​Now that the 2026 NBA playoffs are in the rearview mirror, we can safely crown the 2026 Western Conference Finals as the most epic series clash of the year. The eventual NBA champion turned out to be the New York Knicks—contrary to popular belief—and still, the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs went the full distance in a showdown that pitted the league’s two best teams of the season against each other. Both teams rattled off 60-win campaigns and dominated left and right, making their head-to-head clashes feel like a clash of NBA heavyweights—think The Rock stepping into the ring with John Cena at WrestleMania.
A February 2026 podcast clip with Dylan Harper that recently resurfaced has gained new life, as his remarks on Vince Carter’s and Tracy McGrady’s Cousins podcast have aged like fine wine. The 20-year-old made a bold impression during that playoff run, arguably serving as San Antonio’s second-most impactful performer as they chased a shot at the championship. Harper’s old comments resurfaced in the wake of his critical focus on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams as two of OKC’s toughest defensive assignments. The Spurs had beaten the Thunder four times in the regular season, but those results were clouded by injuries in several matchups, tempering the significance of those wins.
“Shai and Jalen Williams from OKC,” Harper said. “When we first played them, we beat them. But I was like, ‘Them two are kinda hard to guard.’” The Thunder and Spurs stood in a tier of their own for much of the year, making a Western Conference Finals showdown feel almost inevitable. And when the moment arrived, the series delivered—though in a way that was somewhat deflating for both sides. Williams played only one full game in the series while Ajay Mitchell missed the last four games, leaving OKC’s offense without key firepower. The gap in health and depth began to show as the series wore on.
Meanwhile, Harper’s emergence helped push San Antonio ahead of schedule. Owing to his unusual path to the NBA, the 2025 draft’s No. 2 pick didn’t receive the usual opportunities that often accompany such a high selection. Instead, he served as a bench asset for a Spurs squad that functioned like a well-oiled win machine. Yet Harper still broke out when it counted most, delivering averages of about 14.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in the playoffs. Even with San Antonio not securing the title, the consensus formed that he’d eventually become the long-term Robin to Victor Wembanyama’s Batman.
In that playoff series, San Antonio could zero in on Gilgeous-Alexander and largely ignore the rest of OKC, a strategy that almost paid off. Jared McCain chipped in with a handful of 20-point games, briefly giving the Thunder a 3-2 series lead. But the scale tipped too heavily in favor of San Antonio’s overall talent to pull off the upset. The Thunder needed full health to topple a Spurs team that simply had more options when push came to shove. Alas, OKC didn’t enjoy the same health fortune that had aided them in prior seasons.
“I know they had four ball-handlers,” Harper said of the Spurs’ approach. “Shai creates angles, finds ways to get to the body, to the tempo. He’s always in motion. He doesn’t like playing in front of a hostile crowd. If he misses or he makes, he’s rolling.” The question many are left wondering is how the series would have unfolded if Williams had remained healthy. He had proven himself an All-NBA talent the year before and was a crucial piece for the Thunder’s potential success.
Ultimately, the Western Conference Finals stood out as a reminder of how health, depth, and timing shape the postseason. The Spurs, with Harper emerging as a key contributor, pushed a top-tier Thunder squad to its limits in a battle that highlighted the league’s evolving talent and the uncertain, twist-filled nature of playoff basketball.