Spurs Force Game 7 Against Thunder
Victor Wembanyama had an impressive performance, scoring 28 points and grabbing 10 rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs triumphed over the Oklahoma City Thunder 118-91 in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals. Commentator Jason McIntyre highlighted Wembanyama’s significant contribution, questioning whether he could maintain this level of play into Game 7. He also expressed concern over Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s struggles, pondering if they could lead to the Thunder’s downfall in the series.
In a determined showdown on Saturday night, the Spurs clinched their place in the NBA Finals by defeating the defending champions, the Thunder. This victory sets up a rematch with the New York Knicks, reminiscent of their encounter in the 1999 League Championship Series, which San Antonio won decisively in five games.
Game 7 marked the 160th winner-take-all matchup in NBA history and was the fifth of its kind in the current season. Wembanyama led the Spurs with 22 points and seven rebounds, while Gilgeous-Alexander managed to score a team-high 35 points for Oklahoma City in a close final score of 111-103.
Meanwhile, the Knicks advanced to the Finals by defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers, marking their first Finals appearance in 27 years. The Knicks had a rocky start to the playoffs, experiencing two consecutive one-point losses in the early rounds. But since then, they’ve shown remarkable resilience, winning every playoff game afterward.
The upcoming Finals will be interesting as either the Spurs or Knicks could become the eighth different franchise to claim the championship title in the last eight seasons, which is a record streak in NBA history. Notably, no defending champion has made repeated Finals appearances since the Golden State Warriors did so in 2018 and 2019.
As the Spurs celebrated their hard-earned victory, it’s worth noting that they haven’t made an NBA Finals appearance since 2014, when they bested the Miami Heat to take home the championship. Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals is set to occur in San Antonio on Wednesday.
