Wembanyama MVP! Spurs win Game 7! Back in the Finals after 12 years, the whole team deserves praise

The Spurs beat the defending champion Thunder 111-103 on the road to win Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals.

After 12 years, San Antonio steps onto the Finals stage once again.

Wembanyama: 22 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists; Champagnie: 20 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist; Castle: 16 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists; Fox: 15 points, 5 assists, 3 steals; Harper: 12 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists; Vassell: 11 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals; Keldon: 11 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist; Kornet: 2 points, 4 rebounds.

Alexander: 35 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals; Wallace: 17 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists; Caruso: 12 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists; McCain: 12 points, 1 rebound; Jalen Williams: 11 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists; Hartenstein: 7 points, 5 rebounds; Holmgren: 4 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks.

Wembanyama averaged 27.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.7 blocks, and 1.4 steals in the series, shooting 48.1% from the field, 40% from three, and 89.5% from the free-throw line. MVP is no contest—well deserved.

But if I had to pinpoint why the Spurs managed to snatch a Game 7 victory on the road, the first word that comes to mind is: teamwork.

Let's set aside the praise for Wembanyama for a moment—we've been saying enough—and look at what his teammates did:

Champagnie, with 6 three-pointers, a $3.21 million sharpshooter who was key in widening the gap in the middle of the game;

Castle, an energetic presence on both ends—sometimes a bit reckless, but toughness is what matters, flaws don't overshadow it;

Harper, hitting a crucial three-pointer right in front of Alexander—Di Ge's favorite, no need to say more;

Fox, criticized nearly the entire series, woke up in the most critical game of his life;

Keldon, the Sixth Man of the Year, had a few moments in the crucial fourth quarter that felt like he was wearing Ginóbili's jersey;

Vassell, once the Spurs' crown prince, slammed one home in the final moments to release all the emotion;

Kornet, criticized for seven straight games, but it doesn't matter—on the two most important possessions, that guy played like Kevin Garnett...

If Hartenstein had dunked that ball, the game's momentum would have shifted.

That block was the most important defensive play of Kornet's basketball career.

The Spurs had seven players in double figures and toppled the Thunder.

It's truly impressive that such a young team, with such a young leader, didn't get shaky or soft in such a big game.

It fully shows that this is a well-trained, disciplined squad.

Finally, about the Thunder, let me just say one thing:Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren's five-year, $239 million max contracts will kick in next season, with a first-year salary of $41.25 million.

No malice, just saying it for the sake of a catchy line:

Chet is amazing against 28 teams in the league, but when facing Wembanyama, he looks terrible.

Alexander is great, the Thunder are great, but the team's salary cap advantage is gone.

So not winning today really hurts.