Thunder-Spurs WCF Rematch Far From Guaranteed in Modern NBA

The Thunder and Spurs had the first installment of the NBA's newest rivalry in 2026, and there's always a chance it could be the only one.

May 28, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) dribbles the ball past San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) in the first half during game six of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Oklahoma City and San Antonio’s 2026 playoff matchup appeared to be the start of a long-time rivalry, but there are no guarantees in the modern NBA.

After the Thunder and Spurs were fighting in the standings throughout last season, they eventually collided in the Western Conference Finals. One of the most anticipated postseason matchups in recent memory, the series lived up to the hype, going to seven games before the Spurs took the Thunder’s Western Conference crown.

While the series ended nearly three months ago, the hype around the matchup hasn’t decreased whatsoever, with the teams set for an opening night battle in October. As the top two favorites to win the title next season, another playoff matchup appears on the horizon, but nothing is guaranteed in the NBA in 2026. 

Obviously, injuries could easily derail the hopes of another matchup, especially if the teams are again the top two seeds in the Western Conference. Beyond the injury factor, the Thunder’s past also shows that the first installment of high-intensity rivalries has the potential to be the last. 

In the first two playoff runs of this era, the Thunder had classic second-round matchups against the Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets. Across the playoff runs since, Oklahoma City is yet to run into either squad again, and the Dallas team it faced just two years ago is already nonexistent. 

While the unfathomable Luka Doncic trade abruptly ended the Thunder-Mavericks rivalry, the Nuggets were taken out in the first round in 2026 by the Minnesota Timberwolves, which showcases another potential path for the premature ending of the Thunder-Spurs rivalry. 

With so much movement this offseason, there could always be another team that suddenly gets in the way of what currently seems like an inevitable Thunder-Spurs playoff battle. The Timberwolves with LaMelo Ball, the new-look Utah Jazz, the Portland Trail Blazers with Ja Morant and Damian Lillard or another squad could easily make some noise next season and get in the mix out West.

Still, if Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama are on the floor, the Thunder-Spurs rivalry could mirror the one these franchises had an era ago in the 2010s. That featured three playoff matchups, including a couple of conference finals.

Considering how young each team is and the star power and depth each possesses, it should be no surprise to see these squads face off for quite some time. However, it also shouldn’t come as a surprise if things happen and prevent this rivalry from building off a classic 2026 matchup.