The 2026 NBA postseason has reached its final four. Oklahoma City, San Antonio, New York and Cleveland begin the conference finals this week, looking to secure a place in the NBA Finals and a shot at the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
West finals: (1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (2) San Antonio Spurs
How they arrived
Oklahoma City swept the Phoenix Suns 4-0 in the first round and the Los Angeles Lakers 4-0 in the conference semifinals. San Antonio eliminated the Portland Trail Blazers 4-1, then beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 4-2.
Regular-season backdrop
The Spurs won four of five meetings with the Thunder during the 2025-26 campaign, finishing plus-50 in Victor Wembanyama’s 125 minutes on the floor despite his 25-minute limit in those games. Oklahoma City was minus-24 without him on court.
Matchup questions
• San Antonio often left Luguentz Dort, Cason Wallace and Alex Caruso unguarded beyond the arc to block Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s driving lanes. In the season series Caruso and Wallace combined to shoot 10-for-42 from deep, while the Thunder offense dipped to 107.5 points per 100 possessions with Dort on the court.
• Those same perimeter stoppers have connected on 40-of-100 three-pointers through two playoff rounds, giving Oklahoma City a potential answer if the Spurs repeat the strategy.
• A scout noted San Antonio must limit turnovers, calling Wembanyama “the great equalizer” against the Thunder’s elite defense.
Experience factor
Despite its youth, San Antonio has already dealt with postseason adversity—Wembanyama missed one game with a concussion and was later ejected for an elbow on Naz Reid—yet advanced in six games. Observers see little concern about playoff inexperience at this stage.
East finals: (3) New York Knicks vs. (4) Cleveland Cavaliers
How they arrived
New York dispatched the Atlanta Hawks 4-2 and swept the Philadelphia 76ers 4-0, finishing its second-round series eight days ago. Cleveland went the distance twice, edging the Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons in back-to-back seven-game series.
Rest versus mileage
Knicks starters have averaged 309 playoff minutes, while Cavaliers starters have logged 460—a 49 percent gap. Teams that needed seven games in both earlier rounds are 1-4 all-time in the conference finals, per ESPN research.
Key issues
• New York’s offense, led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, has scored freely through two rounds; Cleveland’s defense faces a higher-powered attack than it saw against Toronto or Detroit.
• Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, each pivotal in Cleveland’s two Game 7 wins, must defend Towns on the perimeter amid constant Knicks off-ball movement.
• A scout emphasized Towns’ role and OG Anunoby’s health as swing factors, adding that smaller Knicks lineups could play into Cleveland’s hands.
Season series
New York won two of three regular-season games; Oklahoma City was 1-4 against San Antonio.
The conference finals follow an every-other-day format, testing depth and endurance as the Thunder, Spurs, Knicks and Cavaliers battle for the 2026 NBA Finals berths.
Source: ESPN
