Wembanyama Lifts Spurs to First NBA Finals Since 2014 with Decisive Game 7 Road Win

Decisive Game 7: A Complete Team Effort

The final score of 111-103 represented the tightest margin of victory in a series otherwise defined by blowouts, with five previous games decided by 12 or more points . While Wembanyama led the charge, the Spurs’ depth proved decisive. Seven San Antonio players scored in double figures, a balanced attack that ultimately wore down Oklahoma City’s top-heavy offense .

Julian Champagnie provided a critical spark from the perimeter, pouring in 20 points on 6-of-10 shooting from beyond the arc, with 11 of those points coming in a pivotal third quarter . Rookie Stephon Castle added 16 points, six rebounds, and six assists, while De’Aaron Fox contributed 15 points and steady ball-handling .

Despite the loss, Thunder guard and league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered a signature performance, pouring in a game-high 35 points on 12-of-21 shooting to go with nine assists and three steals . However, the Spurs' collective scoring and defensive discipline ultimately proved to be the difference.

Wembanyama’s Historic Series MVP Run

Wembanyama’s series-long dominance secured the first Conference Finals MVP honor of his young career, winning all nine votes from the media panel . Across the seven-game war, he averaged a stunning 27.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field and 40% from three-point range .

He set the tone for the series from the very start with an iconic 41-point, 24-rebound double-overtime masterpiece in a Game 1 victory that immediately seized momentum for the Spurs . In an elimination game at home in Game 6, Wembanyama made franchise history as the first Spur ever to record at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, two steals, and two blocks in a do-or-die postseason game, finishing with 28 points and 10 rebounds in a 118-91 rout that forced the deciding Game 7 .

First Finals Trip Since the Tim Duncan Era

San Antonio’s victory ends a 12-year absence from the NBA Finals. The franchise’s last appearance was in 2014, when a core led by future Hall of Famers Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili captured the organization’s fifth championship . The 2025-26 Spurs earned the Western Conference’s No. 2 seed with a 62-20 regular-season record, securing home-court advantage for the Finals .

The NBA Finals: Spurs vs. Knicks

The Spurs now face a New York Knicks team experiencing its own long-awaited renaissance. The Knicks swept the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals, returning to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 . Their postseason run has been dominant, with an 11-game winning streak stretching back to the first round .

The Spurs hold home-court advantage by virtue of a superior regular-season record (62-20 versus New York’s 53-29) . The 2026 NBA Finals schedule is as follows, with all games tipping off at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC:

*If necessary

With one future all-time great leading a battle-tested organization against a resurgent Knicks squad, the 2026 NBA Finals is a collision of history, star power, and unfinished business.