Spurs Force Game 7, Put Knicks in Better Position — Spurs Vs Knicks
The spurs vs knicks angle got clearer Thursday night: San Antonio forced a Game 7 against Oklahoma City, and that pushed New York closer to a possible rest edge before the NBA Finals. The Knicks already moved through the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers without needing six games in either series.
San Antonio Extends The Series
The Spurs' win made the Thunder series go the full distance, which now places New York in line to face another opponent coming off a seven game series for the third series in a row. The final playoff series of the 2026 NBA season had been set to tip off on June 3rd, so every extra day before that date matters to a Knicks group that has already played deep into May.
That part of the bracket path has been blunt for New York. The Knicks needed four games to beat the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals, and they were forced into a 22-point hole in Game 1 before recovering enough to finish the sweep in four. The Thunder-Spurs series now adds another late-round test with less recovery time for the opponent than New York has had in the previous round.
Mitchell Robinson's Finger
Mitchell Robinson was reported Thursday to have a broken right pinky finger, giving the rest question a more specific edge for the Knicks. If New York gets a few more recovery days before June 3rd, that could matter most for a player dealing with a hand injury while the postseason workload keeps piling up.
Landry Shamet told's studio crew that the team had plans to prevent another slow start after the series, and Mikal Bridges addressed the need to begin with intensity after practice on Thursday. Those comments fit the same thread: New York has already had to survive an early hole once, and the margin for another one keeps shrinking as the playoff calendar tightens.
Wembanyama's Push
Victor Wembanyama was making his case for being the best player in the world during the Spurs' push, but the immediate effect of San Antonio's result lands in New York. The Knicks are the team watching the bracket most closely, because the longer Oklahoma City and San Antonio go, the more breathing room they may gain before the Finals begin.
