Victor Wembanyama delivered an outstanding performance with 28 points and 10 rebounds, helping the San Antonio Spurs secure a 118-91 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals (WCF). This success set the stage for a decisive Game 7. Analyst Jason McIntyre praised Wembanyama for his crucial contributions and questioned whether he could maintain this momentum into the final game of the series. Meanwhile, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s underwhelming performance raised concerns about his potential impact on the Thunder’s chances.

The thrilling Game 7 saw the Spurs outlast the Thunder, the defending champions, securing their spot in the NBA Finals against the New York Knicks. This marks a rematch of the league’s 1999 championship series, where San Antonio triumphed in five games. The recent showdown was part of the 160th winner-take-all game in NBA history and the fifth this season.

“Victor Wembanyama was instrumental, leading San Antonio with 22 points and seven rebounds in the 111-103 victory,” said a sports analyst.

Although Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a team-high 35 points for Oklahoma City, it wasn’t enough to secure the win. The Knicks recently swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals, marking their first NBA Finals appearance in 27 years. New York managed to overcome a difficult start in their first-round series against Atlanta, winning 11 straight playoff games since then, predominantly by large margins.

Whoever wins this year’s Finals will become the eighth different franchise to claim a title in the last eight seasons, extending the longest consecutive stretch of unique champions in NBA history. Previous winners include Toronto in 2019, the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, Milwaukee in 2021, Golden State in 2022, Denver in 2023, Boston in 2024, and Oklahoma City in 2025.

The last time a defending champion made consecutive NBA Finals appearances was Golden State, emerging victorious in 2018 and returning in 2019. This year, the Spurs are reaching the NBA Finals for the first time since defeating the Miami Heat in the 2014 championship series.

Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals is set to start on Wednesday in San Antonio.