Playoff matchups that could spell trouble for the Spurs in round one

At this point, the Spurs are guaranteed to make the playoffs. The scary part is that we have no idea where they will fall and who they will be matched up against in a dangerous Western Conference.

While San Antonio currently sits comfortably in the second slot of the west hierarchy, there's no telling what will unfold during the final stretch of the season.

With so few games between each competitor in the top six of the conference, the Spurs sit in a very volatile position. Even if they maintain their spot at the two-seed, the list of potential round one opponents is deep.

After learning about how San Antonio fares against each Western Conference rival, we have a good understanding of who we don't want to play in the first round.

You can't underestimate the Oklahoma City Thunder

The Spurs own the season series against OKC 4-1. Before the season, nobody expected anyone to beat down the Thunder like the Spurs have. It's a monumental accomplishment for this young, hungry Spurs squad and something to be very proud of.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. The reigning champions won't be going away that easily. While it would take a massive shift in the standings to pit the Thunder and Spurs against each other in round one, anything is possible.

If either team takes a dramatic fall late in the season, there is still a possibility that these squads could accelerate their inevitable meetup into round one. If that happens, we would be in for a good one.

The Spurs seemingly figured out the Thunder's game plan. They stifled their offense and completely ignored their terrifying defense. Yet I would be crazy to assume OKC Head Coach Mark Daigneault would enter a playoff series without making any drastic changes. The Shai Gilgeous-Alexander-led squad will be out for blood.

The Timberwolves present a matchup nightmare for the Spurs

The Timberwolves are one of the few teams that have had the Spurs' number this season. Minnesota currently leads the season series 2-1, and its sole loss came by only two points. It is clear that San Antonio doesn't have a clear answer for Anthony Edwards and his guys.

Unlike many teams in the NBA, the Timberwolves' starting lineup is tall and lengthy. This completely negates any size advantage the Spurs have. Much like San Antonio, Minnesota uses its size to create havoc across the basketball court and dominate favorable matchups. Anthony Edwards alone is a handful to deal with.

This matchup also features perhaps the second-best defender in the world behind Victor Wembanyama: Rudy Gobert. Similar to Vic, the four-time Defensive Player of the Year is a menace in the paint and can single-handedly shut down any inside attack.

This is a huge problem for the woeful three-point shooting Spurs. While no first-round matchup will be a piece of cake for the Spurs, these two battle-tested squads present the most difficult challenge for the first-time playoff team.

Both teams have proven they can win the playoffs; San Antonio has not. It's awesome to be confident in your team, but don't let that distract you from the daunting path ahead.