Spurs and Knicks set for historic NBA Finals rematch
The San Antonio Spurs, led by generational talent Victor Wembanyama, have advanced to the NBA Finals after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder. They will face the New York Knicks, who enter as underdogs despite a 40-game winning streak.
The San Antonio Spurs have secured their place in the NBA Finals, where they will face the New York Knicks in the first championship series meeting between the two franchises since 1999. The Spurs, identified as the second-youngest team in league history to reach the Finals, defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals. The Knicks, built around point guard Jalen Brunson, entered the series as underdogs but have won their last 40 games, crushing their competition by an average of 23 points in the playoffs.
Victor Wembanyama, a 7-foot-4 centre-guard, has drawn comparisons to Shaquille O’Neal due to his generational talent and similar career trajectory, having reached the Finals in his third season. A rival general manager referred to Wembanyama as "Shaq 2.0," citing his body maintenance and modern skill set, which includes shooting 3-pointers and high free-throw accuracy. Wembanyama maintains a strict lifestyle, avoiding alcohol and sugar, and consuming only plant-based sports drinks.
The Spurs are expected to offer Wembanyama a five-year extension worth more than $300 million. Wembanyama stated that the team’s lack of experience is a strength, allowing them to attempt "impossible stuff." The Spurs drafted Wembanyama first overall, followed by picking Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper in subsequent years, a strategy one Western Conference scout described as crushing the draft.
The Knicks have not won an NBA championship in more than 50 years. In 1995, O’Neal led the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals in his third season, where they were defeated by the Houston Rockets. O’Neal went on to win four championships between 1995 and 2006, though he expressed regret that he did not win more titles.
The 2026 NBA Finals are scheduled to commence with Game 1 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio on June 4. Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns described Wembanyama as a special talent and noted that playing in an NBA Finals is a culmination of a life’s work in basketball.
