Thunder-Spurs Clash Sparks Talk of a Budding Rivalry - and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Isn’t Ruling It Out
The NBA Cup semifinals gave us more than just a thrilling finish - it may have planted the seeds of the league’s next great rivalry. The San Antonio Spurs snapped the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 16-game winning streak in dramatic fashion, edging them out 111-109 in a game that had all the energy and intensity of a playoff showdown. And if you ask Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, this might just be the beginning of something special between these two young, ascending squads.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who’s been nothing short of spectacular this season, dropped 29 points in 37 minutes, adding five assists and four rebounds in the loss. Jalen Williams chipped in with 17 points, seven boards, and four dimes of his own. But despite the effort, OKC couldn’t hold off a surging Spurs team that clawed back from an early 11-point deficit and took control in the second half.
After the game, SGA was asked whether this budding Thunder-Spurs matchup could evolve into the league’s next marquee rivalry. His response? Measured, but optimistic.
“Possibly. Yeah, there’s a good chance,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.
“They’re young, really good, have a lot of talent, play the right way. But yeah, definitely is a possibility.
I’ve noticed that anything could happen in a couple years.”
And he’s not wrong. Both teams are built around dynamic young cores, with OKC already looking like a contender and San Antonio showing flashes of brilliance behind their own rising stars.
The ingredients are all there: talent, youth, competitive fire, and now, a little postseason tension. Rivalries don’t form overnight, but this one has legs.
The game itself had the feel of something bigger. Oklahoma City came out swinging, jumping to an 11-point lead early on.
But the Spurs responded with poise, narrowing the gap to three by halftime and taking over in the second half. They controlled the tempo in the third and fourth quarters, ultimately sealing the win with a clutch performance down the stretch.
While the loss ended a remarkable win streak for the Thunder, it doesn’t take away from what they’ve been building - or what Gilgeous-Alexander has been doing. The reigning NBA MVP and Finals MVP continues to elevate his game, averaging 32.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 6.4 assists through 25 games this season. He’s been the engine behind OKC’s rise to the top of the Western Conference, where they currently sit at 24-2.
That kind of production has sparked some lofty comparisons, including one from Hall of Famer Steve Nash, who recently put SGA in the same breath as Michael Jordan - not because of the stats, but because of the way he controls the game. It’s the kind of praise that would make most players blush, and Gilgeous-Alexander handled it with humility.
“Pretty insane,” he said when asked about it. “I don’t really love the comparisons, just because [Jordan] has done so many things for the game of basketball.
To even be in those conversations is surreal. If you ask me, though, I’m still very, very far away.
I’ve got a lot of work to do.”
That mindset - grounded, focused, and hungry - is exactly what’s made him such a force this season. And it’s why the Thunder aren’t just a feel-good story anymore. They’re a serious contender, with a superstar leading the charge and a young roster that’s growing up fast.
Next up for OKC: a home matchup against the Clippers at Paycom Center. But make no mistake - the echoes of that semifinal battle with San Antonio will linger.
If the basketball gods are kind, we haven’t seen the last of Thunder vs. Spurs with something big on the line.
And if this really is the start of a rivalry? It’s going to be a fun ride.