Spurs vs. Thunder has the makings of a rivalry, but it’s not there yet

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San Antonio — This is an aspiration that can be imagined, promoted, and perhaps even rationalized. But above all, in order to be taken seriously, it must be realized. And in the case of Oklahoma City vs. San Antonio, it’s a rivalry that the basketball world aspires to and expects, but it’s still not happening, with the Western Conference Finals less than three games away.

And until the Spurs made it happen.

Until further notice, the Thunder will continue to command and command, bringing more men, smarter adjustments, better composure, and every play when it really matters.

In Game 3, they overcame the Spurs’ 15-0 run and took a 2-1 lead in the series, eventually coming away with a comfortable 123-108 victory on Friday. A one-game difference in the series may not seem comfortable, at least until the circumstances apply.

Because, so far, the irreproachable details are:

• The Thunder are without Jaylen Williams for nearly two games due to a recurring hamstring issue. Of course, he’s a former All-NBA player and the OKC scoring wingman for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
• The Spurs needed not only an incredible performance from Victor Wembaneyama to pick up their only victory, but also needed his deep 3-point shooting to send the win to a second overtime.
• And when the series moved to their home court on Friday, the Spurs were a little flat overall, with Wenbang Yama in particular having no impact, while Dylan Harper and De’Aaron Fox are clearly struggling with the after-effects of injuries.

Meanwhile, Thunder’s numerical strength is once again devastating. They were just the reserves, and they outscored the Spurs bench by an astounding score of 76-23. Jared McCain had an incredible 24 points and showed he’s much more than a 3-point shooting threat. In this series, the bench totals are 183 for the Thunder and 64 for the Spurs, even though OKC’s secondary has scored 50 or more points in three consecutive games.

The conversation can change quickly in these playoffs. We’ve seen it happen many times. The Spurs are a young team looking to skip a few steps in their transition to championship contendership, and while they’re a scary enough team to pull it off right away, it’s going to take more.

But what about now? Will they play against defending champion OKC? Are they the only team in this series that has already been there and done that?

“This is the first playoffs for me and for us,” Wemby said. “Of course there will be tough challenges. That’s to be expected. But now we’re going to see what we’re made of.”

For a rivalry to be classified as one, it must be evenly contested. The Spurs’ four wins over OKC during the regular season certainly made it more likely. But there’s a difference between playing a game on a random February night and playing it in a seven-game series where adjustments are made, lessons are learned, and clues are unraveled.

This is a roundabout way of saying that rivalries, like trees, need to mature. This is not the case.

In terms of potential, certainly Spurs vs. Thunder could one day rank among the greatest intraconference rivalries of all time, like the classic Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics featuring Julius Erving and Moses Malone, Larry Bird and Kevin McHale. These rivalries aren’t between teams from different conferences, so they’re not playing for an NBA championship, which makes them even tougher. That’s because the loser won’t even have a chance to win the title and may be better qualified than the East team that made it to the finals.

However, the ingredients for this rivalry recipe are clear and authentic. Both teams feature an MVP candidate in Kia and a young core with depth, the front offices are smartly run, the teams are well-coached, and there are no signs of drama in the locker room.

It also has some spice in it. Friday’s shaky third quarter was extended by heavy fouls by both teams. Alex Caruso chopped up Stephon Castle. Shortly after, Ajay Mitchell attacked Castle with a club and a shoving ensued. What’s next? Wenby lowered his shoulder and drove the Thunder center fielder toward Chet Holmgren into the ground. But this time there was no hair-pulling. Isaiah Hartenstein, who had been found guilty a few nights earlier, had kept his fingers away from Castle’s terror.

So, in addition to being antagonistic to some degree, these teams don’t seem to like each other, and the sour taste of the rivalry just needs to be fully appreciated.

The Spurs and Thunder also have assets to develop and improve their rosters over the next few years, which could help both teams maintain their excellence. These two will think of each other every time they make a trade and sign a free agent. It all ends with “How can this help?” us against they” with that in mind.

However, they do not intend to trade with each other. Coincidentally, OKC president Sam Presti stepped away from the Spurs organization decades ago, but you can imagine the Spurs then told him to forfeit his jersey number. When hell freezes over, the Thunder and Spurs will discuss trades…twice.

In the meantime, it’s up to Spurs to end this rivalry quickly.

Wenby is dealing with an OKC defense that constantly adjusts and keeps you guessing. One moment Caruso throws himself over a foot to guard him, then the stocky Hartenstein, then the tall Holmgren, then the athletic Jaylin Williams. Each has a different look and degree of sharp elbow.

He was instrumental in getting the Spurs to this point, and aside from a few slip-ups, he was great throughout this series and most of the postseason. He feels he needs to reach another level quickly.

“Right now I’m struggling to make my teammates better,” he said. “My shooting was terrible. I have to be more of a team player. Rebound better, facilitate better.”

Wenbi isn’t the only one. The bigger question is the availability and health of Fox and Harper. Fox made his series debut, but after a fast start, he appeared to re-injure his ankle. Harper left Game 2 with an adductor injury and played 17 minutes on Friday, scoring just six points.

“All we can do is ask them as much as they can,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said.

And OKC knows how to rub the Spurs the wrong way. Rather than Shai being creative to draw a foul (he went 12-for-12 from the line on Friday), it’s a rough play meant to confuse the young Spurs.

“There is no place for frustration,” Wemby said. “Of course it’s frustrating, but you have to use it as energy. They’re physical, but the difference with that team is they have experience. They might be smarter about it.”

This rivalry could be put on hold immediately if the Spurs fail to secure a draw by Sunday. If so, it will probably be worth the wait in the end. Because this one features Shai, a two-time MVP, and Wenby, who could soon win MVP after MVP. It includes Wemby’s “ethical” comments earlier in the season regarding OKC’s controversial style of play. One Spurs fan even directed Shy to a “flopper” chant. and so on.

In the end, the people who will enjoy Spurs vs. Thunder the most will be outside basketball fans. Meanwhile, stress levels will skyrocket in San Antonio and Oklahoma City.

At least in OKC, that’s not the case at all right now. It will be up to the Spurs to see if this series develops into suspense this season.

“We have to find answers,” Wenby said.

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Sean Powell has been covering the NBA since 1985. Email him at spowell@nba.com, find his archives here and follow him at X.