Thunder fans still struggling to face reality Spurs smacked them with in WCF

One of the most memorable things about the Spurs' season was how many times they gave Oklahoma City belt in the regular season and in the playoffs. We're talking 12 meetings with San Antonio walking out on top eight times. That's not a small sample size, so it's pretty clear who the better team was. Unfortunately, Thunder fans have an incurable form of delusion. Look at this nonsense.

"In 5" is insane. This is just one of what feels like a million comments on social media from OKC supporters unable to deal with the reality that they just weren't as good as they thought they were. That was a fantastic team and everything, but clearly not unbeatable. That's what these people truly believed, so coping with the undeniable truth that the Spurs were just better is difficult for them.

But that's okay. We have gathered here today to help them accept reality—like an intervention.

The Spurs had OKC's number—plain and simple

First things first, let's get the most obvious point out of the way: the Thunder have a Victor Wembanyama problem. They haven't solved him yet, and that alone puts them on their heels because they no longer have a game-breaking advantage. Usually, their defense gives them that edge over their opponents.

Their perimeter defense is just so aggressive that teams struggle to keep control of the ball, but as suffocating as they can be to others, San Antonio's guard depth negates it.

Now the biggest threat on the floor is the 7'4" monster, and because of his presence, the Spurs' defense is even more threatening. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's game plays a part in that. He wants to get into the middle of the floor, but that real estate belongs to The Alien. That's the context Thunder fans are ignoring when they suggest one or two healthy players would have changed everything.

Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell don't change that fact, and it's why the Silver and Black were beating them all year, regardless of who was in the lineup. Those two guys were there when the Spurs beat OKC in the NBA Cup.

Wembanyama was coming off the bench on a minute restriction in those three December wins. Mitchell was out on Christmas in Oklahoma City, but JDub played, and the Thunder's alleged superhero duo was also present and accounted for in the Game 1 double-overtime thriller that San Antonio won on their home floor in the Western Conference Finals.

Williams is a fantastic wing who adds value on both sides of the floor, but he doesn't solve Oklahoma City's biggest matchup issue: Wembanyama. Mitchell is a strong role player, but he's not flipping a series in which one team won eight of the matchups. Let's be serious.

Thunder fans conveniently ignore the other side

De'Aaron Fox missed the start of that series, and Stephon Castle was turning the ball over like his life depended on it. No, seriously. He averaged 10 turnovers a night over those two games. The Thunder still couldn't win that first one on their home floor after a week off.

So, Spurs fans don't want to hear about those excuses. Victor Wembanyama and Co. proved they were the better team eight times.

Fox and Dylan Harper played through injuries in that series, and San Antonio found a way to get it done. No doubt these "what if" merchants felt confident OKC would finish the deal when they had the Spurs on the ropes, up 3-2 in the series. So, don't cry foul now. There are no free throws in it for SGA this time.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow