{"id":823369,"date":"2026-07-25T17:43:09","date_gmt":"2026-07-25T17:43:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/823369\/"},"modified":"2026-07-25T17:43:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-25T17:43:09","slug":"shaquille-oneal-explains-why-he-thinks-spurs-will-get-back-to-the-nba-finals-in-2027","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/823369\/","title":{"rendered":"Shaquille O’Neal Explains Why He Thinks Spurs Will Get Back To The NBA Finals In 2027"},"content":{"rendered":"

No NBA Finals loser has gotten back to the big stage the very next year in about a decade, but Shaquille O\u2019Neal<\/a> believes the San Antonio Spurs<\/a> will. O\u2019Neal had been asked for his pick to win the Western Conference next season on The Big Podcast with Shaq<\/a> at Fanatics Fest, and he is backing the Spurs.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019mma go with the Spurs over the Thunder,\u201d O\u2019Neal said. \u201c\u2026 Because it\u2019s a matchup problem with Victor Wembanyama when he plays the right way. So they are neck and neck. They\u2019re very similar, but I think if Victor can dominate three out of four games in any playoff series, I\u2019mma always go with the Spurs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Victor Wembanyama<\/a> was outstanding when the 62-20 Spurs took down the 64-18 Oklahoma City Thunder<\/a> in seven games in the Western Conference Finals in 2026. Wembanyama averaged 27.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.4 steals, and 2.7 blocks per game in the series and was named Western Conference Finals MVP.<\/p>\n

Wembanyama was on top of the world at that point. O\u2019Neal had called the 22-year-old the first perfect big man in NBA history<\/a> earlier in the postseason, and all was going well.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, it all went wrong in the NBA Finals against the New York Knicks<\/a>. The Spurs were the favorites going into the series but shot themselves in the foot one too many times and saw the Knicks emerge victorious in five games.<\/p>\n

Now, as mentioned earlier, recent history will tell you the Spurs aren\u2019t getting back to the NBA Finals in 2027. The last team to lose in the Finals and get back there the next year was the LeBron James<\/a>-led Cleveland Cavaliers<\/a> in 2018.<\/p>\n

There is reason to believe, though, that the Spurs will end this run. For starters, the Western Conference is probably weaker than the East for the first time in a very long time.<\/p>\n

The Thunder look to be the only obstacle in the Spurs\u2019 way. San Antonio definitely had the upper hand in that matchup in 2025-26. The Spurs went 4-1 against the Thunder in the regular season and then, of course, beat them 4-3 in the Conference Finals.<\/p>\n

Jalen Williams pointed to Wembanyama being the reason why the Thunder had trouble against the Spurs<\/a>. They don\u2019t really have an answer for him. You\u2019d have thought Chet Holmgren<\/a> would be, but he melted down in that series.<\/p>\n

Now, it should be pointed out that Williams<\/a> and Ajay Mitchell<\/a> only played three of the seven games against the Spurs in the Conference Finals. Had they been healthy, that series could have gone differently.<\/p>\n

So, the Thunder could potentially flip the script next season, but none of the other teams in the West look capable of taking down the Spurs. Had the Minnesota Timberwolves<\/a> landed James, you might have given them a shot, but he went to the Philadelphia 76ers<\/a>. As for the Los Angeles Lakers<\/a>, his former team, some within the building itself believe they have taken a step back<\/a>. You can just poke holes for many teams in the West.<\/p>\n

So, it would be a real shocker if we don\u2019t see the Spurs and Thunder battle it out in the Western Conference Finals again next year.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Shaquille O\u2019Neal\u2019s Advice To Victor Wembanyama After Finals Defeat<\/p>\n

While O\u2019Neal was very complimentary of Wembanyama at the start of the playoffs, he started to get critical<\/a> once the Finals came around. He then had some advice for the Frenchman after they lost to the Knicks<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI say this with respect about Wemby,\u201d O\u2019Neal said. \u201cAs good as he is, he\u2019s going to need to get stronger. Because when you become a dominant big man, people are going to force, and a lot of times he couldn\u2019t handle that\u2026 I don\u2019t know what he\u2019s going to do this summer, but he definitely needs to get in that weight room and get stronger.\u201d<\/p>\n

Well, it\u2019s unclear if Wembanyama heard what O\u2019Neal had to say, but he clearly has been in the gym.<\/p>\n

Wemby has seriously been in the gym \ud83e\udd2f<\/p>\n

(h\/t @SpursCulture<\/a>) pic.twitter.com\/LVmrSLKzwa<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Polymarket Hoops (@PolymarketHoops) July 25, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Wembanyama also took a $51 million pay cut this summer<\/a>, signing a five-year, $252 million extension. He has been doing all the right things as he looks to win a championship.<\/p>\n

Now, the one concern would be that the Spurs haven\u2019t significantly upgraded their roster this offseason. Their only major acquisition has been Tobias Harris<\/a> on a two-year, $31 million deal. Could having a relatively quiet summer cost them<\/a>? Time will tell, but it\u2019s unlikely.<\/p>\n