The Thunder Have No Space To Take Their Foot Off The Gas In Game 6

The Spurs have proven they can win at any given moment, and OKC must make sure it doesn't let that happen.

May 26, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) drives against San Antonio Spurs guard De'aaron Fox (4) during the second quarter in game five of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Thunder are just one step away from the NBA Finals, but it’s not an easy one to take. 

Oklahoma City is currently in control of the Western Conference Finals, as it leads the San Antonio Spurs 3-2. The Thunder also have the momentum, as they are coming off a 127-114 win in Game 5, and are trying to close the series out for good in Game 6. 

While the Thunder have some weight off their shoulders, as they only have to win one more game to take the series, it isn’t that cut and dry. San Antonio isn’t a team that you can expect to win against, not playing your best game, and the Spurs have proven that earlier in the season. 

If the series is to go to seven games, that would mean the Spurs have to win two games in the span of two days to upset OKC. This might seem like a tall task against the defending champs, but it’s something San Antonio is familiar with. Back in December, the Thunder and Spurs faced off twice in two days, on Dec. 23 and Dec. 25. Just like the conference finals, the first one was in San Antonio and the second was in OKC, and hopefully history doesn’t repeat itself based on the outcomes. 

The Spurs would end up winning both games, and in dominant fashion. The first game in San Antonio was a 20-point Spurs win that would feature Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scoring 33 points, but not much help from his supporting cast. OKC’s kryptonite would be losing the turnover battle 15-9, which would cause the Spurs to score 20 points off its mistakes. 

The second matchup would be a 15-point Spurs win in Oklahoma City, which would consist of a bad night shooting the ball for the Thunder. OKC would only shoot 39% from the floor and 25% from beyond the arc, hindering any chance the Thunder had to take this bout. 

These previous instances show that anything is possible, but they are learned lessons that the Thunder can’t afford to repeat. When Oklahoma City has played its brand of basketball and truly controlled the pace, it has dominated. The Thunder will have to make sure that they start Game 6 like this from the very beginning, so they don’t get left behind by a Spurs team that will be playing with their backs against the wall. 

The series has turned into OKC’s to lose, and the Thunder must make sure that they stay on the attack and take what is theirs.