A new NBA team will be crowned champions for the eighth straight season. The San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks are facing off in an NBA Finals matchup with great stakes. San Antonio won five championships with Tim Duncan leading the way, but Victor Wembanyama and crew are trying to establish a dynasty of their own. New York, meanwhile, hasn't won a championship since 1973. Paul Pierce believes it is the Knicks who are under more pressure to perform.
“Who is under the most pressure to perform in the finals? It is clearly the Knicks,” Pierce said on his No Fouls Given podcast. They haven't won a championship in 50-plus years. They haven't been to the finals in over 26 years. The mecca of basketball is New York. Do you see what the streets look like? When I tell you the weight of the world is on [the] New York Knicks backs.”
Paul Pierce says the Knicks have the most pressure to win the championship, and it’s not even close:
“And I know we want to say, “Hey Wemby was the child prodigy that we all seen coming from France saw him grow until he got to the league and all of this I get it.” He’s only in… pic.twitter.com/bBzbFB8IDp
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) June 3, 2026
The Knicks are one of the most prestigious teams in basketball, but they just haven't been able to translate that into team success recently, though. Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Mikal Bridges can change that. Pierce also established how important an NBA Finals victory would be for Wembanyama, though.
“And I know we want to say ‘Hey, Wemby was the child prodigy ‘ that we all saw coming from France, and we saw him grow until he got to the league,” Pierce explained about a potential Spurs championship. “I get it, [but] he is only in his third year. He has time.”
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Pierce did go on to say that a championship victory would cement the French big man as the best player in the NBA.
“At the tender age of 22, who else did we say is the best player in the league? If he wins, we are going to say he is the hands-down best player in the league.”
Paul Pierce says if Wemby wins the championship, he’s the unquestioned best player in the league:
“Like when I look at all the players, line them up everybody in the league who you taking number one? Joker? No. Shai? It’s Victor for sure.”
(Via @NFGShow) https://t.co/Gq1PRsVDbz pic.twitter.com/P0SocEza3I
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) June 3, 2026
A new NBA team will be crowned champions for the eighth straight season. The San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks are facing off in an NBA Finals matchup with great stakes. San Antonio won five championships with Tim Duncan leading the way, but Victor Wembanyama and crew are trying to establish a dynasty of their own.