The San Antonio Spurs booked their first NBA Finals berth in the Victor Wembanyama era after defeating the reigning champions Oklahoma City Thunder 111-103 in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals.
Wembanyama leads Spurs to the finals
Wembanyama delivered another dominant display as San Antonio picked up its biggest win of the season, continuing a remarkable rise for a team that won just 22 games during his rookie campaign.
The French star was a part of Spurs’ finals and led the way, helping to guide a young squad in a fierce competition to take it all.
In the final rush, emotions spilled over as Wembanyama celebrated with his teammates before reflecting on what reaching the NBA Finals meant to him.
“Winning the Larry O’Brien Trophy is a kid’s dream,” he said after the game.
The 22-year-old has now led San Antonio to the brink of the championship just three seasons into his NBA career.
Young Spurs continue to grow rapidly
San Antonio’s success was not built around Wembanyama alone.
Second-year guard Stephon Castle continued his impressive postseason form, while rookie Dylan Harper played another key role in a playoff run that accelerated the franchise’s rebuilding timeline.
Harper, who was selected second overall in last year’s draft, said the opportunity to face the Knicks in the finals is just a dream.
“My dream has always been to play at the Garden in the NBA finals,” he said. “I’ll do that in my first year.”
Veteran guard De’Aaron Fox was also a big contributor despite continuing to deal with the ankle injury that kept him out early in the series.
The Spurs once again showed the defensive identity that has defined much of their season.
The key moment came late in the fourth quarter when Luke Kornet made a crucial layup at the rim after covering Wembanyama, who picked up his fifth foul.
The game helped save San Antonio’s best and sparked a dynamic sequence that pushed the visitors ahead.
Wembanyama later described the intervention as “the definition of a successful game.”
Thunder cannot complete the title defense
Oklahoma City entered the series as one of the favorites to win the championship after another regular season, but couldn’t find a way past the Spurs.
League MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander acknowledged San Antonio’s quality after the loss.
“They are young. They are talented. They are well trained,” he said. “You don’t beat us unless you put on makeup to go all the way.”
The Spurs won eight of their nine meetings with the Thunder throughout the regular season and playoffs, underscoring their emergence as one of the NBA’s strongest new teams.
The Knicks are waiting for the NBA Finals
San Antonio will now face the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals, with Game 1 scheduled for Saturday night in Texas.
The Knicks come in strong form after winning the Eastern Conference playoffs and will provide another tough test for Wembanyama and his teammates.
However, confidence is high in the Spurs camp after demolishing the defending champions.
“The crazy thing is, I want to hear this 15 or 20 times in my career,” said Wembanyama.
