Just when Game 1 of the NBA Finals entered the final few minutes, an interruption brought all the action to a halt. A strange moment left Victor Wembanyama and players completely confused.
SAN ANTONIO -- Five-plus minutes through the third quarter of Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday, the New York Knicks' 11-game winning streak was in major jeopardy.
For most of the night, the San Antonio Spurs looked like they were going to start open the 2026 NBA Finals with a statement win. Instead, they were left walking off the court in disbelief.
As an NBA fan, it hits different when a team's best player is a guy the franchise nurtured from the very start. There's a greater attachment to stars who have been there since the start, who have bled the team's colors since the start of their careers.
The margins that separate winning from losing can become very thin when the competition reaches its pinnacle. In the NBA Finals, there is not much to separate the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks, talent-wise.
Dylan Harper just rewrote the NBA record books in his Finals debut. Despite a Spurs loss in Game 1, the rookie became the youngest player in league history to score double digits in a championship game.
With Victor Wembanyama starting things slow in the San Antonio Spurs’ Game 1 showdown against the New York Knicks, Mitch Johnson tried to supercharge the offense with a steady helping of 3-point shots in the first half.
If an NBA player ends a game with 30 points, that's generally a great night. 40 points is fantastic, and 50 points is an event. That's especially true when that type of scoring outburst comes from an unexpected source.
Where would the San Antonio Spurs be without Dylan Harper? They may not be anywhere close to the NBA Finals if they weren’t able to snag him with the second overall pick of the 2025 NBA Draft.
Victor Wembanyama may have looked like a veteran at times during this year’s playoff run by the San Antonio Spurs. He has spoken like one, too. However, while his grasp of American English has been developing, some of his teammates have told him how to swear more.
Ahead of Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals, ESPN’s Stephen A Smith highlighted why San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who has held a steady voice throughout his team’s deep playoff run, is among the greatest coaches of all time.
The NBA Finals are finally here. After eight months of basketball, the season comes down to two teams — the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs. Game 1 tips off Wednesday night in San Antonio, with the Spurs looking to capture another championship and the Knicks chasing their first title since 1973.
The San Antonio Spurs' fan base was dealt a tragic blow just before Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The Spurs booked a spot in the NBA Finals by defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals.
Jose Luis Rodriguez III, the San Antonio Spurs fan who suffered severe head injuries while celebrating a playoff victory, has died at the age of 17, according to his family.
De’Aaron Fox is the oldest starter on the NBA’s second-youngest Finals team, and his message to San Antonio’s young core before Game 1 against the Knicks is to trust the habits that got them here rather than reinvent anything for the moment.
Stephon Castle does not claim to be immune from selling the occasional call here and there. The San Antonio Spurs guard was tasked with slowing down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander throughout the Western Conference Finals and did as good a job as any defender could against the back-to-back MVP.
SAN ANTONIO -- De'Aaron Fox is surrounded by younger teammates and is accustomed to "unc" treatment from his junior peers at the ripe age of 28. Fox, acquired