The Spurs' edge over the Thunder should have real legs to stand on this season

Oklahoma City leads San Antonio with the best odds to win the Western Conference, according to DraftKings. The numbers are close, with the third-place Nuggets having significantly lower odds, putting SA and OKC in a league of their own. That's almost right, but it's not the full truth we should acknowledge, because the Spurs are better than the Thunder, and it's okay to say that.

DraftKings' Western Conference odds

Oklahoma City Thunder — +145
San Antonio Spurs — +160
Denver Nuggets — +1100
Minnesota Timberwolves — +1300
LA Lakers — +1900
Golden State Warriors — +2200
Houston Rockets — +2800
Portland Trail Blazers — +4000
Phoenix Suns — +7000
Dallas Mavericks — +8000
Utah Jazz — +10000
LA Clippers — +18000
New Orleans Pelicans — +20000
Memphis Grizzlies — +40000
Sacramento Kings — +70000

DraftKings isn't the end-all, be-all here, but they aren't the only ones picking OKC to win the West. Several sportsbooks and analysts are doing the same. It's the safe way to go because they've won the conference three years in a row, but the smart money should be on the Silver and Black.

The Spurs have a better roster than the Thunder

We can go player for player—San Antonio has more star power and talent than their fierce foes from the north. Victor Wembanyama's first playoff run was seismic. He's still only 22 years old, so getting better is inevitable, which is already crazy to consider. The Alien was unreal through much of the season, and the majority of people who'd take Shai Gilgeous-Alexander over him live in Oklahoma.

From there, the Spurs' second-tier group includes De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper, compared to OKC's Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren. That's another no-brainer. J-Dub is a real hooper, but Chet has nightmares whenever faced with the reality of a Wemby meeting.

No real competitor is taking a group with him in it over SA's star-guard trio, who all stepped up to secure that Western Conference Finals victory. San Antonio also has the deeper team. OKC shipped off three rotational players this summer, while the Spurs added Tobias Harris to be a strong contributor. They're better built to withstand any potential injuries over a long 82-game season.

Let's also not forget that the Spurs are better head-to-head. If the race for King of the West comes down to the wire, every game will matter. After beating OKC 8 out of 12 times last season, they'll continue to have the Thunder's number. Those extra wins could be the difference in who finishes the year with the number one seed.

Unless San Antonio just rattles off 70 wins. That's completely on the table.

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