NBA conference finals preview: Thunder-Spurs, Knicks-Cavaliers - ESPN

And then there were four.

The 2026 NBA playoffs have reached the conference finals, with two epic matchups to decide which two teams will battle for the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

The East finals feature two franchises — the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers — that were picked as preseason co-favorites to win the conference. Now, stars such as Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Donovan Mitchell and James Harden will decide that title on the court.

The Knicks have had plenty of time to prepare. They finished off their second-round sweep eight days ago, and the Cavs had to win a Game 7 on the road Sunday to advance.

But that showdown is the undercard to a West finals that has the potential to be an all-time great. Back-to-back MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the Oklahoma City Thunder's repeat bid, while Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs — already far ahead of schedule — look to skip all the steps and break through for a stunning championship.

What will matter most in the conference finals? ESPN's Tim Bontemps talked to multiple NBA scouts, breaking down the keys to each series, and our NBA insiders answered the questions that could determine who moves on to the Finals.

Jump to a series:
Thunder vs. Spurs
Knicks vs. Cavaliers

How Thunder got here
First round: Def. PHX 4-0
Conf. semis: Def. LAL 4-0

How Spurs got here
First round: Def. POR 4-1
Conf. semis: Def. MIN 4-2

Can OKC's elite perimeter defenders make the Spurs pay — on the other end of the floor?

The Spurs dared Oklahoma City's trio of perimeter stoppers — Luguentz Dort, Cason Wallace and Alex Caruso — to beat them with their jump shots during the teams' five regular-season meetings. It's a sensible strategy, prioritizing packing the paint to clog the