SAN ANTONIO - The Spurs lost the regular-season finale to the Nuggets, despite the sense that both organizations understood that it would be in their own best i

Nikola Jokic played the first half of the Nuggets' game against the Spurs to ensure eligibility for NBA awards, while Victor Wembanyama sat out after reaching his eligibility in a prior game.

The San Antonio Spurs may be young and untested, but the Oklahoma City Thunder showed us you don't need to pay your dues in the postseason.

The Spurs make a final decision on Victor Wembanyama’s status before facing the Nuggets in the regular-season finale.

Predict the 2026 NBA Finals winner with probabilities and analysis on the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, and Boston Celtics based on Kalshi.

The odds indicate the true NBA Finals will be a potential Western Conference showdown between the defending champion Thunder and a Spurs team that has had its way with Oklahoma City this season.

See photo highlights from the playoff-bound Spurs' final regular-season game against the Denver Nuggets at Frost Bank Center on Sunday.

To my mind, there are seven teams with some shot at the NBA title, but I’d also be shocked if a June parade isn’t held in OKC, Denver or on the River Walk in San Antonio (and that last one feels like a longer shot).