San Antonio Spurs ahead Victor Wembanyama (1) celebrates with teammates after profitable Sport 1 in a third-round NBA basketball playoffs sequence in opposition to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder Monday, Might 18, 2026, in Oklahoma Metropolis.
Nate Billings/AP Picture/Nate Billings
If the NBA had screenwriters, not even they may provide you with a begin this good to the convention finals.
Victor Wembanyama has 41 factors and 24 rebounds. San Antonio goes into Oklahoma Metropolis and beats the defending champion Thunder. New York trails by 22 factors with about eight minutes left in regulation, then beats Cleveland. Each video games go to extra time, a convention finals first. And the rating on the finish of regulation in each video games — 101-101.
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Properly carried out, Spurs and Knicks.
If there was a standard pattern in each video games, it was that the very best participant on the profitable groups determined to change into the very best participant on the ground at crunch time. On Monday evening, it was Wembanyama for the Spurs. On Tuesday evening, it was Jalen Brunson for the Knicks — who led a 44-11 run over the past 13 minutes.
“I do not know if I’ve seen that in a playoff recreation,” Knicks coach Mike Brown mentioned. “I take my hat off to my group.”
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Sport 2 of Spurs-Thunder is Wednesday. Sport 2 of Knicks-Cavaliers is Thursday. The drama is barely going to maintain constructing.
“Discovered a approach. … We bought some stops,” Brunson mentioned. “Stored preventing, stored believing, stored chipping away.”
The numbers — from each video games — are of the online game selection.
Begin with what occurred at Madison Sq. Backyard on Tuesday evening. A 44-11 run does not occur within the NBA, actually not within the convention finals. Groups that led by 22 factors or extra within the fourth quarter had been 452-1 this season, together with playoffs. They’re 452-2 now. Within the playoffs, groups had gained 330 consecutive video games when main by 22 or extra factors within the fourth quarter since 2013. They’re 330-1 now.
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“I haven’t got a solution,” Brunson mentioned.
Neither did the Cavaliers, both because it was taking place or within the rapid aftermath.
“We bought a bit of unfortunate,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson mentioned. “Brunson clearly took over on the finish. … We performed nice basketball tonight for 3 quarters. Sadly, the fourth quarter, they dominated us within the fourth quarter.”
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A 41-point, 24-rebound recreation does not occur that usually, both. Wembanyama was sensible in his convention finals debut, as was Spurs rookie guard Dylan Harper. The Spurs, just like the Cavs, wasted a double-digit lead within the fourth quarter of Sport 1 and settled for extra time; San Antonio’s lead was 10, not 22, however nonetheless double digits.
Not like the Cavs, they discovered a solution to calm down — repeatedly, actually — within the two further durations Monday evening.
“That recreation was within the stability a number of occasions for each groups,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson mentioned Tuesday. “You possibly can’t get preoccupied with the end result as a result of there was a lot within the stability that might have went both approach.”
In brief, stealing home-court benefit by profitable Sport 1 doesn’t suggest the Spurs suppose the sequence is over. And the Thunder know that Sport 1 is significant — however not a deciding recreation by any stretch.
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“The cumulative expertise simply teaches you that it’s a sequence,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault mentioned Tuesday. “Sport 1’s a place to begin, not an finish level. We’ve misplaced playoff sequence that we’ve gained Sport 1 fairly convincingly. And we’ve additionally gained sequence that we gained Sport 1. So, each sequence is totally different. It’s the primary to 4. They’re 25% of the best way there and we’re at zero proper now. However there’s plenty of basketball left to be performed. I feel this workforce form of understands the size of the sequence, the size of the playoff run and the size of a playoff recreation.”
The defending champions are feeling some strain. New York is rocking. Wembanyama’s star retains rising. The Cavaliers — winners of two Sport 7s in these playoffs — have to dig their approach out of hassle, once more.
The begin to these conference-final tales was stellar. Chapter 2 awaits.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba