Getty

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (L) and the Oklahoma City Thunder could face Victor Wembanyama (R) and the San Antonio Spurs in the 2026 Western Conference Finals as OKC awaits its next playoff opponent.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are headed to the Western Conference Finals, with their next opponent, schedule and series start date now emerging. OKC has officially punched its ticket to the Western Conference Finals, marking a return to the NBA’s penultimate stage. Led by MVP finalist Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the defending NBA champions Thunder held on to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers 115-110 on Monday to move just four wins away from their second straight NBA Finals. The Thunder have won their first eight games of the 2026 playoffs, but either the Minnesota Timberwolves or the San Antonio Spurs will provide a tougher test in the conference finals.

Oklahoma City now awaits the winner of the remaining Western playoff matchup, while the NBA’s projected conference finals calendar could give Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder several extra days of rest before the series officially tips off.

NBA Western Conference Finals Schedule

The exact dates of the Western Conference Finals remain tentative, pending the conclusion of the Timberwolves-Spurs semifinal series, which is tied 2-2 heading into Game 5 on Tuesday. As the top seed, Oklahoma City holds home-court advantage, a factor that didn’t hurt in both of their previous series. According to the NBA’s official playoff schedule, WCF dates will be confirmed once that semifinal concludes.

All games will air on the NBC television network, with live streaming provided on the NBC-owned Peacock app.

*If necessary. All dates tentative pending conclusion of Timberwolves-Spurs semifinal series.

How Do Thunder Stack Up Against Spurs, ‘Wolves?

The Thunder are waiting for the dust to settle in the other semifinal. The potential matchups present two vastly different challenges. Will the defending NBA champs be faced with the intimidating defense of the Minnesota Timberwolves or the generational brilliance of Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs?

Minnesota Timberwolves: If the ‘Wolves advance, the Thunder will need to brace themselves for a physical, defensive-minded series. The Thunder boast the NBA’s top defensive rating (107.7), while the Timberwolves, led by Rudy Gobert on the defensive end, ranked eighth at 113.5. Of course, OKC will also need to flex its own league-leading defensive muscles to contain the explosive scoring of Anthony Edwards. The Timberwolves present a significant size disadvantage for OKC’s “positionless” lineups. Chet Holmgren will have his hands full protecting the rim, while Lu Dort will likely shadow Edwards for 40 minutes a night.

San Antonio Spurs: A series against the San Antonio Spurs would be a dream for NBA marketing executives, pitting Holmgren and Wembanyama against one another in a best-of-seven series with a title shot on the line. Wembanyama’s historic trajectory has made the Spurs perhaps the toughest out in the postseason outside of the Thunder themselves. OKC’s depth and veteran poise would be their greatest asset against a Spurs team that relies heavily on their French phenom, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft.

The Path Forward

The Thunder’s journey this season has been just as spectacular as last year’s. As defending champions and the youngest top seed in history except for last year’s team, they swept both the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers to reach this stage. Now, four more wins stand between Oklahoma City and the chance to compete for back-to-back championships in the 2026 NBA Finals.