The Oklahoma City Thunder were dominant for most of the season, posting the NBA’s best record for the second consecutive season.
But the Thunder struggled against the San Antonio Spurs, dropping four of the five meetings during the regular season.
On Monday, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder open the Western Conference finals against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs in Oklahoma City.
It’s the first NBA playoff series between teams with 60 or more wins since 2017 and the first between teams with 62 or more wins since the 1998 NBA Finals between Chicago and Utah.
“It’s fitting because both teams earned their way here,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “… It’s a team we have a ton of respect for. We know what they’re capable of. It’s an opponent that is incredibly worthy.”
Thunder reserve big man Jaylin Williams said the regular-season results don’t mean much now.
“The playoffs is such a different monster,” Williams said. “It’s a different game. You’re never playing a team this many times in a row in the regular season. The calls are different, guys play harder, the defense is different, offense is different, everything is different. So it’s a whole different game.”
Oklahoma City has had a week between games, finishing off a sweep of the Lakers on May 11. The Thunder are 8-0 in the playoffs, winning by an average of more than 16 points per game.
San Antonio is coming off a six-game series win over Minnesota after needing five games to dispatch Portland in the first round.
“Just the words ‘conference finals,’ it’s crazy,” Wembanyama said. “It’s like something I heard my whole life. Now being in it is just special.”
While Wembanyama played in the games against Oklahoma City in the regular season, he came off the bench for each of the three wins over the Thunder during a 13-day stretch in December.
Wembanyama was working his way back from a calf strain, and upon his return came off the bench for the first seven games before returning to the starting lineup.
In his first playoff run, Wembanyaa is averaging 20.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, 4.1 blocks and 2.4 assists.
The Spurs have been pretty healthy during their run to the Western Conference finals.
Oklahoma City has been without All-Star guard Jalen Williams since he sustained a hamstring injury in Game 2 of the first round.
In an Instagram video posted Friday, Williams said he was ready to return.
“I’m about to go into another series healthy,” Williams said.
Williams wasn’t listed on the injury report ahead of Game 1.
San Antonio’s De’Aaron Fox (ankle) and Luke Kornet (foot) are listed as questionable.
While Gilgeous-Alexander, who was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive season Sunday, has led the way for Oklahoma City, Chet Holmgren and Ajay Mitchell have been critical pieces for this playoff run.
Holmgren, in particular, figures to be key in this series as the Thunder try to slow Wembanyama. Wembanyama won NBA Defensive Player of the Year honors while Holmgren finished second. Holmgren is averaging 18.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, 1.4 steals and 1.3 assists in the postseason.
San Antonio is in the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2017 and is looking for its first NBA Finals berth since winning the 2014 title.
Oklahoma City is looking to become the first back-to-back NBA champion since Golden State in 2017-18.
“It’s going to be a hard-fought series — very physical, two teams with high aspirations,” Spurs guard Stephon Castle said. “They’re playing really well right now. We’re playing really well right now. We’re in each other’s way of going to the finals, so I think it’ll be a good series.”
