ESPN has the Thunder-Spurs rivalry sitting near the top of its must-watch list for 2026-27, and it’s easy to see why.
What played out across last season felt like a long runway to one thing: Oklahoma City and San Antonio finally crashing into each other in that epic seven-game Western Conference Finals series in 2026. For most of the year, the Thunder and Spurs were operating in their own lane, piling up 60-plus wins and steamrolling opponents while everyone else tried to keep pace. Plenty of people had one of those teams penciled in as the eventual NBA champion before the New York Knicks’ historic postseason run changed the picture.
Even with that spoiler, the Thunder-Spurs matchup has kept climbing as one of the league’s defining rivalries. The playoff history is already there, and the last two decades of battles have only made the whole thing feel bigger.
That’s part of why Zach Kram ranked the rivalry second among the 10 best NBA rivalries to watch next season, with only the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers ahead of it. In Kram’s words: "This rivalry has a strong case for the No. 1 spot right now," Kram wrote. "And because both Oklahoma City and San Antonio project to remain among the NBA's title favorites for seasons to come, they're likely to keep adding to that list of memorable playoff series."
The talent on both sides makes the setup even better. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama are considered two of the three best players in the league right now, while Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper are all rising pieces who have either already made an All-NBA team or are expected to soon.
The regular-season schedule only gives fans three chances to see them square off in 2026-27, and the first one lands on Opening Night in San Antonio. Oklahoma City heads on the road for that one, and Holmgren has a chance to get the new season started on the right note. Williams and Ajay Mitchell will also be looking to show that their absences were a major factor in Game 7.
All signs point to another season of the Thunder and Spurs battling for the top spot in the West. If last year was any indication, 60-plus wins for both teams wouldn’t be a surprise. There’s still a pretty wide gap between those two and the rest of the NBA.
In Other News...
Kawhi Finally Returns To OKC In A Full Circle Thunder Moment
Kawhi Leonards name still sits in the middle of one of the most consequential detours in recent Thunder history, because his push for a co-star helped set in motion the Clippers move for Paul George. Oklahoma City cashed in on that chain reaction in a way that reshaped the franchise, turning those dealings into the foundation for a roster built around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams.
Now Leonard is set to come through Oklahoma City again with the Toronto Raptors, a reminder of how much has changed since the Clippers era that once revolved around him. The Clippers later cap-circumvention penalty only deepened the strange full-circle feel around the whole saga, but the next chapter for Thunder fans is the visit itself, and what kind of reception follows when Leonard steps back into that building. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Get One Massive Home Test Against LeBron And New-Look Sixers
Philadelphia is entering the new season with a dramatically different look after landing LeBron James and Jaylen Brown in an offseason swing that sent Paul George and future draft picks to Boston. The result is a roster that suddenly feels built for the spotlight, with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe expected to headline a starting group that will draw plenty of attention every time it takes the floor.
For Oklahoma City, the appeal of this matchup goes beyond the names involved. The Thunder will get one of the marquee dates on the calendar when the Sixers come through in February, part of a schedule that already has Philadelphia lined up for plenty of national TV exposure. It is the kind of game that can reveal a lot about how the Thunder stack up against a retooled contender, even before the broader race in the league starts to sort itself out. [Read more 🡒]
Mark Daigneault Faces A Tougher Thunder Challenge Than Last Season
Mark Daigneault is heading into next season with a different kind of Thunder puzzle on his hands. Oklahoma City has become used to asking its coach to balance development and winning at the same time, but the roster will look different enough to make the task a little tougher. The team will have to replace familiar pieces while still trying to keep the standard high in a league where every night asks something new of a contender.
The challenge is not just about filling minutes, either. Daigneault will be working under the same collective bargaining agreement pressures that have made roster management more intricate across the NBA, all while trying to fold more young talent into a rotation that cannot afford to drift. Nikola Topic, Thomas Sorber, Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz could all come into the mix, and how quickly that group fits will go a long way toward shaping what Oklahoma City looks like if injuries start to test the depth chart again. [Read more 🡒]