NBA final four: Cavs vs Knicks, Thunder vs Spurs

The NBA’s conference-final field was completed on May 18 when Cleveland advanced to face New York in the East, joining an Oklahoma City-San Antonio series that already opened in the West. The Spurs beat the Thunder 122-115 in double overtime on Monday night in Oklahoma City, giving San Antonio a 1-0 lead. The Cavaliers arrived after a Game 7 rout of Detroit, while the Knicks advanced earlier from the other side of the Eastern bracket. NBA.com said the conference finals schedule was updated early May 19, with the NBA Finals set to begin on June 3. ### How did the final four get set? Cleveland secured the last spot by eliminating Detroit in Game 7, which locked in an Eastern Conference finals matchup with New York. ESPN’s playoff schedule page listed the final four as Knicks-Cavaliers in the East and Thunder-Spurs in the West. New York entered the round as the East’s No. 3 seed, while Oklahoma City remained the West’s top seed and defending conference champion. (nba.com) San Antonio reached the round as the challenger that immediately flipped home-court pressure with its road win in Game 1. ### Why is Donovan Mitchell at the center of the Cleveland matchup? Donovan Mitchell was identified by NBC News’ playoff preview as Cleveland’s offensive engine heading into the series against New York. (espn.com) ESPN’s conference-finals preview similarly framed one central question in the matchup as whether Cleveland’s stars can break through New York’s physical defense. (nba.com) The Cavaliers’ path also sharpened the focus on Mitchell because Cleveland needed a decisive Game 7 to get through Detroit. That result finished a longer route to the conference finals than the bracket suggested when the postseason began. ### What changed in the West after one night? Victor Wembanyama changed the immediate shape of the Western Conference finals on May 18 with 41 points and 24 rebounds in San Antonio’s double-overtime win. (700espn.com) The NBA’s official game recap, via the Associated Press on NBA.com, said Dylan Harper added 24 points and a team playoff-record seven steals for the Spurs. USA Today reported that Wembanyama shot 14-for-25 from the field and played 49 of the game’s 58 minutes. (espn.com) Sporting News also listed the final score at 122-115 and the same 41-point, 24-rebound line in a report published after the game. ### What did Shai Gilgeous-Alexander say after the loss? (nba.com) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said, “I have to play better,” after Oklahoma City dropped its first game of the 2026 playoffs, according to Yahoo Sports. The report said commissioner Adam Silver presented Gilgeous-Alexander with his second straight MVP trophy before the game. Yahoo and other postgame reports said Gilgeous-Alexander struggled by his standards in the opener. (usatoday.com) A separate game report listed him at 24 points and 12 assists while shooting 7-for-23 from the field in 51 minutes. ### What comes next on the schedule? Game 2 of Spurs-Thunder is scheduled for May 20, according to NBA.com’s playoff schedule page updated on May 19. (sports.yahoo.com) The same schedule page lists the conference finals continuing this week, with Knicks-Cavaliers opening on the Eastern side before the NBA Finals begin June 3 on ABC. June 3 is the next leaguewide milestone after the conference finals, when the NBA Finals are set to start. (sports.yahoo.com) Before that, San Antonio will try to extend its lead on May 20, and Cleveland and New York will begin their series with the East title at stake. (nba.com)