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Just as the San Antonio River Walk inspired the Bricktown Canal, the Spurs offered a blueprint for the Thunder.
Clay Bennett had an ownership stake in the Spurs before he led a group to buy the SuperSonics, subsequently relocating the team from Seattle to Oklahoma City. Bennett hired the Spurs’ 29-year-old assistant general manager, Sam Presti, to run his team. The “Spurs Way” was the bedrock of Thunder basketball.
Over the years, the Thunder forged its own insulated identity. OKC became the model franchise. Presti the model GM. And of all the greats who have worn a Thunder uniform, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the model superstar — to OKC what Tim Duncan was to San Antonio.
Now it’s the Spurs chasing the Thunder.
The two teams will collide in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Paycom Center. The Thunder as the champ. The Spurs as the challenger.
More: OKC Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wins second straight NBA MVP, per report
Given the parallels between the two franchises, it’s only fitting that the Spurs appear to be the biggest impediment to a Thunder dynasty. And vice versa. Two teams on off-the-chart trajectories who can only be outdone by the other.
The Thunder was ahead of its time. Ditto for the Spurs. The Thunder arguably has the best player in the world. Ditto for the Spurs. The Thunder has a homegrown coach, a stable front office and a longstanding ownership group. Ditto for the Spurs. The Thunder is building a new downtown arena. The Spurs aren’t far behind.
This of course isn’t the first time their contention windows have coincided.
OKC and San Antonio met in the 2012 conference finals, which the Thunder won in six games. They played again in the 2014 conference finals, won by the Spurs in six. Then in the 2016 conference semifinals, a six-game series win for the Thunder.
That’s three playoff series — 18 playoff games — in a five-year span. The Thunder and Spurs combined for three NBA Finals appearances (all against the Heat) during that stretch. The Spurs made two Finals and won one. The Thunder lost its only appearance.
But even though the Thunder and Spurs of the early to mid 2010s won at the same time, their age timelines weren’t aligned.
In those 2012 conference finals, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden were 23, 23 and 22. Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker were 35, 34 and 29. The Spurs also had a 20-year-old rookie named Kawhi Leonard.
By their last playoff battle in 2016, Durant and Westbrook were 27. Serge Ibaka was 26, Steven Adams 22. Duncan, Ginobili and Parker were 39, 38 and 33. LaMarcus Aldridge, the Spurs’ leading scorer in that series, was 30. Leonard, who finished second in MVP voting, was 24.
While not perfect in sync, the current Thunder and Spurs cores are more comparable in age. SGA, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren are 27, 25 and 24. Alex Caruso is the Thunder’s only rotation player north of 30.
More: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the MVP, but Chet Holmgren has been Thunder MVP in NBA Playoffs
For San Antonio, Victor Wembanyama is 22, Stephon Castle is 21 and Dylan Harper 20. Three top-five picks drafted three years apart. Conversely, Holmgren is the only top-five pick on the Thunder’s roster.
At 28, De’Aaron Fox is the Spurs’ oldest starter. Harrison Barnes and Luke Kornet are the only olds (30+) in the Spurs’ rotation.
When the Mavericks beat the Thunder in Round 2 two years ago, the prevailing thought was beat the Thunder now while you still can. OKC was only going to get better, and a year later it proved as much by winning the championship.
The Thunder is still getting better. SGA has only just entered his prime years. J-Dub and Chet haven’t reached theirs. Ajay Mitchell, 24, has the makings of a fourth star. The Thunder’s build has been meticulous. As calculated as Presti’s verbiage. Still armed with a bevy of draft picks (including Nos. 12 and 17 this summer) the Thunder is positioned for sustained supremacy under a set of rules that were supposed to kill superteams.
Same goes for the Spurs, whose build was ready-made rather than handcrafted, yet figures to be just as enduring.
The Thunder is no longer looking up at the Spurs. It’s the other way around.
But the Thunder better beat the Spurs now. While it still can.
Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at [email protected]. Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC Thunder better beat Spurs in NBA Playoffs now while it still can
Continue reading...
Clay Bennett had an ownership stake in the Spurs before he led a group to buy the SuperSonics, subsequently relocating the team from Seattle to Oklahoma City. Bennett hired the Spurs’ 29-year-old assistant general manager, Sam Presti, to run his team. The “Spurs Way” was the bedrock of Thunder basketball.
Over the years, the Thunder forged its own insulated identity. OKC became the model franchise. Presti the model GM. And of all the greats who have worn a Thunder uniform, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the model superstar — to OKC what Tim Duncan was to San Antonio.
Now it’s the Spurs chasing the Thunder.
The two teams will collide in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Paycom Center. The Thunder as the champ. The Spurs as the challenger.
More: OKC Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wins second straight NBA MVP, per report
Given the parallels between the two franchises, it’s only fitting that the Spurs appear to be the biggest impediment to a Thunder dynasty. And vice versa. Two teams on off-the-chart trajectories who can only be outdone by the other.
The Thunder was ahead of its time. Ditto for the Spurs. The Thunder arguably has the best player in the world. Ditto for the Spurs. The Thunder has a homegrown coach, a stable front office and a longstanding ownership group. Ditto for the Spurs. The Thunder is building a new downtown arena. The Spurs aren’t far behind.
This of course isn’t the first time their contention windows have coincided.
OKC and San Antonio met in the 2012 conference finals, which the Thunder won in six games. They played again in the 2014 conference finals, won by the Spurs in six. Then in the 2016 conference semifinals, a six-game series win for the Thunder.
That’s three playoff series — 18 playoff games — in a five-year span. The Thunder and Spurs combined for three NBA Finals appearances (all against the Heat) during that stretch. The Spurs made two Finals and won one. The Thunder lost its only appearance.
But even though the Thunder and Spurs of the early to mid 2010s won at the same time, their age timelines weren’t aligned.
In those 2012 conference finals, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden were 23, 23 and 22. Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker were 35, 34 and 29. The Spurs also had a 20-year-old rookie named Kawhi Leonard.
By their last playoff battle in 2016, Durant and Westbrook were 27. Serge Ibaka was 26, Steven Adams 22. Duncan, Ginobili and Parker were 39, 38 and 33. LaMarcus Aldridge, the Spurs’ leading scorer in that series, was 30. Leonard, who finished second in MVP voting, was 24.
While not perfect in sync, the current Thunder and Spurs cores are more comparable in age. SGA, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren are 27, 25 and 24. Alex Caruso is the Thunder’s only rotation player north of 30.
More: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the MVP, but Chet Holmgren has been Thunder MVP in NBA Playoffs
For San Antonio, Victor Wembanyama is 22, Stephon Castle is 21 and Dylan Harper 20. Three top-five picks drafted three years apart. Conversely, Holmgren is the only top-five pick on the Thunder’s roster.
At 28, De’Aaron Fox is the Spurs’ oldest starter. Harrison Barnes and Luke Kornet are the only olds (30+) in the Spurs’ rotation.
When the Mavericks beat the Thunder in Round 2 two years ago, the prevailing thought was beat the Thunder now while you still can. OKC was only going to get better, and a year later it proved as much by winning the championship.
The Thunder is still getting better. SGA has only just entered his prime years. J-Dub and Chet haven’t reached theirs. Ajay Mitchell, 24, has the makings of a fourth star. The Thunder’s build has been meticulous. As calculated as Presti’s verbiage. Still armed with a bevy of draft picks (including Nos. 12 and 17 this summer) the Thunder is positioned for sustained supremacy under a set of rules that were supposed to kill superteams.
Same goes for the Spurs, whose build was ready-made rather than handcrafted, yet figures to be just as enduring.
The Thunder is no longer looking up at the Spurs. It’s the other way around.
But the Thunder better beat the Spurs now. While it still can.
Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at [email protected]. Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC Thunder better beat Spurs in NBA Playoffs now while it still can
Continue reading...
