Spurs Clinch Playoff Berth in 101-100 Win Over Suns

San Antonio, Texas — The San Antonio Spurs clinched their first playoff berth since 2019 with a dramatic 101-100 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night, ending a six-year postseason drought behind a game-winning 17-foot pullup jumper by Victor Wembanyama with one second remaining.

The Spurs, who trailed in the final minute, mounted a furious rally to secure a top-six seed in the Western Conference and avoid the play-in tournament. Wembanyama finished with 34 points and 12 rebounds, dominating both ends of the floor in a performance that underscored his role as the franchise's cornerstone. The win improved San Antonio's record to 52-18, placing them three games behind Oklahoma City for the Western Conference's top seed with limited games left in the regular season.

Keldon Johnson, a veteran forward who has endured the team's lean years, reflected on the turnaround after the game. "When you're building something, it doesn't happen overnight," Johnson said. "It's not something that you get all these players and then you just say, 'Oh, damn, we good.' It took some time and it took some development. It took some growing up and those type of things. And slowly but surely we...