Knicks vs. Spurs NBA Finals: Victor Wembanyama and San Antonio may have arrived ahead of schedule, but the pain did as well — and it can last

SAN ANTONIO — A few hours after the biggest collapse in NBA Finals history, Felix Wembanyama, accompanied by a pair of associates, rolled his jet black suitcase through the glass sliding doors at LaGuardia airport in New York. He approached an airline desk and spoke briefly with the attendant, then retreated to a nearby seat to collect himself.

As he stood up to continue his journey, an attempt was made to chat with the father of the most compelling figures to enter the NBA in decades.

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Felix stopped in his tracks. His face told the tale of a man in the midst of a roller coaster of emotions. A long night. An early morning. The highest of highs and lowest of lows at the same time. A flight to catch. Instead, he chose at that moment to smile, politely declining the request. “No time for dialogue,” Felix said cheerfully, motioning toward the security gates.

He ultimately reached his final destination. His son, Victor, and the Spurs did not. On Saturday night, San Antonio fell to New York 94-90, ending its audacious Finals run in just five games.

“It’s over,” head coach Mitch Johnson said. “So there will be plenty of time for reflection…We weren’t ready to win an NBA championship. The better team won. We did a lot of good things, and we didn’t finish the job. That’s what it is.”

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As a distraught Johnson repeatedly had to lean forward from his podium seat, unable to hear postgame inquiries clearly due to the booming “Who let the dogs out?” Knicks chants erupting from the Frost Bank floor, the locker room told a depressing, somber tale. A space that served as a home for euphoria and jubilation for months had been reduced to a quiet murmur.

Keldon Johnson and Julian Champagnie, two of the loudest, most exuberant voices all year, sat in their respective seats, hands resting against their heads while staring into their phones. Others shuffled around, some discussing plans to get back in the gym, some gathering their belongings in silence.

De’Aaron Fox, sitting by himself with a towel draped over his shoulders, was greeted by Lindy Waters III, who placed a comforting hand on his…

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Author : Kelly Iko

Publish date : 2026-06-14 07:24:00

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