the Eastern Conference Finals (not a typo). Is that really going to happen again? The Knicks have plenty of shooters on the floor at all times, but the windows disappear a lot quicker when someone like Wembanyama is closing out on you.

I was tempted to go Knicks in six here. New York clearly has a path to victory, and I wouldn’t be too surprised if they routed the Spurs the same way they’ve routed everyone else in their way on this playoff run.

If the Spurs can extend the series to seven, they will get the final game on their home floor. Weird things can happen in a Game 7, and I typically prefer the team with the best overall player. Wembanyama already slayed the biggest challenger in the league in his first playoff run. I think he’s ready to win a championship.

#Knicks #Spurs #instant #prediction #NBA #Finals">

mwasimuddin125 0

The NBA will have a unique champion for the eighth straight year. The San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks are squaring off in a 2026 NBA Finals matchup no one could have seen coming. Before this stretch, the league had never had more than six consecutive unique champions, which happened from 1975-1980. No team has won multiple titles over the last eight years, and no team has even repeated as a conference champion since the 2019 Golden State Warriors.
Why is there so much parity in the NBA right now? It’s mostly a combination of salary cap changes and injuries. The Oklahoma City Thunder seemed primed for a dynasty when they won the championship a year ago, but the Spurs beat them in a fantastic Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals with their second and third best creators out in Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell.
The NBA is left with a rematch of the 1999 Finals, which the Spurs won in five games over New York. It’s going to be incredible watching Victor Wembanyama chase his first championship in Madison Square Garden against a Knicks fanbase desperate for their first championship since 1973. Let’s preview the series from both sides and make a championship pick.
The Knicks just played the best 11-game stretch in league history — and somehow that’s not an exaggeration. This team is red hot right now, and they’re playing with full belief that they can deliver New York its first NBA championship since 1973.
The Spurs haven’t faced a true stretch five who can pull Wembanyama away from the basket on this playoff run. Enter Karl-Anthony Towns, the best three-point shooting center of all-time, who has suddenly been unlocked as the best version of himself over the last six weeks. Towns feels like the most important player in the series for New York. He’s a threat to score 25+ feet away from the basket, and that could potentially take Wemby away from defending the paint. The Spurs can try to stick Wembanyama on Josh Hart or another Knick, but that will create some problems for San Antonio, too.
It’s easy to discount Jalen Brunson, but he’s led his team to championships in high school and in college, and consistently rises to the occasion in the biggest moments. While the Spurs defended another mid-range shooter in Gilgeous-Alexander well in the West Finals, it’s worth noting that Brunson has a much higher three-point volume, taking 35.8 percent of his field goals from deep, compared to 22.6 for SGA. Brunson’s pull-up three ball will have to be a weapon in this series. The fact that he’s not much of a rim attacker means Wembanyama needs to come out higher on the floor when he’s not getting spaced out of the play by Towns. For as good as the Spurs’ defense is, Brunson has shown that he has so many counters to effectively get off his offense.
I’m fascinated to see how often and how effectively Anunoby defends Wembanyama. It feels like the best Wemby defenders are long and strong wings who are quick enough to neutralize him off the bounce, and Anunoby might be the best example of such a defender. Turning Wemby into a shooter is in the Knicks’ best interest, so if Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson can keep him out of deep post position, that’s a good start for a winning recipe.
The Knicks are also the much fresher team. While San Antonio just played a physically and emotionally draining 7-game series in the West, the Knicks have been chilling at home after consecutive sweeps. Sure the Knicks might be a little rusty at the start of Game 1, but that rest advantage will carry over through the remainder of the series.
It certainly feels like the Knicks have more offensive firepower than San Antonio. Brunson and Towns is an elite scoring duo, and Mikal Bridges and Anunoby can each carry the offense for a game or two themselves. De’Aaron Fox hasn’t been at his best for the Spurs basically the whole season, and asking Dylan Harper to immediately ascend to a true No. 2 option as a 20-year-old is a lot. The Knicks just have so much scoring punch in their eight-man rotation, and it’s conceivable that not even Wembanyama can slow them down.
Madison Square Garden is about to turn into one of the greatest environments in NBA Finals history. Knicks fans are craving a championship, and the team will be ready.
It feels like Victor Wembanyama ascended to best player in the world status during the Western Conference Finals, which is a terrifying thought considering he’s only 22 years old and still has plenty of room to grow as a player. When he’s really locked in, Wemby looks like a 7’5 Kevin Durant capable of self-creating step-back threes while also being a dominant a rim runner and arguably the most impactful defender in NBA history.
How will the Knicks guard Wembanyama? It’s a question that could define the series. New York only has two 7-footers on the roster with Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson, but Robinson recently suffered a broken pinky that should linger into the Finals. New York can also use OG Anunoby to guard Wembanyama, and that might be their best matchup. For as long and strong as Anunoby is, Wemby is still going to be able to shoot over the top of him whenever he wants to. If the French superstar gets hot as a jump shooter or from floater range, the Spurs will immediately have an advantage New York can’t neuter. Even if Anunoby is effective for stretches, the Knicks will still need other defenders to soak up minutes against him, and their options are pretty limited.
Wemby’s impact is even bigger on defense, especially with so many good perimeter defenders in front of him. Stephon Castle did an outstanding job on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with Wemby lurking behind him, and that same duo will cause plenty of problems for Jalen Brunson. Like SGA, Brunson takes a lot of his shots from mid-range, which Wemby’s length can help evaporate. Brunson took 51% percent of his field goal attempts from mid-range this season, per Cleaning the Glass. The Spurs feel uniquely equipped to defend that kind of superstar shot profile.
The Spurs’ role players are also fully locked in right now. Julian Champagnie had a breakout conference finals series with multiple 20-point games and consistently good rebounding. Devin Vassell is playing the best ball of his career. Dylan Harper is already taking over playoff games at times at 20 years old. Luke Kornet is one of the league’s better backup centers, and could rebound from a tough matchup vs. the Thunder.
San Antonio’s defense will really be in the spotlight for this matchup. The Knicks’ offensive rating has jumped from 118.7 in the regular season to 123.3 in the playoffs, by far the best mark in the postseason. Meanwhile, San Antonio’s defensive rating has gone from 110.4 in the regular season (No. 3 overall) to 104.4 in the playoffs (second-best behind the Knicks). The Spurs’ defense feels built for the playoffs with more contact allowed on the perimeter and Wembanyama being almost adjustment-proof. If the Spurs can limit New York’s three-point attempts, Wemby can take care of the rest inside.
In what feels like a pretty even matchup, the tiebreaker should go to the team with the best player. That’s Wembanyama.
This truly feels like a toss up to me, but I’m going with San Antonio in seven for a few reasons.
The Knicks’ romp through the East has been incredibly impressive, but they haven’t seen anything like the Spurs. The Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, and Cleveland Cavaliers are all two steps below San Antonio at least. I’m not sure if the Knicks’ hot three-point shooting is sustainable. Landry Shamet just shot 91.7 percent from three in the Eastern Conference Finals (not a typo). Is that really going to happen again? The Knicks have plenty of shooters on the floor at all times, but the windows disappear a lot quicker when someone like Wembanyama is closing out on you.
I was tempted to go Knicks in six here. New York clearly has a path to victory, and I wouldn’t be too surprised if they routed the Spurs the same way they’ve routed everyone else in their way on this playoff run.
If the Spurs can extend the series to seven, they will get the final game on their home floor. Weird things can happen in a Game 7, and I typically prefer the team with the best overall player. Wembanyama already slayed the biggest challenger in the league in his first playoff run. I think he’s ready to win a championship.

#Knicks #Spurs #instant #prediction #NBA #Finals">Knicks vs. Spurs instant prediction for 2026 NBA Finals

Madison Square Garden is about to turn into one of the greatest environments in NBA Finals history. Knicks fans are craving a championship, and the team will be ready.

In what feels like a pretty even matchup, the tiebreaker should go to the team with the best player. That’s Wembanyama.

This truly feels like a toss up to me, but I’m going with San Antonio in seven for a few reasons.

#Knicks #Spurs #instant #prediction #NBA #Finals

Tough road ahead for women

EXCLUSIVE: Pierre Hardy on the Sneaker That Could

Related Posts

Post Comment Cancel reply