The Spurs and Knicks meet in the 2026 NBA Finals, the Knicks' first since 1999. Gregg Popovich's coaching tree has shaped the league. Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson slows the game in the fourth quarter, controlling tempo with his body and pace.
Chapters
The Knicks are back in the finals for the first time since 1999. First off, congrats to Herman Cucho for being part of that organization. And last time they were there, the Spurs beat them. Now they're back and same opponent. I've been watching both of these organizations since I was a kid. What the Spurs built under Popovich is something that I don't think we fully appreciate yet. It's not just that they won 5 championships. It's what happened to everyone who came through that system. Role players became stars, stars accepted roles, and the coaches who learned under Popovich are now running organizations across the entire league. I think he's the modern John Wooden, and that tree keeps on growing. The Knicks have something real this time. Brunson is a different kind of player. Watch him in the 4th quarter. He doesn't speed up when the game gets tight. He he slows it down. He controls the tempo with his body, with his pace. Calm, precise, inevitable. And I think that's his character. So I— this finals is genuinely compelling to me, not as a fan, but as someone who has spent his life inside the game. Who do you think is going to win?
