Ant-Man vs. Inevitability: Anthony Edwards is the biggest threat to a Thunder-Spurs takeover

Big picture, following the first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs , we looked bound for a battle between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference finals, where — given how young, talented and deep both teams are — they could be waging a de facto NBA Finals every season for the foreseeable future. That’s how good both teams were through the first round of the playoffs. The regular season’s two best teams looked like the opening round’s two best teams, led by two of the NBA’s three MVP finalists, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama.

Not only that, but the third member of our current Best Player in the World debate, Nikola Jokić, and his Denver Nuggets were bounced from the first round, eliminating arguably the greatest threat to the Thunder or Spurs on either side of the bracket. Likewise, the Boston Celtics — the 2024 NBA champions, once again favorites to emerge from the East and possibly even worthy challengers to Oklahoma City and San Antonio (with a healthy Jayson Tatum) in the Finals — also lost in the first round. Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves have been the biggest disruptors of the playoffs.

(Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images) IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / REUTERS Worse, the Thunder and Spurs’ second-round opponents are hobbled. The Los Angeles Lakers are without Luka Dončić (hamstring), while the Minnesota Timberwolves navigated the end of their upset of the Nuggets without Anthony Edwards (knee), Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles) and Ayo Dosunmu (calf), among others. What chance would either team have against the West’s two rising juggernauts?

Meanwhile, there were questions at some point over the past two weeks about every team in the East. It was only recently that the second-seeded Celtics looked like the highest-ceiling team in the conference, and the top-seeded Detroit Pistons were left for dead. Now, the Celtics are home, and the Pistons are very much alive.