San Antonio Spurs vs Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder remain among the Western Conference's elite with dominant defensive prowess, while the San Antonio Spurs continue their rebuild focused on youth development under Gregg Popovich's leadership. The contrast reflects different organizational timelines, with OKC contending immediately and San Antonio prioritizing long-term foundation-building.
San Antonio Spurs vs Oklahoma City Thunder — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Choose Oklahoma City Thunder if you want to watch an elite defensive team competing for a championship in 2025-26 with young star talent like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Choose San Antonio Spurs if you appreciate a historic franchise's legacy and respect for development under Popovich, though they are in a clear rebuild phase. The Thunder are objectively the better team this season, but the Spurs remain a model organization with a winning history spanning three decades.
Compare San Antonio Spurs vs Oklahoma City Thunder
Historic NBA franchise entering rebuild phase with 5 championships and legendary coach Gregg Popovich
NBA Western Conference powerhouse with #1 ranked record and elite two-way play
Defensive Rating (Points Allowed per 100 possessions)
Offensive Rating (Points Scored per 100 possessions)
San Antonio Spurs vs Oklahoma City Thunder — Comparison Data
Structured comparison data for San Antonio Spurs vs Oklahoma City Thunder with 114 attributes.
Average Regular Season Wins Per Year (2010-2024)
Current Win-Loss Record (2024-25 season)
Net Rating (scoring margin per 100 possessions)
Nikola Jokic vs Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Best Player Comparison)
San Antonio Spurs vs Oklahoma City Thunder — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for San Antonio Spurs vs Oklahoma City Thunder.
Why is the Spurs record so poor compared to their championship history?
San Antonio is in an intentional rebuild after trading star Kawhi Leonard and aging out of their Tim Duncan/Tony Parker championship core. Head Coach Gregg Popovich (age 77) is prioritizing player development and draft capital over immediate wins. The franchise expects this rebuilding phase to last 2-3 years before contending again.
Can the Thunder win a championship in 2025-26?
The Thunder have the defensive infrastructure and star player (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at 30.1 PPG) to compete for a Finals appearance, but lack Finals experience. Their 106.2 defensive rating and +9.5 net rating place them among the elite, but the Western Conference has 4-5 other 50+ win teams. They are legitimate contenders but not favorites.
Who is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and why does he matter?
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the Thunder's franchise star averaging 30.1 PPG (3rd in NBA) on elite efficiency while maintaining All-NBA defense. He's signed long-term and represents OKC's core building block. He's statistically comparable to young LeBron James in terms of two-way impact, making the Thunder's future exceptionally bright.
The Spurs' last championship was 2014. They gradually declined as Kawhi Leonard was traded to Toronto (2018), Tony Parker retired (2019), and Manu Ginóbili retired (2018). The franchise chose to rebuild rather than chase expensive aging stars, maintaining their philosophy of long-term organization building over short-term wins.
Which team should I root for if I'm a neutral fan?
Root for the Thunder if you enjoy high-level basketball with championship potential in 2025-26. Root for the Spurs if you appreciate basketball fundamentals, respect organizational legacy, and enjoy watching young players develop under a legendary coach. The Thunder offer immediate excitement; the Spurs offer historical appreciation.