Knicks Win 2026 NBA Finals While Spurs Reflect on What-ifs

The 2026 NBA Finals brought a mix of triumph and contemplation as the New York Knicks claimed their first championship since 1973 by defeating the San Antonio Spurs in five games. As the Knicks celebrated their historic victory, the Spurs were left pondering the missed opportunities that shaped the series.

San Antonio’s journey left them with a curious statistic highlighted by Scott Kacsmar: the Spurs ended the playoffs with a +173 point differential, the highest for any team not winning the title. Throughout the series, the Spurs held comfortable leads in each game. Yet, they saw these margins slip away in four out of five contests.

The New York Knicks demonstrated resilience, achieving some of the most notable comebacks in NBA Finals history. According to Rodger Sherman, the Knicks now hold the numbers 1, 4, and 6 positions for the largest comebacks in the Finals. Their biggest rally occurred during Game 4 at Madison Square Garden, where they overturned a 29-point deficit.

Reflecting on the series, Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs’ star and NBA Defensive Player of the Year, observed, “The margin of error is very thin. Although we dominated for most of the series, our mistakes were heavily punished. The ups are fine, but the downs caused our loss.”

Wembanyama acknowledged the long wait before the Spurs can attempt another Finals run. “We probably need to play 100 more games before reaching the Finals again. It’s something I’ll have to internalize and manage over that span,” he said.

For the Spurs, there’s a silver lining in history. The 2013 Spurs also recorded a high playoff point differential of +147 without winning the title, only to come back stronger and secure the 2014 NBA Finals victory. ESPN’s early odds for the 2027 NBA Finals suggest the Spurs as slight favorites, indicating optimism for a potential resurgence.