NOTES & QUOTES FROM NBA SHOWTIME AHEAD OF WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS GAME 1 ON NBC AND PEACOCK
“Let me say this to all my hoopers out there: If you want to watch some real hooping, the Western Conference Finals…is the type of basketball you want to watch.” – Tracy McGrady
“This is the marquee matchup of the series…Can Chet make Wemby work? He has to be aggressive.” – Carmelo Anthony on Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren vs. San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama
“All my (prior) seasons ended in April. I’m not taking this for granted.”– San Antonio’s Devin Vassell to Ashely ShahAhmadi on Spurs’ playoff run
“A lot of those guys you named are responsible for my joy in basketball growing up as a kid. It’s that ridiculous that kid that was watching them play basketball has achieved some of the things that they have.” – Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Mike Tirico on becoming a member of the back-to-back NBA MVP membership
STAMFORD, Conn. – May 18, 2026 – The NBA Western Conference Finals returned to NBC and debuted on Peacock tonight, starting with NBC Sports’ dwell on-site studio program NBA Showtimemain into protection of Game 1 between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the defending champion and Western Conference No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder and Victor Wembanyama and the No. 2 San Antonio Spurs. This is the primary Western Conference Finals sport on NBC since Game 7 on June 2, 2002.
Tonight’s on-site version of NBA Showtime from Paycom Center in Oklahoma City featured host Maria Taylor alongside Naismith Basketball Hall of Famers Carmelo Anthony and Tracy McGrady.
Pre-game protection included Mike Tirico’s interview with Gilgeous-Alexanderwho grew to become solely the 14th participant in NBA historical past to win back-to-back MVP awards yesterday; Ashley Shah Ahmadi‘s pre-game interview with Spurs guard Devin Vassell; Zora Stephenson‘s pre-game interview with Thunder level guard Ajay Mitchell; Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson speaking to his team in the locker room before the game; and to Western-themed opening tease narrated by Emmy Award-nominated actor Timothy Olyphant.
Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Reggie Miller and three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford (analysts), and Zora Stephenson and Ashley ShahAhmadi (courtside reporters) are calling Spurs-Thunder.
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Following are highlights from tonight’s NBA Showtime forward of Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock:
ON WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Tracy McGrady on the Western Conference Finals: “Let me tell this to all my hoopers out there: If you want to watch some real hooping, the Western Conference Finals, with what they have on both of these teams – they have a bunch of hoopers. Guys who can create their own shots, the skill level is high. This is the type of basketball you want to watch.”
Mike Tirico: “Somebody that’s been around the league said maybe it’s the most anticipated Conference Finals we’ve had in a decade.”
Carmelo Anthony on if that is the most-anticipated Conference Finals in many years: “I think so. You have the MVP and the Defensive Player of the Year, and the Defensive Player of the Year wanted the MVP.”
McGrady: “Since Golden State-Houston (in 2018), absolutely.”
ON THUNDER
Anthony on Chet Holmgren vs. Victor Wembanyama: “This is the marquee matchup of the series…Can Chet make Wemby work? He has to be aggressive.”
McGrady: “That is the shiny object in this series. Both sides have depth. But when you look at the main matchup – this is it. Chet has to match Wemby.”
Ajay Mitchell to Zora Stephenson on his confidence: “I always felt like I was confident since I was a kid. My teammates and the coaching staff really believe in me.”
Mitchell to Stephenson on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: “He really cares about his teammates and the people around him. He really believes he wouldn’t be the player he is without us, and as his teammates, that’s really special for us to hear.”
Tirico on Gilgeous-Alexander: “As humble as he sounds, he is, on and off camera, and you saw that in the faces of his teammates as he was surrounded at his press conference.”
Jamal Crawford on Gilgeous-Alexander: “He’s playing like his future self is telling him, ‘Take advantage of every opportunity.’ He’s a two-time MVP now and still wants to get better.”
ON SPURS
McGrady on Victor Wembanyama: “He’s the one that has the biggest impact on the game. He doesn’t have to have a big scoring night to have a huge explosion.”
Reggie Miller on Wembanyama: “Now we have a guy that’s seen exactly what Shai has gotten and says, ‘You know what? I want some of that.’ And what better stage than the Conference Finals to go against a team you’ve beaten four times in the regular season?”
Devin Vassell to ShahAhmadi on San Antonio’s mentality: “There are instances we have been down in hostile environments and we have capable of reply each time. Every time a crew has gotten within the sport, we have put our head down and fought again.”
Vassell to ShahAhamdi on being one of the longest-tenured Spurs: “All my (prior) seasons ended in April. I’m not taking this for granted.”
Vassell to ShahAhmadi on the Spurs’ 4-1 regular season record vs. the thunder: “We undoubtedly have faith enjoying in opposition to them. We know that within the playoffs it is far more bodily, however we’re simply excited for the chance.”
Anthony on the youth of the Spurs: “They call De’Aaron Fox ‘Unc’ on that team. “He’s not even 30 yet!”
McGrady on Dylan Harper: “When we watch Dylan Harper play, he performs like a vet. I’ve no hesitation to say he’ll proceed to play like that.”
TIRICO-GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER INTERVIEW
Gilgeous Alexander to Tirico on becoming only the 14th player in NBA history to win back-to-back MVP awards: “It’s wonderful. Loads of these guys you named are liable for my pleasure in basketball rising up as a child. Guys that formed the sport into the way it’s performed immediately. It’s ridiculous that that child that was watching them play basketball has achieved among the issues that they’ve.”
Gilgeous Alexander to Tirico on his motivation this season: “I do not assume I used to be one of the best model of myself final yr. There had been nonetheless many locations I might take my expertise and have an effect on the sport at the next stage. The feeling I had was wonderful after I gained, however a yr later, somebody will get an opportunity to have that very same feeling, and in case you take it without any consideration, you would possibly by no means get it once more.”
Gilgeous Alexander to Tirico on Wembanyama: “He’s probably the most distinctive gamers we have ever seen. Guys that massive normally do not transfer that nicely…It’s going to be a tall job, however I feel this crew is provided for the duty.”
Gilgeous-Alexander on winning his second consecutive MVP award: “I would trade it all for the trophy at the end.”
ON CAVALIERS
McGrady on Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen: “If they will proceed enjoying like they did in Games 6 and seven (of the Eastern Conference Semifinals), that is going to be a a lot completely different collection than what I believed. I did not know they’d that in them, however they confirmed everybody they’ve that toughness.”
Anthony: “The Knicks haven’t seen this version of Cleveland yet (with James Harden) …They’re going to go in this series looking to exploit those (guard) matchups.”
ON PISTONS
McGrady on the Pistons after losing to the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals: “They need another star if they want to be playing on this level right here.”
—NBA SHOWTIME—
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