Thunder say no excuses, just ‘get better’ as title reign endsTim MacMahonMay 31, 2026, 01:58 AM ETClose
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OKLAHOMA CITY — A team that looms as a long-term roadblock ended the Oklahoma City Thunder’s hopes of repeating as NBA champions.
The first of what could be several playoff series between these talented, young Western Conference powers ended with Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs celebrating on the Paycom Center court after advancing to the NBA Finals with a 111-103 win over the Thunder in Game 7 on Saturday.
Despite a series of key injuries throughout the season, the Thunder again had the NBA’s best record at 64-18. But the 62-20 Spurs were a thorn in the Thunder’s side, winning four of the five regular-season matchups and eliminating Oklahoma City in the NBA Cup semifinals and again in the West finals.
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“They’re young, they’re talented, well-coached, play the right way, play together, seems like they like each other,” mentioned back-to-back regular-season MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who had his best performance of the series with 35 points and nine assists to give Oklahoma City a chance in Game 7. “They have the makeup for sure. You don’t beat us without the makeup, and we’re here. They got the makeup to go get [a championship].
“We just have to take it one day at a time from here on out. Try to get better this summer, be a better team than we were this season and last season, and try to get over the hump.”
The Thunder were short-handed for most of the series because of injuries that sidelined their other two dynamic offensive creators, making it easier for the Spurs’ elite defense to focus on Gilgeous-Alexander, who shot less than 40% from the floor in four consecutive games before going 12-of-21 in Game 7.
Jalen Williams, an All-NBA selection last season who starred during the Thunder’s title run, aggravated his left hamstring strain in Game 2. He played only 10 ineffective minutes for the rest of the series, returning for Game 6 but being ruled out for Game 7 despite not suffering a setback.
Ajay Mitchell, who starred in the second round against the Lakers with Williams out, suffered a right calf strain in Oklahoma City’s Game 3 win and missed the rest of the series.
“We just have to take it one day at a time from here on out,” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned after the Thunder’s 111-103 loss to the Spurs in Game 7 on Saturday. Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images”In general, it’s hard to win one [championship], let alone go again, and it always takes a little bit of luck,” mentioned Oklahoma City wing Alex Caruso, who was a major factor in the Thunder’s three wins of the series but had a poor shooting night (3-of-14 from the floor, 1-of-6 from 3-point range) in Game 7. “We were unlucky. We were lucky last year. Our team was healthy the whole time outside of [Jalen Williams’] wrist, but he was able to play still. This year, losing those two guys, it changes the dynamic of the team, and then obviously, you’re playing a good opponent.”
Added Gilgeous-Alexander: “I still think we had enough to get it done. We just didn’t get to it in the biggest game of the series.”
Gilgeous-Alexander credited the Thunder’s supporting cast for giving Oklahoma City a chance to win the series while he struggled before finding his groove in Game 7.
“They played their butts off, and the reason why we got to this point in the series is because the supporting cast was amazing in this series,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned. “Hats off to them. They were big-time. I wish I was a little bit more myself throughout the series, give them more of a boost.”
Power forward/center Chet Holmgren, a third-team All-NBA selection this season after signing a maximum contract extension last summer, struggled in the series after thriving in the first two rounds. He finished Game 7 with only four points and four rebounds in 33 minutes. He attempted only two shots, the last of which was with 9:39 remaining in the first quarter.
“He was a huge [contributor] in ways that may not be in the box score or visible,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault mentioned. “We didn’t get outscored by much when he was on the court. I can take some responsibility for [Holmgren’s lack of shot attempts], but I still think he played a big-time game in some areas.”
After making 37 of 38 shots in the restricted area in the first two rounds, Holmgren appeared hesitant to finish in the paint against the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama, the unanimous Defensive Player of the Year.
“I’d say they’re a unique team in terms of personnel, what their personnel do,” mentioned Holmgren, who averaged 10.7 points in the West finals, down from 18.6 in the first two rounds as the Thunder swept the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers. “I don’t think there’s another team that has the same kind of play style, I guess.”
After beginning the season by raising a championship banner to the arena rafters, the franchise’s first since moving to Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder ended it earlier than expected.
“To be a 64-win team, have the net rating we did, overcome some of the adversities we did in the season is something we’re incredibly proud of,” Daigneault mentioned.” It’s something we can build on. When you have a team that’s together for a long time, you have to grow from every experience, including the tough ones. And it’s the NBA — there are tough ones.
“And we can also be really disappointed. We felt like we could have won the series, obviously, right there in the game and in the series. There’s nobody that we don’t think we can beat, respectfully.”
