Category: NBA

Spurs upset Thunder in Game 7 to advance to NBA Finals against Knicks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Now they’re really gonna party like it’s 1999.

The San Antonio Spurs have advanced to the 2026 NBA Finals, where they’ll face the New York Knicks in a rematch of the championship series from 27 years ago.

The Spurs on Saturday defeated the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder 111-103 on the road in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, sending Victor Wembanyama to the Finals for the first time in his young career.

The 22-year-old, in just his third season since being selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft, was named MVP of the series. Wembanyama, in his first career postseason, had 22 points and seven rebounds in the clincher as the Spurs reached the Finals for the first time since 2014.

“It means everything,” Wembanyama said on NBC after the win. “We want four more [wins]. We’re not done yet.”

The Spurs had seven players in double figures after shooting 17-for-40 overall from deep, with Julian Champagnie scoring 16 and Stephon Castle adding 16.

The Spurs got out to a quick start by shooting efficiently — led by Castle, who had nine early points — to take a 27-13 lead midway through the first quarter. The Thunder, who shot 3-for-13 from deep in the first and commit six turnovers, responded with a 7-0 run and pulled to within seven by the end of the first at 32-25.

The Thunder – behind a big quarter by Gilgeous-Alexander, who had 19 first-half points —  pulled even with 2:15 left in the half on a 3 by Lu Dort that made it 49-49 and then took their first lead on a jumper by Jaylin Williams. The Spurs closed the half on a 7-0 run to take a 56-53 lead into the break.

The Spurs went on a 16-2 run midway through the third, capped by a Wembanyama 3, to open a 76-65 lead.

Early in the fourth quarter, De’Aaron Fox and Wembanyama hit back-to-back 3’s during a 13-4 San Antonio run to open a 97-86 lead with eight minutes remaining. The Thunder pulled within six and were on the fast break when the Spurs’ Luke Kornet, with Wembanyama on the bench, blocked Isaiah Hartenstein at the rim. Castle then followed with a jumper at the other end to push the lead to eight, and Champagnie followed with a 3 to make it 102-91.

Carson Wallace drained back-to-back 3’s to pull the Thunder within 107-101 with just over two minutes left. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a chance to make it a one-possession game on the ensuing possession but missed a 3. Castle then converted a putback at the other end to push the Spurs lead to 109-101 with one minute left to all but seal the win.

The Thunder, who swept the first two rounds of the playoffs, were denied the chance to become the first team since the 2017-2018 Golden State Warriors to win back-to-back titles. Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning back-to-back MVP, had 35 points in the loss. Chet Holmgren had just four points on 1-for-2 shooting.

The Spurs will have homecourt advantage in the NBA Finals, hosting Game 1 and Game 2, and if necessary, Game 5 and Game 7. Game 1 is set for Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. ET at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. Game 2 is Friday before the series shifts to Madison Square Garden for Games 3 and 4 on June 8 and 10.

The series will be a rematch of the 1999 NBA Finals, in which Tim Duncan and David Robinson led the Spurs to a 4-1 series win over Allan Houson, Latrell Sprewell and the Knicks.

The Spurs return to the NBA Finals for the seventh time, and first since 2014 when they defeated the Miami Heat for their fourth title in 15 years (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014). The Knicks swept the Cleveland Cavaliers to win the East and enter the Finals on an 11-game winning streak. They reach the Finals for the first time since 1999 and are seeking their first championship since 1973.

The series between the Spurs and Knicks is also a rematch of December’s NBA Cup final, which the Knicks won 124-113. The Knicks and Spurs split the regular-season series 1-1.

De'Aaron Fox, Mike Brown to face off in NBA Finals season after Kings departures originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

A few years ago, the Kings and their fans had hoped Mike Brown‘s arrival in Sacramento to join forces with star point guard De’Aaron Fox would lead to an eventual NBA Finals trip.

Despite an incredible 2022-23 NBA season that saw the Kings earn the Western Conference’s No. 3 seed with 48 wins and end a 16-season playoff drought, those dreams of making the Finals with the duo were dashed last season.

Brown was fired on Dec. 27, 2024, after the Kings began the season 13-18. Six weeks later, Fox was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in a three-team deal that netted the Kings All-Star guard Zach LaVine.

One year later, in a cruel twist, Fox and Brown indeed are going to the NBA Finals … as opponents.

Brown, hired as the Knicks’ coach last summer, has guided New York to its first Finals appearance since 1999.

Fox and the Spurs sealed the marquee Finals matchup by stunning the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 on Saturday night at Paycom Center.

San Antonio’s 111-103 victory was a spirited effort that saw seven Spurs players score in double figures, with Fox adding 15 points, five assists and three steals to help punch his team’s ticket to the NBA’s biggest stage.

The Knicks won 53 games this season, and as the Eastern Conference’s No. 3 seed, beat the Atlanta Hawks in the first round, swept the Philadelphia 76ers in the conference semifinals and swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the conference finals.

In the first round against the Hawks, the Knicks were down two games to one, putting Brown’s job in jeopardy. But he righted the ship and has New York on an 11-game winning streak entering the NBA Finals.

Fox, on the other hand, was an All-Star for the second time this season, averaging 18.6 points and 6.2 assists in 72 games.

The 28-year-old has battled an ankle injury this postseason that has limited him to 15 playoff games, but surrounded by superstar Victor Wembanyama and blossoming star guard Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, Fox has the supporting cast to keep things going while he sat out.

A turbulent couple of months last season have given way to brighter days for Fox and Brown.

Fox and Brown speak fondly of their time in Sacramento, but their departures might have been just what they needed to maximize their potential.

Now, one of the two will raise the Larry O’Brien Trophy in a few weeks.

Kings fans surely will be happy for whoever becomes a champion in the near future, but they will always wonder about what could have been if things had worked out for Fox and Brown in Sacramento.

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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.

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.

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It all comes down to this.

Down 3-2 to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the San Antonio Spurs staved off elimination with a Game 6 victory to force tonight’s winner-take-all Game 7.

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.

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.

How to watch Spurs vs. Thunder for free:

If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the game for free.

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.

Sling TV is another affordable way to watch TV live and stream NBA games; its Select plan includes NBC and starts at $19.99/month.

NBA Western Conference Finals schedule

• Game 1: Spurs 122, Thunder 115 (OT2)
• Game 2: Thunder 122, Spurs 113
• Game 3: Thunder 123, Spurs 108
• Game 4: Spurs 103, Thunder 82
• Game 5: Thunder 127, Spurs 114
• Game 6: Spurs 118, Thunder 91
• Game 7: Saturday, May 30 (8 ET, NBC/Peacock)

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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.

Mitchell Robinson is happy to have so much “love” and “support” after he suffered a broken bone in his right hand.

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.

“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.

“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’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. 

It’s still unclear how or when Robinson suffered the injury to his right hand, but coach Mike Brown said it didn’t occur during Monday’s conference-clinching victory in Cleveland or a subsequent practice.

The Knicks said they’d provide no further details on the fracture, including its cause.

On Saturday afternoon, Robinson addressed his supporters and detractors on Instagram. 

“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. 

“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 underwent surgery recently, sources said, and there’s hope he’ll play Wednesday in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

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.

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.”

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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.

• Sam Alexis, Indiana — Workout
• Drake Allen, Utah St. — Workout
• Duke Brennan, Villanova — Workout
• Rafael Castro, George Washington — Workout
• Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s — Workout
• Jaden Henley, Grand Canyon — Workout
• Alex Karaban, UConn — Workout
• Keba Keita, BYU — Workout
• Baba Miller, Cincinnati — Workout
• Mike Sharavjamts, South Carolina — Workout
• Peter Suder, Miami — Workout
• Marquel Sutton, LSU — Workout
• Mohamed Wague, Oklahoma — Workout

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

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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.

We take a closer look at the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander odds ahead of this May 30 decider.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander prop pick for Game 7

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

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

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.

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.

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.

The dream scenario for the Washington Wizards isn’t simply landing AJ Dybantsa, assuming he is the No 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The dream scenario is landing Dybantsa while already having established stars around him. If the Wizards enter the 2026-27 season with Trae Young, Anthony Davis, and Dybantsa, they would have one of the more fascinating roster constructions in the NBA.

The fit is not perfect. No roster is. But there are compelling reasons why Dybantsa could thrive alongside both veterans.

How Dybantsa Fits With Trae Young

The biggest advantage Trae Young provides is that he immediately removes pressure from AJ Dybantsa as a primary scoring option.

Most No. 1 picks enter the league expected to become the primary offensive creator on Day One. Look at John Wall back in 2010-11. Wall delivered, sure. But it took several seasons before the Wizards returned to the playoffs.

That often leads to inefficient basketball, forced shots, and growing pains. Dybantsa would not face those challenges to the same degree.

Young remains one of the NBA’s elite playmakers. His ability to run pick-and-roll, collapse defenses, and create open shots would give Dybantsa easier scoring opportunities than most rookie wings receive.

How Dybantsa Fits With Anthony Davis

If Young helps Dybantsa offensively, Anthony Davis helps him defensively.

One of the biggest challenges for young players is learning NBA defensive rotations and responsibilities. Even highly regarded prospects make mistakes. Rotations are missed. Assignments are blown. Screens are miscommunicated.

Davis has spent his entire career covering those mistakes. Even in his 30s, Davis remains one of basketball’s premier defensive anchors when healthy. His rim protection allows perimeter defenders to play more aggressively, knowing they have elite help behind them. At least when he’s healthy.

That is particularly important for Dybantsa. Rather than immediately defending forwards who would regularly be stronger than him, Dybantsa could focus on guarding wings and developing his individual defense immediately while building his physical strenth. Davis would handle much of the heavy lifting inside.

Offensively, Davis also complements Dybantsa’s skill set. Davis does much of his damage near the basket, while Dybantsa projects as a versatile wing capable of scoring from multiple levels. Their offensive games naturally occupy different areas of the floor, reducing overlap.

And again, is Dybantsa likely the No. 1 pick?

Well duh. At -390 per FanDuel, he’s the runaway choice. Even Dybantsa himself says that he has no intent of dropping down. So whether the Wizards, Jazz, or some other team has that pick, Dybantsa wants to be No. 1.

The Biggest Questions: Timing — and will Davis be a Wizard this fall?

Dybantsa’s fit itself is not the primary concern. The timeline is. Young and Davis are at the latter stages of their primes. Dybantsa hasn’t played in an NBA game yet. The Wizards have to determine whether they can compete for championships in the next several years before Davis, in particular, begins to decline significantly, when healthy.

That creates some urgency. The front office would need to build a capable supporting cast quickly while Dybantsa develops into a star.

Finally, we have to consider whether Davis will even be a Wizard past this June or even Young for that matter. Getting the No. 1 pick helps. Getting past the “deconstruction” stage helps. But again, Davis and Young aren’t getting younger and the Wizards need to make a significant move up the standings to keep their veterans content, if not happy.

From a pure basketball perspective, the fit works. Young would make Dybantsa’s offensive development easier as a point guard while Davis would provide defensive stability from the post and veteran leadership. Dybantsa would fill in as the rookie small forward who can play either forward spot or swing to guard in a larger lineup.

The Wizards’ challenge would be to maximize a possible championship window that may last only a few seasons, as Dybantsa begins ascending toward his prime while Young and Davis are at the end of theirs.

There are nights where a player goes off and you spend the next morning explaining it away like, the opponent was tired, the shots were lucky, or the defense missed a rotation. Then there are nights where the performance arrives attached to a story that earns its own weight, and March 25th was completely, unmistakably the second kind.

On Latino Heritage Night at Chase Center, with the Warriors dragging themselves through the seventh game of an 11-day road stretch across seven cities, Gui Santos delivered the best game of his NBA career, scoring 31 points in a 109-106 comeback win over the Brooklyn Nets. The box score is glowing but it isn’t the point.

Steve Kerr described his team afterward as looking like they were “running in mud,” and if anything that undersells how lost Golden State looked for three quarters. They turned the ball over 26 times, matched a season high, trailed by as many as 13 points, and spent most of the night looking like a group of professionals who desperately needed sleep, a home-cooked meal, and maybe a long conversation with a therapist.

Santos looked like the only person in the building who didn’t get that memo. While the offense was discovering new and creative ways to give the ball away, he was quietly assembling something complete: catch-and-shoot threes, post work against bigger defenders, free throws drawn in traffic. He touched every part of the offensive toolkit and used all of it correctly, which is the difference between a hot streak and a replicable performance. Hot streaks are accidental while what Santos put together that night had a structure to it.

Fifteen of his 31 points came in the third quarter alone, on 5-of-7 shooting with three threes knocked down, and the Warriors were still trailing when it was over. He was just out there working, cashing every opportunity the defense handed him with the calm focus of someone who had decided, somewhere between warmups and tip-off, that this night belonged to him.

The coaches watched it happening in real time and responded accordingly. When Santos caught the ball in the post, the sideline was already on its feet calling out to him: go to work Gui, go to work, do what you do. He said afterward that hearing that changed something. “When you listen to that, you say ‘ok now I can go.'” And that is exactly what he did, finishing the night 11-of-16 from the field, 4-of-6 from three, and 5-of-8 from the line against a defense that had no answer for a version of Gui Santos nobody had quite seen before.

After the game, Santos called his family, and that is where this story becomes something bigger than a career high. He became the fourth Brazilian after Leandro Barbosa, Anderson Varejão, Nenê Hilário to score 30 or more points in a game.

How cool for it to come on Latino Heritage Night in front of a sellout crowd at Chase Center, while coaches screamed encouragement from the sideline and an exhausted Warriors team quietly rode his shoulders through a comeback they probably had no business completing. Gui Santos, the Brazilian wing who spent the better part of his Warriors career as a project and a promise, had walked into a piece of basketball history he didn’t even know existed until he was already standing inside it. That is bigger than a career high!

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As the series shifts back to Oklahoma City, the Thunder return home with a Game 7 on their hands against the San Antonio Spurs, with our NBA player prop projections identifying several strong value spots on the board for tonight's thriller.

By breaking down the data and comparing it to the latest market lines, we’ve uncovered where the strongest betting edges lie for this pivotal matchup.

These Spurs vs. Thunder predictions are driven by numbers instead of guesswork.

If you’re building your card, here are the model’s top NBA picks for Saturday, May 30.

Spurs vs Thunder computer picks for Game 7

Spurs	Thunder
Wembanyama u26.5 points  -125	Gilgeous-Alexander o30.5 points -112
Castle o6.5 assists -135	Holmgren o8.5 rebounds +105
Vassell u2.5 3-pointers  -120	Caruso o1.5 3-pointers  -165

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Spurs Game 7 computer picks

Victor Wembanyama Under 26.5 points (-125)

Projection: 25.79 points

The Oklahoma City Thunder have slowed things down to the seventh-lowest pace in the league over their last 25 home games.

This sluggish tempo should limit overall possessions for the San Antonio Spurs and put a dent in Victor Wembanyama's offensive production. It's a style that plays right into OKC's hands, as they've dominated at Paycom Center with a stellar 6-1 home record during this postseason run.

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Stephon Castle Over 6.5 assists (-135)

Projection: 6.59 assists

Stephon Castle has been an absolute assist machine throughout this series against the Thunder. Castle has cleared this line in four of the six games against OKC, while narrowly missing the mark in the other two.

With San Antonio's season on the line and a ticket to the NBA Finals within reach, expect Castle to be locked in as a primary facilitator.

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Devin Vassell Under 2.5 3-pointers (-120)

Projection: 2.44 3-pointers

The Thunder have been absolutely brutal on opposing small forwards this year, holding them to a mere 25.5% shooting from beyond the arc—the second-lowest mark in the league.

While Devin Vassell has defied this difficult matchup by sinking two or more 3-pointers in every single game this series, OKC will undoubtedly sell out to run him off the perimeter tonight.

Expect a heavy defensive focus as the Thunder look to snap Vassell's streak and keep him from clearing a prop line he has already cashed in four of the six games.

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Thunder Game 7 computer picks

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 30.5 points (-112)

Projection: 31.61 points

The Thunder check in as the league's third-highest scoring offense over their last 20 games. They are also projected to see an uptick in total possessions tonight by sharing the floor with a fast-paced Spurs squad that ranks 10th in tempo on the road this year.

Furthermore, this matchup offers an excellent opportunity to get to the free-throw line — something Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has done masterfully all series. San Antonio has been highly generous in that department lately, allowing opposing starting point guards to attempt a whopping 4.4 foul shots per game over the last 10 contests, the 10th-highest mark in the NBA.

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Chet Holmgren Over 8.5 rebounds (+105)

Projection: 8.55 rebounds

It's time for Chet Holmgren to step up in a major way. While he has looked more like himself on the glass over the last two games against the Spurs, it is non-negotiable for him to hold his own against Wemby if Oklahoma City wants to return to the NBA Finals.

Holmgren has managed to clear this rebounding prop in three consecutive games, and the Thunder will need that momentum to continue if they hope to secure a Game 7 victory.

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Alex Caruso Over 1.5 3-pointers (-165)

Projection: 1.56 3-pointers

The Thunder have been highly aggressive from deep over their last 25 home games, ranking 10th in the league in 3-point attempts.

Alex Caruso has been as reliable as they come on both ends of the floor especially from the perimeter, where he has knocked down three or more triples in four of the six matchups in this series.

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How to watch Spurs vs Thunder Game 7

Location	Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Date	Saturday, May 30, 2026
Tip-off	8:00 p.m. ET
TV	NBC/Peacock

Not intended for use in MA.
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Kyrie Irving is looking forward to the NBA Finals.

The former Nets guard said in a Friday Twitch stream that he was “excited” to watch the Knicks in their return to the NBA’s biggest stage, and gave a shoutout to the orange and blue faithful as well.

“The Knicks making the Finals is OD… a lot of those Knicks fans in New York are gonna go bonkers, man,” he said.

“It’s gonna be one of those ones. You just gotta gear up for it if you’re on the East Coast, man. They done made it to the NBA Finals, they done earned their ticket, they did everything that they could in the regular season to prepare.”

The 34-year-old Irving, who was with the Nets from 2019-23 until he was traded to the Mavericks, also praised Jalen Brunson as a “great” point guard who has “great pieces around him.” The Knicks are in the Finals for the first time since 1999.

Irving, who missed all of this season following an ACL tear in March 2025, also gave a positive update on his injury status.

“I am definitely close to being over at 100 percent in terms of my ACL recovery,” he said on the Twitch stream.

“It’s been a while now…I’m so grateful that I’ve had the time to heal and just experiment with my body more on the court and off the court in the weight room and just pushing myself to the limit.”

Irving will team up with reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg and veterans Klay Thompson and Khris Middleton once he is able to get back on the court.

The Knicks, meanwhile, are waiting to learn their Finals opponent after sweeping the Cavs in the Eastern Conference finals.

The Thunder and Spurs will face off in the West’s Game 7 on Saturday night with a spot in the NBA Finals on the line.

Behold a young homegrown contender built through the draft, with an MVP running the offense. They wield the best record in basketball. They’re the defending champions with a home crowd loud enough to register on seismographs. Everybody around the league is looking at them and asking the same question with varying levels of jealousy: is this the next dynasty?

That’s the 2026 Oklahoma City Thunder.

It was also the 2016 Golden State Warriors, right down to the part where everybody started talking about them like the future before the future had actually arrived. The scary thing about becoming the next Warriors is that eventually you have to survive the part where the Warriors stopped being a great story and started becoming a problem. Saturday is that part.

Which remains one of the funniest and most horrifying events in modern basketball history, depending entirely on what zip code you lived in. Oklahoma City spent years building a contender, developed an MVP, assembled a legitimate title threat, pushed the Warriors to the absolute brink of elimination, and then watched their best player leave to join the people who had just beaten him. Imagine losing a sword fight and then finding out your shiniest sword filed paperwork to switch sides.

Oklahoma City has been trying to become the Warriors ever since.

They won Game 7, walked away with Durant sixty-six days later, and turned his talent into two bonus championships that OKC spent a decade watching from a very uncomfortable distance. The Warriors went beyond winning the rivalry; they turned it into a modern day cinematic masterpiece of how to dismantle your biggest conference rival. That’s what the Thunder need to do Saturday to rise up the dynastic rankings. Now Oklahoma City can feel what the Warriors went through exactly 10 years ago. They’re the defending champions with the MVP, the home court, the banner, and the growing institutional confidence that the Western Conference belongs to them. This is usually the point where a dynasty starts stretching its legs and making everybody else miserable on a predictable schedule.

I have the strong feeling that the Spurs weren’t consulted on that schedule. Unfortunately for OKC’s story, Victor Wembanyama showed up. San Antonio wasn’t supposed to be here yet. Surely the Nuggets or Timberwolves should have been in this spot. Or at least Houston! The conventional wisdom said be patient, their time is coming, let the Thunder have this one. In reality, they are just five games away from winning it all.

Here is the part that should keep Oklahoma City awake tonight. The Warriors completed their dynasty arc by proving they could survive the challenger that was supposed to replace them. They stared down Durant and Westbrook, crawled out of a 3-1 grave, won Game 7, and then walked away with Durant sixty-six days later like adding they had added the Green Power Ranger Tommy to their squad.

Oklahoma City doesn’t need to steal Victor Wembanyama if they win tonight. Adam Silver would probably need a sedative if that happened. But they do need to do the first part by protecting home court. Beat the young rival on the biggest stage available. Reach the Finals and leave absolutely no doubt about who runs this conference and why.

Because dynasties aren’t measured by how they handle success. They’re measured by what happens when the next monster shows up and starts knocking on the front door, and Wembanyama has been knocking for six games now with increasing confidence and very little concern for the name on the other side.

For ten years Oklahoma City watched the Warriors build something that felt permanent and consuming and almost unfair in its completeness. They rebuilt in the quiet, in the patience of believing their chance would eventually come back around. Tonight that opportunity is standing right in front of them. A reeeeaaal dynasty would seize it.

.