The NBA season opens with Oklahoma City and San Antonio meeting on opening night, and the matchup brings plenty more than just a fresh schedule. The Thunder and Spurs already have a history from last season, when San Antonio sent Oklahoma City home in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. Now they’re back on the same stage, only the storylines around them have changed.
San Antonio comes in as a league powerhouse, while the Thunder are working through a small roster reload. That leaves Oklahoma City with a few big questions to answer right away, starting with how its younger players handle expanded roles.
Jared McCain and Cason Wallace both played well against the Spurs in the playoffs, but this time they’re being asked to shoulder more responsibility. The same goes for rookies Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz, who will be thrown into the fire and are expected to carry over preseason momentum.
There’s also the Chet Holmgren angle. The online chatter has kept pushing the same idea that he can’t stack up with the Spurs star, and last year’s Game 7 only fueled that talk after Holmgren finished with four points.
Opening night gives him a chance to clear the slate. A strong performance on Tuesday would go a long way toward showing he belongs among the league’s best big men.
At the center of everything, though, is the matchup everyone will watch: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander versus Victor Wembanyama. Both are viewed as MVP favorites heading into the season, and this first meeting could shape the tone for what comes next.
They are the players driving their teams, and they’ll be the ones most tied to each club’s championship hopes. For Gilgeous-Alexander, going up against one of the NBA’s best in Wembanyama is a chance to underline how dominant he still is - and maybe lay the first brick in another MVP run.
In Other News...
Thunder Opener Could Expose One Early Problem For A Team With Title Hopes
The Thunder open the season against San Antonio in a matchup that already feels like a useful measuring stick, not just for where Oklahoma City stands on the road to its title hopes, but for how quickly a few preseason issues carry over into real games. The preseason offered glimpses of what the roster can be, including the early look at rookies Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz, but it also left enough uncertainty around the teams rhythm to make this opener worth watching closely.
Oklahoma Citys focus now shifts to cleaner execution and the kind of offensive sharpness that can separate a contender from a team still ironing out details in October. A matchup with the Spurs should help answer some of those questions, especially with young players being thrown into a high-leverage setting right away and the first game offering a clearer read on how ready the Thunder are to handle the seasons early pressure. [Read more 🡒]
Chet Holmgren Brings One Big Thunder Question Into Opening Night
The Thunder are set to open the 2026-27 regular season against the Spurs, with Chet Holmgren again positioned as one of the central figures in Oklahoma Citys plans. After last seasons run to the Western Conference Finals, teammates and coaches have kept pointing to his work ethic and steady development as reasons the group remains confident in what he brings, especially as the team gets ready for another high-expectation start.
Holmgrens presence remains the big question hanging over opening night, though, after the All-Star was sidelined during the preseason. He has been working back from a right quad contusion, and while the Thunder still expect him to play a key role once hes ready, Mark Daigneault has not confirmed whether Holmgren will be available when the season begins against San Antonio. [Read more 🡒]
Jalen Williams Loved What Ajay Mitchell Just Changed For OKC
Ajay Mitchell gave the Thunder a jolt in their four-game playoff sweep of the Lakers, and Jalen Williams had a front-row seat to it even if he could not suit up. While Williams was sidelined by a hamstring injury, Mitchells rise in the series added another layer to Oklahoma Citys depth, with the rookie making his presence felt on both ends and giving the matchup a different look than many expected.
Mitchells work against Austin Reaves drew particular attention, since his defensive impact helped tilt the series in Oklahoma Citys favor. For Williams, who watched the whole thing unfold from the sideline, the takeaway was bigger than one hot stretch in the postseason. The Thunder may have found another player who can change a series, and if Williams is healthy going forward, that kind of added versatility could matter even more. [Read more 🡒]