CHICAGO, IL - MAY 10: Cameron Boozer looks on during during the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery on May 10, 2026 at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Tamez/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
One of our favorite things about the NBA Draft is the skullduggery, machinations, and positively Machiavellian manipulation that goes on as people try to up or downgrade prospects in order to get the guy they really want.
Whisper campaigns get started about a prospect who supposedly had a bad attitude during a workout, or rumors that he’s not really that athletic, or maybe that he’s just overrated.
It happens just about every year.
So what’s going on with Cameron Boozer?
That’s hard to tell.
We do know that Oklahoma City would apparently like to bundle their #12 and #17 picks, and perhaps some of their future draft picks, to move up to get Boozer.
So far, the general consensus is that BYU’s AJ Dybantsa has to go first to Washington, and that Kansas’s Darryn Peterson should go second to Utah, with Boozer most likely going to Memphis at #3 and UNC’s Caleb Wilson to Chicago at #4.
Well, slow it down there, buckaroo. It may not happen that way at all.
Jonathon Givony, who has excellent contacts in the NBA, and who talks to a lot of people who are really enamored with analytics, says most front offices really feel like Boozer should go #1. Here’s what he said about the former Duke star:
“If you talk to the analytics people in NBA front offices, who have a lot of influence, 100% of them have Cam Boozer at number one at the top of their draft model. That’s not just because of what he did in college, where he was the most productive player in college basketball… but also dating back to what he did in high school, as well as at the FIBA level. Cam Boozer has been the best player in every setting that he’s competed on since he was 14 years old. And that goes a long way for the analytics models.
“I like [the Jokic] comp just because of the passing ability. That’s really what separates Cam Boozer, is his feel for the game, he’s absolutely exceptional. Defensively, off the ball, he’s elite, he’s a great rebounder, and even though he’s not a great athlete, he’s just first to every loose ball, his processing speed and reaction time… We saw Duke use him as a point guard at times… Teams that are drafting him at 1 and 2 are giving him a very hard look in this draft, even though that might not be the public sentiment.”
One of the nicer side effects if that comes to pass is that would probably bump Dybantsa down to #2. He’s made it clear that he likes the state of Utah, and his family now lives there, so for him, that would work out perfectly.
Of course, if it looks like Boozer is going first, that would put a lot more pressure on the Thunder to come up with a sufficiently seductive trade package to get Washington to agree. However, OKC has two first-round picks this year, as discussed, and a total of about 10, counting future drafts. They also have 12 second-round picks to work with.
So if they decide Boozer is worth it, they have draft capital to burn.
It will be a rematch of the 1999 NBA Finals, where the Spurs beat the Knicks 4-1. It was the Spurs' first championship and New York’s last finals appearance.
Wembanyama led the way with 20+ points in each of the seven games against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
It will be the Western Conference Finals MVP’s first trip to the NBA playoffs, following a season in which the projection of his career was in jeopardy after being diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis, a condition that involves blood clots.
It will also be Jalen Brunson's first finals appearance. Brunson averaged 26 points and 6.8 assists for the Knicks this season.
The Spurs and the Knicks played a two-game series during the regular season, with each team winning a game.
Here's who has the edge in the NBA Finals series:
Backcourt
The Knicks will have the advantage in the backcourt because of Jalen Brunson until proven otherwise. The Spurs’ backcourt, led by Stephon Castle and veteran De'Aaron Fox, did show they have the defensive mindset and scheme to stop a player of Brunson’s caliber, after leaving Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the back-to-back league MVP, frustrated at times during the Western Conference Finals.
Edge: Knicks
Frontcourt
Victor Wembanyama presents a problem for any team in the league because of his length and playmaking ability. The Western Conference Final MVP has averaged 23.2 points and 10.8 rebounds in 17 games during this postseason.
Karl Anthony-Towns leads a talented backcourt for the Knicks that will have the opportunity to cause problems for Wemby and the Spurs. KAT has averaged 16.9 points, 10.6 rebounds and 5.9 assists for New York in the 14 postseason games.
Edge: Spurs
Bench
The Knicks have several complementary players coming off the bench. Josh Hart is a versatile rotation player in the frontcourt who has displayed the ability to play with physicality on defense and serve as a solid rebounder. Mitchell Robinson has a broken finger but still expects to play in the finals. He serves as another quality reserve off the bench that can serve as a rim protector and rebounder for the Knicks' interior defense.
Keldon Johnson is the primary reserve for San Antonio, serving as a versatile wing when his number is called. Dylan Harper may only be a rookie, but he has really stepped up when needed for the Spurs in the postseason. He's proven he can score and be a playmaker for his team when he has the ball in his hands.
Edge: Knicks
Coaching
Knicks coach Mike Brown has the advantage in finals experience. Brown led LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA finals against the Spurs in 2007. He also spent time as an assistant coach for two championship teams. He won three titles under Steve Kerr with the Golden State Warriors and another in 2003 under Gregg Popovich with the Spurs. It will be the first finals appearance for Mitch Johnson as a head coach.
Edge: Knicks
X-Factors
It’s hard to ignore what impact Robinson can have on the Knicks when he is healthy. Robinson has great size and a defensive presence that could prove to be valuable. He can control the paint and secure offensive rebounds, which may prove to be helpful when the Spurs have Wemby on the floor. Julian Champagnie's supplementary scoring has proven to be important during the postseason. He played a key role in the Spurs' Game 7 victory over the Thunder with 20 points and six rebounds.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 30: Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs battles for the ball against Jared McCain #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the third quarter in Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 30, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jared McCain and the Oklahoma City Thunder lost Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals to Mason Plumlee and the San Antonio Spurs Saturday night, 111-103.
McCain scored 12 points for the Thunder but Plumlee did not get in the game.
However, Plumlee is now the last member of the Brotherhood who may get a ring this year. San Antonio will play the New York Knicks in the Finals, and while we felt pretty certain earlier that the winner of the Western Conference Finals would be a heavy favorite, New York is playing very well. And don’t overlook this: the Spurs are the youngest team ever to get to the Finals.
The Knicks, by contrast, are a much more experienced team. Josh Hart is 31, Karl-Anthony Towns is 30, Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges are 29, while Mitchell Robinson, OG Anunoby and Jose Alvarado are 28.
But as we saw in this series, Victor Wembanyama is the future. He can still be shoved around, but at 7-4 and 235, he’s quite thin and can still be bullied.
This should be another very compelling series. Hopefully, Plumlee gets a ring when it’s over, which would give him permanent bragging rights over brothers Miles and Marshall. All three won national championships at Duke, but only Mason has a chance of winning an NBA championship.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MAY 19: Julian Champagnie #30 of the San Antonio Spurs talks to the media on May 19, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After last night’s Game 7 victory in Oklahoma City, Julian Champagnie reminisced about honking and driving with the fans after the Spurs elimintaed the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of playoffs.
“Yeah, I mean, my wife had told me she was like, ‘you know, they honk,’ I mean, they honk, she’s like, ‘they honk downtown,’ I might as well go see it. I want to go see it earlier when we won, but I figured, let’s win a series, and then I can go down there and kind of just see what’s going on, but it was great. The energy is crazy. I’m, I’m, I’m a little pissed at me, not over there right now, and see what’s going on, because I’m in downtown right now too. But energy is great, and I love the fans. We love you guys to them, right? We love you guys. We don’t go this far without you guys. We’re looking forward to seeing you guys in the finals in San Antonio and in New York, but yeah, we don’t get this far out, you guys. Shout out to y’all too. Y’all have just as much of a part in this as we do.”
De’Aaron Fox also had some kind words for the fans.
“Probably one of the most loyal fan bases that you’ll ever be around in any sport. And me being from Texas, I’ve actually gone to a Finals game in San Antonio when they played Miami, I’m seeing that the crowd can be like seeing how loud it can get. It’s just we’re continueing to get better every day and we’re bring a championship back to San Antonio.”
The Spurs, who really enjoy spending time with each other, branched out in their gratitude, The fans weren’t the only ones called out for their support. Victor Wembanyama shared some admiration Gregg Popovich, who visited the locker room after the Game 3 loss and spoke to the team.
Dylan Harper also shared gratitude for Pop. El Jefe spoke directly to the rookie guard and Harper credits him with getting refocued for his Game 6 output. He scored 18 points, with 6 rebounds and four assists. In the closeout, he scored 12 points including a clutch 3-pointer that helped the Spurs secure the win.
Spurs will host the New York Knicks on Wednesday in their first Finals appearance in a dozen years. The Spurs/Knicks Finals harkens back to 1999, when the two met and the Spurs won their first NBA Championship. Coincidentally, that 1999 series was the last time the Knicks made it all the way to the NBA Finals.
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May 10, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Mark Tatum the NBA Deputy Commissioner and Washington Wizard (left) guard John Wall pose for photos after Wizards won the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery at Navy Pier. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images
Well, after years of faffing about, the NBA has finally implemented a major overhaul of the draft designed to discourage tanking.
It is quite complex, and yet, in some ways, quite simple-minded.
The gist is that the highest odds for the number one pick will no longer be held by the team with the worst record.
Instead, the teams with the fourth through tenth worst records in the draft will have the highest odds of getting the first pick.
Teams will not be allowed to land the number one pick in back-to-back years (this has happened twice in NBA history, not counting the 2017 draft in which the C’s traded their number one pick to the Sixers, giving them back-to-back number one picks).
Teams will not be allowed to have top five picks in three consecutive years.
The odds have also been significantly flattened overall.
Finally, the bottom three teams will have two lottery balls, the fourth through tenth teams will have three lottery balls, and the eleventh through sixteenth teams will have one ball each.
I am not a fan of making the lottery this complex, but if the league is going to go into this, I think they need to actually make it more complex.
I don’t like flat odds for the number one pick running from positions four to ten. I don’t like that drop off from tenth to eleventh. This is an area where the league certainly has the ability to add a gradient rather than a drop off.
Now, I’ll grant you, this reform package had to be sold to team owners, who are, I suspect, short of attention span for a lot of these things, so adding a smoother gradient by increasing the number of lottery balls was possibly a non-starter because it would take too long to explain (in fact, I think the lottery rules already take too long to explain, but, hey, in for a penny, in for a pound).
In my scheme, you wouldn’t have a setup with 21 balls for 4-10, 6 balls for 1-3, and 6 balls for 11-16 (total 33 balls). You’d do the setup the same way it’s done now, with balls numbered 1-14 and four number combinations that are mapped out to percentages that scale more smoothly.
I think it’s rather problematic that the tenth worst team has a better chance of landing the top pick than the third worst team.
That brings us to the oddly named ‘relegation zone.’
Frankly, it’s unnecessary.
If the three worst teams are given equal odds of getting the top pick as the teams that finish fourth through tenth in the lottery ranking, there is already no incentive to tank!
Mind you, I don’t think that the lottery odds should be flat from one to ten, but if that’s how the NBA is going to play it, then it makes no sense to pretend that teams are still going to try to be awful in search of more lottery balls.
All you’re doing now is punishing extremely bad teams.
Now granted, extremely bad teams tend to squander their picks, so maybe this isn’t such a big deal, but it seems rather silly that a bad team with the third worst record in the league is going to get robbed of a lottery ball because they weren’t good enough to finish fourth.
The NBA is basically just running an experiment at this point, though. The new lottery rules are only approved until the 2029 season, so we’re going to get three bites at this apple to see how it tastes.
Mazzulla wins Coach of the Year
Honestly, this seemed a foregone conclusion after the C’s got bounced in the first round.
It had too much humor mixed with chagrin to be anything other than a “consummation devoutly to be wish’d,” It was the perfect epitaph — or coffin lid, perhaps — for a season that began in gloom and ended the same way.
Of course, Mazzulla was going to win an award that he publicly scoffed at rather than pilot the C’s into the later rounds of the playoffs.
Did he deserve it?
Well, that depends. If you’re the kind of person who thinks that Jaylen Brown only had a Second Team All-NBA season, then you’re dang right Mazzulla deserved a Coach of the Year nod.
If you rate Brown and the C’s supporting cast higher, then I think you can make arguments for other coaches, but the league’s media in general seem to think rather poorly of the talent on the C’s team, and that makes their regular season achievements look more and more like brilliant coaching, and less like the expected performance of great players.
But that’s not the real question.
The real question isn’t whether Mazzulla deserves it, it’s whether the award should be given to a single individual.
I tend to think that Mazzulla is right, and that it should be a staff award.
Why?
Because, for example, Mazzulla isn’t single-handedly responsible for the marked improvement of Neemias Queta, and the marked improvement of Queta was a major factor in the C’s overachieving regular season.
SACRAMENTO, CA – JANUARY 1: Head Coach Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics coaches Neemias Queta #88 during the game against the Sacramento Kings on January 1, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
I mean, I think Mazzulla sets a tone, and he’s very good at getting players to buy into their roles—and the flexibility and sacrifice that those roles occasionally require—but he’s not working with Neemias day in and day out to make him a better player.
It’s the rest of Mazzulla’s staff that helped these guys become better players, players that Mazzulla can put his trust in.
The league has given Mazzulla an award for being smart enough to trust these guys, and it’s given Stevens an award for assembling the roster, and both of them have been awarded for assembling the coaching staff, but what about the coaching staff itself?
I mean, if a big part of the awards for Executive of the Year and Coach of the Year hinge on the work of the coaching staff, then they should be recognized as well.
Throughout basketball, coaching staffs have grown in size and importance. We’ve come a long way from the days where Red used to roam the sidelines by himself.
Boston, MA – December 19: Boston Celtics assistant coach Tony Dobbins, head coach Joe Mazzulla, and assistant coach Sam Cassell react to a technical foul call on Mazzulla in the fourth quarter. (Photo by Andrew Burke-Stevenson/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
It’s time, I think, to dispense with the cult of the ‘romantic genius’ in coaching, to stop looking at coaches as ‘auteurs,’ and to start looking at the position as an essentially collaborative one.
Yes, head coaches need to have the last word and the loudest voice at the table; they need to have the confidence to lead and they need to be decisive.
But these days, there is so much going on with analysis, with player development, and with game prep, that the NBA really should acknowledge that the achievements of a team that are currently attributed to the coach should be attributed to coach and staff.
In any case, Mazzulla’s response to winning the award is exactly what you would like to see.
It shows that he’s deeply aware of the work that his staff puts in, and the dividends that work has paid out.
Ultimately, the NBA might follow Joe’s suggestion, but given how long it took them to reform a lottery system that’s been abused for decades, I’m not holding my breath.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 30: Victor Wembanyama #1 and Kelly Olynyk #8 of the San Antonio Spurs talk after the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 30, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
No matter what the outcome from this Western Conference Finals was going to be, a proven seven-foot big man from the Gonzaga Bulldogs program was going to end up on the winning side of this all-time Western Conference Finals series. A matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Chet Holmgren and the San Antonio Spurs’ Kelly Olynyk. How cool is that?
Yes, Olynyk doesn’t show up in the box score compared to the much younger, much more influential Holmgren in the future basketball landscape. His impact won’t appear to the naked eye, but his San Antonio teammates in the locker room and during a huddle in a hostile road environment understand what he brings to the table. An experienced journeyman who has been around the block throughout his 13-year NBA career.
Olynyk has now reached the biggest NBA stage for the second time. His first chance at a ring fell short as a member of the Miami Heat against the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2020 COVID-version of the NBA Finals.
With his No. 13 jersey hanging in the rafters of the McCarthey Athletic Center, Olynyk was the early start of a proud Canadian-American citizen turned Gonzaga success story. Impactful players like Kevin Pangos, the Nembhard brothers, were paved a path by the 2013 consensus First Team All-American.
Our neighborhood friends from the North always have guys, and coach Mark Few’s rotating staff over the years are continuously aware of it because of Olynyk.
2x Finals appearance for the Canadian/Raptor legend Kelly Olynyk. 🇨🇦
As for Holmgren, his chance at a title repeat has failed. Oklahoma City doesn’t play a fun form of entertaining basketball with all the flopping, understood. But Holmgren also didn’t put together a full stretch of physical and energetic defensive stances against the now face of the league, Victor Wembanyama. Holmgren’s presence was nearly non-existent in the Game 7 loss at home in the PayCom Center. Thunder’s Isaiah Hartenstein was more of the primary ask to be the potential ‘stopper’ for Wembanyama throughout this entire Western Conference Finals.
Holmgren, only 24 years old with already 226 games under his belt, is still on track to be the most accomplished talent to have ties to Spokane, Washington. Even more than the firstborn and raised poster child, John Stockton, who never could reach the mountain top with the Utah Jazz.
Kelly Olynyk really showed up to Game 1 of Spurs vs Blazers in ankle socks 😭💀
All I ask from Olynyk in the NBA Finals… Please, no more ankle socks. It’s a strange basketball attire decision, especially on that worldwide platform. All love, of course.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
OKLAHOMA CITY — Poise. Maturity. Answering the opponents runs by knocking down big shots, or getting a key block. Digging deep when tested and finding a new level of performance and execution. Doing it all in the highest stakes game in a hostile environment.
That's what veteran teams do, what tested teams do. What champions do.
Except, in Game 7 on Saturday night, it wasn't the champion Thunder, it was the young and untested Spurs who did all those things in the Western Conference Finals. They kept their heads about them, at least until the final buzzer, when Wembanyama could be seen in tears. "This feeling, I can't explain it," Wembanyama said. "It's so powerful."
It’s Wembanyama, Spurs world
Early in the season, when the Thunder started 24-1, how this season was going to play out felt inevitable. It was going to be Thunder dynasty talk.
By Christmas, the Spurs had punctured that narrative and started to build one of their own.
San Antonio got to this moment — and to the NBA Finals — faster than anyone projected — even themselves.
At media day prior to the start of training camp, Wembanyama talked about making the playoffs as a top-six seed and avoiding the play-in tournament. There wasn't one "ah-ha" moment where San Antonio suddenly realized they could be this great or contend, Wembanyama said, they just focused on building good habits and stacked those one on top of the other. That's what built the confidence, the belief.
It also helped that the Spurs have a tight-knit and mature locker room. The off-court connectivity carried over to the hardwood.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson had been downplaying the idea of Oklahoma City's championship experience mattering since before this Western Conference Finals started. He said his team has the experience that matters.
"Experience, a lot of times, is used in the form of 'best use' or the lack thereof when you need it the most. And people don't talk about as much the habits, the character, the togetherness, the competitive response..." Johnson said. "And this team has now been pretty damn consistent for a long time...
"I don't know who has as much experience as we do this year in the season of 2025-26."
Full Spurs team effort
Wembanyama was good in this game — 22 points, seven rebounds — and with that was named the Western Conference Finals MVP.
But he wasn't elite in Game 7 (Shai Gilgous-Alexander was the best player on the court). What the Spurs and Wembanyama had was poise and depth as a team. Julian Champagnie made six 3-pointers, some of them back-breaking for the Thunder. Stephon Castle continued his ascent and scored 16. Dylan Harper was making everyone forget he is a rookie, scoring a dozen off the bench.
It wasn't just the kids in San Antonio. One of the veterans on this team, Luke Kornet, was forced into action in the fourth quarter when Wembanyama picked up his fifth foul of the night. Then Kornet went out and made maybe the play of the game.
"I think, in a way, it probably saved me from myself... in terms of he probably needed a break," Johnson said of Wembanyama's foul trouble. "I probably wouldn't have given him one if I didn't have to because of the fouls. And, obviously, playing Monday morning quarterback, Luke was awesome, so it feels good now."
It felt good to Wemby, who was emotional on the podium.
"There's just so many big-time plays, so many guys stepping up," an emotional Wembanyama said. "Oh my god, it's an unreal chance [to play in the Finals]. My life is amazing, and being with these guys, living these things with these guys that I love so, so, so much. It's amazing."
That buzz from winning the Western Conference Finals will wear off, but the Spurs have gained all the experience they needed to reach and win the NBA Finals, showing off their poise and maturity along the way.
Anyone who doubts the Spurs are ready for that bigger stage has not been paying attention the past two weeks. This team has all the poise, maturity, and most importantly, talent it needs.
The Boston Celtics selected big man Amari Williams with the 46th pick of the 2025 NBA draft. Williams would become the first-ever British-born player for the Boston Celtics in franchise history.
Amari played four years at Drexel before a single season with the Kentucky Wildcats and being selected in the 2nd round. Brad Stevens said of Williams in a July 8th press conference that Amari “has a great chance to be impactful here.” Stevens would also praise his knack for passing and cited that Williams “has a high upside.” Williams had a lukewarm debut in Las Vegas. The 7-footer appeared in four of the team’s Summer League games, averaging a modest 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per outing.
He was solid enough, but didn’t break out in the same way that other rookies have previously in Vegas. That all changed in Maine, though, as Amari impressed the fans and coaches with some eye-popping stat lines. The two-way player recorded multiple double-double outings while dominating the paint for Maine. His best performance came against Sioux Falls with 26 points, 12 boards, and eight assists in an overtime win.
UNIONDALE, NY – MARCH 19: Amari Williams #77 of the Maine Celtics looks to pass the ball during the game against the Long Island Nets on March 19, 2026 at The Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Evan Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Amari Williams earned minutes for the Celtics after impressing in the G-League, Joe Mazzulla and co. trusting in the young big enough for him to see the court in 22 games in his rookie campaign. Amari started two games for the Celtics and held his own against NBA competition.
Amari’s best game of the season for the Celtics came on January 27th against Portland. Luka Garza was injured, and Amari was the first big off the bench for Boston as he spelled Neemias Queta with 9 points, 7 boards, and 2 blocks in 26 minutes of action against Donovan Clingan and former Celtic Robert Williams III.
On February 7th, 2026, Brad Stevens gave a glowing assessment of Williams, saying that “I think Amari has a real chance to be a player.” With the roster in flux and the Cs in cap management mode, Amari was converted from his two-way contract to sign a two-year, $2.7 million deal, a decent team-friendly deal for a third-string frontcourt player.
Most of his points came on dunks or layups during the regular season, but Amari did show off a baby hook shot in a few games. In his limited NBA minutes, Amari also showed that he is not just a willing passer, but a pretty good one for a seven-footer, quickly spraying passes out to the three-point line from inside the key.
Defensively, Williams has shown one distinct attribute that shows he can hang in the NBA: blocking shots. Amari has tremendous leaping instincts with good timing and really long arms to swat the ball away. He has shown this past season that he can help from the weak side and also get up quick in 1-v-1 situations.
Jan 26, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Amari Williams (77) blocks the shot of Portland Trail Blazers guard Caleb Love (2) during the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
He’s still got room to develop further, but the tools are there to become a decent backup big man for many years. Boston has developed really serviceable big men recently in Queta and Kornet. Hopefully, Amari will follow the same developmental trajectory.
All of which prompts the question: does Oklahoma City need to significantly tweak its roster to compete with San Antonio?
This is the new reality facing the Thunder. When a young team goes on to win the NBA Finals ahead of schedule like they did last season, it becomes championship or bust.
The thornier complications are financial, and Thunder executive vice president and general manager Sam Presti will need to be creative to juggle this roster.
Yet, to be clear, the goal here should be to keep this core intact as much as possible.
Let’s start here: the Thunder, for the latter half of the series, were without Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell, both of whom are excellent offensive creators and both of whom ease pressure off of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
With both sidelined, that forced the ball into Gilgeous-Alexander’s hands and made it easier for the Spurs to throw double-teams at him.
It also put a ton of pressure on Oklahoma City’s shooters, to knock down open looks.
Williams and Mitchell, who emerged this postseason as a solid offensive play-maker, allow Gilgeous-Alexander to play off the ball more. In their absence, the Thunder offense stagnated and everything was taxing for the back-to-back NBA MVP, who scored 35 points on 12-of-21 shooting in Game 7.
It’s a very different series if both Williams and Mitchell are healthy.
“I still think we had enough to get it done,” Gilgeous-Alexander said after the game. “We won two-and-a-half games without them, we just didn’t get to it in the biggest game of the series. I guess it will take a little bit, but I’ll go back and watch the games where we had some success, and why did we have success and try to duplicate those things next season.”
In some ways, Oklahoma City is already built to stop a team like the Spurs.
The Thunder have a pair of bigs in Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein who can make life tough for Wembanyama. Hartenstein, in particular, used his strength at times in the Western Conference finals to shove and manipulate Wembanyama in the low post.
But Hartenstein has a $28.5 million club option for next season that the Thunder will need to exercise before June 29. If Oklahoma City wants to save some space in the salary cap, declining that option is an easy route.
The more complicated question surrounds Holmgren. His five-year, $239.3 million contract extension kicks in next season. Holmgren finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting to Wembanyama and was an All-NBA third-team selection. Yet, he disappeared at times during the Western Conference finals and produced his worst performance in Game 7, when he took just 2 shot attempts and finished with 4 points and 4 rebounds.
That’s probably not enough for the Thunder to dangle him in a trade this offseason — perhaps to move up from the No. 12 pick that they currently hold in the 2026 NBA Draft — but Presti is going to have to be calculating a judicious.
That means veterans like Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Kenrich Williams may be gone — out of necessity more than anything. The same could be said even for Alex Caruso, who is a tremendously versatile defender and whose championship experience is treasured in the locker room.
If the goal is to keep the core of Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Holmgren intact, the Thunder will need to be cold and calculated. They will have to let go of good players — including ones beloved in the locker room.
Gilgeous-Alexander turns 28 in July and is in his prime. Williams is 25 and Holmgren is 24. The Thunder's window to win is now. As long as this core is together, anything else becomes a disappointment.
“To be a 64-win team and have the net rating we did, overcome some of the adversities we did in the season is something we’re incredibly proud of,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said after Game 7. “It’s something we can build on. When you have a team that’s together for a long time, you have to grow from every experience, including the tough ones. It’s the NBA, there are tough ones.
“And we can also be really disappointed. We felt like we could’ve won the series, obviously. We were right there, in the game and in the series. There’s nobody that we don’t think we can beat, respectfully, so obviously we’re going to be disappointed with the outcome. You don’t have to choose one or the other. You can be proud of the progress you made this season and some of the successes, and you can be disappointed.”
Victor Wembanyama is 7ft 5in and has an 8ft wingspan [Getty Images]
Victor Wembanyama bagged 22 points as San Antonio Spurs defeated defending champions the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-103 to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014, where they will face the New York Knicks.
San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson had called on Wembanyama to score more than 20 points after a disappointing showing in game five.
An inspired 28-point haul by the 22-year-old Frenchman on Friday helped level the best-of-seven series at 3-3 and save his "childhood dream" - which is now within touching distance.
"Winning the Larry O'Brien [NBA championship trophy] is a childhood dream, and having a real shot at it, having a tangible chance at winning it - it's a lifetime chance," said Wembanyama after reaching the Finals for the first time.
"You never know when it's gonna happen again. But the day we win it, speaking for myself, it's going to be an amazing day - the realisation of a dream.
"It's hard to put into words. It's almost like the meaning of my life."
Johnson's side last won the NBA showpiece in 2014, while the Knicks will compete in the finals for the first time in 27 years.
It will be a rematch of the 1999 NBA Finals, which San Antonio won in five games for their first of five NBA championships.
Having scored 41 points in game one and 33 points in game four, the number one pick in the 2023 draft showed in the deciding two matches why he was one of the most coveted picks since LeBron James in 2003.
"What I've learned is that I can go through hurdles that I didn't know could get so high," added Wembanyama.
"I found resources inside of me. Relentlessness. I already knew that, but doing it at this level, this is the best basketball being played on the planet right now. And the crazy thing is I want to do that 15 or 20 more times."
The NBA Finals series will begin on 3 June, with a possible game seven finale on 19 June.
Spurs rookie Dylan Harper, from New Jersey, and Julian Champagnie, from New York, have deep roots in the local basketball scene.
Harper, 20, attended Don Bosco Prep High School just outside of New York City in Ramsey, NJ and spent his freshman year of college at Rutgers before being selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Champagnie, 24, went to Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School in Brooklyn and then stayed close to home by going to St. John's for three seasons.
After winning the Western Conference Finals, both players couldn't have been more excited to talk about returning home and facing the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on the biggest stage.
"It's going to be a fun one," Harper said. "I think they kind of got us in the [NBA] Cup, like you said, got us when we went there. We pulled out a close one at home. I think for us it comes down to doubling down on what we're good at... I feel like it's a great matchup.
"For me, my dream has been always to play in The Garden in the NBA Finals and I get to do that my first year. I'm not gonna take nothing for granted."
Growing up in New Jersey, Harper said that he's attended many Knicks games throughout his life and expects to get countless ticket requests from people. The rookie added this opportunity doesn't feel real, but he's confident that it's meant to be.
"I've been to so many Knicks playoff games, Knicks games. I live 25, 30 minutes from the arena. I know there's going to be a whole lot of tickets I'll be asked for, but my phone's going to be off for that," Harper said. "It's a dream come true, it's a blessing. It's kind of where I've always wanted to play at for the Finals.
"I think that if you would have told this last year, I would have told you you're crazy. I think that you kind of go through what you go through to get to moments like this. I've kind of just been steadying, just wanting wants best for me."
"I've been to so many Knicks playoff games, Knicks games - I live 25, 30 minutes from the arena. I know there's going to be a whole lot of tickets I'll be asked for."
Dylan Harper on growing up a Knicks fan and now facing them in the NBA Finals: pic.twitter.com/XzlJJTTsrf
Champagnie said playing at The Garden while at St. John's as a kid from Brooklyn was a special moment, but this is going to be a whole different experience.
"That's every kid's dream, that's every kid's dream," Champagnie said. "I remember my first time actually playing in The Garden, I was at St. John's, and I was just like in awe of how much greatness has gone through there and what that means to a kid from the city. Being that now we get to go play them for a championship? That's personal, that's personal.
"I get to go home. Obviously, to see family. I get to play in front of a lot of my family. My family hasn't come to no games yet, I've been keeping it strictly basketball right now. When the Knicks made the championship, I tell them, I said, 'When we get this done, you guys can come to every game if you want to, so what.'
"It's up the block, I've passed by there so many times, I've played there so many times. Being able to go back there and compete for a championship? There's no better feeling, no better feeling."
Knowing the Knicks fanbase well, Champagnie added that he and the Spurs won't be bothered by them traveling to San Antonio and is confident in his team's fans showing up in New York.
"I don't think we're too worried about the fans," Champagnie said. "Obviously me being from New York, I know how they get. So there's a little bit of that in me. I don't think we're too worried about their fans. We have great fans down in San Antonio. I'm 100 percent sure that the same way Knicks fans will travel, San Antonio fans will travel. So I'm not too worried about fans and stuff like that, we're gonna make sure it gets done."
While it will be a once-in-a-lifetime chance for the two local players, it'll be a tough challenge against a Knicks team who's won a playoff-record 11 straight games.
Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals is on Tuesday, June 3 in San Antonio at 8:30 p.m.
"That's every kid's dream"
Julian Champagnie, who was born in New York City and played college basketball at St. John's, on playing in the NBA Finals at MSG: pic.twitter.com/UHJhjhJl57
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 30: The San Antonio Spurs celebrates winning the Western Conference championship against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game Seven of the Western Conference Finals on May 30, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Morgan Givens/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Two nights ago, the San Antonio Spurs were staring elimination right in the eyes. The defending NBA Champion Oklahoma City Thunder had control of the Western Conference Finals and had the young Spurs squad on the brink of elimination in their first playoff run. However, instead of folding under pressure like many felt they would, the Spurs responded.
First came the rout in Game 6 as San Antonio handed Oklahoma City a 27-point defeat to force a seventh and final game. On Saturday night, the Spurs faced their biggest test yet: A Game 7 on the road in a hostile road environment to punch their ticket to the NBA Finals. The moment never seemed too much for this Spurs team, not in this year.
Inside a loud and often times deafening Paycom Center, the Spurs played loose and confident as they defeated the Thunder 111-103 to win the Western Conference title and in the process, earning their first trip back to the NBA Finals since 2014.
“We had a lot of guys step up and make shots tonight, which we needed with a variety of people who had the double digit points, but it was a complete team effort,” Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson said after the game.
As the final seconds ticked off, Devin Vassell put the exclamation point on the series with a breakaway dunk, sending most of the fans inside the arena towards the exits. As the buzzer sounded, emotion overcame Victor Wembanyama as he embraced his teammates, partly relieved but mostly excited. The franchise that has won five NBA championships and went through a rebuild was finally back on basketball’s biggest stage.
The victory wasn’t built on one moment, it was built on the emotion and resilience of a team that was told “not yet” by critics and talking heads on television. Instead, as Mike Tirco put it, “a new era has arrived.” Wembanyama, the face of the franchise and the centerpiece of its future, delivered when his team needed him the most. He scored 22 points and paced the Spurs’ defense, reminding everyone why he quickly becoming the next face of the league. But it wasn’t just Wemby who put the Spurs back in this position.
“Winning the Larry O’Brien is a childhood dream and having a real shot at it, having a chance, a tangible chance at winning it realizing a dream,” Wembanyama said. “It’s a lifetime chance you never know what’s going to happen again.”
Julian Champagnie had one of the best games of his career, scoring 20 points and hitting six three-pointers. Every time Oklahoma City threatened to build momentum, Champagnie seemed to answer with another big shot from downtown. Stephon Castle, playing far beyond his years, continued his emergence as one of the postseason’s breakout stars with 16 points, six rebounds and six assists.
Still, the Thunder refused to go down without a fight. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put his team on his back, pouring in 35 points, and did everything possible to keep Oklahoma City alive. Each double-digit lead for San Antonio felt fragile when it was matched with another SGA bucket. Still, San Antonio proved this night and this Western Conference belongs to them.
When Oklahoma City cut into the lead during the second half, the Spurs answered with defensive stops. When Wembanyama found himself battling foul trouble late in the game, Luke Kornet came up with a huge block that resembled LeBron James against Golden State in 2016 that led to Mike Breen’s famous call “blocked by James!”. The ball continued to move. The defense continued to swarm.
Most importantly, the belief never disappeared and that’s what has made this run feel different. For years, the Spurs’ future was something to discuss. It was potential, draft picks, projections and being “on schedule”. Now, it is a reality. The young roster that spent the season learning how to win spent the postseason proving it could. Along the way, San Antonio survived injuries, overcame adversity and eliminated the defending champions on their home court.
“Coming here, my first full year, being able to be in the Finals, I don’t know about if I thought that, but I knew that we’re going to have a damn good team, and we continued to get better throughout the course of the season,” Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox said.
The reward is a trip to the NBA Finals against the New York Knicks, a rematch of the 1999 championship series that saw the Spurs win their first NBA title. This version of the Spurs, however, is creating its own legacy. The dynasty teams that had Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, and Gregg Popovich inspired a generation. This Spurs team is beginning to inspire the next one.
Now, after years of rebuilding and a season of learning how to win together, the Spurs are now four wins away from bringing another NBA Championship home to the Alamo City.
While the journey isn’t finished, for one unforgettable night in Oklahoma City, the Spurs arrived exactly where they’ve always believed they belong.
Game Notes
Shoutout to Keldon Johnson, who struggled in these playoffs, but came up big when his team needed him to. He scored 11 points, including two huge three-pointers in fourth quarter.
Dylan Harper had 12 points, showing the confidence of a seasoned veteran. He will be key in these NBA Finals.
Devin Vassell didn’t have the best shooting night, but he did the little things that were needed for his team to come out on top.
The Spurs will have three days off to prepare for the Knicks and, most importantly, give De’Aaron Fox and Harper time to recover from their lingering injuries.
Victor Wembanyama was emotional after the Spurs defeated the Thunder in Game 7 on May 30.
Victor Wembanyama didn’t say anything after Game 5, ducking out of Paycom Center before speaking with reporters.
He didn’t say much after the Spurs’ Game 6 victory, either, during an on-court interview with NBC.
But after Game 7, after Wembanyama powered the Spurs past top-seeded Oklahoma City in a thrilling finish to the Western Conference finals and into an NBA Finals showdown against the Knicks, his emotions on the court said it all.
Wembanyama was visibly emotional while embracing his San Antonio teammates following their 111-103 victory over the Thunder on Saturday in Oklahoma City, at one point placing his head in his hands and yelling in celebration as he made his way around the court immediately after the final buzzer sounded.
“Winning the Larry O’Brien [trophy], it’s a childhood dream, and having a real shot at it, having a chance, tangible chance at winning it, realizing a dream, you know — it’s a chance,” Wembanyama told reporters during his postgame press conference. “It’s a lifetime chance. You never know when it’s gonna happen again. The day we win it, speaking for myself, it’s gonna be an amazing day of realization of the dream. It’s hard to put into words. It’s almost like the meaning of my life.”
THE RAW EMOTION
THE MOMENT THE SPURS CLINCHED THEIR SPOT IN THE 2026 NBA FINALS IN OKLAHOMA CITY! pic.twitter.com/uCfQdOOnI5
Victor Wembanyama reacts after the Spurs’ 111-103 Game 7 win over the Thunder on May 30, 2026 in Oklahoma City. NBAE via Getty Images
It’s fitting that Wembanyama — one of the new faces of the league as a superstar in his third year — will lead the Spurs back to their first Finals appearance since 2014, which also marked their last title.
The 7-foot-4 center finished third in MVP voting and became the first-ever unanimous Defensive Player of the Year winner during the regular season, finishing with averages of 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and an NBA-best 3.1 blocks per game.
Victor Wembanyama was emotional after the Spurs’ Game 7 win. Imagn Images
That success has continued during his first trip to the postseason, too, as Wembanyama had averaged 23.3, 11.0, 2.8 and 3.7 per game in the playoffs before adding another 22 points and seven rebounds in Game 7.
And now, San Antonio sits four wins from its fifth title this century, with Game 1 set for Wednesday against the Knicks — who defeated the Spurs in the NBA Cup final back in December at a neutral site in Las Vegas.
Victor Wembanyama celebrates with his Spurs teammates after their Game 7 win. AP Photo
“I want to win so bad,” Wembanyama said during his postgame press conference. “It’s like my life depends on it.”
The 22-year-old was visibly emotional as the clock ran out on the road game at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. He tucked his face into his jersey and pumped his fists before giving hugs to teammates De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Julian Champagnie.
Wembanyama, who won the Defensive Player of the Year in the regular season, was named the Western Conference finals Most Valuable Player. His emotions continued throughout the night.
Here is two minutes of an extremely emotional Victor Wembanyama celebrating the aftermath of a conference finals elimination of the Thunder. Advances to his first Finals five months after his 22nd birthday. pic.twitter.com/T21ZdAKjaS
"Winning the Larry O’Brien is a childhood dream,” he choked out words to reporters after the game. “And having a real shot at it, having tangible chance at winning it, realizing a dream, it’s a lifetime chance. You never know when it’s going to happen again. But the day we win it, speaking for myself, it’s going to be an amazing day of the realization of a dream. It’s hard to put into words. It’s almost like the meaning of my life.”
But the center made sure to acknowledge that he isn't reaching the NBA Finals on his own.
"It's an unreal chance. My life is amazing and being with these guys, living these things with these guys that I love so, so, so much, it's amazing," he continued. "I want to have this feeling plenty, plenty more times in my life."
