The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder emerged as the clear frontrunners to reach the 2026 Western Conference Finals after finishing as the top two seeds with 62 and 64 wins, respectively. Victor Wembanyama’s dominant playoff form, including 41 points and 24 rebounds in the series opener, combined with the Spurs’ depth and road resilience propelled them past Minnesota and into a seven-game showdown with the defending champion Thunder. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s scoring and OKC’s home advantage kept the series competitive, yet San Antonio’s ability to win Game 7 on the road reflected the market’s assessment of their superior roster construction and momentum entering the conference finals. Other Western contenders such as the Lakers, Nuggets, and Rockets faced tougher paths due to injuries, seeding disadvantages, and head-to-head records against the top seeds.