By the end of the night Saturday, May 30, either the San Antonio Spurs or Oklahoma City Thunder will represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals. The Thunder and the Spurs, the two best teams in the regular season, are battling in a winner-take-all Game 7 of the conference finals Saturday, May 30.
And all eyes are on the two stars in this game: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the two-time consecutive Most Valuable Player for the Thunder, and the Spurs' Victor Wembanyama, the young phenom and unanimous Defensive Player of the Year.
Awaiting either squad in the NBA Finals is the New York Knicks, who swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals.
Here are live takeaways from Game 7 of the Western Conference finals between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder:
Second-chance points have saved the Thunder
If there’s one thing that sparked Oklahoma City’s run in the second quarter, it was its work on the offensive glass.
The Thunder gained a 9-4 edge on offensive rebounds in the first half Saturday night. It was no surprise, then, that Oklahoma City took a massive 17-6 lead in second-chance points into intermission.
The offensive rebounding helped revive a moribund Thunder offense
The other thing offensive boards have done for OKC is to neutralize San Antonio’s transition offense; the Spurs have wanted to play quickly, and failing to scoop up defensive rebounds have robbed the Spurs of chances to get out on the break.
So did Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
A monster, 13-point second quarter from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander lifted the Thunder back into this game. Gilgeous-Alexander, admittedly, was slow to start this game.
The Spurs did throw extra bodies at him anytime he got the ball in an attacking position, so some of the early issues were to be expected.
But Gilgeous-Alexander was far more decisive in the second quarter and looked to get his looks before the Spurs were able to set their defense.
At the half, Gilgeous-Alexander has 19 points on a wildly-efficient 8-of-11 shooting and has added 5 assists and 4 rebounds.
His 19 points were most this series during a first half. He looks like an elite player who knows what’s at stake.
The San Antonio offense to start the game was impressive. Their defense was even better
Early on in Game 7, the Spurs swarmed the ball, used active hands to deflect passes and took control of the game with turnovers.
San Antonio, though the first 6:45 of the game, forced the Thunder into 5 turnovers (on 5 steals), which led to a quick 7-0 advantage on points off turnovers. Of course, it helped that the Spurs didn’t commit a single turnover during that span early, but it was the force and intensity the Spurs brought that impacted the game.
The Thunder were better with the ball in the second quarter, which allowed them to get better looks. For San Antonio to win this Game 7, it needs to find a way to continue pressuring ball-handlers into turnovers, because that’s the recipe it can use to play with more tempo.
He has been overshadowed all series long, but Oklahoma City will have a tough time winning this game if Chet Holmgren cannot provide more — on either offense or defense.
By the midway point of the the third quarter, Holmgren had taken just 2 shot attempts (making one), for 4 points. On the other end, he collected just 2 rebounds, 1 block and 1 steal. He’s a premier defender but simply hasn’t been able to protect the rim as well as he has at points during the regular season.
On offense, he’s hesitating far too much when he gets the ball in his hands.
When the Knicks were down 2-1 to the Hawks in the first round of the 2026 playoffs, things began to look existential for this core, from the bench all the way up to the President. Everybody was under the spotlight, as another two losses would be a catastrophic failure for a team with championship aspirations, after championship-level big swings.
Firing head coach Tom Thibodeau and bringing in Mike Brown was one, as was the Karl-Anthony Towns trade, but perhaps the most scrutinized move that built this current iteration was the five first-round picks New York sent Brooklyn to acquire Mikal Bridges. He was a vaunted wing they paid a premium to their crosstown rivals to pick up, and he just put up zero points and four turnovers in a pivotal Game 3 loss.
Many had said he more than proved his worth during the 2025 playoffs, with multiple clutch games and moments to beat the Pistons in round one and upset the Celtics in round two. But this town isn’t big on consolation prizes, and a first-round loss this year would put Bridges on the chopping block and the trade that brought him here under a spotlight.
But since then, we’ve seen a completely different Bridges, one that’s been instrumental to their 11-game win streak and first NBA Finals berth in 27 years. Since that woeful Game 3, he’s cemented his Knicks legacy and once and for all made those picks an afterthought.
It started with his game-changing defense. He locked in on Nickeil Alexander-Walker, this year’s Most Improved Player.
Alexander-Walker went from a 20.8 points per game average in the regular season to 13.7 against the Knicks -- his two-point accuracy falling from 52.5 percent to 32.1 -- and Bridges forced nine turnovers in 29 minutes matched up with him. He was also massive off the ball and on switches, helping take All-Star Jalen Johnson out of the series.
Electric 28.3-points per game scorer Tyrese Maxey awaited Bridges in the second round, and Bridges stepped up to the plate. Bridges held him to an inefficient first two games -- 19 points a night on 38 percent shooting from the field -- and forced eight turnovers in 21 minutes of matchup time.
When OG Anunoby went down with a hamstring injury, Bridges stepped up to take on Paul George to finish the sweep. All the while, Bridges has done the little things on this end as well, boxing out, fighting for boards and running the floor hard.
In the Conference Finals, he had the privilege of guarding James Harden, and once again lived up to the challenge. Harden averaged 16 points on 39 percent shooting from the field and 18 percent shooting from three, struggling to make a real dent in Bridges’ defense.
There are few wings in these playoffs that have comparable impact to Bridges defensively, and he’s been a different offensive force since his zilch. From Game 6 against Atlanta, he’s averaged 18.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.8 steals per game on a remarkable 71.4 percent shooting from two and 37.9 percent from three.
This isn’t just by way of his usual diet of leakouts, catch-and-shoot threes and mid-range pulls, either. Bridges rediscovered his paint aggression, looking for contact and rim attacks in transition and the halfcourt.
He’s been creating for himself more in the pick-and-roll as the series have gone on, even bailing the Knicks out at pivotal times. His huge threes in Game 1 against the Cavaliers, including the fading prayer over Evan Mobley, were crucial to the Knicks pulling off the comeback.
New York will need him to continue this tear in the NBA Finals, but no matter how this final round plays out, the black cloud of draft picks that’s hovered above him for two seasons can now dissipate for good. Bridges has more than proven himself these playoffs, and the front office is validated for taking that swing.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - MAY 28: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs warms up before Game Six of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Frost Bank Center on May 28, 2026 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. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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It’s the 101st game of the season (82 regular season games, 18 playoff games, and the NBA cup championship1) and there’s nothing to say that hasn’t already been said. It’s been an incredible series, with each team making adjustments and turning small strategic advantages into winning margins, until the other team responds and forces another round of adjustments. It’s been an emotional roller coaster for the fans of both teams, and they aren’t even playing the games. It’s hard to imagine how stressful this is for the team and staff, but they seem to be handling is well so far.
The Spurs stepped up with their best defensive effort of the season in the second half as they held the Thunder scoreless for eight minutes as the Spurs ripped off a 20-0 run and put the game away early. Victor Wembanyama and the starters had a long rest to finish the game and that should work in favor of the Silver and Black tonight. If Victor can have one of his high energy games tonight, that might be the key to winning the series and advancing to the finals. Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle have been great, with Harper looking at full strength in Game 6 after being hobbled for much of the series. De’Aaron Fox has been injured all series long, which has affected his scoring, but he’s making contributions in other ways as turnovers have been way down since he returned to the lineup. He could be the deciding factor tonight, but he’s also unlocking the games of his teammates, so I wouldn’t mind having Champagnie having a great night again. It’s a team effort. LET’S GO SPURS!
If the Spurs win tonight, they’ll play on June 3rd against the Knicks at the Frost Bank Center, and if they lose they have a whole off season to think about getting the best record in the league and locking up home court advantage for the playoffs.
That game is hard to remember that game since it didn’t count in the standings, but if the Spurs win tonight, I have a feeling that people will be talking about it a lot.
I wrote this whole thing about how Wembanyama is Superman (because he’s an alien) and Caruso is Lex Luthor (he’s bald, duh), but decided to edit it out because it was to comic-nerdy. Maybe next time.
Game Prediction:
We have a repeat of Game 1, with a double overtime thriller won by the Spurs with Wemby scoring 40+.
San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma Thunder, Conference Championship Round, Game 7 May 30, 2026 | 7:00 PM CT Streaming: Peacock TV: NBC Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
May 28, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA;Oklahoma City Thunder guard Nikola Topic (44) dribbles the ball past San Antonio Spurs guard Jordan McLaughlin (0) in the second half during game six of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
Then today is Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. The San Antonio Spurs are at the Oklahoma City Thunder. Tip off is at 8 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)
The winner advances to the NBA Finals to face the New York Knicks, who swept the Eastern Conference Finals over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Enjoy the game!
Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals is a gift from the Roundball Gods.
Before this series between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, we all prayed for a thrilling back-and-forth battle between the NBA’s top two teams.
And while most of the games haven’t been competitive, the WCF has been like watching two heavyweights trade haymakers heading into the final round.
My Spurs vs. Thunder same-game parlay likes Oklahoma City to land the knockout punch Saturday, with 7-footer Chet Holmgren delivering the deciding blow after a bit of a “rope-a-dope” effort in the opening six games.
It’s Game 7. Let’s not get the spread involved and keep this clean with a moneyline leg. The Oklahoma City Thunder have been excellent at home all season and while their offense gets a boost from the friendly confines, their defense has been especially disruptive versus the San Antonio Spurs at home in this series.
Oklahoma City is forcing almost 20 turnovers in the past three homestands with San Antonio, flipping those follies into 25 average points off turnovers. The big-game nerves will get the better of the young Spurs while OKC’s experience leads them back to the NBA Finals.
SGP leg #2: Chet Holmgren Over 13.5 points
After an up-and-down start to the series, Chet Holmgren has put in two solid efforts in Games 5 and 6. Solid but not standout. Holmgren’s scoring is down due in large part to the last four games being blowouts.
That’s limited his minutes and usage in the second half, leaving his prop total for Game 7 suppressed. Chet came up big for OKC in Game 7 of the NBA Finals last year after struggling and projections stand as tall as 16+ points on Saturday.
SGP leg #3: Chet Holmgren Over 8.5 rebounds
Holmgren has been very active on the glass in the last two contests of the Western finals, snatching 11 boards in both outings. He’s been in position for 36 total rebounding chances in those games and has got after it on the offensive boards, with seven total offensive rebounds boosting those results.
His impressive rebounding numbers have also been dulled by diminished floor time. With a tight game script in this do-or-die Game 7, Holmgren will log major minutes and make the most of that. Projections call for 9+ rebounds Saturday.
Get Jason Logan's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his Spurs vs. Thunder predictions for Game 7.
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A: It’s always been a basketball town. This is why I fell in love with basketball, and I’m certain a lot of Knick fans, too. There’s just something about the team aspect of the sport. Five players working together. The whole is better than the sum of its parts — I’ve always loved that phrase. And this Knick team is exactly that. And there’s just something special about that building, whether you’re there watching or you’re watching at home. There’s an electricity to that place that’s just truly amazing. … And I think this particular Knick team, because there were so many years of darkness, that to feel this way about a team, knowing that they have a legitimate shot of winning a championship, these fans have been just so hungry for so many years and stayed loyal despite that, they just feel like they’re being rewarded. The electricity in the city about them and the vibe in the city about ’em is crazy. It’s incredible the joy that the Knicks fans have. And the fact that all three games on the road that they clinched, in Atlanta, in Philadelphia, in Cleveland, the thousands of Knick fans at each of those games, shows you how much they care and how long they’ve waited for a team like this to root for.
Q: What makes this team so likable?
A: How connected they are, and how well they play together, and how they’ve sacrificed, they’re unselfish. And the other thing, too, is you hear them all talk after the games, and they don’t like to talk about themselves, but ask ’em about a teammate and they’ll go on and on and on and on. They’re so happy for each other’s success.
Q: What is the essence of Jalen Brunson’s greatness?
A: He has an iron will. He’s not tall, he’s not fast, he’s not overly athletic. But he’s one of the mentally strongest players I’ve ever been around. They talk about Michael Jordan, they talk about Kobe Bryant … in terms of mental toughness, I’d put him up there with anybody. He has a great basketball mind, and he always figures it out. He just figures out what the defense is doing and how to beat them. I love the humility that he has. When he has a bad game, he puts it behind him. When he has a good game, he puts it behind him, and he just goes on to the next game, just like he does every possession, he just goes on to the next possession. An iron will.
Q: Walt “Clyde” Frazier and Patrick Ewing are your two greatest Knicks. If Brunson leads the Knicks to the championship, does he belong in that group?
A: Absolutely. And even if he doesn’t win a championship, I think he’s already in the conversation and this is just his fourth year with the team. You have to take everything into account — obviously his talent, his leadership … but he has changed the direction and the perception of the franchise.
Q: What did you know about coach Mike Brown, and why did you think he could be a good fit?
New York Knicks broadcasters Mike Breen and Walt “Clyde” Frazier. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
A: He’s a great people person, and I knew that he was one of those guys that wasn’t afraid to try things … he wasn’t afraid to take others’ opinions. And that’s exactly what he’s done, he’s tried things, he’s tweaked things, he’s changed things, and he has sought ideas and opinions from his assistant coaches and his players. It’s the most collaborative coaching staff I think I’ve ever been around, and you have to give him all the credit. He’s so secure in himself that he’s willing to take ideas from anybody on his staff or anybody on his roster, and he’ll try them. And if it works, he gives them the credit. And if it doesn’t work, he says, “I need to do a better job.” He treats his coaching staff and his roster like it’s a big family, and everybody has a seat at the table and everybody has a say. And it’s worked to perfection because they had a lot of growing pains this year, and they had their ups and downs, but he never panicked and just kept trying to figure out what’s the best way for this team to play. And he said right from the start, “I don’t have all the answers, and I’m gonna need time to figure them out, and they’re gonna need time to figure me out,” and that’s exactly what happened.
Q: He figured out how to use Karl-Anthony Towns as a facilitator.
A: They’re down two games to one against Atlanta, and Towns went to him and talked to him about that, and it has completely taken their offense to another level.
Q: What were your thoughts when they acquired KAT?
A: I hated to see [Julius] Randle and [Donte] DiVincenzo go. I know Julius Randle wasn’t always the fan favorite, but Randle’s a big part of the turnaround, Randle and Tom Thibodeau started the turnaround. Those were two important pieces to get the franchise going in the right direction. But Towns is one of those special talents, and in today’s game, what he brings is so important, and you knew that he was gonna love coming to New York, being from the area, and the Knicks were his team. Besides his talent, it’s his willingness to sacrifice. He’s gone through these playoffs, and he’s not averaging the kind of points that made him an all-NBA player, but he doesn’t care because he knows right now his role as a facilitator and a playmaker is the best way for then to win, and that’s what I love most about Karl-Anthony Towns, is he just wants to win a title.
Q: Why is OG Anunoby so invaluable for this team?
A: He’s the head of a snake on the defense. I think he’s in the top five defensive players in the league ’cause he can guard anybody. And he cares so much about defense, and he watches a lot of film. He can guard a point guard, he can guard a center, he could be an on-ball demon defensively, he’s great off the ball. He changes a team’s defensive dynamic, he is just an elite defensive player. And now, he has turned into a consistent offensive force. And it’s not just 3-pointers, it’s drive to the basket, and it’s a direct result of an insatiable work ethic to get better.
Q: Why is Josh Hart such a fan favorite?
A: ’Cause he wears his heart on his sleeve — no pun intended. He’s a loose-ball lunatic, dives for every loose ball, rebounds in traffic, does all the dirty work, and he’s got his fingerprints on pretty much everything during the course of a game. And nobody plays harder.
Q: With three Villanova guys on the team, is that more appealing to your wife, Ro?
A: Well, my wife and my daughter are Villanova grads. So, in order to keep the peace in the family, I’m required to mention Villanova at least three times per Knick telecast. … But no, it’s very cool for them to see them excel like this, and I think Knick fans all need to thank Jay Wright because they will all tell you the influence Jay Wright had on them in terms of the kind of players and competitors and men that they’ve become.
Tim Legler and Mike Breen talk before the game during Round Two Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 10, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NBAE via Getty Images
Q: Mikal Bridges was not a fan favorite for a while, but is now.
A: He took criticism ’cause he was inconsistent. But he has started every game for the last two years on a team that went to a conference finals for the first time in 25 years and an NBA Finals in 27 years, an instrumental part of that. His ability to raise his game in the playoffs has been essential. Everybody gets so caught up in how many first-round picks they had to give up [five], but that was the price of getting a good player at the time, and it wasn’t his fault. And he’ll be the first person to tell you he was inconsistent, but he’s playing his role perfectly now. I have such admiration for the way he handled the ups and downs.
Q: Is it true you are Mitchell Robinson’s foul shooting coach?
A: (Laugh) I think if you really want to know, I’m a great free-throw shooter. I’m not one to brag very often, but I’ll brag about my free-throw shooting.
Q: Well, maybe you should help.
A: No, Peter Patton, the shooting coach, has worked so hard with him, and Mitchell has really worked so hard to get better. You can see, like, he looks more comfortable at the line, his form is better, his foundation in terms of his stance is better. … It’s just a matter of time before he starts hitting them on a regular basis.
Q: How important will he be in the Finals?
A: He’s a game-changer. The best offensive rebounder in the NBA. If he started and played 25-30 minutes, he’d be first-team All-Defense. His instincts defensively are off the charts, he’s a lob threat now, he’s become a really smart player, has a great feel for the game. For him, it’s always been about health.
Q: What’s gotten into Landry Shamet?
A: He’s always been like this. Since he came to the Knicks, he just kept getting hurt. And one of the reasons he gets hurt is ’cause he fights over screens so hard, he’s hurt his shoulder a couple of times. But he’s a guy that no matter where he’s been, he’s contributed to his team. He’s played for six teams in eight years and he’s one of those guys where you say, “Why would the five other teams let him go?” Because when you watch him play, he’s a great 3-point shooter, and he competes so hard defensively. He fights over screens as well as anybody in the league.
Q: Miles “Deuce” McBride.
A: He works so hard on his shot, and he now has become a lethal 3-point shooter and competes defensively. A great two-way player.
Q: Describe the job team president Leon Rose has done.
A: He came in and he said, “Be patient.” Because he wasn’t gonna just try and hit the home run. He wanted to build something that’s sustainable, and he slowly did that. He’s done a masterful job. They were one of the worst teams in the NBA for a number of years. It was almost an impossible job, and he’s done that. He really has worked magic. I know the fans all want to say thank you to him.
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) hugs New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) at the end the fourth quarter after winning the Eastern Conference finals. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Q: Two weeks before your ninth birthday, the Knicks won their first NBA championship, May 8, 1970. It was blacked out in New York, correct?
A: Yeah, it was on tape delay. My dad was a crazy sports fan so he rooted for all the New York teams, so me and my brothers followed suit, we were all Knick fans.
Q: What do you remember when they won it?
A: I thought it was the coolest thing because if you remember, the Mets won in ’69, and we were huge Met fans. And I’m thinking, “All my teams win championships all the time (laugh).”
Q: What do you recall about the ’73 Knicks winning their second NBA championship?
A: I do remember that I loved that Earl [Monroe] got to win a championship as well. And I also remember that they got revenge because they had lost [to the Lakers] the year before. I was a big Clyde and [Dave] DeBusschere fan, those were my two favorites.
Q: Who were you in the schoolyard?
A: Kind of both of them, actually. Clyde was my favorite, but I was not cool, so there’s no way I could be Clyde (laugh), so I was all of them. What I used to do all the time is I had a Nerf basketball in my room, and I would take jump shots and try to mimic the form of all the Knicks when I was doing that.
Q: What was it about DeBusschere you liked so much?
A: I thought my dad was the strongest man in the world, and then I thought Dave DeBusschere was the second strongest. I just thought he was so tough and so strong and hit so many big shots.
Q: And Clyde?
A: He hit every big shot. I was always surprised when he missed a shot. The word ‘cool,’ it’s not really around anymore, but he was the epitome of cool. He just never looked like he was in a rush, and always seemed to make the big play either with a basket or a steal.
Q: Your most painful loss as a Knicks fan growing up?
A: When they lost the title in ’72 [to the Lakers]. I just remember being so disappointed ’cause I thought they were gonna win again, and that’s why the ’73 team was so good. But losing in ’72 was hard as an 11-year-old. … The thing that hurt me the most was when they traded Clyde. That was devastating. He came back either six games or six days later in a Cavalier uniform, and I remember being so upset seeing him in a Cavalier uniform.
Q: Describe the 1994 Knicks.
A: They played with such a physical force. They overwhelmed you with their force, and then they had one of the greatest skilled big men of all time [Ewing]. I remember those games, it seemed every single possession mattered during the Finals of those games. Every single possession was like a street fight the way they defended. Pat Riley had a complete different type with the Showtime Lakers, and was able to adapt the style because of the personnel, that’s why I always thought he was such a great coach, and he knew he couldn’t play the same way with the Knicks as he did with the Lakers.
Patrick Ewing of the New York Knicks salutes the crowd during an NBA game at Madison Square Garden in New York. NBAE via Getty Images
Q: The Game 7 loss to the Rockets in ’94.
A: I called the game on radio with Clyde, ironically. What I remember is Game 6, when [John] Starks had a chance to win it with a 3-pointer at the buzzer. … My radio location is courtside next to the Knick bench down the other end of the floor — Starks’ shot was at the far end. And when he got the ball to shoot, from my vantage point, ’cause I was kind of blocked out in the corner, I didn’t know if his foot was behind the 3-point line or not. The ball’s in the air, and I don’t know if that shot is to win the championship or tie the game to send it into overtime. It could have been a disaster if it went in (laugh). … If it goes in, it’s one of the greatest shots in the history of the NBA.
Q: How did you feel after Game 7 when the Knicks lost?
A: Awful. I remember going back to the hotel after the game, and because it was such a wonderful emotional ride, and you really thought they were gonna win, especially since they were up 3-2 in the series, that there was no way they were gonna go back to Houston and lose two games, they were such a good, tough road team. … It was very funeral-like. I remember going to the airport in Houston, and just trudging through the Houston airport thinking, “I can’t believe they lost.”
Q: The 1999 Knicks.
A: ’99 was so much fun because it was a bit unexpected. They were the 8 seed, they struggled during the season but then caught fire late enough to get into the playoffs, and here they are playing against their arch-rival, the Miami Heat, and it comes down to one shot, an Allan Houston shot propelled them all the way to the Finals. And Jeff Van Gundy always talked about that, he thought if Allan Houston’s shot doesn’t go in, he’s gonna get fired. That shows you how one shot going in, or one shot missing, can make such a difference in the narrative and the legacies of teams, players, coaches. It’s crazy how one shot can make that difference.
Q: Did you have any clue that Van Gundy the coach would become Van Gundy the television broadcasting character that he became?
A: When I first started, he was an assistant coach, and I learned more about the NBA from him than anybody because assistant coaches have more time to talk to the radio people or TV people or media people. And he was hilarious. … Then he gets the job, I would tell people, “He’s so funny.” They couldn’t believe it ’cause he didn’t show that when he did his press conferences. I thought he’d be great at it because he had that great sense of humor and a great basketball mind. We just had to work on his on-cameras. ’Cause when he first started (laugh), we’d put him on camera, he’d just blankly stare at the camera, like he was doing a hostage tape. Eventually he got more comfortable, but he was a natural from the get-go.
Q: Before the Game 1 tipoff, what do you think will be going through your gut with the Knicks playing in these NBA Finals?
A: I feel the same way before every Finals. I feel it’s the ultimate honor, it’s the ultimate privilege and a responsibility, and I can’t believe that I’m in that position, and I can’t believe that I’ve been doing it all these years. So I will feel the same way, but I’ve always wanted to broadcast the Finals on TV that the Knicks are in, so it’s a bucket list checked off.
Q: How confident are you that you will be able to be neutral in the eyes of the public?
A: Very confident. I learned from the best. When I first started, Marv [Albert] did so many big Knick games on national TV, and he was the perfect one to watch and emulate because he handled it beautifully like he always did, and I’ve always wanted to uphold the standard that he set, and I think I’ve done that. There will always be people who disagree, but every year I do the Finals, if it’s Boston-L.A., the Boston fans think I’m rooting for L.A., and the L.A. fans think I’m rooting for Boston.
Q: Your mother, Mary, will be watching.
A: My mother has watched more of my games than anybody on earth. She watches every game. She doesn’t watch to the end all the time because she’s 93, but she watches every single game.
Q: Does she critique you?
A: She tells me that I did a nice job every time. She just wants to watch the open when we’re on camera, so she sees her son and then she’s OK, she doesn’t watch the rest. When we played in high school, she went to all the games, road and home. She’s seen as much basketball as anybody I know.
Q: Would you take the Long Island Railroad to Game 3 at the Garden?
A: I used to take it almost every game, but I won’t for that because I’ll probably be staying in the city for Games 3 and 4 rather than go back and forth because we have a lot of obligations in between games the day of … but I still do take the train a number of times during the season.
Q: What happens when you’re recognized?
A: On the way in, rarely get recognized. On the way home, if I take the first train back after the game, there’s a lot of Knick fans, and they’re all so wonderful. I always find those very flattering and humbling.
Q: Describe your first NBA Finals in 2006?
A: It was the most nervous I’d ever been before I went on the air … without question. I was doing the games with Hubie [Brown], and I had received instructions from one of my bosses at ESPN to tell me that I had to broadcast this game differently because I was now broadcasting to many casual fans who hadn’t been watching the NBA, and I was trying to figure out, “Alright, how do I do this?” And I think I started explaining the most obvious things like I was talking to somebody who has never seen a basketball game. And I was nervous about it ’cause I wanted to make sure I did it the right way. And, Hubie Brown, God bless him, grabbed my arm during the first timeout, and he said: “Hey kid, just call the game the way you always do. We’ll be fine.” And from then on, I felt relaxed and calm and did my job.
Q: The challenge that Oklahoma City presents.
A: Their defense is smothering. It’s so physical, they make it difficult to run your offense, and they come at you in waves because they’re deep. So if the first five gets a little gassed by playing hard defensively, they got another five to come in and come right at you the same way. And then they have a special, special player who whenever they really need a bucket, this guy gets it for ’em. [Shai] Gilgeous-Alexander, he’s not a high-flying dunker, he’s not knocking down 3s from 30 feet, he just finds a spot, gets to a spot and knocks down shots.
Q: He’s a foul-baiter?
Mike Breen commentates during the game between the Rockets and the Lakers during Round One Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 18. NBAE via Getty Images
A: That’s a big narrative now because he gets to the line and he draws a lot of fouls. He drives to the basket more than anybody in the league, so of course he’s gonna get fouled more. But he gets criticism because he falls down a lot. Does he sell it to try to get calls? Yes. But so do, oh, about 250 other players in the league. And because they’re at the top, people want to poke holes in the best team and they go after him. He’s just a great player, and he’s a great teammate and he’s a great ambassador to the game, in my opinion.
Q: The first time you watched Victor Wembanyama play.
A: The first time you see him in person, you can’t believe how tall he is. Then, after you get over the fact that this guy is this big and you watch him handle the ball, and you see his agility running up the floor, and then you watch his beautiful jump shot, you can’t believe this one tall man like this has all of this. He’s the compete package, and he is far, far from the finished product. That’s the scary thing. As long as he stays healthy, he has a chance to be one of the greats of all time.
Q: Thunder or Spurs: Which matchup is more problematic for the Knicks?
A: Both present tremendous problems.
Q: How much of an advantage will rest be for the Knicks?
A: I think it’s great. At this point of year, everybody’s banged up. The more difficult challenge for the Knicks is they beat the Hawks and they beat Philly and they beat Cleveland. None of those three teams you would consider elite defensive teams … solid defense, but not elite. The Spurs and the Thunder are two elite defensive teams, so that’s gonna be an adjustment.
Q: How does it feel to be known nationwide as the Voice of the Knicks, and a Hall of Famer?
A: Some days it’s difficult to process. God has blessed me in so many ways. The sport that I love, a team that I love, to be able to call these games, it’s incredible. But I realize that the only reason that I’m able to do it is for the help of so many people. This is gonna sound corny, but I fell in love with basketball ’cause it’s a team sport and you need good teammates, I’ve had nothing but amazing teammates my entire life. And for the Knicks, I have to give specific credit — Mike McCarthy was the executive who hired me to call Knicks radio, and that completely changed my life.
Q: Your current teammates: Tim Legler.
A: He eats, sleeps, drinks everything basketball. He’s in love with the game as much as anybody I’ve met. He’s worked so hard for so many years at ESPN that for him to get this opportunity, I’m so happy for him, and I think he has taken the opportunity and I think he’s had a brilliant season. He’s so much fun to work with, he’s so knowledgeable, and his enthusiasm for the game comes through the television every night.
Q: Richard Jefferson.
A: He has such a great perspective of what it’s like to play in every type of game because he had a great career, and he had a lot of different roles in his career so he understands the different roles that different players have. He’s got a great sense of humor, and you need to entertain, not just inform when you’re doing a telecast, and he’s really good at the entertainment part.
Q: Lisa Salters.
A: The ultimate pro. One of my favorite people I’ve ever worked with. She has a special way of presenting stories when she’s telling stories. She has a great sensitive way when she’s interviewing people. Just has a great big heart and it’s an honor to work with her.
Q: Do you allow yourself to fantasize about standing on a Canyon of Heroes float?
A: No, I don’t. I don’t. What I think about is how wonderful it would be for the city, and how wonderful it would be for these loyal fans who have waited a long, long time for this. I think of when the Rangers won, and Sam Rosen had that just all-time great call of expressing the feeling, “This one will last a lifetime.” It meant so much to the city and it meant so much to the fan base. It would mean so much to so many people who have been cheering and caring and loving this team for however long they’ve been alive, whether for some it’s decades, for some it’s years. … That’s what I think of if they ever won.
John F. Kennedy Jr. had two pairs of Knicks tickets, one on Celebrity Row and one behind the basket, which he shared with friends.
He’s one heavenly VIP.
Late Knicks superfan and Celebrity Row mainstay John F. Kennedy Jr. is cheering on his beloved Knicks from a courtside seat in the sky, a pal told The Post.
“I bet he’s cheering from somewhere,” said his close friend and chief of staff, RoseMarie Terenzio.
If John John was still alive today, he’d not only be at Madison Square Garden for the NBA finals — he’d be the most popular and best dressed person there, she added.
“John was the one New Yorker cool enough to make MSG even cooler — and he’d still be the most famous person in the building,” she said.
Kennedy, who lived in Tribeca, was known to sport a tie and button-down shirt for games at the World’s Most Famous Arena when he was going there straight from his Midtown office.
“Whether he was at a sporting event or riding his bike around the city, he always looked sharp, but he never looked like he was trying,” she added.
Kennedy, who owned two pairs of Knicks tickets, one on Celebrity Row and one behind the basket, was at MSG for the 1999 NBA Finals, the last time the Knicks made the championship.
He was even filmed during Game 4 between the Knicks and the Spurs on June 18, 1999.
John F. Kennedy Jr. had two pairs of Knicks tickets, one on Celebrity Row and one behind the basket, which he shared with friends. Getty Images
He died in plane crash a month later at the age of 38.
“He was a huge fan. Whenever he was in town and if he could, he would always go,” she said.
Terenzio, a Bronx native, recalled how her boss presented her with the lavish gift of a courtside seat to watch the Knicks take on the Chicago Bulls in January 1996.
“He took me to a Knicks game for my birthday on Celebrity Row. It was insane,” Terenzio, 60, said.
“And I remember Patrick Ewing waving to him from the Knicks bench, and I looked at him and I went, ‘Are you kidding me?! Did he just wave to you?!’ And he just started laughing.”
She recalled how Kennedy first presented her with the priceless present.
“He said to me, ‘What are you doing for your birthday? . . . Do you want to go to the Knicks game with me?’ And I remember, I said, ‘You don’t have to take me. Just give me the tickets. I’ll go.’ And he was like, ‘No, I want to go!’ It was really funny.”
RoseMarie Terenzio, who worked for JFK Jr. for five years, recalled her boss taking her to Celebrity Row for her birthday.
Kennedy’s wife, style icon Carolyn Bessette, even offered to help her choose what to wear for the big game.
“She’s like, ‘If you’re going to sit in Celebrity Row with John, we’ve got to figure out your outfit,'” she said.
“I wore black APC pants and a white T-shirt because she was like, ‘You don’t want to look too dressed up. You want to look cool, like a sports fan.'”
Bessette was more of a music fan, and wasn’t interested in accompanying her husband to the Garden, so “he would take his nieces, friends, people who were huge fans,” she said.
Terenzio penned the memoir “Fairy Tale Interrupted: A Memoir of Life, Love, and Loss,” about the “unlikely friendship between America’s favorite First Son and a blue-collar girl from the Bronx.”
Terenzio, a Bronx native, penned the memoir, “Fairy Tale Interrupted: A Memoir of Life, Love, and Loss.”
The two tickets on Celebrity Row Kennedy split with the CEO of Hachette Filipacchi, David Pecker, publisher of Kennedy’s magazine George.
The other two, which were located two rows behind the basket, he shared with his fraternity brother at Brown University, music supervisor Randy Poster.
“So if he was going to sit in Celebrity Row, he would give the other pair to someone at George or to a friend or somebody he knew,” recalled Terenzio, who worked for the Knicks as an assistant before she landed the job with Kennedy.
JFK Jr. was so generous with his courtside tickets that security at MSG once assumed the ones his friends were holding were fake, Terenzio said.
“John gave Sean Neary, an editor at George, the floor seats. And they thought Sean had fake tickets, like, ‘Wait, you’re not him!'”
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 21: Jalen Green #4 of the Phoenix Suns blocks a shot by Jonathan Isaac #1 of the Orlando Magic during the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center on February 21, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Magic 113-110 in double overtime. 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 Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As we continue to navigate the offseason, there are plenty of names worth looking at and analyzing as potential fits for the Phoenix Suns. We know this roster most likely is not going to experience a ton of turnover, which naturally makes some of the unrestricted free agent options feel more like pipe dreams than realistic additions.
That being said, if we’re talking pipe dreams, there is one player expected to hit the market soon who I’d absolutely like to see Phoenix explore, and that’s sixth-year big man Jonathan Isaac out of Florida State. The Orlando Magic are rumored to have interest in buying him out this offseason, and if that happens, a high-level defensive big is suddenly available.
The Orlando Magic are expected to waive Jonathan Isaac, per @SeanDeveney
“He would make good potential trade ballast, but the Magic are facing a cash crunch with Paolo Banchero’s extension kicking in. The expectation is that the Magic will waive Isaac and stretch his $8 million… pic.twitter.com/K2YBXoWeY1
And I know how this goes. Every time a player becomes available, everybody races to their keyboard and starts firing off reasons the Suns should go get him. If you know me, that’s usually not something I lean into. I try not to chase every shiny new name that pops up on the market.
With Isaac, though, this feels different. Drafted 6th overall in the 2017 NBA Draft, he is somebody I genuinely think the organization should take a long look at. The 6’10”, 230-pound Isaac is certainly more intriguing than a lot of the names likely to be available in unrestricted free agency.
I don’t view him as a starting-caliber power forward at this point in his career. I do see somebody who could help with size and depth at the four, which is an area Phoenix could absolutely use more of. Spot rotational minutes feel like a realistic fit if he were to land in the Valley.
Isaac has always had an interesting career. He’s flashed his defensive ability plenty of times, and there were stretches in Orlando when he and Jalen Suggs came off the bench together and the Orlando Magic looked downright suffocating on that end of the floor. Just two seasons ago, he came in 9th in Sixth Man of the Year voting.
The challenge has always been consistency, both with his health and his offensive game. He played in 52 games last season, averaging 10 minutes, 2.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks. He’s a career 31.6% shooter from beyond the arc, so floor spacing is not what you’re bringing him in for. The value comes on the interior, where his length, rebounding, and defensive instincts can still impact a game.
The Orlando Magic appear ready to move on from the 28-year-old big, and as they continue trying to climb out of the Eastern Conference mud, parting ways with Isaac creates an opportunity for them to fortify other areas of the roster.
That’s where Phoenix could benefit. The Suns would not need to bring Isaac in on a massive deal. They could offer the taxpayer a mid-level exception at $6 million for up to two years. Sure, the non-taxpayer mid-level exception at $15 million exists, though that would hard cap Phoenix at the first apron, and Isaac simply is not worth that number. At $6 million, though? That feels like a solid price for a back-end rotational power forward. Sure, that most likely means the Suns are moving off of another contract (if they plan on staying below the luxury tax line), but all possibilities should be explored.
And if we’re talking about players who fit the mold of the identity Phoenix built last season, Isaac checks plenty of boxes. He’s physical, he plays with an edge, and he brings the kind of defensive mentality that helped define the 2025–26 Suns. That’s why he’s somebody I’d absolutely like to see Phoenix explore.
His addition would be a targeted depth addition tied directly to the identity the Suns spent all of last season trying to establish. More size. More length. More defensive versatility. More players willing to make life miserable on the other end of the floor.
The health concerns are real, and they always will be with Isaac. That risk doesn’t disappear. At the right number and in the right role, though, Phoenix wouldn’t need him to be a savior. They’d need him to defend, rebound, and strengthen the kind of gritty, physical rotation that quietly became part of the Suns’ personality last season.
The turning point in the eventual 118-91 victory came late in the third quarter when San Antonio unleashed a 20-0 run, holding Oklahoma City scoreless for nearly eight minutes and forcing them into 14 consecutive missed shots. Thunder star and league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was particularly quiet, scoring a playoff low of just 15 points on 6-of-18 shooting.
After facing heavy criticism from his coaching staff for a quiet Game 5, the Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama responded with aggression and led the wire-to-wire blowout with 28 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks.
NBA Western conference finals: what to know
What: San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
When: May 30, 8 p.m. ET
Where: Paycom Center (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
Channel: NBC
Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)
Now, with a ticket to the NBA Finals on the line, the Western Conference Finals move back to Oklahoma City for one final game.
The winner of tonight’s game will advance to face the New York Knicks in the 2026 NBA Finals. Game 1 of the Finals is scheduled for Wednesday, June 3, at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Spurs vs. Thunder Game 7 start time:
Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals is scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m. ET tonight, May 30.
DIRECTV is our top pick for watching basketball live for free — its five-day free trial includes NBC (plus nearly every other channel you’ll need for the rest of the NBA postseason). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $44.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.
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This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
But he had a scalding message for those who want to see him down.
The Knicks big man took to Instagram on Saturday, days after it was revealed he broke his pinky in the lead-up to the NBA Finals.
Mitchell Robinson, talking at Donovan Mitchell during a Knicks’ win over the Cavaliers, suffered a broken pinky. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“I can’t thank you guys enough for the love and support most of you bring especially at a time like this in my life. It makes everything I’m fighting for 100x easier to deal with,” he wrote, without specifically mentioning the pinky injury.”
Nevertheless, his haters got a much different message.
“The ones that want to see me down and hurt all I gotta say for you is f–k you,” he added. “And last the ones that say they love and care about me but can’t be there for me when I need them but I’m always there when they need me god will get you.”
The Post’s Stefan Bondy confirmed Robinson broke his fifth metacarpal, which connects the wrist to the pinky. Robinson, according to Bondy, recently had surgery and there is optimism he could play in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, which is slated for Wednesday, either against the Spurs or the Thunder.
Robinson did not practice Saturday.
The cause of the injury, however, still remains a mystery. Head coach Mike Brown said Friday that the fracture did not happen in a game or practice, but did not get into any more specifics about when it occurred.
Mitchell Robinson talks to reporters at Knicks practice on May 3, 2026 at Madison Square Garden Training Center in Greenburgh, NY. Robert Sabo for NY Post
“For me, I’m always going with whoever is available today,” Brown said Friday. “And he didn’t practice today. So we’re getting whoever we need ready to go. … I don’t want to know, just let me know if he can play and when he can play. Just like we normally would, we’re getting everyone else ready to go.”
It’s still not clear who would step in behind Robinson at center, but the next logical player would be Ariel Hukporti.
Robinson has averaged 5.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 0.6 blocks in 14.2 minutes per game in the playoffs.
Mitchell Robinson dunks during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Mitchell Robinson’s specific injury is identified.
The backup center suffered a fracture of his fifth metacarpal, league sources told The Post, which is the bone connecting the wrist to the pinky finger.
“I can’t thank you guys enough for the love and support most of you bring especially at a time like this in my life,” Robinson wrote under a picture of him walking into the Cavs arena during the conference finals. “It makes everything in fighting for 100x easier to deal with.
New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson dunks during the second half of Game 4 in the Eastern Conference finals. AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki
“The ones that want to see me down and hurt all I gotta say for you is f–k you. And last the ones that say they love and care about me but can’t be there for me when I need them but I’m always there to when they need me god get you.”
Robinson did not participate in practice Friday, and the Knicks are scheduled for another session Sunday.
“Mitch is very important to us,” teammate OG Anunoby said. “Amazing player. It’s unfortunate what happened, but I’m sure — just take it day by day now.”
Metacarpal fractures are not uncommon in the NBA, with Manu Ginoboli (in 2012), Anthony Davis (2013) and Gordon Hayward (2020), among many others, suffering the injury to varying degrees and with wide-ranging recovery times.
In 2021, Robinson suffered a fracture of the fourth metacarpal in his right hand, underwent surgery, and was out several weeks — including the first-round playoff series against the Hawks.
If Robinson plays in the Finals, he will likely wear some sort of protection on the surgically repaired area.
New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson speaking to Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
And since it’s his shooting hand, the impact on his game will be something to monitor.
Before Robinson’s most recent fracture, the 28-year-old was projected as a prominent figure in the NBA Finals, regardless if the Knicks faced the Spurs or the Thunder.
He’s the top offensive rebounder and rim protector on the roster, the best equipped to deal with either San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama or OKC’s frontcourt duo of Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren.
Perhaps more importantly, Robinson is insurance for Karl-Anthony Towns, who is susceptible to foul problems.
After Towns and Robinson, Ariel Hukporti — a second-year player from Germany — and Jeremy Sochan — a little-used midseason free agent signing — are the other centers.
“For me, I’m always going with whoever is available today,” Brown said Friday. “And [Robinson] didn’t practice today. So we’re getting whoever we need ready to go. … I don’t want to know, just let me know if he can play and when he can play. Just like we normally would, we’re getting everyone else ready to go.”
The irony with Robinson’s predicament is he was load managed all season to protect him from another ankle injury (he had multiple surgeries to his left ankle).
The idea was to maintain his health for the playoffs, only to have Robinson suffer a mysterious hand fracture just before the Finals.
Still, the Knicks are fortunate.
They will have benefitted from nine days off before Game 1 of the Finals, which is their reward for sweeping the Cavaliers in the conference finals while waiting for the Spurs and Thunder to finish their grueling series in the West.
Other than Robinson, they’re healthy and available.
“We have to prepare,” Towns said. “And we’re preparing every single day for whatever the situation may be, and we’re ready. We have a lot of days off — we’ve been fortunate, it’s a fortunate thing that it happens when we have a lot of time or we can figure out a lot of the puzzle.
“But, you know, we don’t know what the picture is yet [regarding Robinson] until we get to Game 1.”
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 03: A detail view of the basketball shoes of Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics against the Milwaukee Bucks during the first quarter at Fiserv Forum on April 03, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Los Angeles Lakers logo is seen on a jersey in this illustration photo taken at the store in Krakow, Poland on June 9, 2025. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
After having to buy their way into the draft in 2025, the Lakers own a first round pick in the upcoming 2026 NBA draft, giving them a chance to add a young talent at the start of the summer before an important offseason.
As a result of losing out on a coin flip, the Lakers will have the No. 25 pick in the first round. It’s been a spot in the draft that has been really hit and miss in recent seasons. Quentin Grimes (2021) and Immanuel Quickly (2020) are the most recent hits at that selection. The Lakers used the 25th pick to select Moe Wagner in 2018.
In a time in the NBA where young, cost-controlled players are at a high premium, the Lakers nailing this pick would be huge.
Predictably, they’re going to work out a whole host of prospects. While they have done so in the past, the team no longer announces the workouts, meaning finding out who the team brought in usually comes only after the prospects reveal it themselves.
With that in mind, we’ll keep this updated with the prospects the team has been linked with. As a note, HoopsHype does have a tracker of draft workouts, but do not include sources. We’ll do our best to include the source of the information on the workout.
As the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs collide in what feels like an inevitable Game 7 tonight, it’s hard to overstate the burden on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s shoulders.
The two-time MVP has had a subdued series by his high standards, dealing with a gauntlet of physical Spurs defenders, but his playmaking will be key here as the Thunder try to punch their ticket to the Finals.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander best bet: Over 7.5 assists (-130 at bet365)
One of the lasting memories of this heavyweight series will be Shai Gilgeous-Alexander navigating a sea of San Antonio Spurs jerseys for every glimpse of the rim.
With injuries to Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder desperately short of ball-handling, San Antonio has been able to sell out to force the ball out of his hands – and that makes the SGA assists tally one of the more attractive props on the board.
He’s dished 9+ dimes in all three home games in these Conference Finals, with OKC role players coming through more reliably at Paycom Center, and I expect a steady diet of Gilgeous-Alexander drives to set up 3-point looks tonight, with the potential to bet this up to 8.5 if plus odds are available.
The Spurs have consistently had a second defender lurking at the nail in those instances, but SGA has shown again in these playoffs that he trusts his teammates to knock down shots.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander same-game parlay (+480)
Ferocious perimeter defense, backed by Victor Wembanyama in the paint, has been a great formula for the Spurs, nudging Gilgeous-Alexander off his favorite spots. Even if SGA decides to call his own number more often here, I’m comfortable fading his points prop in Game 7.
After all, he’s only gone past this O/U number in one of the six contests so far in this series, and he needed 17 free throws to get there.
A hero ball effort just doesn’t feel sustainable against this San Antonio defense. Instead, the Thunder need a more balanced effort, with Gilgeous-Alexander picking his spots and putting his supporting cast in positions to make plays.
OKC would surely like to limit the wear and tear on SGA from a rebounding perspective, but this battle is for all the marbles. Shai averaged 4.3 RPG during the regular season, and his work on the boards will be especially critical when the Thunder go to lineups with just one of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein on the court.
Spurs vs Thunder SGP
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 7.5 assists
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Under 30.5 points
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 3.5 rebounds
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SAN ANTONIO, TX - NOVEMBER 23: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs is greeted by Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors at the end of the game at Frost Bank Center on November 23, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There is only one team in the last eight years that has won a road Game 7 in the Western Conference Finals.
They wore blue and gold and they walked into a building where the reigning MVP was waiting with a full home crowd and nothing left to lose, and they beat him anyway. Along the way, Houston missed 27 consecutive three-pointers, which remains one of the more traumatic public events in modern Texas history. The Warriors had already decided internally what the outcome was going to be, and they spent 48 minutes informing Houston of that decision.
Tonight the San Antonio Spurs get their chance to do the same thing. To do it, they’ll have to walk into Oklahoma City and beat the back-to-back MVP in his own building. If they accomplish that, they’ll become the first team since that Warriors dynasty to win a road Game 7 in the Western Conference Finals.The last team that did it had Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry.The Spurs have something the basketball world is still struggling to properly classify.
Brian Windhorst says Wemby vs. OKC reminds him of LeBron vs. the Spurs in the 2007 Finals:
“This is reminiscent to me of LeBron James in 2007 going up against the Spurs. The Spurs beating him and Tim Duncan saying, ‘This league is going to be yours someday.’ But happily taking… pic.twitter.com/TX1w7S1n3w
— Polymarket Hoops (@PolymarketHoops) May 30, 2026
I can’t wait to watch Game 7 of the Oklahoma City Thunder vs San Antonio Spurs tonight on NBC. This game is must see TV!
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) May 30, 2026
Most rebuilding timelines do not accidentally produce a seven-foot-five basketball cryptid in the process.
Most young teams arrive by knocking politely. Wembanyama appears to have brought a battering ram and a complete indifference to anyone’s timeline for his arrival. He is 22 years old playing in his first Western Conference Finals, and he has spent this series behaving as though none of those facts are particularly relevant to what he is about to do to you.
In Game 6, facing elimination on the road, he posted 28 points, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2 steals, becoming the first player in Spurs franchise history to record 25-plus points, 10-plus rebounds, 2-plus steals, and 2-plus blocks in an elimination game. That is a young player informing the moment that he will be running things from here.
The formula in this series has been consistent enough to build a thesis around: when Wembanyama has outscored SGA, the Spurs have won. When he hasn’t, they’ve lost. Tonight is where the pattern either holds or breaks, and it is happening in the loudest building Wembanyama has played in all postseason.
The Warriors in 2018 had four All-Stars, two championships, and the institutional confidence of a team that had been to this exact place so many times that the road felt like a commute. They knew exactly what they were capable of because they had already done it repeatedly. The Spurs don’t have all that veteran savvy. The head coach has never coached a team before this season. The oldest player getting key minutes turns 34 today.
NBA players are 7-0 when playing in a game 7 on their birthday
Wembanyama is 22. Stephon Castle is 21. Dylan Harper is 20. None of them have accumulated enough NBA scar tissue to understand how scared a team on the road in a Game 7 is supposed to be. That is not a disadvantage. That is what it looks like when a group of players has not yet been taught the limits of what they are allowed to accomplish.
The Warriors knew they could win that Game 7 in Houston because they had won in harder situations before. The Spurs do not know they shouldn’t win this Game 7 in Oklahoma City because nobody has shown them evidence that they can’t. Through six games of this series, every time someone handed them a reason to doubt themselves, they handed it back.
That is a specific and particular kind of dangerous that does not show up in any efficiency metric ever calculated. The Warriors showed what it looks like when a team walks into a hostile Game 7 and leaves with the conference. The Spurs have one game to show they learned something from watching. That should concern Oklahoma City.
