The San Antonio Spurs were not supposed to be here. They finished the regular season as the No. 2 seed in the West, good but not dominant, and faced a gauntlet that included two top seeds. They are here anyway, and the path they took tells you something about who they are.
In the first round, they dispatched Portland in four games. In the second round, they beat Minnesota in six. Neither series was especially dramatic, but both gave San Antonio time to find their rhythm before running into Oklahoma City the top seed in the West and the team most people expected to represent the conference in the Finals.
The Spurs-Thunder series went the full seven games. OKC pushed the pace, leaned on Gilgeous-Alexander at 30 plus points per game, and took a series lead. San Antonio responded each time. They took Game 6 in Oklahoma City by 27 points, setting up a winner take all Game 7 on the road where most teams would have folded. They did not.
Wembanyama has been the central figure throughout. In seven games against Oklahoma City, he averaged over 20 points and brought his defensive presence to every possession. But what makes this Spurs team more than just Wembanyama is the depth around him. Champagnie has been a consistent threat from three off the bench. De'Aaron Fox, acquired to be the team's primary ball-handler, has stabilized possessions and given the offense a second gear in the pick-and-roll. Stephon Castle, the second-year guard, has held his own as a starter against the best guards in the conference.
Head coach Gregg Popovich, who stepped back from day-to-day duties after health concerns, has watched Mitch Johnson steer this team through the playoffs with a calm and structured approach. The system still looks like a Popovich system — spacing, ball movement, disciplined defense just run by younger legs.
The Knicks are a real challenge. But after what San Antonio survived to get here, few will be shocked if they are holding the trophy in July.