OKC Thunder Can’t Get Too Caught Up in Rivalry Narratives

Oklahoma City has been entirely dominant this season, fresh off an NBA championship run that ended in June. Everyone within the basketball world understands that this Thunder squad is clearly the team to beat. The target is square on their back, and they’re getting every team’s very best shot. Because of that dominance, every time Oklahoma City loses, or even runs into a slight roadblock, it feels like the biggest deal possible.

When the Thunder lost its second game of the season in the NBA Cup Semifinals, social media made it seem like the sky was falling. And part of that is because the narratives behind this Thunder team, the potential of a budding rivalry out West, and forced individual rivalries between the two squads. Everyone is waiting for the Thunder to trip up, and on Saturday night, they did.

As the Spurs continue to make the leap from lottery to contenders — one the Thunder made just a few short years ago — the rivalry narratives will continue to build. Right now, San Antonio is the young, talented, and fun surging team that everyone loves to watch — again, what Oklahoma City once was. The Spurs are undoubtedly a terrific basketball team led by a generational talent, too. It’s an obvious rivalry candidate for the Thunder.

But there will be other points throughout the season where other rivalries will seem imminent, too. The Houston Rockets have so many storylines, specially against the Thunder. Denver has faced Oklahoma City in the playoffs, and appears to be the fiercest competition. The Wolves have had a handful of chippy games playing the Thunder, and Anthony Edwards is an ultra competitor. There’s room for this Thunder team to draw a handful of “rivals” throughout their own conference.

Rivalries are good for the game — even when Oklahoma City is dominating. But it’s important that throughout the seasons, as the battles wear on, Oklahoma City can’t get caught up in the narratives of rivalries. Games can’t be bigger than the last, and the lights can’t be too bright. That’s the moment when Oklahoma City will be thrown off its game — when the rivalry narrative is bigger than the on-court execution. And luckily, Mark Daigneault won’t let that happen.

Against the Spurs specifically, the chatter was loud after the game. Victor Wembanyama dominated, and let everyone know afterwards. His natural rivalry against Chet Holmgren has been brewing for quite some time, too, and it always seems to get blown out of proportion when the two teams play each other.

The truth is, if Holmgren — or any other Thunder player for that matter — takes the matchup against Wembanyama personally, it’s not going to end well for a multitude of reasons. It’s hard to beat someone like Wembanyama by yourself — you need a full team. One player going off track and doing their own thing can throw off the entire team’s game plan.

And the same can be said about any of Oklahoma City’s other potential rivalries, too. There’s plenty of individual matchups that are enticing and carry weight, but Oklahoma City has to remember their greatest strength comes in numbers. From a cohesion and chemistry standpoint, this Thunder team is far and away the NBA’s best. Against top teams and top talents, that’s what they need to tap into, not the rivalry narratives.