San Antonio Spurs Knock Off Defending Champions, Advance to NBA Finals Against New York Knicks
The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-103 in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals on Saturday, earning a trip to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014. Victor Wembanyama led the way with 22 points and seven rebounds, delivering another standout performance in a series that had become one of the league’s most intense and physical matchups. The Spurs will now face the New York Knicks in the Finals, beginning Wednesday, in a rematch of the 1999 championship series.
San Antonio’s victory came on the road in Oklahoma City, where the reigning champion Thunder had hoped to complete a successful title defense. The Spurs opened the game strongly and built a 14-point lead early, stunning the home crowd at Continental Coliseum. Oklahoma City responded before halftime behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 13 points in the second quarter to briefly push the Thunder into the lead.
The Spurs regained control in the third quarter with a decisive 16-2 run, fueled by Justin Champagnie’s hot shooting from beyond the arc. He made five three-pointers in the period as San Antonio restored a double-digit advantage. The Thunder kept fighting back, trimming the margin to three entering the fourth quarter, but the Spurs answered every late push and held on in the final minutes to close out the win.
Head coach Mitch Johnson praised his team’s unity and competitiveness after the game, saying the Spurs’ run to the Finals was built on resolve, execution and togetherness rather than experience. San Antonio’s path to the championship round marks a major turnaround for a team that drafted Wembanyama first overall in 2023 and finished 13th in the Western Conference last season. The Spurs are now back on the NBA’s biggest stage for the first time in more than a decade.
Wembanyama was emotional after the final buzzer, breaking into tears as the team secured the victory and again while receiving the Western Conference Finals MVP award. The 22-year-old French center said the moment represented the realization of part of his childhood dreams. He later urged fans to stay behind the team, saying the Spurs still have “four more” wins to go.
For Oklahoma City, the loss ended a bid to become the first NBA team to repeat as champions since the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018. Gilgeous-Alexander finished with a game-high 35 points and nine assists, but the Thunder could not overcome fatigue and injuries late in the series. Afterward, he credited San Antonio for playing better and making key shots whenever Oklahoma City tried to seize control.
The NBA Finals will also carry historical significance, as Spurs coach Johnson and Knicks coach Mike Brown will become the fourth pair of Black head coaches to meet in the Finals.
