5 biggest threats to dethrone the Spurs in the Western Conference

The Spurs' Western Conference competitors didn't stand still this offseason. Instead, they made moves to catch up to them. It's a valuable lesson for San Antonio: when you're the next big thing, there's an even bigger target on your back with teams aggressively gunning for your spot. Here's a ranking of their five biggest threats in the 2026-27 campaign.

These are groups that either made big additions to their roster over the summer or will be collectively healthier than they were last season. This isn't to suggest I'm any less faithful in a deep 2027 Playoff run for the Spurs, but they should definitely keep these threats on their radar.

#5: Utah Jazz

This is a bit ambitious, but I'm really interested in the Utah Jazz. For one, they have a skilled backcourt of Keyonte George and Darryn Peterson. George is fresh off of what could have easily been an All-Star season, and Peterson looks like he's ready to drop 30 points on opening night right now.

What's most intriguing about this group is their interior rotation. They have Jaren Jackson Jr., Jusuf Nurkic, Jaxson Hayes, and Mo Bamba. This could make matchups against the Spurs interesting; the key to beating them is having enough size to neutralize Victor Wembanyama and challenge their guards at the rim.

Jaren Jackson Jr. is an elite defender who can protect the paint, and so is Jaxson Hayes; opponents shot just 59.9 percent on shots that he contested at the rim. This bevy of interior defenders, combined with talented perimeter scoring, seems tailor-made to compete against the Spurs.

#4 Los Angeles Lakers

Add the Lakers to the mix of teams that got better inside. They gave up a handful of pieces to trade for Walker Kessler, who's one of the NBA's premier shot-blocking threats. While Los Angeles doesn't have the interior depth of the Jazz, Kessler can still hold it down and challenge the Spurs in the paint.

Additionally, Luka Doncic is back and healthy. Regardless of what you think of him, he's a top-five player in the league. His calculated scoring attack could be troublesome for the Spurs' perimeter defenders to contain in a potential playoff matchup. He's amazing at drawing fouls and getting to the free-throw line, and San Antonio struggled to guard without fouling last postseason.

#3 Houston Rockets

The Rockets were underwhelming last season, but there's a lot to be excited about for this team in the 2026-27 campaign. They picked up Marcus Smart, a veteran who raises their defensive ceiling even more. He and Amen Thompson are going to be an intimidating pair on that end.

Additionally, the offense should be better. Thompson and Alperen Sengun are ready to improve as scorers. There's still Kevin Durant, who can still get 25 points in his sleep, and Fred VanVleet will be back after missing all of last season recovering from an ACL injury.

Similar to the Jazz, they also have plenty of size. They're returning an interior force that dominated the offensive and defensive boards and ranked 11th in opponents' points in the paint. This group will still have its flaws, but they could make matchups against the Spurs very interesting.

#2 Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets went 3-1 against the Spurs last season, so they've always been a formidable opponent. With a healthier Aaron Gordon (who featured in only three playoff games), they're ready to make another run for a top-five spot out West again.

There's also this: Nikola Jokic has had his way with Victor Wembanyama in the past, averaging 37.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 9.1 assists against him. So, as great as the Spurs are, they haven't quite figured out the Denver Nuggets puzzle just yet.

#1: Oklahoma City Thunder

This was an obvious pick. The Thunder pushed San Antonio to the limit in the Western Conference Finals, taking them to seven games. And that was without a healthy Jalen Williams, who's one of the best two-way perimeter players in the NBA.

This team has all the tools to give San Antonio a tough time again. They've got size, scoring, perimeter defense, and championship experience. They're not going anywhere, so the Spurs should keep approaching this matchup with the same fire and competitiveness as they did last season.

This is the hottest rivalry in the NBA, so these groups are going to bump heads for a while unless one of them breaks up their core (God forbid the Spurs do so). Not only will the head-to-head matchups be fun, but they'll be jockeying for position at the top of the West standings all year long.

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