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San Antonio Spurs vs. Thunder preview (Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals)

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  • #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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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)

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  • #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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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)

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  • #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

  1. 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?
  2. 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.
  3. 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)

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  • #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

  1. 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.
  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).
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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)

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  • #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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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?
  5. 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)

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  • #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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.

Phoenix Suns vs. Thunder preview (Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals)

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  • #8 Phoenix Suns (0-0) vs. #1 Oklahoma City Thunder (0-0)
  • When: Sunday, 19 April 2026 at 2:30pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK
  • TV: ABC
  • Series Record: 0-0

The Tip-Off

We’re finally here. October 21st, 2025, aka Ring Night, truly feels like it was years ago. The Thunder hoisting up the Larry O’Brien trophy on June 22nd, 2025, might as well have been a decade ago. The regular season this year didn’t feel like a statement it was the last two previous season. Instead, it felt like a slog. Like you were walking in wet cement as it begins to solidify. When you accomplish the ultimate goal in team sports, have a shortened offseason, and bring back basically the same roster, the regular season can, at times, feel like it takes on less meaning. Add to that, the list of walking wounded the Thunder trotted in night in and night out and the unspoken human nature component of “why try ridiculously hard every evening, if the ultimate prize lays at the end of a rainbow where you have to arrive as healthy as possible,” and now you see why the regular season felt a bit more joyless this year. And yet, with all that, as true Oklahomans can attest, they weathered the storm. Their fortitude and commitment to the job allowed them to finish with the best record in the league for the second straight season. That means home-court advantage for every Game 1 and Game 7* (if necessary). And as we saw last season, having home-court in Game 7, was a lot more important than having it in Game 1.

The Season Series

  • Game 1 – November 28th, 2025 – The first meeting between OKC and Phoenix was notable, not only because it was one of their NBA Cup Group Play games, but also because it was the return of Jalen Williams back into OKC’s lineup after missing the first 19 games of the season recovering from offseason wrist surgery. Oklahoma City won 123-119, in a game that saw them lead by as many as 15 points early in the fourth quarter, only to squander that lead away and have it be a one-point game with 2 minutes left in the game. Some shot-making and play-making late in the fourth from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander helped close the door on the Suns. OKC was led by SGA (37 points and 8 assists) and Chet Holmgren (23 points and 8 rebounds).
  • Game 2 – December 10th, 2025 – Both of these teams met again in the NBA Cup Quarterfinals, and this time, the result was never in question. Phoenix was without Devin Booker and OKC’s defense took full advantage of Phoenix missing their main offensive engine, winning 138-89. The only other notable thing in this game was Grayson Allen getting ejected in the 3rd quarter due to a Flagrant-2 on Chet Holmgren.
  • Game 3 – January 4th, 2026 – This was during the time in the season where OKC looked like their confidence was waining a bit after the losses to San Antonio in December. OKC appeared to have control for most of the game, but Phoenix kept it close and finally overtook the Thunder in the end on a Booker game-winning three with 0.7 seconds left in the game, winning 108-105. Phoenix completely destroyed OKC on the boards in this game, grabbing 10 more offensive rebounds and 20 more rebounds total.
  • Game 4 – February 11th, 2026 – Probably the most definitive J-Dub game of the season, as OKC won 136-109. He led the way, scoring 28 points on 11/12 shooting from the field, before exiting the game in the third quarter with a reaggravation of his hamstring strain. Up to that point, it felt like his wrist issues were behind him and he could start to put some games together. But, alas, it wasn’t in the cards at that time. Six other players scored in double figures for the Thunder, in a game that lacked both SGA and Booker.
  • Game 5 – April 12th,2026 – The G-League Suns beat the G-League Thunder, 135-103. Branden Carlson led the way for OKC with 26 points and 10 boards and Payton Sandfort pumped in a career-high 23 points on 5/9 shooting from deep.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -14.5
  • O/U: 215.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)

PHX

  • Grayson Allen – Questionable (hamstring)
  • Mark Williams – Questionable (foot)

Three Big Things

  1. Jalen Green – One player the Thunder haven’t had to account for in their previous meetings this season was Jalen Green. The mercurial shooting guard was absent from all 5 of the regular season games due to various injuries. But he has shown up for Phoenix in the last two play-in games, scoring a total of 71 points on 10/21 shooting from deep. If Green is getting hot at the right time, it could be an added weapon Phoenix could throw at OKC. One of the ways that Phoenix can beat OKC is in shot-making variance and Green can add to that.
  2. Size – Despite having Mark Williams and Oso Ighodaro on their roster, Phoenix has seemingly fallen in love with their small-ball lineup that features Ryan Dunn and Royce O’Neal as their bigs. It’ll be interesting to see the lineups that Suns coach Jordan Ott deploys. Regardless, OKC’s platoon of big men (Chet, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Jaylin Williams) should fare very well on the interior against the Suns.
  3. Ajay Mitchell and Isaiah Joe – Probably the biggest X-factors for the Thunder outside of the performance of their Big-3. Joe has been on a consistent tear here over the past couple of months, shooting over 41% from deep since the new year. In addition, his defense and overall offensive game have allowed him to stay on the floor and be less of a liability as an overall rotational piece. And Mitchell has been a revelation this season as a play-maker, ball handler, and offensive engine with or without SGA or Dub in the lineup with him. If those two can continue into the playoffs what they’ve been doing in the regular season, it could spell big trouble for the rest of the teams left in the playoffs.

Phoenix Suns vs. Thunder preview (Game 82 of 82)

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  • Phoenix Suns (44-37, 7th in the West) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (64-17, 1st in the West)
  • When: Sunday, 12 April 2026 at 7:30pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK
  • TV: FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: PHX: 113.9 (18th) / OKC: 117.7 (7th)
  • Defensive Rating: PHX: 113.0 (10th) / OKC: 106.1 (1st)
  • Net Rating: PHX: 1.0 (16th) / OKC: 11.6 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: PHX: 5-5 in their last 10 games / OKC: Lost their last game, but won their previous 7 before that

The Tip-Off

The end. Though every year feels long when you first start it, by the time you reach the end, you relate to the age-old adage that relates to parents and their children: the days are long, but the years are short. As we head into another postseason where we are the favorites, let’s appreciate the day by day steps that we’ve had to take to get to this point. It may not always be pretty, but as our MVP continues to preach, it’s always consistent.

This is the fifth and final regular season meeting between the Thunder and Suns. Oklahoma City has won 3 of the 4 meetings, with the lone Suns’ victory coming on a Devin Booker game-winning 3.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -7.5
  • O/U: 212.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Alex Caruso – OUT (rest)
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – OUT (oblique injury management)
  • Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (calf injury management)
  • Chet Holmgren – OUT (back)
  • Isaiah Joe – OUT (knee)
  • Ajay Mitchell – OUT (ankle injury management)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Cason Wallace – OUT (toe)
  • Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring injury management)
  • Jaylin Williams – OUT (Achilles tendinitis)

PHX

  • Grayson Allen – OUT (hamstring)
  • Devin Booker – OUT (ankle injury management)
  • Dillon Brooks – OUT (finger injury management)
  • Collin Gillespie – Questionable (shoulder)
  • Jordan Goodwin – Questionable (ankle)
  • Jalen Green – Questionable (knee)
  • Haywood Highsmith – Questionable (knee injury management)
  • Royce O’Neale – OUT (knee injury management)
  • Mark Williams – Questionable (foot injury management)

Three Big Things

  1. Two-Way Players – Due to the fact that 2-way players can’t be on the playoff roster, this is the our final opportunity to see our 2-way players this season. Brooks Barnhizer, Branden Carlson, and Payton Sandfort have all contributed in some form and some way to this season. With the amount of injuries the Thunder have had, having three extra players (along with Chris Youngblood and Buddy Boeheim) has been of utmost importance for the sustainability of this team. Here’s the them going off in the final game of the season.
  2. Again, Health Above All – For the players that are going to be on the playoff roster, please stay healthy in this game. Lu Dort is out here chasing All-Defense Team glory and guys like Kenrich Williams, Aaron Wiggins, Jared McCain, and even Nikola Topic could play critical roles at various points in the playoffs.
  3. Reflection – Though the record may not show it, this year’s team is much better than last’s year team. They’ve had to battle through a myriad of injuries all season long (to the tune of 2nd most man-games missed) and have had to face new foes (hello, San Antonio) throughout the season. They’ve had to switch from being the hunters to the hunted and have done a good job handling that. But now begins what the Thunder have been battling for the entire season…hello, playoffs! Time to defend our crown.

 

Thunder @ Denver Nuggets preview (Game 81 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (64-16, 1st in the West) vs. Denver Nuggets (52-28, 3rd in the West)
  • When: Friday, 10 April 2026 at 8:00pm CST
  • Where: Ball Arena in Denver, CO
  • TV: FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: DEN: 121.1 (1st) / OKC: 117.9 (7th)
  • Defensive Rating: DEN: 116.2 (21st) / OKC: 105.9 (1st)
  • Net Rating: DEN: 4.9 (8th) / OKC: 12.0 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: DEN: Winners of 10 straight / OKC: Winners of 7 straight

The Tip-Off

Dictating terms. It’s such a great position to be in for the final two games of the season. With home-court advantage throughout the playoffs wrapped up after Game 80, the Thunder are now in position to do whatever they want for these last two games of the season. And so, they will. Entering tonight’s game against Denver, the Thunder have chosen to sit most of their rotational pieces in order to, not only protect their health, but also to put Denver in position to stay in the 3rd seed of the Western Conference and keep them on San Antonio’s side of the bracket. It is a right afforded to those who compete the entire season and have the depth to weather fatigue and injuries.

This is the four and final meeting of the regular season between these Northwest Division rivals. The Thunder have won the first three meetings, but the last two games have been games that have gone down to the wire.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC +11.5
  • O/U: 231.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Alex Caruso – OUT (rest)
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – OUT (oblique injury management)
  • Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (calf injury management)
  • Chet Holmgren – OUT (back)
  • Isaiah Joe – OUT (knee)
  • Ajay Mitchell – OUT (ankle injury management)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Cason Wallace – OUT (toe)
  • Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring injury management)
  • Jaylin Williams – OUT (Achilles tendinitis)

DEN

  • Aaron Gordon – Questionable (hamstring injury management)
  • Christian Braun – Questionable (ankle)
  • Cam Johnson – Questionable (rest)
  • Nikola Jokic – Questionable (wrist injury management)
  • Spencer Jones – OUT (hamstring)
  • Jamal Murray – Questionable (shoulder)
  • Peyton Watson – OUT (hamstring)

Three Big Things

  1. Health Above All – While the majority of the Thunder’s rotation is resting, it is important that everyone on the team make it out of the regular season as unscathed as possible. Lu Dort is playing in this game in order to meet the 65-game rule for the possibility of making one of the All-Defense Teams. Jared McCain and Aaron Wiggins have played important rotational minutes this season and could be called upon when the postseason starts. The Thunder have finally gotten as healthy as they’ve been all season and the hope is that the injury report remains clean heading into the postseason.
  2. Speed Them Up – About the only way the Thunder can win this game is in muddying it up and getting out in transition. Denver is 19th in the league in defending Fast Break Points, allowing 15.5 per game. In addition, they are 20th in the league in Pace. If the Thunder can turn them over and make this game a track meet, that could be one way to make this game interesting.
  3. Nikola….Topic – I’m really excited to see the Thunder break off the shackles on Topic and allow him to play free in these last two games. Give him 40 minutes per game and get him prepared to compete for rotational minutes next season. Topic played in 13 G-League games this season and after a few games to get his body acclimated, Topic averaged 30.6 minutes per game in the last 7 games of the G-League season.

 

 

Thunder @ Los Angeles Lakers preview (Game 79 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (62-16, 1st in the West) @ Los Angeles Lakers (50-28, 4th in the West)
  • When: Tuesday, 07 April 2026 at 9:30pm CST
  • Where: Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA
  • TV: FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: LAL: 117.1 (9th) / OKC: 117.6 (7th)
  • Defensive Rating: LAL: 116.0 (20th) / OKC: 106.0 (1st)
  • Net Rating: LAL: 1.2 (16th) / OKC: 11.6 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: LAL: Losers of 2 straight, but had won 13 of their previous 14 games / OKC: Winners of 5 straight
  • Magic Number (to clinch the No. 1 seed throughout the playoffs): 2

The Tip-Off

In my honest opinion, this is the most dangerous time in the season for a contending team. The thin line between resting players and keeping them sharp by playing in sometimes meaningless games leads to the possibility of fatigue and, worst of all, injuries. The Lakers experienced that twice in one game, with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves being knocked of the Thunder game (and the rest of the regular season and likely part or all of the postseason) with soft-tissue injuries. San Antonio saw Victor Wembanyama go down in their last game with a rib injury. Regardless of the severity of the injury, rib injuries have a tendency to creep back up, especially with the increased physicality of playoff games. This is why wrapping up your playoff positioning as early as possible is so important.

This is the fourth and final meeting of the regular season between the Thunder and Lakers. The Thunder have won the first three meetings this season by an average of 27 points.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -18.5
  • O/U: 220.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring injury management)

LAL

  • Luka Doncic – OUT (hamstring)
  • LeBron James – OUT (foot)
  • Austin Reaves – OUT (oblique)
  • Marcus Smart – OUT (ankle)

Three Big Things

  1. Take Care of Business – With a magic number of 2, the Thunder could go ahead and wrap up home-court advantage for the playoffs by the end of the day on Wednesday. But the games still need to be played and the Thunder face a Lakers team that is very depleted, but very desperate. The Lakers will likely come out like a wounded animal, looking to not only seek some revenge on the Thunder, but also regain their grip on the 3rd seed in the West. The Thunder will need to come out early, play their game, and not give LA any form of hope.
  2. Depth – The Thunder have it. The Lakers currently do not. This is where the game can go from a deficit to a blow-out for the Lakers. Los Angeles will have to contend with one of the best starting line-ups in the league, and then will have to match that against one of the best/deepest benches in the league.
  3. Attack the Paint – The key to the blowout victory on April 2nd wasn’t the three-pointers or the injuries to Reaves and Doncic. It was OKC’s ability to get into the paint and then cause havoc once there by either scoring or spraying the ball out to open shooters. The Thunder scored 64 points in the paint. Their season average for points in the paint is 49.5 (good for 17th in the league). With the lack of rim protection and with Marcus Smart still being out, this may be another paint-touch mastery class in the making.