A new chapter of the Oklahoma City Thunder-San Antonio Spurs rivalry is right around the corner. Entering the 2025-26 season, fans and experts have been locked in many talks about how the Thunder vs Spurs may indeed be the massive showdown in the postseason that decides who represents the Western Conference in the NBA Finals.
2026 Western Conference Finals Preview: Oklahoma City Thunder vs San Antonio Spurs
Fans are waiting for a classic series to look out for between the top two teams in the West. However, which team will end up on top?
As we’ve seen in the regular season, the Spurs had OKC’s number in four of five games played, including the NBA Cup showdown. Of course, there’s a lot of difference when it comes to the season games and the playoffs. The Thunder still went on to improve in their level of play and finished first in the NBA. So far, they’ve also gone undefeated in these playoffs. San Antonio, on the other hand, advanced to the Western Conference Finals while losing three games. However, they finished the West semis with a bang, proving themselves ready for the next battle.
The Collision Course
As the OKC vs SAS clash takes shape, the Western Conference Finals are seen as a match made in heaven. It is the epitome of two great teams, built, not bought, and earning experience through the years, only for one winner to have a chance at the NBA’s crown. The last time these two teams met, it was still the final year of the Tim Duncan era for the Spurs, and the end of the Kevin Durant era for the Thunder. Now, new faces are leading the charge, showing the same potential they had over the years, and it was inevitable that these two juggernauts would eventually find their way on each other’s paths.
Battle Of The Guard-Heavy Teams
As we’ve seen in their campaigns, both the Thunder and the Spurs field a wide array of guards who are talented enough to carry the team with their games. Of course, OKC has Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the way, and Jalen Williams will likely come back from his hamstring injury. Then there’s also the sudden rise of Ajay Mitchell to be accounted for, and how the Mitchell contract talks will be if they come out on top in this series.
There’s also Jared McCain, proving his worth on the big stage, and Cason Wallace anchoring the best backcourt defense in the league. Isaiah Joe and Lu Dort are all likely to make their presence felt in the series as well. The Spurs, on the other hand, field Stephon Castle, who had a big game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in their elimination game. Dylan Harper has also been quite good as of late. De’Aaron Fox, who’s been waiting for this moment in his entire life, is expected to prove that he deserves to be on the big stage.
Both teams feature athletic guards who match up well against each other. We’ve seen San Antonio attack the paint as much as Oklahoma City guards do. This just means that the rim is going to see a lot of drives and finishes from the guards alone. It is one of the reasons why these two teams are very dominant on the attack and generate a lot of fast-break opportunities. Defense is also quite a story for both teams, with the Thunder being the best defensive team in the league. The Spurs, however, don’t lag behind in that regard.
Holmgren vs Wembanyama: Playoff Edition
Speaking of defense, this showdown will feature two of the best defensive players in the league. Victor Wembanyama has been all over on the defensive end in his two series played. Chet Holmgren, however, hasn’t lagged that far behind while also upping his offensive game. It cannot be denied that these two players will have their careers intertwined for the rest of the way. This series, in fact, adds more fuel to that fire — if there’s even one that exists to begin with. Neither player seems to acknowledge the rivalry that the media is putting on them, but now it would be unavoidable as they are set to play in a seven-game series.
The stakes, however, are much higher than any games they’ve played. However, it is worth noting that Wembanyama has a 4-4 record overall against Holmgren. NBA experts already see them as the future of the center position in the league for the years to come. For what it is worth, this series will show the rest of the world why these two players deserve the spotlight.
A rivalry in the making coming to the Western Conference Finals 👀 pic.twitter.com/WqZbwAF2vj
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 16, 2026
This series is definitely going to bring out the best in the two stars. Wembanyama hasn’t been that explosive against OKC this season, but neither has Holmgren against the Spurs. In fact, these two players have vastly improved in the postseason so far. For starters, the Spurs’ big man has averaged 20.4 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 4.2 blocks in nine games. The Thunder center, on the other hand, is posting 18.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks in eight games. Both have been quite effective for their teams, and it says a lot about the expectations heading into this series.
A Defining Part Of SGA’s Legacy
As Gilgeous-Alexander builds his case to be one of the greatest players to ever play the game, it cannot be denied that the OKC star has a lot more on the line in this series than anyone else. Get swept, and he’ll definitely be criticized and laughed at for years. Lose the series in five or six games? That’s a tough ending for what has been a majestic season for the NBA Clutch Player of the Year. Losing in seven doesn’t sound as bad as it can be, but winning this series, not the second or third time around, will say a lot about his legacy in the NBA.
The Spurs have been a thorn in the Thunder’s side not just in their matchups, but even in the regular season standings, as Oklahoma City clinched the first seed in the West by just being two games ahead. It won’t look good that the reigning MVP will bow out of the playoffs to a team that has just returned to the playoffs. If anything, this puts pressure on SGA to lead the way and play efficiently as he can. The Thunder vs Lakers series has shown that he can be indeed slowed down, but then there’s still the fact that the Spurs can surely make a better defensive play on him than Los Angeles ever did.
SPURS. THUNDER. WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS 🍿
The Alien meets the reigning MVP for a shot at the NBA Finals ⚡ pic.twitter.com/5DTgtRveln
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 16, 2026
In these playoffs, SGA is averaging 29.1 points, 7.1 assists, and 3.0 rebounds in eight games in the 2026 playoffs. He’s still playing efficiently as of late, especially that 35-point outing against the Lakers in Game 4. It is no secret that he’s already getting the same level of criticism as LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and even the late Kobe Bryant. He’s entering an elite company in the game, and he’s also got to prove that by winning it all. Fresh off winning his second straight MVP, this series will definitely focus more on him and how he can lead the Thunder.
Thunder vs Spurs: By The Numbers
It’s no secret that OKC has struggled against the Spurs. Some are even calling the series to end in five games in San Antonio’s favor. In fact, this Thunder vs Spurs is the first time that it will feature an Oklahoma City opponent who has held the defending champs to their lowest scoring average at 109.1. For context, OKC averaged 121.0 points against the Phoenix Suns, then 125.5 points against Los Angeles.
In comparison, the Spurs averaged 114.4 points per game, which is the most that the Thunder has allowed against any opponent in the NBA. If anything, it just shows how Oklahoma City may find itself in a tough spot heading into the Western Conference Finals. San Antonio is shooting slightly better at 47.8% from the field to OKC’s 44.8%. By now, it should be clear that the OKC vs SAS showdown will likely prompt fans to compare their regular-season performances. However, it will all come down to how the games are played, with the Thunder staying undefeated up to this point, and the Spurs learning the ways of the playoffs; each game will be hard to predict.
Since Feb. 1, the Spurs are 34-3 when Wemby plays 20+ minutes.
Since Feb. 1, the Thunder are 28-1 when SGA plays.
It's extremely rare to get a H2H battle between two teams operating at this level. This is gonna be so sick.
— Carson Breber (@Carsobi) May 16, 2026
With the Spurs having a clear advantage in winning during the regular season, it’s either they manage to win in all of their home games or at least force this into a promising Game 7, with OKC probably squeezing out a win in a tight contest.
Reigniting A Postseason Rivalry
For years, we have seen a rivalry between the Thunder and Spurs. Since relocating to Oklahoma City, the defending champs hold a 10-8 record against San Antonio in the playoffs. On top of that, OKC is 2-1 in all playoff series played, winning 4-2 in the 2012 Western Conference Finals and the 2016 West Semis in six games. The Spurs, on the other hand, won the WCF in 2014 in six games. It has been a long time since these two teams were locked in an epic series, with each being much more of a classic than the former.
12 years later. Run it back.
Spurs vs. Thunder Western Conference Finals 👀 pic.twitter.com/GkU04JHUpY
— DraftKings Sports (@DKSports) May 16, 2026
This time, however, it seems that the OKC-SAS showdown will feed families in the coming weeks. The Thunder’s legacy is on the line, and there are high expectations about this team that has managed to stay consistent and winning despite all the injuries they’ve suffered this season. The Spurs, on the other hand, are hoping to place themselves as contenders in the years to come by giving Oklahoma City their first test in these playoffs.
Right now, it’s the calm before the storm. The Thunder are eager to make their way back to the NBA Finals as the first defending champion to do so since the 2018 Warriors. However, now they’ve got a real fight coming their way, and the Spurs are not going to make this challenge any easier.
Featured Image: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
