By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Tying the Western Conference Finals of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, presented by Google, at 2–2 on Sunday, the San Antonio Spurs suffocated the Oklahoma City Thunder’s offense at the Frost Bank Center. Following the Game 4 win, French superstar Victor Wembanyama emphasized that internal execution rather than tactical overhaul drove the defensive turnaround.
“I’m not going to get into details, but in general, being more disciplined and just trusting the game plan even more,” he said during his postgame press conference, analyzing how his side disrupted the defending champions.
As the best-of-seven series deepens, the chess match between the two coaching staffs has taken center stage. Drawing from his own background as a chess player, the Le Chesnay native noted that postseason adjustments mirror strategy games where secrets no longer exist.
“There are definitely similarities,” Wemby explained. “In the Playoffs at some point, especially as the series drags on, everybody knows the other team, almost by heart. I would say the coaches hold a lot of this load of the chess match.”
The victory marked a significant developmental milestone for a young San Antonio roster that had not yet faced postseason adversity before dropping consecutive games earlier in the series. Wembanyama downplayed the dramatic nature of their bounce-back performance, framing it as a mandatory standard for championship contenders.
“We didn’t do anything unexpected, but the truth is we had never been in this kind of situation before,” noted the 22-year-old center. “It was our first deficit in a playoff series. We just responded. It was nothing amazing. It was not magic. We just did what we needed to do. This series is far from over. We got six more wins before we can rest.”
The physical and mental demands of the series have placed an immense burden on Wemby, who previously vocalized a need to elevate his performance for his squad. When questioned about his demanding self-appraisal and whether he is too critical of his own play, he embraced the pressure that comes with franchise leadership.
“I don’t know if I’m hard on myself. We all have high standards,” he mentioned. “I know I have a lot of responsibilities, but I’m here for it.”
The gridlocked series now shifts back to Oklahoma City for a pivotal Game 5 at the Paycom Center on Tuesday. San Antonio will then host Game 6 back at the Frost Bank Center on Thursday, with a deciding Game 7 looming on the horizon for Saturday if necessary.
NBA Playoffs 2026
Eastern Conference
Quarterfinals (best-of-seven)
Detroit Pistons – Orlando Magic 4-3 (101-112, 98-83, 105-113, 88-94, 116-109, 93-79, 116-94)
Cleveland Cavaliers – Toronto Raptors 4-3 (126-113, 115-105, 104-126, 89-93, 125-120, 110-112, 114-102)
New York Knicks – Atlanta Hawks 4-2 (113-102, 106-107, 108-109, 114-98, 126-97, 140-89)
Boston Celtics – Philadelphia 76ers 3-4 (123-91, 97-111, 108-100, 128-96, 97-113, 93-106, 100-109)
Semifinals (best-of-seven)
Detroit Pistons – Cleveland Cavaliers 3-4 (111-101, 107-97, 109-116, 103-112, 113-117, 115-94, 94-125)
New York Knicks – Philadelphia 76ers 4-0 (137-98, 108-102, 108-94, 144-114)
Finals (best-of-seven)
New York Knicks – Cleveland Cavaliers 3-0 (115-104, 109-93, 121-108)
Western Conference
Quarterfinals (best-of-seven)
Oklahoma City Thunder – Phoenix Suns 4-0 (119-84, 120-107, 121-109, 131-122)
Los Angeles Lakers – Houston Rockets 4-2 (107-98, 101-94, 112-108, 96-115, 93-99, 98-78)
Denver Nuggets – Minnesota Timberwolves 2-4 (126-115, 114-119, 96-113, 96-112, 125-113, 98-110)
San Antonio Spurs – Portland Trail Blazers 4-1 (111-98, 103-106, 120-108, 114-93, 114-95)
Semifinals (best-of-seven)
Oklahoma City Thunder – Los Angeles Lakers 4-0 (108-90, 125-107, 131-108, 115-110)
San Antonio Spurs – Minnesota Timberwolves 4-2 (102-104, 133-95, 115-108, 109-114, 126-97, 139-109)
Finals (best-of-seven)
Oklahoma City Thunder – San Antonio Spurs 2-2 (115-122, 122-113, 123-108, 82-103)
NBA Finals 2026 (best-of-seven)
Eastern Conference and Western Conference champions
Make