NBA to Crown a New Champion! San Antonio Eliminates Oklahoma City in Game 7

The San Antonio Spurs have punched their ticket to this year's NBA Finals! The Spurs showcased their championship pedigree, eliminating the reigning champions and Western Conference regular-season leaders, the Oklahoma City Thunder, in a thrilling conference final. In the early hours of Sunday, May 31st, Bulgarian time, the Spurs clinched Game 7 against the Thunder with a 111-103 victory (32:25, 24:28, 24:24, 31:26), securing the series 4-3.

French center Victor Wembanyama led the scoring for the victors with 22 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists. For the Thunder, guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered a stellar performance, tallying 35 points, 4 rebounds, and 9 assists.

This triumph marks a significant statement for the Spurs, as they became the first team in these playoffs to defeat Oklahoma City, who had swept their first two rounds 4-0 against the Phoenix Suns and LA Lakers. San Antonio, meanwhile, had previously overcome the Portland Trail Blazers (4-1) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (4-2), finishing second in the Western Conference during the regular season.

In the battle for the championship, the San Antonio Spurs will face the New York Knicks, who finished third in the Eastern Conference regular season. The Knicks' playoff journey saw them successively eliminate the Atlanta Hawks (4-2), the Philadelphia 76ers (4-0), and the Cleveland Cavaliers (4-0).

San Antonio's last championship dates back to 2014, when the Spurs defeated the Miami Heat 4-3 in the Finals. The New York Knicks, on the other hand, have been chasing a title for over half a century, having last won in 1973 by beating the LA Lakers 4-1 in the Finals. Interestingly, the Knicks' most recent Finals appearance was also against San Antonio, back in 1999, where the Spurs prevailed 4-1.

The New York Knicks have made eight Finals appearances in total, winning two and losing six.

The San Antonio Spurs are the fifth most decorated team in the league, boasting five championship trophies from six Finals appearances, losing only one.

Game 1 of this year's NBA Finals is scheduled for the end of next week, Thursday, June 4th, at 3:30 AM Bulgarian time, with the Spurs hosting the first two games. The two teams split their regular-season matchups with one win apiece.