Knicks-Spurs did not look like the obvious Finals matchup when the season entered its final stretch. Yet New York is now three wins from its first championship in more than 50 years, and San Antonio has to regroup after losing Game 1 at home.
That unlikely path also left room for several former Blue Devils to shape the postseason in their own ways. Some delivered points when their teams needed them. Others hit late shots, handled difficult defensive assignments, or gave veteran minutes in smaller roles.
They were not gathered around one favorite or one side of the bracket. Duke alumni kept appearing throughout the playoffs, taking on different jobs as each series changed.
Why Duke’s Influence Remains Everywhere in the NBA
By the conference finals, former Blue Devils seemed impossible to avoid. Their names kept appearing throughout the bracket, often in very different circumstances. Some were expected to be there, while others arrived in less obvious ways.
Some carried major scoring responsibilities. Others spent their nights chasing the opposing team’s best player. A few handled the kind of work that rarely receives much attention outside film sessions and coaching meetings during the pressure of May.
The variety, from lead scorers to low-usage veterans, was part of the story. Players arrive in the NBA with different strengths, yet the 2026 playoffs offered plenty of examples of Duke alumni sharing a similar adaptability when postseason roles became more demanding.
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
The Celtics entered the postseason expecting to be part of the championship conversation. Jayson Tatum remained at the center of those ambitions, even after returning from the Achilles injury that interrupted his previous season.
Opposing defenses still treated him as Boston’s primary concern. The offense flowed through him for long stretches, particularly once the first-round series against Philadelphia started becoming increasingly tense.
Some nights the scoring carried the load. Other nights Tatum created opportunities for teammates or helped Boston settle possessions when the offense tightened up.
Philadelphia completed a historic comeback, but Boston continued turning to Tatum whenever momentum started slipping away. By the end of the series, Boston’s reliance on Tatum was difficult to miss.
RJ Barrett, Toronto Raptors
Toronto often needed Barrett to force the issue, and he did not spend the series waiting for clean looks to appear. Against Cleveland, he kept attacking gaps, pulling up when defenders backed off, and making the Cavaliers account for him on nearly every possession.
Cleveland knew the ball would find Barrett in key stretches, but that did not make him easy to slow down. His 33-point performance in Game 3 showed how many ways he could score, from perimeter shots to aggressive drives toward the basket.
His biggest moment came in Game 6. With Toronto’s season hanging in the balance in overtime, Barrett knocked down a three-pointer with just over a second remaining to force a decisive Game 7 against one of the East’s contenders.
Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
Orlando asked a lot from Paolo Banchero during its series against Detroit. The Magic needed his production, but they also needed much more than that. Few players were asked to do more as a scorer, rebounder, and switch defender.
The scoring was expected. The defensive responsibilities probably received less attention. Banchero spent much of the series moving between assignments, whether that meant switching onto smaller players or battling inside against bigger opponents.
Orlando pushed the top-seeded Pistons further than many expected, and Banchero played a major role in that effort. Some possessions ended with points. Others ended with a rebound, a contested shot, or a defensive stop.
Those moments rarely dominate highlight packages. Even so, there were stretches against Detroit where Banchero kept showing up in key stretches, whether as a scorer, rebounder, passer, or defender.
Mason Plumlee, San Antonio Spurs
Mason Plumlee wasn’t asked to be a star. San Antonio already had Victor Wembanyama occupying that role. Their responsibilities looked very different throughout the playoffs. Plumlee’s contributions often came in smaller, physical moments.
What the Spurs needed from their veteran center was something different. Stability became increasingly valuable as the postseason progressed and the pressure intensified.
Plumlee’s value showed up in the quieter parts of the game. That meant rebounds, screens, physical minutes in crowded paint battles, and the willingness to handle work that rarely attracts much attention. Those details became more valuable with each round.
Nothing about the role was flashy. Still, a roster filled with young players benefited from having someone who had already experienced nearly every stage of an NBA season and the unique pressures that accompany a deep playoff run.
Brandon Ingram, Toronto Raptors
Cleveland’s defense made life difficult for everyone. As the series progressed, clean looks became harder to find and possessions grew more complicated. Late in games, Toronto often had to work deep into the shot clock to generate quality offense.
Toronto often responded by putting the ball in Brandon Ingram’s hands. Alongside RJ Barrett, he gave the Raptors another player capable of creating offense when situations became unpredictable during several pivotal moments in the series.
His mid-range game provided a reliable option once spacing tightened and defensive pressure increased. Not every shot looked ideal, but many of them still found the basket.
Ingram’s length and patience helped Toronto navigate difficult stretches, while his passing created opportunities for teammates when extra defenders arrived. When possessions broke down, Toronto often turned to him.
What the Knicks-Spurs Finals Says About Duke’s NBA Legacy
Back in October, this Finals matchup would have surprised plenty of people. The Knicks and Spurs took very different paths to get here. Now they find themselves meeting on the NBA’s biggest stage, 27 years after their memorable showdown in the 1999 Finals.
New York enters Game 2 with a 1-0 lead after erasing a double-digit deficit in the opener. San Antonio is searching for adjustments, while fans continue following every development, from lineup decisions and championship projections to betting lines as the series continues.
Neither roster is built around a Duke superstar. Even so, former Blue Devils appeared throughout the postseason picture before the Finals arrived. Their influence could be found across both conferences as the bracket unfolded.
Duke’s Lasting Playoff Impact
This postseason developed part of its identity through Duke alumni appearing across the bracket. They filled a wide range of roles, from players carrying championship expectations to others handling supporting jobs that rarely attract headlines across both conferences and multiple contenders.
Across different teams and responsibilities, the Duke connection kept showing up anyway. Some appearances were obvious from the opening round. Others became clearer as the postseason moved deeper into May and June and rotations tightened.