Monday's Result Is Significant for Knicks in More Ways Than One

The Knicks should be thrilled with how Monday night's game went. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Knicks will have a tough act to follow on Tuesday after the Spurs and Thunder went toe-to-toe Monday night. These two talented squads slugged it out over four quarters and even two overtime periods before San Antonio ultimately prevailed.

New York's leadership may prefer one team over the other should they advance to the championship series, so it'd be no surprise they're happy to see the reigning title holders begin with an upset.

However, the way this game unfolded seems even more notable than just the Spurs going up 1-0.

Knicks might watch Spurs and Thunder wear each other down ahead of the Finals

Obviously, it's significant that San Antonio took the first game of the Western Conference Finals. The Spurs' youth was undaunted on the big stage, as they gave the defending champions a host of problems outside of Victor Wembanyama's Herculean effort.

San Antonio taking the series lead from the jump also puts it in the driver's seat. If the Spurs take care of business at home from here on out, they're heading to the NBA Finals, where the Knicks could be awaiting them.

Conversely, this signals that Oklahoma City -- which swept its first two playoff matchups -- won't enjoy a cakewalk ahead of the NBA Finals. In fact, the draining way this contest played out means neither side will have it easy in the WCF. This series already has the makings of one that could go the distance, as two heavyweights trade blows and fail to run away in this showdown.

The positive consequences for New York, should that come to fruition, are massive. Perhaps the best case for the Knicks regarding the opposite series isn't about any one team advancing, since both have championship-winning talent. Instead, it's both sides being totally worn down in a grueling affair, which this matchup is ripe for considering the extremely low chances of one squad just pulling away.

A clear message from guys who played Monday night was just that. Despite winning the contest, San Antonio's Stephon Castle said this was the "that was hardest game I ever played in my life." Wemby followed him right after with the same sentiment, admitting he "might fall on the floor" as he navigated the tunnel leading to the locker room.

"That was the hardest game I ever played in my life!"

Stephon Castle (17p/11a/6r) and Wemby (41p/24r) walk off the court with a 1–0 WCF lead! pic.twitter.com/Gd36l8yVmG

— NBA (@NBA) May 19, 2026

Even if every game doesn't go to overtime in this series, the toll will quickly add up. Every Spurs starter logged at least 44 minutes played, with Wembanyama and Castle at a staggering 49, while Devin Vassell paced them with 51 minutes. OKC's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also recorded 51 minutes played, while three players off the Thunder's bench had at least 28.

That was SGA's highest minutes total in the playoffs by a margin of 11, which is essentially an entire extra quarter of playing time. Oklahoma City pushing its bench to the limit could also affect them down the line if their reserves aren't fresh for when the starters need a break, which may derail important second-unit stints.

With the Thunder having played just eight games before Monday, they've kept their energy well-protected. But the Spurs making it clear they could take them down means OKC will have to push its roster to the limits if it wants even a chance to defend its title. And San Antonio, already emptying the tank to win this game, sets them up to be drained even if they do advance.

All of this works to the Knicks' favor with two giants going at it. Especially since New York just had over eight days of rest preceding its matchup with the Cavs to replenish. Notably, Cleveland has already been pushed to two seven-game series, and the Knicks already saw the benefits of playing a team coming off that kind of series, with the 76ers having nothing left in the second round following their defeat of the Celtics.

Given how well that Philly series went, the Knicks could be helped again by a tired opponent and make short work of the Cavaliers. They'd then be in a similar position to the one they were in after dispatching Philly in the semifinals.

The Knicks would then be able to watch two well-matched teams in the West give everything they've got to win in the best-of-seven series. And then there would be the Finals, where the sport's ultimate prize is just four wins away. A tired opponent dropping even one game early on could help lead to New York's first title since the 1973 campaign.