The Western Conference Finals just delivered one of the best playoff games in years.
While New York and Cleveland get set to tip off their own series, what went down in Oklahoma City should have both teams paying close attention.
The San Antonio Spurs took down the defending champion Thunder 122-115 in double overtime in Game 1, with Victor Wembanyama putting up 41 points and 24 rebounds in a performance that was hard to believe.
Dylan Harper added 24 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and seven steals, becoming the first rookie to post those kinds of numbers in a playoff game since Magic Johnson in 1980.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was announced to be the league MVP for the second consecutive year just one day before, had a hard time throughout the night and managed only 24 points through 7-of-23 shooting.
Alex Caruso led Oklahoma City with 31 points off the bench, and Jalen Williams added 26; however, the rest of the Thunder lineup combined for very little. And yet, it still took San Antonio 53 minutes to win. That right there is the warning.
What the Spurs-Thunder Series Means for the East
GettyKnicks and Cavaliers Face a Harsh Reality After Spurs-Thunder
Afterââââââââââââââââ two overtime periods, the game included 10 lead changes and 8 ties. Both sides played with tremendous determination, and neither team was willing to give an inch.
A victory was not handed to the winner here, this is the type of game where you have to fight for each and every point on the floor.
Intensity like this is exactly what the team that emerges from the East will have to face. The Knicks had eight days to rest after they swept the 76ers, while Cleveland just played the entire seven games against the Pistons. Neither of the teams is technically ready for 53 minutes at that level of basketball.
Physicality, resilience, the great effort shown by Wembanyama and SGA even deep into double overtime – this is what a Finals game looks like.
New York Knicks could definitely stand up to that. Similarly, the Cavaliers are able to do so, particularly with Donovan Mitchell being both healthy and highly motivated. However, there is a big difference between the ability to do it and actually being able to do it when the moment is ââââââââââââââââpresent.
Can the Knicks or Cavaliers Survive the West in the NBA Finals?
GettyVictor Wembanyama Just Sent a Message Knicks and Cavs Wonât Like
The Thunder entered these playoffs undefeated, coming off a 64-18 regular season, the best record in the league. The Spurs beat them four times in five tries during the year and still needed two overtime periods to steal Game 1 on the road. That alone tells you how tight this series is going to be.
Whichever team New York or Cleveland gets to the Finals will have to deal with either Wembanyama or SGA, in a series where the West has already proven it does not let up. Two loaded rosters, elite defenders on both sides, young stars playing with zero hesitation – the bar has been set, and it is sitting high.
New York has not won the East since 1999, and Cleveland has never reached the Finals without LeBron James. Both teams have real motivation and real talent to back it up. But after watching what the West just put on in Game 1, the Knicks and Cavaliers will need to find that same gear, and fast.
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