All season long, it has been clear that the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are a level above the rest of the NBA. While Minnesota Timberwolves fans could talk themselves into a magical title run at points throughout the season (I certainly did at times), in reality, they were always a notch below these two teams.
Regardless, the experience question always loomed over the Spurs. This was the case even after they dismantled the Timberwolves in the last round. It could be argued that, despite the Spurs being a talented young team and their regular season success against the Thunder, they weren't ready to take down the defending champs.
After the Spurs' thrilling Game 1 double-overtime win, though, it's safe to say that these concerns have been silenced. What's more impressive is that the Spurs pulled off this win without De'Aaron Fox, arguably their second-best player and one of the few experienced players on this roster.
Pulling off a win against last year's champs and a historically elite defense without such a key player shows just how good this Spurs team is. Remember, this is essentially the same Thunder team that destroyed the Wolves in five games during last year's conference finals.
Let's be honest, the Wolves aren't close to either of these teams right now.
The Timberwolves are miles behind the Spurs and Thunder
In general, this game also serves as a reminder to the Wolves of how far they are from true title contention. Both teams executed at such an elite level, with crisp ball movement and tenacious defense being key themes. Despite the back-and-forth nature of the game, both teams never got too low; their intensity and game plan discipline never wavered.
These are all signs of championship-level teams (in addition to their undeniable talent). Signs we've seen from the Wolves in flashes, but not nearly enough over the course of the last two seasons.
After losing to the Spurs in six games (which included three blowout losses), it became clear that the Wolves were still a notch below true title contention. However, seeing these two teams execute at such an elite level should be a further reminder that the Wolves have plenty of work to do.
This, paired with the overwhelming amount of talent both the Spurs and Thunder have, puts the Wolves in a clearly different tier.
Perhaps the scariest part is the age of both teams. Victor Wembanyama just dropped 41 points, 24 rebounds, and three blocks in Game 1. At just 22, he might already be the league's best player, considering his two-way impact. Filling in for Fox, rookie Dylan Harper racked up 24 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, and seven steals. Harper looks like a superstar in the making, and he's their third-best guard right now. Stephon Castle is in his second year and is likewise a budding two-way star.
On the Thunder's side of things, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (27) is the only player in OKC's big three who is older than 25. Both squads have a plethora of future first-round picks as well.
The point is that these two teams are already miles better than Minnesota, and they will continue to improve.
On the bright side, Anthony Edwards is still just 24 years old and is already a superstar. But it's not clear how the Wolves will surround him with the ample supporting cast to close the gap between these two basketball giants. Their lack of draft capital and high-end supporting talent will undoubtedly make things tricky.
Watching the Spurs and Thunder, it jumps out how perfectly their rosters are built around their star. As currently constructed, the Wolves have a lot of work to do in this department, both in terms of talent and fit.
If it wasn't clear last round, it should be obvious now: in a conference with two juggernauts, Minnesota must get markedly better to reach their championship aspirations.
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