After the longest playoff drought in franchise history, the San Antonio Spurs are heading back to the NBA Finals. After two seasons spent effectively as bottom feeders, the Silver and Black have beaten the reigning champion OKC Thunder in the Western Conference Finals. The Spurs opened the season as -6600 favorites to win the title and were predicted to win fewer than 45 games. They ended up with the second-best record in the West with 62 wins. On Wednesday, they face the New York Knicks at Frost Bank Center.
The Spurs Triumphantly Return to the NBA Finals
Wembanyama Wins Western Conference Finals MVP
Victor Wembanyama is now the youngest player to win Western Conference Finals MVP. He also has the chance to become the second youngest Finals MVP ever. Wembanyama survived several rough games on offense but also had a jaw-dropping 41-point opening performance. The first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year was incredible on the defensive end of the ball. He was a key part in a 20-0 run in Game 6 against the OKC Thunder, showing off his team’s incredible defensive potential.
His struggles also highlighted the impressive leadership of those around him. With cold stretches on the floor, Wemby’s coaches and teammates adjusted to give him looks. As soon as the final buzzer sounded, Wembanyama’s eyes flooded with tears while the rest of the Spurs wrapped each other up in hugs.
Spurs’ Defense Makes the Difference in the Series
A back-and-forth Game 7 solidified this series as one for the ages. With heated moments between the teams and controversy over foul calls, this series has pivoted the NBA’s future and serves as the first chapter in a potentially long rivalry.
After going down 2-1 against OKC, San Antonio intensified its defense and heavily improved its rotations on shooters. This improvement helped in two major ways that flipped the series. First, the Spurs were able to challenge the Thunder’s ball handlers and force turnovers. After 21 turnovers in each of the first two games, the Silver and Black were able to match or best the Thunder’s turnover numbers for the final three contests.
Second, the Spurs put a lid on bench players like Alex Caruso, who had a better plus-minus than MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander through the series. Air-tight defense on ball handlers limited their options when passing, allowing for the Spurs to scheme in order to limit corner 3-pointers, Caruso’s bread and butter. Wembanyama and backup center Luke Kornet also challenged the Thunder on the perimeter instead of staying in the paint.
Assistant coach Sean Sweeney, often credited for the Spurs’ huge improvements in defense this season, was recently announced as the Orlando Magic’s next head coach. He will finish off his duties for the Spurs until the end of the Finals.
The Spurs Are Heavy Favorites to Win the Finals
After defeating the initial favorite to win it all this year in the Thunder, the Spurs are the new favorites to beat the Knicks. With the better record and a plethora of players who average double-digit scoring numbers, New York seems to have its hands full. Add center Mitchell Robinson’s recent pinky surgery (making him questionable for Game 1) and the Spurs seem like a relatively safe bet as the team with home court advantage.
However, with stars like Jalen Brunson and Karl Anthony-Towns, the Knicks might be too much for the young Spurs’ defense to handle. Expect a long series with tough road games in a Madison Square Garden that’s waited half a century for another banner.
Finishing One of the Best Rebuilds of All Time
After the departure of star and two-time Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard in 2018, the Spurs were good enough to make the playoffs but not good enough to contend. 2017 was the last time they got past the first round of the playoffs until this year. With All-Star DeMar DeRozan’s exit in 2021, a rebuild had officially started.
With Brian Wright becoming the general manager in 2019, the praise that the Spurs were used to getting was starting to erode. His first draft picks did not go over well, seemingly searching and failing to find the role players of old in his picks. The team was also catching criticism for not starting a rebuild as soon as Leonard left.
In 2022, the Spurs sent their singular All-Star in Dejounte Murray to the Atlanta Hawks for four picks. It was here that the Spurs started to build their entire team for the future. Instead of trading for aging role players, the Spurs planned to build a young team with players who would grow together. Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell, Wembanyama, Dylan Harper, and Carter Bryant all came, bought in, and stayed throughout the following years. Johnson is longest-tenured player on the team with seven seasons.
The full focus of the team became youth, and it showed in the win totals. The 2023 and 2024 seasons both ended with 22 wins. Tanking and losing in order to learn became the Spurs’ identity, at least temporarily. A team that made the playoffs for two decades straight had flipped their goals on their head.
But slowly and surely, they were building an athletic team that would be able to overwhelm opponents in the future. Despite the losses, the intense focus on fundamentals and the “Spurs way” — a recipe not just for greatness on the court but off it as well — remained. The Spurs’ refusal to chase after elite talent allowed them to provide a breeding ground for one new young culture.
After improving in the 2024-25 season, the Spurs resisted attempting trades that were hotly requested by the fanbase for stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Trae Young. This patience and belief in their young players was rewarded by a finals appearance led by their home-grown talent.
The Spurs’ Secret Weapon
Whether it is head coach Mitch Johnson giving his players hard advice on the sidelines or the legendary Gregg Popovich chewing out his players after a tough Game 3 loss in the WCF, one thing seemingly never changes: the Spurs’ secret to their success is establishing a family. From former player Tim Duncan helping Popovich through his stroke rehab to crying together after a win, the Spurs organization establishes lifelong bonds between players and teammates.
In a 2015 interview with HoopsHype, Popovich said, “I’ve been doing this a long time, and one of my biggest joys is when somebody comes back to town with their kids, or one of my players becomes one of my coaches, and you have that relationship that you’ve had for the last ten years, fifteen years.”
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