Spurs dethrone Thunder and advance to NBA Finals against Knicks

WASHINGTON, United States (Updated, 11:05 a.m.) — The San Antonio Spurs, sparked by superstar Victor Wembanyama, advanced to the NBA Finals by dethroning defending champion Oklahoma City 111-103 on Saturday (Sunday, Manila time,) booking a championship showdown against New York.

The Spurs captured the best-of-seven Western Conference finals 4-3 to reach the NBA Finals, which begin on Wednesday against the Knicks in San Antonio.

French 7-foot-4 (2.24m) center Wembanyama scored 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds, Julian Champagnie added 20 points including six three-pointers and Stephon Castle had 16 points for the Spurs, who led the winner-take-all contest almost the entire way.

"We had a good team, a great team," Champagnie said. "We had to stay the course and play a good game.

"We were passing the ball. We were playing as a team. We come out here and play together.

"We never knew if we were going to get this far but when you've got the greatest player in the world things happen."

That was a nod to Wembanyama, the NBA Defensive Player of the Year who dominated in his first playoff game seven and was joyful at the finish, laughing and hugging teammates as he reached his first NBA Finals.

The Knicks went 2-1 against the Spurs this campaign, each team winning at home while New York took the NBA Cup final over the Spurs 124-113 last December in Las Vegas.

NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 35 points.