After a challenging series, the San Antonio Spurs claimed victory in Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, winning 111-103 at the Paycom Center. The Spurs emerged victorious in Games 1, 4, 6, and 7, with two wins on the road. They managed to restrict the Thunder to their lowest offensive output in the postseason during those victories.
Victor Wembanyama made a strong impression throughout the series. He opened with a standout 41-point, 24-rebound performance and recorded the most blocks in a playoff series in 21 years, totaling 19 blocks. De’Aaron Fox, acquired last season to support Wembanyama, played with composure, finishing Game 7 with 15 points, five assists, and three steals.
The Spurs will now face the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals, their first appearance since 2014. The Knicks, meanwhile, completed a clean sweep in the Eastern Conference Finals, marking their first NBA Finals appearance in 27 years. The opening game is scheduled for Wednesday, June 3, in San Antonio.
Attention has also shifted to the Sacramento Kings, a team far from playoff contention. De’Aaron Fox, formerly the franchise player for the Kings, was instrumental in leading the Spurs to the Finals. Interestingly, the Knicks’ coach, Mike Brown, was dismissed by Sacramento in December 2024. Brown had previously led the Kings to the playoffs and won NBA Coach of the Year.
Now, Fox and Brown will compete against each other on the grandest stage in basketball, while the Kings endure another losing season. When Brown joined Sacramento in 2022, the Kings had not reached the playoffs since 2006, enduring a 17-year drought. In his first season, Brown overturned the team’s fortunes, achieving 48 wins, a No. 3 seed in the West, and earning Coach of the Year honors. He repeated this success the following year with 46 wins before being abruptly fired, despite signing a multi-year extension.
Fox’s departure was equally dramatic. After the Kings missed the playoffs in 2024, he rejected a $165 million extension and later joined the Spurs at the trade deadline. He secured a four-year, $229 million max contract in the summer with San Antonio.
The Kings’ difficulties stretch back decades. During the 2002 Western Conference Finals, they were on the brink of reaching the NBA Finals with a talented lineup. The team, featuring Chris Webber, Mike Bibby, Peja Stojakovic, and Doug Christie, fell to the Lakers after a challenging Game 6 in Los Angeles, followed by a heart-wrenching Game 7 loss on their home court.
The team’s troubles continued over the years, with questionable draft picks exacerbating their woes. In 2011, the Kings bypassed Klay Thompson and Kawhi Leonard, selecting Jimmer Fredette instead. In 2018, they chose Marvin Bagley III at No. 2, while Luka Doncic was chosen next.
The Kings have made some successful draft picks, such as De’Aaron Fox in 2017 and Tyrese Haliburton in 2020, but neither remains on the roster. Sacramento traded Haliburton to Indiana for Domantas Sabonis, who is now rumored to be on the trading block. Meanwhile, Haliburton led the Pacers to the NBA Finals last year.
The Fox-Brown Finals matchup highlights the importance of smart management and luck in building a championship team, both of which have eluded the Kings. Sacramento now contends for the title of the NBA’s most ill-fated franchise, rather than a championship trophy.