What Can the Warriors Learn from the 2026 NBA Finals So Far?
One of the most enthralling playoffs in recent memory has nearly wrapped up, with the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks battling to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy. After completing a comeback and avoiding heartbreak at the buzzer, the Knicks are looking to put a 3-0 chokehold on the series tomorrow night, with the games shifting to Madison Square Garden. Despite the Warriors not making it to the playoff pinnacle, some fans may still tune in to the NBA Finals, while others already await next season, either patiently or eagerly. For those that fall under the latter category, I’d suggest that there’s value in watching what success looks like. Though a sample of two games seems limiting, I believe there are already things that the Warriors can implement from this year’s finalists.
This NBA Finals matchup is fascinating for many reasons, and one of those is the difference in pace. New York ranked in the bottom three during the regular season, with their set offense being a Mike Brown staple. San Antonio, on the other hand, often mixes up their speed of play and ranks in the top half of the league for pace. Judging by the Knicks winning both games thus far, the slow offense seems to bear fruit, which is contradictory to how the Warriors play. Steve Kerr’s past teams have achieved success through a set of plays, but in recent years, the team has liked to run more. Perhaps watching how the Knicks attack the Spurs' defense may give the newly-resigned Warrior coach some new ideas.
Another element that Golden State could reconsider based on what has worked in this series is their three-point frequency. The Knicks have won these first two games largely because they can score in so many different ways. Their wings and Karl Anthony-Towns finish well around the rim, guards like Landry Shamet and Miles McBride can provide the scoring from beyond the arc, and Jalen Brunson can score from everywhere. Golden State does not have as much versatility in scoring as either of the final two teams and has mainly relied on shooting teams out of arenas. If the Warriors want to make it past the disappointment of not coming out of the Play-In Tournament, offensive unpredictability would go a long way in achieving that.
