Victor Wembanyama’s late jumper vs. Suns clinches Spurs’ first playoff berth since the 2018-19 season

A one-point finish in San Antonio ended a six-season postseason drought

San Antonio secured its first NBA playoff berth since the 2018-19 season on March 19, 2026, closing out a 101-100 home win over the Phoenix Suns on a late Victor Wembanyama jumper with 1.1 seconds remaining. The result pushed the Spurs beyond the threshold needed to guarantee a postseason spot as the regular season enters its final stretch.

Wembanyama finished with 34 points, 12 rebounds and three steals, supplying the decisive score in a game that remained within a single possession deep into the fourth quarter. Phoenix led after the first and second quarters, but San Antonio’s stronger finish in the final period proved enough to overcome the margin.

Three takeaways from the Spurs’ clinching win

• Late-game creation came from the Spurs’ primary option. The winning possession underlined the Spurs’ end-of-clock structure: the ball went to Wembanyama to create a clean look near the midrange, where a single converted attempt was enough to flip the scoreboard and effectively end the game.

• San Antonio’s season arc has shifted from development to contention. The clincher marks a clear inflection point for a franchise that last appeared in the postseason in 2019. The 2025-26 campaign has produced consistent winning at a level that removed the play-in from the equation and restored a full playoff pathway.

• Phoenix remained competitive despite a narrow loss, but the margin for error tightened. The Suns stayed within striking distance throughout and held leads at multiple breaks, yet a one-point defeat carries outsized impact in late March as seeding and play-in positioning become increasingly sensitive to single-game swings.

Context: what the clinch means for April

With the playoff berth secured on March 19, the Spurs can now manage the remainder of the regular season with seeding priorities in mind, balancing minutes and matchups while continuing to refine late-game execution that typically decides postseason series. For Phoenix, the loss reinforced the importance of closing possessions and protecting late leads as the Western Conference playoff picture continues to compress toward the final weeks.

The 101-100 result capped a night in which one made shot decided both a game and, effectively, the Spurs’ return to the postseason.