The NBA's New Rivalry Has Been Solidified With Western Conference Finals Conclusion

Now that the Spurs have officially gotten the upper hand on OKC, the rivalry now has volume.

May 30, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) and San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) jump for the opening tip-off during game seven of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

This Western Conference rivalry is officially in full swing. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder’s season ended sooner than they would have liked, as the San Antonio Spurs took Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals 111-103. The narrative between these two teams has been building all season, and with the Spurs winning when it mattered most, it’s safe to say it has blossomed into a full-fledged rivalry. 

The Thunder were the team to beat this season, as they had claimed the NBA Championship during the 2024-25 season. They took this challenge head-on as they went through the regular season, dominating every opponent they came across. Every team, until OKC met the Spurs. 

Oklahoma City ran into a predicament this season when facing San Antonio, as they lost to the Spurs four times out of the five times the teams met. This left a sour taste in the Thunder’s mouth, but it didn’t really mean anything. Oklahoma City was still the No. 1 seed in the West and had a championship to defend going into the postseason. 

The whole narrative of the Thunder and Spurs becoming the next rivalry didn’t yet seem solidified, as the Spurs hadn’t yet won anything as a young team in the league. However, they walked into the conference finals ready to prove that they are a team of now and not just the future. 

San Antonio came into the series swinging, taking Game 1 in Oklahoma City. This would then ensue a back-and-forth series where it would all end in Game 7 back in OKC. Oklahoma City came into the game favored and ready to head to the NBA Finals, but the Spurs once again threw their best punch and shocked OKC and the world. 

Now, with San Antonio proving that they are officially here and don’t need another piece, the West has two titans fighting for the top. The Spurs will be around for a long time to be a thorn in the Thunder’s side as three of their top players, Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, are all still in their rookie contracts. 

This doesn’t mean the Thunder won’t have a chance, as OKC went most of the series without Ajay Mitchell and Jalen Williams. The presence of these two players might have been enough to sway the series, but I guess that question can’t officially be answered until next year. 

The Spurs have shown the Thunder and the world that they are here to stay, and now it will be up to OKC to come back next year prepared to take its throne back.