Relive a historic rivalry as Victor Wembanyama’s rising Spurs challenge Oklahoma City’s elite defense in a high-stakes battle for Western Conference supremacy and a Finals berth.
Although the Western Conference Finals matchup is not officially set, it’s likely that the Spurs advance. They are the better and healthier team compared to the Timberwolves. Let’s give Minnesota a 50% chance to win Game 6 at home and a 33% chance to win Game 7 on the road. This would mean the Wolves own just a 16.5% chance to win both contests, and that’s with arguably generous percentages bestowed upon them.
Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals begins on either May 18 or May 20 depending on whether the Spurs series goes the distance. Check out overarching storylines for a potential matchup between Oklahoma City and San Antonio.
Playoff History
Since the Thunder’s inception, they have faced the Spurs in the playoffs three times.
Oklahoma City won the first clash 4-2 in the 2012 Western Conference Finals behind a stellar series from Kevin Durant, who averaged 29.5 points per game on 66.2% true shooting.
San Antonio struck back by winning 4-2 in the 2014 Western Conference Finals. This iteration of the Spurs was one of the best teams in NBA history. It emphasized ball movement to the highest degree and wound up crushing LeBron James’ Heat in the NBA Finals.
Finally, Oklahoma City won 4-2 in the 2016 Western Conference Semifinals. It was a historic clash between the best Thunder team of the Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook era and a Spurs squad that went 40-1 at home during the regular season and featured Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginóbili and Danny Green.
All of the players in these series are long gone, but Thunder and Spurs fans do not forget the numerous battles. Can Victor Wembanyama avenge the 2016 loss and tie the overarching series at two apiece?
Experience vs. Youth
Although Oklahoma City is still a young team, the roster has been through a plethora of learning experiences. The series against Dallas in 2024 and Denver and Indiana in 2025 all stimulated growth and gave the Thunder battle scars.
Meanwhile, Luke Kornet and Harrison Barnes are the only players in the Spurs’ rotation who appeared in multiple playoff series before this season. San Antonio is an incredibly green team with minimal postseason experience.
Will experience versus youth be the difference?
Best Defense vs. Best Defender
The Thunder have led the NBA in defensive rating for consecutive seasons and boast one of the best defenses in league history. On the flip side, Wembanyama has a strong chance to become the greatest defender in NBA history. Will the Thunder or Wembanyama win the defensive battle in this matchup? The side that prevails likely punches its ticket to the NBA Finals.