SPORTSMay 02, 2026· Tim Wheeler

Trending Topics: Who will win the Game 7s this weekend?

The NBA playoffs have delivered their most dramatic weekend of the season, with multiple Game 7s across both conferences deciding who advances and who goes home. The stakes couldn't be higher: lose and your season ends, win and you keep chasing a championship.

In the Western Conference, the Spurs and Thunder face off in Oklahoma City on Saturday night in a winner-take-all Game 7 that will determine who meets the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals. This series has been defined by wild swings, with neither team able to hold a close game for long. The Spurs won Games 4 and 6 by a combined 48 points, while the Thunder won Games 3 and 5 by 28 combined.

The Eastern Conference has its own drama with the Raptors forcing Game 7 against the Cavaliers after being down 3-1 in the series. Toronto's resilience has been the story of the postseason, with their star duo finding another gear when elimination stared them in the face.

Game 7s are a different animal entirely. Regular season records, series momentum, even home court advantage, all of it gets compressed into 48 minutes where one possession can define a season. The history of Game 7s is littered with unexpected heroes and shocking collapses.

For Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder, this is familiar territory. Oklahoma City went 2-0 in Game 7s during last year's championship run, and SGA has been here before. His calm demeanor masks a ruthless competitor who elevates when the lights are brightest.

For Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs, this is uncharted territory. The 7-foot-4 phenom has never played a Game 7, but his performance in Game 6, 28 points in 28 minutes, suggests the moment won't be too big for him. After the game, Wembanyama downplayed the stakes in his native French: "For me, winning in the NBA today isn't any more important than winning a regional championship back when I was playing in the U-13 division. The competitive drive feels exactly the same."

What makes this weekend particularly compelling is the historical rarity. Two 62-win teams meeting in a Game 7 has happened only once before in NBA history, the 1981 Eastern Conference Finals when Boston beat Philadelphia 91-90. The Thunder have been dominant after losses this postseason, going 9-0 with an average margin of victory of 15.4 points. That resilience will be tested against a Spurs team that looked unstoppable in Game 6.

The game tips off at 8 PM ET on NBC and Peacock. The winner faces the Knicks in the NBA Finals starting Wednesday.

What This Means For You: Game 7 weekend is the best value in sports entertainment. Whether you're a die-hard NBA fan or a casual viewer who only tunes in for the biggest moments, Saturday and Sunday promise the kind of winner-take-all drama that defines sports history. For fantasy players and bettors, Game 7 trends favor home teams historically, but this Spurs-Thunder series has defied convention at every turn. Buckle up.

Tim Wheeler

Sports & Culture Reporter

Originally sourced from NBA News