The biggest threat to the San Antonio Spurs in their Western Conference final
While San Antonio had their number during the regular season, it’s not the same story going into Game 1. Oklahoma City’s bench has been quietly strong, holding a plus-7.8 net rating during the postseason.
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The Thunder have actually been scoring a bit better when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sits than when he plays. Before the Spurs can focus on individual battles, they’ll need to figure out how to deal with that team-wide dynamic.
Most teams just aim to hold the line when their stars sit. Oklahoma City, though, has turned those minutes into another weapon. The Thunder have played 10 players at least 10 minutes per game in the playoffs, and even with Jalen Williams out at times, their second unit keeps up the pace without missing a beat.
That shifts how this series is played. San Antonio can’t rely on winning the stretches when Shai is on the bench. The Thunder are too deep for that to be enough.
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Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images
These bench numbers have a real impact
The numbers alone don’t tell the whole story. Ajay Mitchell is averaging 18.8 points, 4.9 assists, and 4.0 rebounds during the postseason, while Cason Wallace and Jared McCain are both hitting more than 46 percent of their threes. Isaiah Hartenstein is adding nearly a double-double per game and shooting a remarkable 75.6 percent from the floor.
What makes those stats significant isn’t just how good they are but where they’re coming from across the lineup. Oklahoma City has shown it can break down defences with ball movement, size in the paint, or quick shooting from deep – giving San Antonio a new problem to solve every time they adjust.
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The Thunder have been even better on offence during Gilgeous-Alexander’s time off the floor, scoring 126.2 points per 100 possessions compared to 124.6 when he’s in the game. This isn’t a knock on Shai – it’s a warning about just how relentless OKC is, even without their star.
San Antonio can’t rely on catching their breath when Gilgeous-Alexander goes to the bench. They have to handle his minutes, then deal with a backup group that keeps up the same level of ball movement, defence and shooting.
Wembanyama sets the tone for Spurs
As always, any series involving San Antonio begins with Wembanyama. He’s been a difference-maker on both ends during the playoffs, where the Spurs have outscored opponents by over 20 points per 100 possessions while he’s on the court. His presence alone has forced teams to rethink their approach inside.
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Oklahoma City’s depth plays a role here. Even when the Thunder rotate through their bench, they can still put enough shooting and movement on the floor to keep Wembanyama busy. The challenge doesn’t ease up just because the starters take a break.
San Antonio’s defence was strong against Oklahoma City during the regular season, second only to the best in the league. The Spurs have the length and defensive skill to give the Thunder problems, but that won’t be enough on its own.
Where San Antonio needs to prove itself is not just in isolated stretches, but in sustaining that effort over a full game. This series isn’t about catching breaks when Shai sits—Oklahoma City don’t really have weak spots anymore. That’s what sets this matchup apart from what we saw earlier in the year.
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