The Thunder are set to take on the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals, with just one series win standing between a back-to-back Finals berth.
While many expect Oklahoma City to get back to the title series, the Spurs are set to offer the toughest test yet for the Thunder, certainly more than the Suns and Lakers did.
Here are three reasons that the OKC Thunder could beat San Antonio:
The Thunder have the size, defense to limit Wembanyama
At 7-foot-5 and having seen an MVP-level season, Victor Wembanyama is a player you can only hope to limit, oppoesd to stop. Luckily for OKC, they've amassed a roster that could be capable of just that over the course of a series.
The Thunder have built one of the top defenses not just this year, but any year, continuing to churn out historic output with Luguentz Dort, Chet Holmgren, Alex Caruso, Jalen Williams – who seems to be nearing full-health – Cason Wallace and plenty more.
Those players won't be capable of putting a lid on Wembanyama as a whole, but could be better equipped than any other team to limit him. Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein both offers 7-footers who can take on the task, and OKC should be able to front him with smaller wings as well.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
While Wemby saw an MVP-level year, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander saw one that is likely to land him the hardware. His second and back-to-back.
The Spurs have faced off against talented scorers so far in Deni Avdija and Anthony Edwards, though none who are as well-rounded or simply as good as SGA. He averaged 31.1 points per game through the regular season, offering hyper efficiency at every level.
San Antonio could very well follow the Lakers in aggressively double and triple-teaming him, though that will play well for scorers like Jalen Williams, Ajay Mitchell and more.
OKC is more experienced
Perhaps the largest reason is one that ironically was attached to the Thunder the last two seasons: experience.
Oklahoma City has now been to the mountaintop, having beaten the Nuggets and Pacers in seven-game series en route to a Finals win. The top-end talent has experience leading the team all the way through, and several of the role players – sans Ajay Mitchell – have dealt with the ups and downs of their roles.
San Antonio is supremely talented, with well-paced guards and an unguardable, two-way seven-footer. But they could very well be plauged by the sameminexpereince that tagged the Thunder in 2024.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/thunder/onsi as 3 Reasons the OKC Thunder can Beat the Spurs.
