It was legitimately one of the best playoff games

by BPH, San Diego, Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 14:03 (5 days ago) @ hobbs

I've ever seen. As you mentioned, the juicy subplots are legion:

- a playoff matchup between teams that each won at least 60 games (first time that has happened since the Jordan Bulls era)
- two teams that each had a regular-season point differential of at least 8 points (first time in forever)
- two of the youngest teams in the league
- The Spurs went 4-1 against OKC in the regular season (now it's 5-1, of course).
- OKC was 8-0 in the playoffs. The Spurs entered 8-3, but two of the losses were with Wemby out.
- Wemby and Holmgren have a rivalry that goes back to when both were teenagers playing in an international tournament.
- SGA was awarded the MVP trophy before the game. I'm not saying he didn't deserve it, but Wemby clearly played like he didn't deserve it.

It really does feel like a throwback to the Celtics-Lakers rivalry of the 80s, but of course that was East vs. West whereas this is two West teams that will render the East irrelevant for at least the next five years.

I'm excited to watch how the series progresses, but also to see how both teams manage their roster construction over the next few years. There's a school of thought that OKC will lose only Dort from its current rotation while adding two top-17 picks (including Yaxel Lendeborg in many mock drafts) and also No. 15 pick Thomas Sorber from the 2025 draft (out all year with an injury). And yet, because of Wemby's brilliance, it's also possible that this emerging dynasty will be stopped at only one title.