55 out of 18! Spurs' Curry! Third player in NBA West Finals history

The Spurs defeated the defending champions 4-3 in the Western Conference Finals, returning to the Finals after a 12-year hiatus.

Of course, without any surprise, Wembanyama posted explosive averages of 27.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.4 steals, and 2.7 blocks per game, earning a unanimous selection as the Western Conference Finals MVP.

This guy is just 22 years old and is on his first-ever NBA playoff journey, yet he has already led his team to the Finals and secured the WCF MVP. His time has come.

However, while the star's brilliance is dazzling, the contributions of role players should not be overlooked.

For example, Spurs forward Julian Champagnie scored 20 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, shooting 6-for-11 from the field (6-for-10 from three). He became the third player in NBA history to make six or more three-pointers in a Game 7 of a conference finals.The two before him were Stephen Curry (7-for-12 from three) and Klay Thompson (6-for-11 from three), who both performed exceptionally in Game 7 of the 2016 Western Conference Finals when the Warriors defeated the Thunder.

Throughout the Western Conference Finals, Champagnie started every game and did not disappoint the Spurs' trust. He averaged 33.9 minutes per game, contributing 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.1 steals, shooting 41% from the field and 33% from three (55-for-18). With a salary of only $3 million this season, his two-way play and cost-effectiveness are off the charts. Players brave enough to wear the No. 30 jersey are never ordinary.

Born on June 29, 2001, this guy stands 2.01m tall with a 2.08m wingspan. He went undrafted in 2022.

Notably, before the 2023 trade deadline, the 76ers cut Champagnie to sign Mac McClung to a two-way contract (for the dunk contest). The Spurs then claimed him off waivers. Now, three and a half seasons later, the two sides are about to reach the summit together.

Next, the Spurs will face the Eastern Conference champion Knicks in the NBA Finals. The last time these two teams met in the Finals was in 1999, when the Spurs easily defeated the Knicks 4-1, and sophomore Tim Duncan averaged 27 points and 14 rebounds to win the FMVP.

This year's Spurs (63.6%) are still heavily favored to dominate the Knicks (36.4%) on the court.The championship probability predictions for the two teams are as follows: