5 Things Spurs fans need to see in season opener vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder

The NBA finally did the Spurs a solid on opening night of the regular season. For the past three years, the Silver and Black have traveled to Dallas to play the Mavericks for their opener. This time, they'll be welcoming the Thunder to the Alamo City on Tuesday, October 20, to kick things off in a rematch of an epic Western Conference Finals.

Things will be slightly different this time around, though. San Antonio has added to their depth, while OKC has stuck a pin in theirs after trading Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe, and Aaron Wiggins. Still, both teams will be ready to make a statement against their biggest present-day rival when the ball tips off.

Here are five things Spurs Nation will be looking for when the moment finally arrives in mid-late October.

1. What does the Spurs' defense look like without Sean Sweeney?

The Thunder will be a great early challenge for the reigning Western Conference champions right out of the gate. Sean Sweeney was the architect of the suffocating defense the Spurs deployed last season, but he's the head coach of the Orlando Magic now. Can Mitch Johnson and his staff keep the defensive standards intact?

A motivated Shai Gilgeous-Alexander-led ball club will test that immediately, so we'll find out pretty quickly how close SA is to last season's defensive level.

2. Who starts at power forward: Julian Champagnie or Tobias Harris

Spurs fans have been split on this topic since Tobias Harris was signed. Champagnie provides valuable spacing, and he can get hot faster than a suped-up air fryer. When he does, Juju can shoot opponents out of the gym, but Harris is a versatile vet. He's played in this league for 15 years and started for the vast majority of his NBA tenure.

Either player will provide utility on both ends of the floor in different ways. It could just be a matter of what playstyle Mitch Johnson prefers. Fans will be anxious to see what decision is made.

3. Who gets more minutes: Keldon Johnson or Carter Bryant

Keldon Johnson is the longest-tenured player on the roster, but he's also the one who seems most on the outs. Carter Bryant is coming, already earning significant minutes in the recent playoff run. Bryant's ability to play hellacious defense and space the floor reliably will be key. Can he show enough in training camp and preseason to supplant KJ?

It's more than possible, and fans want it to happen. Johnson has tried to stay afloat, but the roster construction is passing him by. If Bryant gets the nod early, the writing about Johnson's future would certainly be on the wall.

4. Who runs the offense: De'Aaron Fox or Stephon Castle

Stephon Castle ran the offense last season from the start, and that decision surprised some fans. But De'Aaron Fox didn't really get a chance to build his chemistry with the team during the offseason and training camp because of his hamstring injury. That was likely a major factor in leaving the ball in Castle's hands. Well, Swipa is healthy now.

Fox has always been most effective with the ball in his hands, so it wouldn't be a shock to see Coach Johnson give it to him. However, Steph also showed a ton of growth as a playmaker and even finished in the top 10 in assists per game. So, choosing a primary floor general may not be simple, but it will certainly be a priority for fans.

5. The headliner: Victor Wembanyama vs. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

This one is easy. It's Godzilla vs. King Kong. It's Alien vs. Predator. Who doesn't want to see that? Wembanyama is still searching for his first MVP, and Shai will be trying to secure his third in consecutive years. As far as Vic is concerned, SGA is still in his way, and fans should expect him to play like it.

Gilgeous-Alexander is a two-time MVP for a reason, though. OKC's franchise guard will be working hard on his game this offseason with the Spurs and Wemby in mind. The entire NBA world will be fascinated to see if he's able to crack the code of San Antonio's defense, anchored by the first-ever unanimous Defensive Player of the Year.

The league is set to release the Emirates NBA Cup schedule on Wednesday, August 12, and the full schedule on Thursday, August 13. No doubt, there will be a ton of matchups to be excited about and plenty of storylines to invest in. But it all starts with the Spurs' fiercest rival on Tuesday, October 20. Let the countdown begin.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow