Thunder vs. Spurs looks set to be this generation’s Lakers vs. Celtics
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are positioned to dominate the Western Conference for the next several years, similar to the Lakers-Celtics rivalry of the 1980s, with both teams boasting strong records and young, talented rosters.
- Both teams have impressive underlying statistics, overcame key injuries, and finished the recent season with dominant performances, indicating they are improving and poised for sustained success.
- The Thunder and Spurs have young core players signed to long-term contracts, keeping their teams competitive and financially flexible, with ample salary cap space and valuable draft picks to maintain or enhance their rosters.
- Each team possesses superstar players—Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for Oklahoma City and Victor Wembanyama for San Antonio—who currently rank among the best in the league, providing a significant competitive edge.
- Potential vulnerabilities include a lack of certain player types (e.g., a versatile 6-foot-8 forward) and looming large contract extensions, but overall, these are minor compared to their strengths, making their continued dominance highly likely.