San Antonio's path to the NBA finals ran straight through the reigning champions, and the Spurs took it with a 111-103 victory in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals on Saturday night. The win sends them to face the New York Knicks, with the series opener scheduled for Wednesday in San Antonio.
Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot-4 French star who Oklahoma City notably lacked on its roster, finished with 22 points and seven rebounds to lead the charge. But the Spurs made clear this was a team effort. Julian Champagnie added 20 points and connected on six three-pointers, while bench contributions from Dylan Harper and a crucial fourth-quarter block from Luke Kornet, Wembanyama's backup, proved decisive as the Thunder mounted a late push.
Wembanyama, named series MVP, was visibly emotional after the final buzzer. "Realizing that some part of a childhood dream is going to come true," he said when asked about his tears. "We're still hungry, we want more. This feeling is so powerful, I can't explain it."
The Thunder refused to go quietly despite the loss. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning NBA MVP, delivered a masterclass with 35 points and nine assists, but found little support from teammates as none scored more than 20 points. In the closing moments, Oklahoma City was reduced to firing desperate three-pointers from deep range while San Antonio sealed the series with a breakaway dunk.
The matchup against New York carries historical weight. The last time the Knicks appeared in the NBA finals was 1999, when the Spurs beat them 4-1. That precedent hardly seemed to trouble San Antonio's roster heading into the championship round.
"We never knew if we were going to get this far but when you've got the greatest player in the world things happen," Champagnie reflected after the game.
Author James Rodriguez: "Wembanyama just delivered the performance that matters most, but the Spurs' balanced attack is what should worry New York."
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