OKC Thunder Should not Stick with Starting Lineup after Game 1 Loss

Oklahoma City should mix things up in the Western Conference Finals moving forward.

Apr 27, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) against the Phoenix Suns during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Thunder faced off against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Monday night, tipping off one of the most anticipated series in some time.

The game held up well under the pressure of greatness, issuing a double-overtime tilt that saw the Spurs win by seven points. Former top-pick Victor Wembanyama saw a historic night, scoring 41 points and grabbing 22 rebounds while dominating in extra innings.

The Thunder ended up on the losing side, but stare down the barrel of several tactical changes that they can make to grab an edge moving forward. The biggest will be to swap up its starting lineup, which has yielded tons of success over the last two seasons.

The Thunder have long rolled with its double-big unit in the starting five, touting MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, one-time All-Star Jalen Williams and former All-Defense selectee Luguentz Dort in addition to seven-footers in Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. In order to avoid playing in a hole against San Antonio, they could need to move Hartenstein to the bench to start.

At 7-foot-5 with an 8-foot wingspan, Wembanyama offers an all-time shot-blocker and presence on the interior. One who came away with the unanimaous Defensive Player of the Year Award for a reason. Given that, playing Hartenstein out the gate puts OKC at a disadvantageous position, letting the DPOY sag off and protect the rim off-the-ball to great success.

That tangibly helped San Antonio get off to a great start, getting to seven before OKC could find themselves on the board. Less than three minutes into the game, head coach Mark Daigneault would pull Hartenstein, opting for Alex Caruso instead.

Out of halftime, the Thunder mixed things up, rolling with Cason Wallace — amid a solid night — with Hartenstein moving to the bench. From there, he would essentially match minutes with Spurs' backup big Luke Kornet in Wembanyama-less minutes.

From there, the Thunder are likely to look to smaller, perimeter-based units to start. They could continue to hammer the double-big unit and try to impose their own will onto the game, though the strategy says that any of Ajay Mitchell, Wallace or even Caruso would fare better.

There is also precendent for Oklahoma City in doing so. OKC went with Wallace for the first two games of last year's NBA Finals, opting for Wallace instead of Hartenstein. They would go 2-1 in those bouts, ultimately going with Hartenstein the rest of the way.

This series feels different than both Indiana and Denver last season, despite all three starting with Oklahoma City in an 0-1 hole. The Spurs are led by a truly generational talent, and OKC will need to mix things up tactically to stand a chance.