29/05/2026
Quick business take: I think the NBA benefits a lot from this Thunder-Spurs series. Oklahoma City is still a small-market team and doesn’t have the same built-in pull as franchises like the Lakers, New York Knicks, or Warriors, but the Thunder are becoming a team many neutral fans love to root against. Fair or not, some fans feel Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gets soft foul calls, while Victor Wembanyama doesn’t always get the same whistle despite all the grabbing and physical play against him. That kind of frustration creates emotion, and emotion creates ratings.
From a business perspective, that’s smart. If the Thunder become the “villain,” fans of eliminated teams and even casual fans will still tune in hoping to see them lose. It’s similar to the Floyd Mayweather effect—people watch because they want to see the other guy win.
This also helps the Spurs. The bigger this rivalry gets, the more exposure San Antonio gets, and the more people tune in to watch Wembanyama. Even people rooting against OKC are still helping grow the Spurs’ audience because San Antonio becomes the team viewers want to rally behind. That kind of spotlight can raise the Spurs’ national profile and make them even more valuable as a TV draw.
If the Thunder win Game 7 and reach the Finals, what do they need to do to change how fans view them? And if it’s Knicks vs. Spurs or Knicks vs. Thunder, which matchup do you think would pull more viewers?
