The Spurs Are Ready for West Finals Game 7 vs. Thunder. They Have No Other Choice

OKLAHOMA CITY — They've come too far to change anything.

Ahead of a winner-take-all Game 7 at Paycom Center — the San Antonio Spurs vs. the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder — both coaches spoke to media for what they hoped would not be the final time of the season. Both shared the same message.

"We’re going to focus on the same things we’ve focused on all year," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson explained. "We’ve had a whole lot of experience this year."

San Antonio, in particular, has been through the wringer. After adding back Victor Wembanyama from a season-ending deep vein thrombosis diagnosis in September, it watched both him and promising rookie Dylan Harper fight through calf strains while De'Aaron Fox nursed a hamstring strain of his own, missing eight games to begin the year.

At the time, the Spurs preached a patient approach with Fox's recovery. They'd rather have been too slow than too fast, at the risk of his health. The rest of their season has veered far away from such philosophy. Outside of their locker room, they were ahead of schedule.

Internally, they were right on time with all the pieces needed to go the distance.

"You look in our locker room," Fox explained at All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, "the only thing you probably think that's lacking is experience. You don't think the talent is lacking. If we can win a championship this year, that's our goal. We would love to do it."

Wembanyama had a much simpler response to the unfair critics of the Spurs.

"We don't have experience, right?" he asked rhetorically. "Screw it."

May 28, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first half during Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals for the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Frost Bank Center. | Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

From the time Wembanyama first returned to play — a 40-point, 15-rebound outing hung on the Dallas Mavericks — to his duel with Anthony Edwards in January that fueled a larger discourse about the "Face of the NBA" and later his equally effective outing against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 3 of the second round, the Spurs have lived by that.

When they put together a perfect February amid their annual month-long Rodeo Road Trip, they stared their doubters in the eyes and announced their arrival. When Wembanyama hit a fadeaway over Oso Ighodaro in March to clinch a playoff berth, he did the same.

No longer can any player or team question the legitimacy of the squad in San Antonio.

"They’ve a very tough team," Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said, five games after winning his second consecutive MVP Award. "This late in the season, you’re going to play teams of this caliber. There’s no surprise ... they're up there, for sure."

As Johnson explained, the Spurs have experienced a slew of firsts this season. One was having a healthy duo of Wembanyama and Fox. Another was qualifying for the knockout stages of the NBA Cup, and later the tournament final.

Along the way came more milestones. The Spurs placed two players in the All-Star Game, three in Rising Stars, a participant in the dunk contest and eventually added the Defensive Player of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year to their growing list of accolades.

Now faced with Game 7 in Oklahoma City — another first — San Antonio is prepared to play more desperately than it has all season.

"We've got to go out there with the mentality of, we've got to hit first," Harper said. "Regardless of what's going on in the game, we can't get too high, we can't get too low."

Added Julian Champagnie, in the locker room after Game 6: "It’s one game. It’s (either) you beat us, or we’re going to beat you. That’s what it comes down to now.”

May 22, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) in the second half during Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals for the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Frost Bank Center. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

The NBA's most-watched Western Conference Finals matchup has largely hinged on star power. Wembanyama's 41-point, 24-rebound performance in Game 1 helped the Spurs hit first before taking a few punches to the nose in Games 3 and 4.

Gilgeous-Alexander, who entered the postseason without a single regular season performance below 20 points, has logged two against the Spurs. In the games in which he gets comfortable at his spots near the rim, the Thunder have managed to emerge victorious.

In that sense, the minutiae of a 48-minute contest will dictate which star performs best. That's the part Wembanyama enjoys most about the chase.

“It just feels like it raises all the little mistakes that we (commit)," the Frenchman said. (Things) that are human nature, whether it’s in the regular season or previous games. We’ve just got to fight that ... when your back is against the wall, it’s the best opportunity to do that.”

Gilgeous-Alexander echoed the sentiment of his 7-foot counterpart.

"Anything can happen in a Game 7," he said. "If we're not better, our season will be over."

May 28, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) dribbles the ball against San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) in the first half during Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals for the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Frost Bank Center. | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

From the moment they entered Victory Capital Performance Center for the first year under Johnson, the Spurs had their sights set on a postseason appearance.

Standing in their way, as they did five times in the regular season, is the Thunder: the team Harrison Barnes couldn't help but level with.

“We’re on a collision course with this team," he said in December. "It’s a great opportunity for us, honestly ... I think it’s a great way to keep us sharp.”

Be that as it may, Stephon Castle took a bold leap forward. Speaking to the NBA on NBC crew after Game 6 in San Antonio, he refused to back down.

"We feel like collectively that we're better than this team," Castle said.

It was Wembanyama who first specified they wanted the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference. They're far beyond that now. They're well aware of that predicament.

"I know there will be a lot of added attention," Johnson said. "A lot of eyes watching. It’ll be a hostile environment, but we’ve been saying this for a long time: we’ve had a lot of firsts. This one will be a little bit more important or higher stakes than all the others."

Johnson, on an empty stomach with a clear mind, would much rather be coaching in April than in the All-Star Game. Likewise, his players are ecstatic to take the court for Game 7.

No amount of music played outside their hotel across the street from Paycom Center could change that. This is what they've been working toward all season, after all.

"What more could you ask for?" Devin Vassell posed. "Western Conference Finals against the defending champs in their city, in their arena? We know it's going to be loud.

He continued: "(We're) about to be the villains tonight. I can't wait."

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