Ranking every possible Finals series: Which matchup would be the most compelling?
Key takeaways
- With the conference finals underway in the 2026 NBA playoffs, there are just four remaining possible matchups for the Finals next month.
- Most of these assessments are intangible, of course, and there's no wrong answer with such exciting stars and teams available.
- Home-court advantage: Spurs Regular-season series: Knicks 2-1 (counting NBA Cup final)
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
With the conference finals underway in the 2026 NBA playoffs, there are just four remaining possible matchups for the Finals next month.
Heading into Thursday's Game 2 between the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers and Friday's Game 3 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, let's take a deeper look at those possibilities, ranking them in order of how compelling each Finals pairing would be.
Most of these assessments are intangible, of course, and there's no wrong answer with such exciting stars and teams available. But based on a combination of connections between the teams, narrative elements and player matchups, here is what neutral fans should hope for as the conference finals resolve and the Finals take shape.