Thunder and Spurs Set the Early Standard in the Western Conference

Oklahoma City ranks first and San Antonio second in NBA.com’s August Western Conference outlook.

The Western Conference still runs through Oklahoma City and San Antonio.

NBA.com’s first August look at the West places the Thunder at No. 1 and the Spurs at No. 2 after the teams pushed their 2026 conference-final series to seven games. San Antonio won that deciding game, but Oklahoma City’s body of work over the past two seasons keeps the Thunder narrowly in front entering the next campaign.

The Thunder went 64-18 last season and posted a league-best plus-11.1 net rating. Their defense allowed 106.5 points per 100 possessions, also the best mark in the NBA. The question is whether internal development can replace the depth lost with Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins.

San Antonio’s advantage is continuity. Players still under contract accounted for 94 percent of the Spurs’ 2025-26 regular-season minutes, the highest retention rate in the league. With Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper still at the beginning of their careers, the roster can improve without needing another dramatic overhaul.

That sets up a clear contrast. Oklahoma City has the strongest recent statistical profile but must redistribute important minutes. San Antonio returns nearly its entire rotation after reaching the NBA Finals and can give a larger role to a young core that has already won under playoff pressure.

The ranking is a snapshot, not a prediction locked in place. Yet it captures the biggest Western storyline of the summer: two young teams have separated themselves, and the rest of the conference is searching for a way into their tier.

Read the complete team-by-team order and methodology in NBA.com’s August 3 Western Conference power rankings.