Evaluating the Spurs’ most difficult potential 2027 NBA Finals matchups

The Western Conference will be a gauntlet in 2026-27, but the Spurs should be the preseason favorites to not only top the standings in the regular season, but also advance to the NBA Finals. If San Antonio does win the West, capturing the Larry O’Brien won’t be a cakewalk, even if their biggest rivals are in their conference. The East has some powerhouses of their own, especially after this offseason.

Here are the three Eastern Conference teams that could give the Spurs the most trouble if they met in the Finals next season:

Toronto could give the Spurs their biggest defensive headache

This is contingent on the Kawhi Leonard trade eventually being approved. If the Klaw does make his return to Toronto, a serious dark horse contender will be born.

The Raptors will have one of the elite defenses in basketball next year. They ranked fifth in defensive rating in 2025-26 and should only get better with growth from young guys like Collin Murray-Boyles and Jamal Shead. Plus, they have Scottie Barnes, arguably the best non-big stopper in the league, at the heart of the fortification.

Offense was Toronto’s flaw last season, but the addition of Kawhi and Immanuel Quickley presumably being healthy for the playoffs would spark an uptick on that end.

With their surplus of size across the board, awesome top-end talent, and youthful hunger and energy, the Raptors would match up well against the Spurs in a series. Toronto isn’t the first team that comes to mind when thinking of contenders from the East, but they shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Boston's shooting could give San Antonio fits

Boston has undergone quite the makeover over the past couple years. They don’t have the same stacked starting lineup they boasted when they won it all in 2024, but that doesn’t mean their reign as a winning machine is over. Jayson Tatum’s return helps their case, but their most important drivers are their coach and their system.

Joe Mazzulla and his incredible basketball mind have turned the Celtics into a team that can compete no matter who’s on the floor. Their perimeter-based identity and defensive scheme versatility don’t waver, regardless of who’s healthy and who isn’t. They won a lot in 2025-26 with guys like Hugo Gonzalez and Baylor Scheierman playing major minutes; they can certainly do some damage with Tatum and Paul George at the helm.

The Celtics’ frontcourt of Neemias Queta and Mitchell Robinson pales a bit in comparison to Victor Wembanyama, which is an advantage the Spurs could attack. But, on the other hand, Boston’s unrelenting shooting could overwhelm the Silver and Black, who haven’t proven they can consistently outgun opponents.

New York remains the Spurs' unfinished business

The obvious inclusion here, the Knicks still loom large as a foe the Spurs must eradicate. New York is running it back for 2026-27 with the same roster that sent San Antonio home in the Finals this past June.

Recent trends suggest the likelihood of a rematch between the two next year is very low, but neither club is poised to drop off at all, so who knows. If the Spurs face the Knicks once again in 2027, they’ll need to be ready to take what they learned from their previous meeting to flip the script in round two.

Ultimately, the Spurs should be favored to beat any of Toronto, Boston, and New York. Their strongest challengers reside in the West. But, one thing is for sure: none of these teams would be easy pickings.

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