Thunder-Spurs showdown shows Rockets what it really takes to win a title

San Antonio and Oklahoma City have officially begun their Western Conference Finals matchup. Game 1 was an instant classic, a back-and-forth double-overtime battle that ended with the Spurs pulling out a 122-115 victory.

This may be the most anticipated series of the entire postseason. These were the two best teams during the regular season. The Thunder have the back-to-back MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and the Spurs have a 7-foot-4 alien in Victor Wembanyama.

For the rest of the league, this series is a shining example of the kind of talent teams need to accumulate to become true contenders. How can the Houston Rockets compete with these two talented young cores?

Do the Rockets have a go-to option to compete with the Thunder and Spurs?

The first thing both the Spurs and Thunder have is a bona fide, tier-one NBA superstar. Kevin Durant is a future Hall of Famer and was absolutely a top-tier player in his prime, but going into his age-38 season, he is probably a tier or two below the very best players in the league now.

The Rockets’ other potential options are Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson. Sengun is already a multi-time All-Star at 23 years old, but he also has some flaws that will be difficult to overcome. His lack of athleticism, defensive instincts, and elite scoring efficiency will probably prevent him from becoming a true go-to option.

Thompson is another story. He is an abysmal outside shooter, and that might never change, but he is also one of the premier athletes in the league. He is the same age as Sengun, but did not come into the league nearly as polished.

Thompson has improved every season. If he continues to improve his scoring and playmaking instincts, then he is the Rockets’ best bet to reach Gilgeous-Alexander and Wembanyama’s level.

Is Houston deep enough?

The Thunder seemingly have 10 or 11 players who could reasonably start on many other NBA teams. Sam Presti’s ability to draft rotation-level NBA players is unmatched in the league. The Spurs do not have quite the same amount of depth, but they had multiple Sixth Man of the Year candidates, including the winner of the award, Keldon Johnson.

The Rockets have a talented top eight: Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Kevin Durant, Steven Adams, Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard, and Alperen Sengun. That is a good mix of veterans and young players.

The problem is the championship upside. Houston’s current core does not have the same diversity of skill sets that the Thunder and Spurs have. Almost everyone in the Thunder and Spurs rotations can shoot, dribble, and defend. The same cannot be said for the Rockets’ rotation.

The younger players in Houston’s rotation need to develop other skills to become more well-rounded, and the front office will likely need to make one or two roster moves to add proven contributors. If that happens, and Amen Thompson can make a superstar leap, then Houston can develop into a juggernaut like Oklahoma City and San Antonio.

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