Spurs' best shot at catching the Oklahoma City Thunder has yet to arrive

As Victor Wembanyama told the media after the Spurs demolished the Bucks, this team very much still wants the top seed, so they're keeping their eyes on Oklahoma City. With what should have been impossible so close to reaching reality, the rest of the basketball community is doing the same, and to that effect, I noticed that the Thunder's last four games are on the road.

Not only must they end the season with a road trip, but they also have a back-to-back thrown in there as well. The defending champs will travel to LA for a bout with the Lakers and follow that up with a meeting with Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers. Two days later, they'll be dealing with Nikola Jokic at that elevated altitude everyone loves (hates) before ending the year in Phoenix.

Two of their next three games aren't a cakewalk, either, but Detroit is still missing Cade Cunningham, and as well as JJ Redick has his guys playing lately, it's just difficult to win in OKC. Could they lose to the Pistons, Lakers, or the Jazz at the Paycom Center? Anything is possible, I guess. I wouldn't count on it, though. However, I do think they could still lose two games on that road trip.

The Spurs must do their part and keep the pressure on OKC

The Silver and Black aren't bystanders in this. They've been winning at a ridiculous rate, and they haven't made up much ground on their rivals one state to the north, so they'll have to keep it up. Unfortunately, OKC has also been securing victories at an elite pace, holding the Wembanyama-led bunch back with arms we're hoping are on the brink of giving out.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has already confirmed the importance of the top seed for their team. He's thinking about it, so the rest of the guys are, too. There's a mental fatigue that can compound when there's a constant pressure to be legendary because that's what's going on here. This race to the end, no matter who ends up on top, is going to be epic entertainment.

The basketball world knows the Alien is vying for that Most Valuable Player trophy, and although it shouldn't be the deciding factor, everyone knows that if the Spurs pass OKC, Wemby will likely earn his first MVP award. There's a lot on the line here. Most media members chose their professions because they love the game of basketball just like the fans do.

It's exciting for everyone to watch this go down as the Spurs rose from the ashes with a demigod at the helm to turn in one of the most impressive seasons from a narrative standpoint we've ever seen. Now they're standing eye to eye with another squad of bona fide hoopers whom everyone assumed would control the NBA for at the very least another year or two. Nope.

Wembanyama is here, and he's brought some friends with him. They're pretty good, and the youngins have put themselves in place to stick the landing on a special campaign that video game developers couldn't put together if they tried. The Spurs just need OKC to stumble, and their best chance of that happening will be next week.