The Oklahoma City Thunder’s quest to repeat as NBA champions came to a disappointing end Saturday night after a 111-103 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. Despite entering the postseason as one of the league’s top teams and carrying championship expectations, OKC fell just short of another trip to the NBA Finals.
The defeat was particularly painful given the Thunder’s position as defending champions and favorites entering the decisive matchup. Oklahoma City had home-court advantage and the experience of last year’s title run, but San Antonio delivered when it mattered most to complete the series comeback.
Following the game, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made it clear that the focus must now shift toward learning from the disappointment and preparing for another championship push. “They were just the better team tonight from start to finish. Hats off to them. They played better and deserved to win. We just have to take it one day at a time from here on out. Try to get better this summer and be a better team than we were this season and last season. Just try to get over the hump.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander believes Spurs have what it takes to win NBA title
While the loss was difficult to accept, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had nothing but praise for the team that ended Oklahoma City’s season. The Thunder star acknowledged that San Antonio earned its place in the NBA Finals and possesses many of the qualities necessary to win a championship. “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.”
The comments carry significant weight considering Oklahoma City was widely viewed as one of the strongest teams in the league. For Gilgeous-Alexander, the Spurs proved their legitimacy by defeating a defending champion in a pressure-packed seven-game series.
He continued his praise by highlighting what makes San Antonio such a dangerous opponent heading into the Finals against the New York Knicks. “They’re young and they’re talented. They’re well-coached and play the right way.”
