The 2026 NBA playoffs have reached the conference finals, with the Oklahoma City Thunder entering as the clear frontrunner after an undefeated 8-0 postseason run capped by a sweep of the Lakers. The defending champions, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, now face the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals, where Victor Wembanyama’s impact and the Spurs’ recent 4-2 elimination of the Timberwolves create a matchup defined by youth and length. In the East, the New York Knicks swept the 76ers in four games and await the winner of the tied 3-3 Pistons-Cavaliers series, where rest and home-court factors loom large for the survivor. These developments underscore the Thunder’s historic form and the Knicks’ momentum as primary drivers of current trader consensus on Finals participants.