From The Sports Desk: Game 7 incoming

NBAFrom The Sports Desk: Game 7 incomingWho will take the West between the Spurs and Thunder? We break that down, plus our World Cup player spotlight features one of the best defenders in the world. Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket against Chet Holmgren of the Oklahoma City Thunder last night.Joe Murphy / NBAE via Getty ImagesShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 29, 2026, 3:36 PM EDTBy Rohan Nadkarni, Andrew Greif and Greg RosensteinWith their backs against the wall, the San Antonio Spurs staved off elimination in the Western Conference finals to set up a highly anticipated Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. While Spurs star Victor Wembanyama stepped up when the team needed him most, his counterpart on the Thunder failed to deliver. Below we’ll explain what went wrong for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Also, our World Cup countdown continues with Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk. For more NBA and World Cup coverage, check out the NBC News website. NBA PlayoffsThe Western Conference finals will come down to a winner-take-all Game 7 after the San Antonio Spurs beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 118-91 last night. After a double-overtime thriller to start the series, the teams have traded haymakers in the last five contests, setting up a one-game showdown for the right to play in the NBA Finals.After struggling in Game 5, Wembanyama was sensational yesterday. He scored 28 points, leading all scorers, while also collecting 10 rebounds. He got a big assist from rookie guard Dylan Harper, who scored 18, his most points in the series since Game 1.“I think we were consistent,” a terse Wembanyama said postgame. “And we did what we needed to do.” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drives around Carter Bryant and Victor Wembanyama last night.Christian Petersen / Getty ImagesSan Antonio’s defense once again flummoxed th...