The 2026 NBA Finals matchup is set: The West’s No. 2 seed, the San Antonio Spurs, will take on the East’s No. 3 seed, the New York Knicks.
Some of the notable storylines include:
- Former Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox and head coach Mike Brown square off in the Finals
- The New York Knicks have an older core, as their starting five are all at least 28-years-old
- On the flip side, in their first playoff run with Victor Wembanyama and the young core, the San Antonio Spurs made the Finals
Now the two sides square off with the NBA Finals on the line. They split the season series while the Knicks outlasted the Spurs in the NBA Cup championship game.
Let’s take a look at the tape from the regular season and the Cup final.
Knicks’ High Motor Defense
The Knicks are full of athletic wings that can close out space in a hurry. They execute the “X coverage” on this play, where two perimeter defenders swap assignments on the closeouts.
OG Anunoby leaves his man from the corner to slide down and tag Wembanyama’s roll. Mikal Bridges immediately closes out to the corner and prevents a three-point jack. Then after tagging Wembanyama, Anunoby sprints out to Bridges’ man and gets a hand up to contest a three at the top of the key.
New York’s defense is elite when they are in scramble mode.
Then, on this play, with Karl-Anthony Towns out of position, Anunoby commits to helping at the rim.
New York’s chain reaction of closeouts by Bridges, Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart put the clamps on the Spurs. As a result, Stephon Castle hoists up a deep three towards the end of the shot clock that hits the back heel of the rim.
Here’s another play with the Knicks playing catch-up:
Anunoby helps close out air space on the left wing and then gets to the right corner to run Julian Champagnie off the line. Hart was also one of the keys to this possession, making a closeout to the perimeter and sinking into the gaps on the drive.
The Knicks forced a turnover when they converged on Champagnie’s drive.
Victor Wembanyama’s Unfairness
The Spurs’ perimeter defenders can afford to gamble often with an alien behind them. For instance, on this play, Castle gambles on the pass and misses it. Had he made the play, he has a clear path to the cup for two. He also aggressively closes out on Towns to run him off the line.
Towns drives right into Wembanyama and has to take an off-balance floater with his strong hand going left.
Now watch Wembanyama eat up the space here.
As Brunson drives, Wembanyama fully commits to guarding him, leaving Mitchell Robinson open. Brunson doesn’t even bother passing it to Robinson and loses the ball on the way up. Still, Wembanyama doesn’t make anything easy.
The Defensive Challenges Victor Wembanyama Presents
There are answers for the Knicks when Wembanyama is roaming and simply ignoring his assignment.
When a below average shooter or an offensive player’s defender is sitting in the paint, a great counter is to use this player as an on-ball screener, as seen here.
Hart goes into a screen and dribble handoff action with Anunoby. Because Wembanyama is sitting in the paint, Anunoby has space to knock down a midrange jumper off his snake dribble (a dribble where he curls back towards the screen).
The answer isn’t necessarily to pull Wembanyama out of the paint — it’s to take the space that’s given.
Wembanyama presents drop coverage again:
With Hart as the screener again, Brunson generates an uncontested pull-up 3-pointer. The Knicks must attack Wembanyama’s drop coverage with his man as the screener.
Spurs Setting Up Their Stars
The Spurs thrive on setting down screens: screens set near the baseline with the screener facing the basket.
Here, Luke Kornet sets the down screen for Fox.
Because Fox’s defender goes over the screen, Fox can easily turn, catch and knock down a shot just inside the free throw line.
Now, on this play, it’s Wembanyama’s turn to receive a down screen.
Since Wembanyama’s man, Robinson, goes over the screen (and with Brunson on the other side of the screen), Wembanyama attacks Brunson and takes zero dribbles into the lane for the slam dunk.
The Spurs have simple plays to get their stars different looks.
Karl-Anthony Towns Must Dominate the Guards
The Spurs like to stick Wembanyama on a guard so he can roam, which means a guard for the Spurs is more than likely to defend Towns. That gives Towns a massive size advantage.
With Castle on Towns, Towns has to get the ball, especially if no help comes, as seen on this play.
Towns might not be openly demanding the ball with his hand up, but the moment he touches the ball, he sees food.
He faces up, takes two dribbles and he’s in range for a one-legged jumper at the free throw line. Absolutely no help comes and Castle is at Towns’ mercy.
This time, Towns is now isolated on the left wing.
Castle’s feet are not squared and Towns easily drives baseline for the dunk. In fact, there’s no chance for any help defense.
Finals Prediction
It’s going to be a great series, as both teams clearly have ways to attack one another. However, when all is said and done, it’ll be the Spurs hoisting the trophy in seven games.
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