Knicks Spurs – With the NBA Finals set to tip off in San Antonio on Wednesday, a five-player ranking frames the matchup between Victor Wembanyama and Jalen Brunson—alongside Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, and the Spurs’ Stephon Castle.
The Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy is one week away from its next chapter, and on Wednesday it begins in San Antonio—New York against San Antonio, a seven-game Finals series that carries the weight of something older than most fans alive today.
Before the first tip, it’s worth zooming in on the five best players entering the matchup—because in a Finals like this, the difference between winning and waiting often comes down to who can take over when the floor tightens and the margin disappears.
Victor Wembanyama is the titan at the top of the list. At 22. he’s producing the kind of performances that don’t seem like they should belong to a player still early in his prime. The case for him is simple and brutal: the kind of trajectory that turns into an all-time great doesn’t usually start with results this loud. A championship and a Finals MVP would push him into conversations that. heading into 2025. many people didn’t think were even realistic.
Jalen Brunson lands at No. 2 for the Knicks, and his argument is almost the opposite of Wembanyama’s. Brunson’s path is built on specificity—he’s on the shorter side for a basketball player. he was taken in the second round of the NBA Draft. and his rise came after he was given up by his original franchise. the Dallas Mavericks. Even if the ceiling was there. the leap into becoming the Knicks’ ace wasn’t something most people could have predicted. In a Finals where four wins would reshape the way New York talks about him forever. Brunson’s steadiness has the power to turn a team into a story.
Karl-Anthony Towns follows at No. 3. His career has been marked by the same dramatic arc that applies to many first-overall big men: the talent was obvious early. but the question has always been toughness and consistency. Towns has had individual success, and he’s earned praise for pushing the boundaries of long-range shooting from a 7-footer. Against Wembanyama. that skill set could matter in a particular way—because the matchup doesn’t have to be about attacking the rim. It can be about shooting “daggers” over him instead.
OG Anunoby comes in at No. 4, and the Knicks’ postseason scoring makes his leap feel less hypothetical and more earned. Anunoby’s value has never been one-dimensional—his defense and adaptability are traits you can count on when the game gets messy. But in the playoffs, he’s raised his scoring level. The pressure of New York’s offense is no secret: a scoring onslaught that can land in the same sentence as three names—Anunoby. Brunson. and Towns. From deep. Anunoby is shooting 48.3 from 3 in these playoffs. and if that holds up against the Spurs. New York’s baseline for difficulty rises again.
At No. 5 is the Spurs’ Stephon Castle. There’s no shortage of options in San Antonio—Castle. De’Aaron Fox. and Dylan Harper make up a three-headed guard group. and the ranking could reasonably go a few different directions depending on what a team needs most. Castle gets the nod here because he’s the Spurs’ second-leading scorer in the playoffs so far. But the Finals will ask him to do more than be a cog. The specific improvement he needs is 3-point shooting. Against the Thunder. Castle was only 7-30 from long range. and if he can’t sharpen that against New York’s current shooting pace. San Antonio will be fighting from behind every time the game opens up.
With tipoff in San Antonio set for Wednesday. the rankings don’t just list talent—they point to the moments that will decide the series. Wembanyama will try to make the impossible normal. Brunson will try to make the crucial feel routine. And the rest of these players—Towns. Anunoby. Castle—will be measured by whether they can turn skill into impact before the trophy leaves the building.
Knicks Spurs Finals Larry O'Brien Trophy Victor Wembanyama Jalen Brunson Karl-Anthony Towns OG Anunoby Stephon Castle NBA Finals preview
Wemby is gonna cook them, end of story. Finals MVP incoming or whatever.
I don’t get how they’re ranking players like it’s a school test lol. Brunson is smaller right? So how is he ranked above anyone? Spooky.
Wait, why does it say “Spurs’ Stephon Castle” like he’s even the main guy? I thought Pop would’ve been riding Wemby 24/7. Also the article says Brunson was given up by Dallas… wasn’t that more like a trade? Not sure.
This whole “who can take over when the margin disappears” sounds like ESPN fluff. If Towns and OG are on the list too then it’s basically saying bench players don’t matter? Also San Antonio Wednesday? I swear the Finals start every week now, I can’t keep up.