Thunder vs. Spurs Game 4 Update: Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell sidelined for OKC

If you follow the Western Conference playoffs, there’s both good and bad news.

The good news: In today’s era of free agency and ever‑changing rosters, both teams have built foundations that could keep them competitive for many seasons.

The bad news: Their rival across the state line is just as well‑positioned.

For fans of the other 13 Western teams that aren’t the San Antonio Spurs or Oklahoma City Thunder, the outlook is even bleaker.

The Spurs and Thunder appear poised to win 60‑plus games annually well into the next decade. Meanwhile, only one of those remaining 13 teams will have the opportunity to move to the Eastern Conference when the league expands.

If you’re a solid, veteran Western playoff contender—think Denver, Los Angeles, or Minnesota—you might imagine yourself as a future Eastern Conference champion (especially Minnesota, given its geography). But in the West, facing both the Spurs and the Thunder, and having to defeat them back‑to‑back at any point over the next several years, is a daunting challenge.

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