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Unlock with PatreonThunder @ San Antonio Spurs preview (Game 1 of 82)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (0-0) vs. San Antonio Spurs (0-0)
- When: Tuesday, 20 October 2026 at 8:30pm CST
- Where: Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, TX
- TV: NBC
The Tip-Off
Y’all ready for Game 8 of the Western Conference Finals? As soon as that series was over in last year’s playoffs, the NBA already knew they had a tailor-made game to position either on opening night or Christmas day. They chose Opening Night. And I, honestly, can’t blame them. The first two games of the night are just filled with Eastern Conference intrigue. How will Jayson Tatum-led Boston Celtics look like without Jaylen Brown on the team? What do the newly built Philadelphia 76ers look like on ring night against the defending champion New York Knicks? But that last game of the evening…you already know what you are getting. We witnessed seven games of that last May and have been clamoring for more ever since.
Last season, the Thunder and Spurs matched up 12 times. 12 TIMES! San Antonio won 8 of those match-ups, including the ever-important Game 7 in the Western Conference Finals. San Antonio was the only team that gave OKC fits last season, but OKC seemed to be solving the rubrics cube named Victor Wembanyama in the WCFs, before the weight of injuries to key players prevented the Thunder from moving forward.
Betting Info, presented by FanDuel
- Line: OKC +1.5
- O/U: 231.5
Injury Report
OKC
- Otega Oweh – OFS (Achilles)
- Thomas Sorber – OUT (knee)
- Nikola Topic – OUT (back)
SAS
- Tobias Harris – OUT (calf)
- Jayden Quaintance – OUT (knee)
Three Big Things
- The Chet of it all – Listen, for as much as eyes will be watching Wembanyama and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the microscopes will be laser-focused on Chet Holmgren. After a disappointing performance in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, where Holmgren scored only 4 points on 1/2 shooting from the field in a moment when the team needed him the most with Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell out with injury, every eye will be watching to see how Chet reacts to this moment. Will he rise to the occasion or will he do some cardio and hope that others will shoot the ball and assume the responsibility of scoring and putting pressure on the Spurs’ defense? The irony is that many people look at this as a Chet vs. Wemby issue, when in reality, those two rarely guard each other nowadays.
- Health is wealth – It feels so good to have this team as rotationally healthy as possible to start the season. You saw last season how much the inconsistencies of the rotation weighed on players like SGA and Chet. And with all that said, this team still won 64 games and found a way to make it to the 7th game of the Western Conference Finals. In the championship season, Chet missed 50 games with a broken hip, Jaylin Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein started the season injured, and Dub had to be the center for a couple of games. We still won 68 games. Can you imagine what a completely healthy season may look like? Here’s to health.
- Unleash the Mara – Aday Mara was never drafted under the auspice of being a Wemby-stopper. Those don’t currently exist in the world in the year of our Lord, 2026. The hope was always that the big-bodied center could physically contend with Wemby…in the future. But with his play this preseason, Mara has vaulted himself to possibly being a factor this season…and maybe even in this game. There is a high possibility that Mara gets his “welcome to the NBA” moment in this game. But there’s also the possibility that Mara goes out and drops a stat line of 10 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks and looks perfectly at home out there on the NBA stage. Whatever happens, I’m just glad NBA basketball is back!
San Antonio Spurs vs. Thunder preview (Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals)
- #2 San Antonio Spurs (11-6) vs. #1 Oklahoma City Thunder (11-3)
- When: Saturday, 30 May 2026 at 7:00pm CST
- Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK
- TV: NBC/Peacock
- Playoff Offensive Rating (of the remaining 3 teams): SAS: 115.1 (3rd) / OKC: 118.0 (2nd)
- Playoff Defensive Rating (of the remaining 3 teams): SAS: 104.1 (2nd) / OKC: 110.1 (3rd)
- Playoff Net Rating (of the remaining 3 teams): SAS: 11.0 (2nd) / OKC: 7.9 (3rd)
- Series Record: Tied 3-3
The Tip-Off
Game 7. No other words needed. OKC did not get the job done in Game 6 and now must face their biggest test in this current run. Injuries be damned, OKC can win this game if they play their game. Will it be difficult? Of course. But they have to do all those things they did in Game 5 and not the things they did in Game 6. It’s the greatest four words in professional sports: win or go home.
Betting Info, provided by FanDuel
- Line: OKC -3.5
- O/U: 212.5
Injury Report
OKC
- Ajay Mitchell – OUT (calf)
- Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
- Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring)
SAS
- None
Three Big Things
- Lean on Experience – The Oklahoma City Thunder have been here at least twice on their way to a championship last season. And both of those Game 7’s were at home, which is where this Game 7 will also be. This is the advantage you get for working so hard in the regular season. The Thunder staved off the Spurs late in the season as they attempted to overtake OKC in the standings to earn the best record in the league. And this is where it is supposed to pay off.
- Outside Shooting – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is not going to be able to be himself, if the rest of the Thunder aren’t hitting their shots. OKC has been a lot more dependent on their 3-point shooting in this series than the Spurs. In their wins, OKC is shooting 41.5% from deep. In the losses, that number craters to 28%. Ironically, San Antonio is shooting 33.6% from deep in their losses and 31.6% from deep in their wins. Last postseason, OKC was able to win games despite their poor outside shooting. But in this series, with both Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell being out, OKC has been a lot more dependent on that jumper falling. And they are going to need that trend to continue if they want a repeat trip to the Finals.
- Match (or even exceed) the physicality – Game 6 showed us how physical the refs will allow the game to get. Carter Bryant was able to getting a running start at a non-moving SGA on a rebound attempt. Victor Wembanyama was able to pull Lu Dort’s hair while running up court. Devin Vessell was able to taunt Chet Holmgren after a block. For almost all of Game 6, OKC was made to look like the little brother. And for most of the series, the team that has enforced his will and it’s physicality has been the victor. The Thunder cannot be punked in this game. There has to be a modicum of pride at stake for those things that happened in Game 6 to not happen in Game 7.
Thunder @ San Antonio Spurs preview (Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals)
- #1 Oklahoma City Thunder (11-2) @ #2 San Antonio Spurs (10-5)
- When: Thursday, 28 May 2026 at 7:30pm CST
- Where: Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, TX
- TV: NBC/Peacock
- Playoff Offensive Rating (of the three teams still remaining in the playoffs): SAS: 114.9 (3rd) / OKC: 120.1 (2nd)
- Playoff Defensive Rating (of the three teams still remaining in the playoffs): SAS: 105.0 (2nd) / OKC: 109.4 (3rd)
- Playoff Net Rating (of the three teams still remaining in the playoffs): SAS: 9.9 (3rd) / OKC: 10.7 (2nd)
- Series Record: OKC leads 3-2
The Tip-Off
The Oklahoma City Thunder have not enjoyed a great history with Game 6’s. To the point where they are commonly associated with a certain player who played for the Golden State Warriors and had an other-worldly performance in the 2nd half of a pivotal Game 6. Even though there was a Game 7 after that game, the “Game 6 Klay” game was likely the beginning of the end of the Kevin Durant/Russell Westbrook Thunder. In recent history, OKC has played in three Game 6’s in the past 2 seasons and the results have not been great. In 2024, they played in Game 6 against the Dallas Mavericks and lost a one-point nail baiter that saw them bounced from the playoffs that year. In 2025, against both Denver and Indiana, OKC had a 3-2 series lead heading into Game 6 and lost both in blowout fashion, setting up Game 7’s in both those series. Luckily, for the Thunder, they won both of those Game 7’s on their way to the title last season.
Betting Info, presented by FanDuel
- Line: SA -3.5
- O/U: 218.5
Injury Report
OKC
- Ajay Mitchell – OUT (calf)
- Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
- Jalen Williams – Questionable (hamstring)
SAS
- None
Three Big Things
- SGA – This feels like the kind of game where OKC will need an MVP performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. While he’s done well enough to give the Thunder a 3-2 series lead, he hasn’t put together MVP-like performances in consecutive games this series. And that’s by no fault of his own. With Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell both being out, San Antonio’s defense has been able to key in on SGA like no other team has been able to do. The physicality by Stephon Castle and the shadowing by Victor Wembanyama has been enough to knock the MVP shine off of SGA. But he’s adjusted by relying on his playmaking and when his teammates are knocking down shots, the Thunder usually are coming out victorious. But when his teammates struggle, that is where San Antonio’s is able to complete their grasp on SGA.
- Who steps up? – OKC’s wins in this series have been buoyed by great performances from their role players. Even in the Game 1 loss, Alex Caruso came up with 31 points. Jared McCain has been a revelation in several of the games this series. Jaylin Williams has shown up and been huge as a floor spacer. And the big man duo of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein have been extremely important for the Thunder at times in this series. With Game 6 being on the road, which role player will step up for the moment. My money is on Caruso having another great game and grabbing the Western Conference Finals MVP award when it is all said and done.
- Physicality on Wemby – This has been Wembanyama’s longest season of his career. And you can tell it’s starting to wear on him. He settled for way too many jumpers in Game 5 and made his moves off the dribble later than usual, allowing OKC’s defense to get in place to defend him. I think we’ll see a lot more offensive movement by San Antonio to try and get Wemby space to operate. The Spurs, like OKC and SGA, will need an MVP-like performance from Wemby to have a chance in this game.
Thunder @ San Antonio Spurs preview (Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals)
- #1 Oklahoma City Thunder (9-1) @ #2 San Antonio Spurs (9-4)
- When: Friday, 22 May 2026 at 7:30pm CST
- Where: Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, TX
- TV: NBC/Peacock
- Playoff Offensive Rating (of the remaining 4 playoff teams): SAS: 114.4 (3rd) / OKC: 128.2 (1st)
- Playoff Defensive Rating (of the remaining 4 playoff teams): SAS: 100.0 (1st) / OKC: 108.2 (3rd)
- Playoff Net Rating (of the remaining 4 playoff teams): SAS: 14.4 (3rd) / OKC: 20.0 (2nd)
- Series Record: Tied 1-1
The Tip-Off
Perspective can be a funny thing. Both of these teams are heading into Game 3 saying the same thing: “Damn, we could be up 2-0.” San Antonio had control for most of Game 1, but could never completely shut the door on OKC and required double overtime to secure a victory. And OKC was the aggressor in Game 2, but their lead never completely felt safe. A couple shots going in either way, and we have a completely different series on our hands. That’s how close this series has been, After two games, OKC is leading San Antonio in total points scored in the series, 237-235. When a series is tied 1-1, the winner of Game 3 wins the series 73.3% of the time. Last season, though, OKC bucked that trend in the Denver and Indiana series, losing Game 3 in both series, and coming back to win the series in 7 games.
Betting Info, presented by FanDuel
- Line: OKC -1.5
- O/U: 217.5
Injury Report
OKC
- Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
- Jalen Williams – Questionable (hamstring)
SAS
- De’Aaron Fox – Questionable (ankle)
- Dylan Harper – Questionable (adductor)
Three Big Things
- The Officials – It sucks that this has to lead off my “3 Big Things”, but we all know there will ultimately be a game where the refs are going to swing the momentum either way. To their credit, the refs have been great in the first two games. This series is extremely physical both ways and the refs have done a great job of controlling the game, both from a physicality perspective and a foul-calling perspective. The more aggressive team has rightfully gotten the benefit of the calls in both games. But now that Isaiah Hartenstein has imposed his will on Victor Wembanyama, will Marc Davis and his crew try to course-correct the physicality or will it be a continuation of the first two games?
- Injuries/Depth – This is why depth is king in today’s NBA. By this point in the season, teams are dealing with some sort of injury to key player(s). It is almost a given. New York has had to keep an eye on OG Anunoby’s hamstring. San Antonio with Fox and, now, Harper. OKC with Jalen Williams. Cleveland has probably been the healthiest, but also benefit from having a deep roster. If both Fox and Harper have to sit, it could bear itself pretty significantly if the Spurs have to play their 9th-10th guys. Jordan McLaughlin and Harrison Barnes got some action in Game 2 and McLaughlin was a -10 in his 7 minutes of action. OKC has basically played the entire season without Dub, but it still would have been beneficial to have him healthy throughout the playoffs.
- Force Wemby to Work – As crazy as it may sound, they way to defeat Wembanyama is to make him work defensively. In Game 1, OKC was thinking too much on the offensive end and allowing Wemby to just roam and not tire himself out defensively. He played defense mentally, more than physically in Game 1. In Game 2, OKC continuously put him into actions and made him have to move around and make decisions. Many times, it was the correct decision, but OKC was able to catch more of a rhythm offensively because they forced Wemby to have to make a decision and then dictated terms from there. A secondary effect to this is tiring Wemby so he isn’t as effective on the offensive end for San Antonio.
San Antonio Spurs vs. Thunder preview (Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals)
- #2 San Antonio Spurs (9-3) vs. #1 Oklahoma City (8-1)
- When: Wednesday, 20 May 2026 at 7:30pm CST
- Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK
- TV: NBC/Peacock
- Playoff Offensive Rating (of the remaining playoff teams): SAS: 116.3 (3rd) / OKC: 123.3 (1st)
- Playoff Defensive Rating (of the remaining playoff teams): SAS: 102.2 (1st) / OKC: 108.9 (3rd)
- Playoff Net Rating (of the remaining playoff teams): SAS: 14.0 (3rd) / OKC: 14.4 (2nd)
- Series Record: SAS leads 1-0
The Tip-Off
So this is what it must’ve felt like to go against Wilt Chamberlain in late 50s/early 60s. Or what NBA centers must’ve felt when Shaquille O’Neal first entered the league in the 90s. To see someone so physically imposing move in ways that defy what you’ve seen before is what legends are made of. But when it’s happening to your team in real time, it’s gut-wrenching. In Game 1, Victor Wembanyama dominated to the tune of 41 points and 24 rebounds. He used his length (and the fear of his length) to his advantage. Ironically, while in the “walk-up” tunnel as Wemby was passing us by, myself and Suave Report’s Addam Francisco were discussing before the game the different strategies OKC may employ to defend Wembanyama. And I, stupidly tempting the basketball gods, said, “I don’t really think we need to focus on him on the offensive end. It’s not like he’s consistently beating teams by putting up 40 point/20 rebound games.” As Taylor Swift has famously said before, “It’s me, hi. I’m the problem, it’s me.” Here’s hoping some course-correcting juju goes OKC’s way in Game 2.
Betting Info, presented by FanDuel
- Line: OKC -6.5
- O/U: 216.5
Injury Report
OKC
- Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
SAS
- De’Aaron Fox – Questionable (ankle)
Five Big Things
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – The current, reigning MVP has got to be better in Game 2. He scored 24 points on 23 shots and was a team worst -15 while he was on the floor. But it wasn’t necessarily just the misses. It was also the hesitancy to get to his shots up because of Wembanyama and the Spurs’ defense. And I get it. Just look at the article picture. That’s three Spurs players laser-focused on SGA. The correct basketball play says that SGA should pass to a more open teammate in that situation. But, the Thunder aren’t going to win if SGA is only attempting 5 field goals in a half (which is what he did in the first half of Game 1). San Antonio took the game to the Thunder in Game 1. SGA has to lead the charge for OKC to do that in Game 2.
- Random Role-Player Game – Losing any game in the playoffs can be painful. But losing a game where Alex Caruso goes off for 31 points on 8-14 shooting from deep is nerve-piercing, migraine-inducing painful. The Thunder usually aren’t the beneficiaries of the “random role-player going off” game. Honestly, it’s usually done to them. Will we ever see another game like this from Caruso? Will we get a Jared McCain or Isaiah Joe game like this? If San Antonio is going to sell on keeping all of the Thunder’s players out of the paint, we are likely going to need similar nights from someone other than OKC’s core quartet (SGA, Dub, Chet, and Ajay).
- The Puzzle that is Wemby – This is going to be the conundrum that the league is going to have to figure out for likely the next decade. Wembanyama completely changes the geometry of the court on the defensive end. He instills fear in drivers and turns teams into jump-shooting versions of themselves. While his basketball IQ is high, he can be hyper-focused on getting blocks. This could work in OKC’s favor if SGA or Dub can get Wembanyama to bite on some pump-fakes. Wemby was foul-less for most of the game and then racked up 4 fouls pretty quickly. It happened later in the game, so it didn’t really affect his time on the floor, but if those fouls are picked up earlier in the game, it may for San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson to sit Wemby for more stretches in the game.
- Starting Lineup Change? – In the second half of Game 1, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault started Cason Wallace in place of Isaiah Hartenstein. The “Wemby + 4 guards/shooters” line-up made it difficult to keep both bigs out there for an extended period of time. At the beginning of the game, OKC saw themselves down 7-0 early with San Antonio targeting Hartenstein in pick and roll action. The downside to sitting Hartenstein is that you lose your muscle and rebounding up front (of which, iHart wasn’t very good in Game 1 with only 2 rebounds). It may be up to the guards of OKC to focus more on getting defensive rebounds and helping Chet up front if he is the lone big.
- Ajay Mitchell – The belle of the ball in the first two rounds of the playoffs looked a little pumpkin-ish in Game 1. He had 4 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals, but only took 5 shots in his 34 minutes of action. A lot like SGA, Mitchell has to figure out how to navigate the waters with Wemby out there. Dribble penetration and paint touches are the name of Mitchell’s game, but that’s also where Wemby patrols most often. OKC really needs Mitchell to be a factor, especially in bench lineups where Wembanyama may be on the bench.
San Antonio Spurs vs. Thunder preview (Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals)
- #2 San Antonio Spurs (8-3) vs. #1 Oklahoma City Thunder (8-0)
- When: Monday, 18 May 2026 at 7:30pm CST
- Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK
- TV: NBC/Peacock
- Playoff Offensive Rating (of the remaining playoff teams): SAS: 117.3 (3rd) / OKC: 126.3 (1st)
- Playoff Defensive Rating (of the remaining playoff teams): SAS: 102.2 (1st) / OKC: 109.3 (3rd)
- Playoff Net Rating (of the remaining playoff teams): SAS: 15.2 (3rd) / OKC: 17.0 (2nd)
- Series Record: 0-0
The Tip-Off
Inevitabilities in life: taxes, death, and the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs meeting in the 2026 Western Conference Finals. These two freight trains have been on a collision course since it became evident that San Antonio had jumped into a Mario warp pipe and skipped from level 2 to level 8 on the development curve. Having a generational talent like Victor Wembanyama will allow you to do that. Then came the five meetings this year between these two teams and the narrative that San Antonio is probably the best equipped team to knock off the champs in the playoff series, and you get to where we are now. First to four for Western Conference supremacy and a trip to the NBA Finals. ANNNNDDD….it’s on NBC. Cue the music, John Tesh.
Season Series
Game 1 – Dec. 13th (San Antonio won 111-109) – This was the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas, NV. A back and forth affair in the 4th quarter. San Antonio hit just enough more shots late in the game to keep OKC at bay and hold on to a 2-point victory. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 29 points and 5 assists, but also had 5 turnovers and shot 1-7 from deep. San Antonio, on the over hand, had four players with at least 22 points, led by Devin Vessell.
Game 2 – Dec. 23rd (San Antonio won 130-110) – OKC held a 2-point lead at halftime and then proceeded to get blown out 72-50 in the 2nd half. The Spurs were the aggressors, as evidenced by the disparity in free throw attempts (24-7), forced turnovers (15-9), and points in the paint (60-48). SGA led the way again with 33 points, with Jalen Williams chipping in with 17 points. San Antonio was led by Keldon Johnson (25 points) and Steph Castle (24 points).
Game 3 – Dec. 25th (San Antonio won 117-102) – Definitely, the “oh shit” moment for the Thunder. OKC finally got a Christmas game at home and came out and laid an egg against the Spurs. OKC shot 39% from the field and struggled to consistently get stops on the defensive end. The flashpoint in this game was Alex Caruso shooting 2-12 from deep (but starting off 0-9 before finally seeing one go through late in the 3rd quarter). De’Aaron Fox led the way for San Antonio with 29 points with Wembanyama contributing with 19 points and 11 rebounds. SGA scored 22 points on 7/19 shooting, while Isaiah Hartenstein had 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Game 4 – Jan. 13th (OKC won 119-98) – The “get back” game for the Thunder. Were more the aggressors in this one, holding San Antonio to 40% shooting from the field and winning the points in the paint battle, 56-40. OKC used a huge third quarter that saw them turn a 3-point halftime lead into a 19-point lead heading into the fourth. OKC was led by SGA with 34 points and Dub with 20 points. Steph Castle had 20 points and Wemby had 17 and 7 for the Spurs.
Game 5 – Feb. 4th (San Antonio won 116-106) – The “scheduled loss” game for OKC. Second night of a back to back. Third game in four nights. And, with four previous games against the Spurs, the team probably saw this as an opportunity to see if there was something unconventional that could be discovered in this game. What many thought would be a blow-out going away turned into a very competitive game that saw the Spurs starters play until the last minute of the game. OKC was led by Kenrich Williams (25 points and 9 rebounds), Jaylin Williams (24 points and 12 rebounds), and Aaron Wiggins (20 points). The Spurs were led by Keldon Johnson (25 points) and Wembanyama (22 points and 14 rebounds).
Betting Info, presented by FanDuel
- Line: OKC -6.5
- O/U: 221.5
Injury Report
OKC
- Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
SAS
- De’Aaron Fox – Questionable (ankle)
- Luke Kornet – Questionable (foot)
Five Big Things
- Healthy J-Dub – One of the biggest X-factors for OKC is whether they’ll get a healthy Jalen Williams for the series. In the regular season games, Williams played in the four consequential games for OKC but was never fully healthy. He was still recovering from his offseason wrist surgery and was working his way back during all four of those Spurs games. In that quartet of games, Dub averaged 16.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.3 turnovers, and 2.5 steals with 44/36/67 shooting splits. While those numbers look okay, they pale in comparison to what an healthy, efficient Dub stat-line would look like. If San Antonio is going to put full effort into stopping SGA, having a healthy Dub is necessary for OKC to continuously pressure the Spurs defense.
- Chet’s mindset – For a player that was an All-Star and will likely be on one of the All-NBA teams, Holmgren’s four games against San Antonio were as forgettable as they come. The Thunder big man averaged 10.5 points and 8 rebounds on 39/20/80 shooting splits. For OKC to be successful in this series, they need Holmgren to be effective out there. Someone that makes San Antonio pay as a release valve and someone the Spurs needs to pay attention to. Too many times in those four San Antonio games, Holmgren was just a body out there, allowing the Spurs to load up in the paint and forcing OKC to be primarily a jump-shooting team. He doesn’t necessarily need to win every battle against Wembanyama, but he does need leave his imprint on every game.
- Ajay Mitchell – Mitchell played in only one of the five games against San Antonio this season. Ironically, it was the game where OKC won. As Mitchell’s star has grown throughout these playoffs, he becomes the unknown factor in this series against the Spurs. Being that secondary/tertiary ball-handler is something OKC did not have in most of the games against San Antonio this season and something the Spurs haven’t seen a ton of in these playoffs. Portland plays similarly to OKC with Deni Avdija being the offensive engine, but Scoot Henderson and Jrue Holiday aren’t necessarily on the level of Dub and Ajay Mitchell. Minnesota had an Anthony Edwards at about 80% and Ayo Dosunmu and Julius Randle, two players who are primarily attackers and not play-makers.
- Jared McCain – Can McCain play in this series? He’d definitely be a weapon as a floor spacer, but can he hang defensively with San Antonio’s guard attack. Is it a short leash situation where if the shot is falling, you take the defensive liability? McCain was obtained on February 3rd and didn’t play in the final meeting of the season between OKC and the Spurs. Like Mitchell, could McCain’s addition into the rotation provide a look the Spurs haven’t seen before from OKC?
- Turning Castle over – If there is a guard the Thunder could target with defensive pressure, it could be Steph Castle. The 2nd-year guard is averaging 3.1 turnovers per game in the playoffs, which is most on the team. His physicality lends itself to committing offensive fouls and being a bit careless with the ball at times. If the Thunder want to infuse any of their DNA into this series, it’s going to start on the defensive end with turning turnovers into points. They are first in the league this postseason in that category, scoring 22.9 points per game off turnovers.
Thunder @ Los Angeles Lakers preview (Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals)
- #1 Oklahoma City Thunder (7-0) at #4 Los Angeles Lakers (4-5)
- When: Monday, 11 May 2026 at 9:30pm CST
- Where: crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA
- TV: Prime Video
- Playoff Offensive Rating: LAL: 107.7 (12th) / OKC: 127.6 (1st)
- Playoff Defensive Rating: LAL: 112.9 (10th) / OKC: 108.8 (6th)
- Playoff Net Rating: LAL: -5.2 (11th) / OKC: 18.8 (2nd)
- Series Record: OKC leads 3-0
The Tip-Off
The Oklahoma City Thunder are known as a defensive team. That is their bread and butter. It’s what allowed them to win a championship despite shooting just 33.8% on threes last year. The turn this postseason to being an offensive juggernaut has been eye-opening. They are third in 3pt percentage this postseason, shooting 38.7% from behind the arc. They are 1st in protecting the ball. They are 2nd in True Shooting percentage and Effective FG percentage. They are first in Offensive Rebound percentage. And the crazy thing is, they are doing this all while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging just 21 points per game in the 2nd round and without Jalen Williams, who has been out with a hamstring injury the past six games. There’s a reason why OKC has won by double digits in all but one of their postseason games this year.
Betting Info, presented by FanDuel
- Line: OKC -11.5
- O/U: 214.5
Injury Report
OKC
- Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
- Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring)
LAL
- Luka Doncic – OUT (hamstring)
Three Big Things
- Ajay Mitchell – SGA has not been his normal MVP self this series, and it hasn’t even mattered. Why? Because 2nd year guard Ajay Mitchell has emerged as another diamond in the rough find for the Thunder. For the playoffs, Mitchell has been averaging 17.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal on just 1.1 turnovers per game, all while having shooting splits of 44/38/88. Coach Mark Daigneault has entrusted Mitchell as the secondary ball-handler in the starting line-up and Mitchell has paid it off with his play, not just on the offensive end, but also on the defensive end.
- Two halves – The Oklahoma City Thunder are just too talented and too deep of a team for the Lakers. In the last two games, the Lakers have executed an almost perfect game plan in the first halves of those games, carrying a 1-point lead into halftime in Game 2 and a 2-point lead into the half in Game 3. But in the third quarter of each of those games, the Thunder outscored the Lakers by 14 and 13 points, respectively, essentially putting those games away heading into the fourth quarter.
- Take Care of Business – With the other Western Conference series being tied at 2 games apiece, taking care of business tonight will allow OKC to get another week’s worth of rest before heading into what will likely be a cage fight in the conference finals. OKC has looked the fresher team in both of their series and this will likely be the last opportunity to get any kind of extended rest for the rest of the playoffs.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Thunder preview (Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals)
- #4 Los Angeles Lakers (4-2) vs. #1 Oklahoma City Thunder (4-0)
- When: Tuesday, 05 May 2026 at 7:30pm CST
- Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK
- TV: NBC / Peacock
- Playoff Offensive Rating: LAL: 107.4 (12th) / OKC: 126.9 (1st)
- Playoff Defensive Rating: LAL: 105.2 (4th) / OKC: 109.0 (8th)
- Playoff Net Rating: LAL: 2.3 (7th) / OKC: 17.8 (2nd)
- Series Record: 0-0
The Tip-Off
Six of the last seven NBA champs have all succumbed in their repeat attempts by this round in the playoffs. The 2018-19 Golden State Warriors, who had won the previous two titles before that, made it all the way back to the NBA Finals, but then suffered the “plagues of Egypt” series in which they lost both Kevin Durant (Achilles) and Klay Thompson (ACL) to series and “the following season”-ending injuries. The champions of that series, the Toronto Raptors, were then ousted by the Boston Celtics in the 2nd round the following season in The Bubble. The Bubble champ Los Angeles Lakers didn’t make it out of the first round after being a play-in team the following year, losing to Phoenix in the 2021 playoffs, four games to two. The 2021 champ, the Milwaukee Bucks, got knocked out in the 2nd round of the 2022 playoffs Boston, who won the series in seven games. Golden State had their one last hurrah that season, winning the title against the young Celtics. The following season, the Warriors lost in the 2nd round to the Lakers in six games. The 2023 champ, the Denver Nuggets lost the following season in the 2nd round to their hated rivals, the Minnesota Timberwolves in seven games. Boston finally broke through in the 2024 Finals, winning against the Dallas Mavericks in five games. Then, last season, Jayson Tatum tears his Achilles in the second round versus the New York Knicks and Boston loses that series 4-2. That opened the door for the Oklahoma City Thunder to win the title and here we stand now: the OKC Thunder in the 2nd round, looking to defend their title.
The Season Series
Game 1 – November 12th, 2025 – Both teams came into this game charged up, as this was supposed to be one of Oklahoma City’s biggest tests early in the season. They had just got done dispatching the Golden State Warriors in grand fashion the night before and now had to face the Luka Doncic-led Lakers. The Lakers were without LeBron James for that game, but the Thunder were also without Jalen Williams and Lu Dort. But they did have Cason Wallace, who put on a defensive masterclass against Doncic, and led OKC to a blowout victory, 121-92.
Game 2 – February 9th, 2026 – OKC was missing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in this one, while the Lakers were also missing Doncic. But it was a return game for Dub, who came back after missing the previous 2.5 weeks with a hamstring strain. The game was close throughout, but Dub upped his physicality in the fourth quarter, constantly driving to the basket and earning trips to the free throw line. He went 3/6 FG shooting in the 4th and capped it off with 4 free throws at the end. OKC won 119-110.
Game 3 – April 2nd, 2026 – A lot like their first meeting of the season, both teams came into this game looking to gauge their abilities against the top teams in the league. The Lakers were riding high, having jumped all the way up to the 3rd slot in the conference. And OKC was finally the healthiest it had been all season. Oklahoma City came out the gates red-hot and the game eventually turned into a dud, as both Austin Reaves and Doncic exited with injuries. OKC’s largest lead in the game was 46 and they led wire to wire, winning 139-96.
Game 4 – April 9th, 2026 – Entering this game, OKC was looking to maintain it’s lead over San Antonio for best record in the league. And LA entered this game looking to get healthy. Their trio of James, Doncic, and Reaves sat out this game and OKC won going away, 123-87.
Betting Info, presented by FanDuel
- Line: OKC -15.5
- O/U: 213.5
Injury Report
OKC
- Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
- Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring)
LAL
- Luka Doncic – OUT (hamstring)
Three Big Things
- Force Turnovers – The Lakers rank dead last for playoff teams in protecting the ball. The turned the ball over 17.7 times per game in the Houston series and had a turnover percentage of 18.8%. To do that while also having the 2nd slowest team in the playoffs is a recipe for disaster for Los Angeles. If OKC is able to play their game and continue this trend for the Lakers, the series may be over in three games.
- Offensive Rebounds – Another area where the Lakers struggled in their series against Houston was in securing defensive rebounds. For the playoffs, the Lakers rank last with a 65.5% Defensive Rebound percentage for the teams that are still remaining in the playoffs. Consequently, the Thunder rank 2nd in playoff teams in Offensive Rebound percentage. If OKC can consistently get 2nd chance points, of which they are 2nd among playoff teams, then that opens up another avenue for OKC to get more points against LA.
- SGA – It’s not the Clippers, but it’s still an LA team. SGA always seems to get up for games against any LA opponent. And now he’ll have the chance to play at least 4 games against them.
Thunder @ Phoenix Suns preview (Game 4 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals)
- #1 Oklahoma City Thunder (3-0) @ #8 Phoenix Suns (0-3)
- When: Monday, 27 April 2026 at 8:30pm CST
- Where: Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, AZ
- TV: Peacock
- Series Record: OKC leads 3-0
The Tip-Off
The Slog. It’s what I like to call Game 4’s the Oklahoma City Thunder are involved in. Over the last two postseasons prior to this year’s, the Thunder have gone 6-0 in Game 4’s. But the average margin of victory in those games was just 4.7 points, with the largest margin of victory being 8 points. Two of those games were decided by just two points (against Memphis and Minnesota). In three of those series (against Dallas, Denver, and Indiana), the Thunder were facing a 2-1 series deficit and NEEDED Game 4 to even the series. The one constant in all of those games has been the performance of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. In the six Game 4’s from the last two postseasons, SGA has averaged 32.7 points on 47% shooting from the field, 6.8 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 2.5 steals, and 1 block.
Betting Info, presented by FanDuel
- Line: OKC -11.5
- O/U: 214.5
Injury Report
OKC
- Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
- Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring)
PHX
- Jordan Goodwin – Questionable (calf)
- Mark Williams – OUT (foot)
Three Big Things
- Next Man Up – With Jalen Williams and Isaiah Joe both missing Game 3, the “next man up” mentality shifted over to Aaron Wiggins and Jared McCain both getting significant playoff minutes. And each played their role well. McCain came into the game and played that hybrid “Isaiah Joe/Ajay Mitchell” role and scored 7 quick points in the second quarter. Wiggins played 11 minutes, and while there was anything spectacular about his performance, he was a +8 in the game during that time. This is a testament to coach Mark Daigneault and his insistence on keeping players ready throughout the regular season.
- Chet Holmgren – Phoenix is still without Mark Williams, and while Oso Ighodaro had a good bounce-back game in Game 3, the center position is still a point of weakness in the Suns’ lineup. Holmgren struggled a little on offense in that game, especially with the absence of Dub, who opens up so many opportunities for Holmgren in the halfcourt. I think we a little more big to big action in this game to exploit Phoenix’s size deficiency.
- Just Get It Done – As we’ve seen in the early going of these playoffs, the postseason eventually turns into a war of attrition. Last postseason, we saw injuries to Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton, Damian Lillard, Aaron Gordon, and to a lesser extend, Dub and Chet, all have effects on their teams’ playoff performances. This postseason, we’ve seen Donte DiVencenzo and Anthony Edwards both go down with serious injuries within minutes of each other. Victor Wembanyama was concussed for a game and a half. Peyton Watson, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have yet to play a game in the playoffs. Kevin Durant has only played in one game. And Gordon and Dub are back dealing with soft tissue injuries. The less time you need to play, the less possibility you have of injuries occurring. As Daigneault has been known to say, “We can only control what we can control,” and winning Game 4 is definitely something they can control.