The 2026 NBA conference finals have produced contrasting storylines. In the West, the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are tied 2-2 heading into Tuesday’s Game 5 (8:30 p.m. ET, NBC). In the East, the New York Knicks completed a four-game sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.
Victor Wembanyama has emerged as the playoff MVP so far. Despite leaving two games early because of an injury and an ejection, Wembanyama is averaging 23.1 points, 11.4 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per game in the postseason, shooting 37% from three and 86% from the free-throw line. The Spurs are plus-17.3 in net rating with him on the court and minus-0.3 without him; that split widens in the conference finals to plus-6.1 with Wembanyama and minus-60.3 without him.
In advanced metrics, Wembanyama ranks first among all playoff players in ESPN’s net points metric, first in estimated plus-minus and second in box plus-minus behind Karl-Anthony Towns. He has nearly as many net points in the playoffs as the Spurs’ next three leaders — Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle and Julian Champagnie — combined, an uncommon impact for a 22-year-old in his first postseason.
Alex Caruso has been a key figure for Oklahoma City, particularly through the first three games of the conference finals. Caruso averaged 21 points per game while making 61% of his three-pointers across those contests and posted a plus-minus of plus-15.3, tied for the team lead. Defensively, estimated plus-minus lists him as the NBA’s fourth-most-valuable defender per possession behind Wembanyama, Ausar Thompson and Rudy Gobert, and xRAPM ranks him second behind Wembanyama. Per GeniusIQ, his most frequent defensive matchups recently have included LeBron James, Wembanyama and Stephon Castle.
It remains uncertain whether the Spurs will complete an upset of the defending champions, but Wembanyama’s performance has been the standout storyline so far, and Caruso’s two-way impact has been central to Oklahoma City’s play as the postseason reaches its final month.
