{"id":316979,"date":"2026-06-01T00:12:10","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T00:12:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/316979\/"},"modified":"2026-06-01T00:12:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T00:12:10","slug":"thunders-jalen-williams-gets-honest-about-spurs-rivalry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/316979\/","title":{"rendered":"Thunder\u2019s Jalen Williams Gets Honest About Spurs Rivalry"},"content":{"rendered":"

The San Antonio Spurs<\/a> took down the Oklahoma City Thunder<\/a> in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, securing a 111-103 final score on the road.<\/p>\n

This playoff series felt like the first of many between these young, talented teams. It\u2019s already one of the league\u2019s best rivalries, and there\u2019s no doubt it will continue to grow in years to come.<\/p>\n

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During his exit interview on Sunday, Thunder star Jalen Williams<\/a> was asked about his team\u2019s rivalry with the Spurs.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey kicked our [expletive] a couple times this year, the beginning of the year,\u201d Williams said. \u201cIt\u2019s honestly crazy playing them, because it feels like we\u2019re playing a version of ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s exciting. We don\u2019t run from competition,\u201d Williams continued. \u201cTeams that play like that always make each other better. \u2026 They\u2019re so young and they all accept the role that they\u2019re in. That\u2019s why they\u2019re really good.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re going to be good for a long time. We\u2019re going to be good for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n

More Basketball: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Calls MVP Season a \u2018Failure\u2019 After Falling Short<\/a><\/p>\n

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Williams was only able to appear in three games in the Thunder\u2019s Western Conference Finals series against the Spurs as he dealt with a nagging hamstring injury that plagued him throughout the postseason.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would\u2019ve been a challenge if I played or not, but I definitely think I could\u2019ve changed the series. But we\u2019ll just have to wait until we meet again at some point,\u201d Williams said of missing most of the series.<\/p>\n

\"Jalen<\/p>\n

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA \u2013 MAY 20: Jalen Williams #8 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives into the paint during the first quarter of a game against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Two of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 20, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Alex Slitz\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

More Basketball: Victor Wembanyama Makes All-Time Playoff History Before NBA Finals<\/a><\/p>\n

The Spurs now advance to face off against the New York Knicks<\/a> in the NBA<\/a> Finals.<\/p>\n

Related Articles<\/p>\n

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