San Antonio Spurs dethrone Oklahoma City Thunder to make first NBA Finals in 12 years

[p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/san-antonio-spurs/IwmkErSH/"]Spurs[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/oklahoma-city-thunder-0fHFHEWD/san-antonio-spurs-IwmkErSH/?mid=zqDwM7Sa"]captured the best-of-seven Western Conference finals 4-3[/a] to reach the NBA Finals, which begin on Wednesday against the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-york-knicks/WCNO4nbt/"]Knicks[/a] in San Antonio.[/p][p]"[b]Though we're still hungry for one more, this feeling is, I can't explain it, it's so powerful[/b]," [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wembanyama-victor/jFmM1MFl/"]Wembanyama[/a] said. "[b]We want four more. We're not done. Go Spurs go.[/b]"[/p][p]French 7-foot-4 (2.24m) center Wembanyama scored 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/champagnie-julian/vuyUXnGn/"]Julian Champagnie[/a] added 20 points including six three-pointers and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/castle-stephon/Kzd3IGeT/"]Stephon Castle[/a] had 16 points for the Spurs, who led the winner-take-all contest almost the entire way.[/p][p]"[b]We had a good team, a great team,[/b]" Champagnie said. "[b]We had to stay the course and play a good game.[/b][/p][p]"[b]We were passing the ball. We were playing as a team. We come out here and play together.[/b][/p][p]"[b]We never knew if we were going to get this far but when you've got the greatest player in the world things happen.[/b]"[/p][p]That was a nod to Wembanyama, the Most Valuable Player of the Western Conference finals and the NBA Defensive Player of the Year.[/p][embed guid="f2b1a2af-9005-4e04-92ba-46f398570668" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2060953069047755047" social-type="twitter" /][p]"[b]It doesn't mean anything for me other than the fact we are a team,[/b]" Wembanyama said of his series MVP award. "[b]I got this for all of us and all the fans right here.[/b]"[/p][p]Of his teammates, Wembanyama added, "[b]They don't even know how much I love them. They are just incredible. Everybody stepped up tonight.[/b]"[/p][p]"Wemby" dominated in his first playoff game seven and was emotional at the finish, laughing and crying and hugging teammates over reaching his first NBA Finals.[/p][p]"[b]Realising that some part of the childhood dream was going to come true[/b]," the 22-year-old Frenchman said of his reaction.[/p][p]The win sets up an NBA Finals repeat of this season's NBA Cup final, which the Knicks won with a 124-113 defeat of San Antonio last December in Las Vegas.[/p][p]NBA Most Valuable Player [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gilgeous-alexander-shai/d6TE5wgc/"]Shai Gilgeous-Alexander[/a] led [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/oklahoma-city-thunder/0fHFHEWD/"]Oklahoma City[/a] with 35 points.[/p][h2]Forget experience[/h2][p]A Spurs squad with only one player that had been in a game seven before overcame a more experienced Thunder squad that won the title in a game seven last year.[/p][p]"[b]Back in October we knew we had a chance to be pretty good,[/b]" Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said.[/p][p]"[b]There's a lot being talked about, words like competitiveness, resolve, togetherness, execution - who gives a damn about the word experience?[/b][/p][p]"[b]They had to go out and execute and they did.[/b]"[/p][p]Wembanyama hit two three-pointers in a 17-9 run to start the fourth quarter that lifted the Spurs ahead 97-86 with eight minutes remaining.[/p][p]"Wemby" was whistled for his fifth foul seconds later and went to the bench, boosting Thunder hopes in the dying minutes while Gilgeous-Alexander tried to rally the reigning champions.[/p][embed guid="e3238937-fb76-4d4f-b14f-be31cbebd121" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2060971465655062681" social-type="twitter" /][p]Spurs fill-in big man [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kornet-luke/YV4ajVx6/"]Luke Kornet[/a] blocked a fast break dunk attempt by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hartenstein-isaiah/v5FbfBw9/"]Isaiah Hartenstein[/a] and the Spurs added a Castle basket and Champagnie three-pointer for a 102-91 lead with 5:33 to play.[/p][p]The Thunder charged in the final seconds but could never close the gap within a possession at the end.[/p][p]The Thunder, without forward [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/williams-jalen/4G5tbqUi/"]Jalen Williams[/a] due to a hamstring injury, had 20 first-half points from reserves and 17 from offensive rebounds to stay close.[/p][p]Gilgeous-Alexander scored 11 of his 19 first-half points in a 20-5 Thunder run that gave Oklahoma City a 53-49 lead.[/p][p]San Antonio, however, closed the first half on a 7-0 run, a dunk by Wembanyama giving the Spurs a 56-53 half-time edge.[/p][p]Champagnie sank three three-pointers and two free throws for 11 points in a 16-2 Spurs run that lifted San Antonio ahead 76-65 but Gilgeous-Alexander sparked a 12-3 run to set the stage for the late fightback.[/p]