After a terrific performance in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, the San Antonio Spurs dethroned the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder, officially punching their ticket to the NBA Finals. However, Spurs rookie Dylan Harper ensured that his teammates had their sights set on the main goal.
While Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson was giving a short speech during San Antonio’s trophy ceremony, Dylan Harper could be seen speaking with Spurs’ superstar Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle, emphasizing the importance of the upcoming matchup against the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals.
“Hey! Hey! We’ve got to get some back for the Cup. We’ve got to get our get back,” Harper urged.
Watch Dylan Harper get Castle’s and Wemby’s attention in this clip:
“Hey! Hey! We got some get back for the cup!”
This should be an epic finals pic.twitter.com/STW7XVRSZi
— Drewtamu (@Drewtamu) May 31, 2026
The narrative leading up to this NBA Finals showdown is truly exciting. Much like the NBA Cup tournament, the Spurs outlasted the Thunder only to come face-to-face with the Knicks in the final round. Although the game didn’t reflect on their regular-season record, it is evident that losing on such a stage left a mark.
Thus, even at a time when the whole team was celebrating the tough win against the reigning champions, Dylan Harper was already looking to the future. With the New York Knicks waiting for them in the NBA Finals, Harper urged his teammates to get revenge for the 124-113 loss in the NBA Cup Finals game in December.
Knicks Players React To Finals Matchup Against Spurs
Much like Dylan Harper and the Spurs, the New York Knicks’ players are also aware of the storylines going into the NBA Finals. With this matchup effectively being positioned as a rematch of sorts, players like Josh Hart and Miles McBride also shared their reactions to facing the Spurs again.
When asked whether the NBA Cup Finals matchup helped them gain any experience of playing against the Spurs, Josh Hart responded:
“Nah. That was December. Obviously, there was good energy around that, but I don’t think that’s going to be equivalent to what the atmosphere and the energy are going to be like at their place, and obviously, at The Garden. So, technically, that game didn’t happen, so I don’t think there’s anything that we can learn from.”
While Hart ended his comment with a joke, he made a solid observation about the upcoming matchup. In December, the Spurs were just a young team with tremendous potential. Meanwhile, the Knicks were still figuring out their identity as a unit.
With an entire regular season behind them, both teams have grown and evolved. Given that both have also battled through their respective conferences in the playoffs, the Spurs and the Knicks are going into this game as completely different entities.
Knicks guard Miles McBride also reiterated this during his media availability while reflecting on the NBA Cup Finals matchup, stating:
“It was a great opportunity for us to play a high-stakes game… I feel like we treated it closely to a playoff game. We haven’t been to the Finals; they haven’t been to the Finals. So, it’s going to be totally different, and a lot has happened since then. It’s exciting for us.”
Unlike the Spurs, who have been toiling away for seven games in the WCF to get to the NBA Finals, the Knicks have been patiently waiting for their opponents after sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the ECF.
New York will be heading into Game 1 on Wednesday, June 3, well-rested and adjusted, but San Antonio seems more battle-hardened. Either way, with the stakes higher than ever, a showdown between the two best teams in the NBA on the biggest stage is bound to be exciting.
