The San Antonio Spurs are heading back to the NBA Finals, and they did it the same way this franchise has done it in years past—together.
After falling behind in this series to the reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder 2–1 and then 3–2, San Antonio responded with two consecutive wins to take the Western Conference Finals in seven games. The Spurs closed the series with a 111–103 win in Game 7, slowly pulling away in the fourth quarter after leading by just three entering the final period.
Victor Wembanyama stood at the center of it all.
The 22-year-old finished with 22 points, three three-pointers, seven rebounds, two assists, a steal, and a block, earning the Earvin “Magic” Johnson Trophy as the 2026 Western Conference Finals MVP. Still only in his third NBA season, he has deservedly become the face of San Antonio’s rise and one of the league’s brightest young stars. But while Wembanyama led the way, Game 7 was ultimately a collective effort from the entire Spurs roster.
Seven players scored in double figures and each seemed to take his turn carrying San Antonio through a different stretch of the contest. Last season’s Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle started the game with the poise of a veteran, scoring nine points over the first seven minutes to help the Spurs build a 27–13 lead by the 5:07 mark of the first quarter. Despite being a young guard playing in the postseason for the first time, Castle once again looked completely unfazed by the moment. He finished the night with 16 points, six rebounds, six assists, and a steal.
Oklahoma City eventually battled back, taking a 51–49 lead late in the second quarter after Jaylin Williams hit a midrange jumper off a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander offensive rebound. It was the Thunder’s first lead since Game 5 after San Antonio had led throughout Game 6. De’Aaron Fox answered with a pair of timely baskets to keep the Spurs steady, scoring seven points in the second quarter and helping San Antonio enter halftime ahead, 56–53. Fox finished with 15 points, three three-pointers, five assists, and three steals.
The third quarter belonged to the least heralded of the Spurs’ starting five, Julian Champagnie.
Champagnie scored 11 points in the period, including three three-pointers, and helped San Antonio seize control for good. His eight straight points turned a narrow deficit into a Spurs lead, and he eventually scored 11 of 13 San Antonio points during a decisive stretch that pushed them ahead, 73–65. He finished with 20 points on six made threes, six rebounds, an assist, and a steal, while posting a team-best plus-16.
The Spurs’ reserves, particularly newly minted Sixth Man of the Year Keldon Johnson, then helped finish the job. Johnson opened the fourth quarter with back-to-back three-pointers to keep Oklahoma City at bay and scored eight of his 11 points in the final period.
The two other San Antonio players who scored in double figures provided constant pressure on the Thunder throughout the evening–rookie Dylan Harper added 12 points, two threes, seven rebounds, and three assists off the bench, while Devin Vassell chipped in 11 points, a three, six rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
Even backup center Luke Kornet had his moment.
With Wembanyama nursing five fouls, Kornet entered briefly in the fourth quarter and made what may be remembered as the play of the game. After Oklahoma City had trimmed the deficit to six, Isaiah Hartenstein stole the ball and went the length of the floor for a dunk. Kornet chased him down and met him at the rim, blocking the attempt and preventing the Thunder from cutting the lead to four.
Castle and Champagnie then hit back-to-back baskets to push the lead back to 11.
San Antonio now faces the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals, with homecourt advantage on their side. The matchup carries historical significance too. The Knicks’ last Finals appearance came in 1999, also against San Antonio, when a young player known by the name of Tim Duncan led the Spurs to their first championship.
Now, Wembanyama has a chance to follow in Duncan’s legendary footsteps. He is still only 22, but already plays with the confidence of a seasoned superstar. The Spurs have arrived earlier than expected, and if Game 7 was any indication, they have enough around him to finish the job.
