Zach Lowe: The Spurs are a championship team despite their youth, Chet Holmgren’s reluctance to shoot cost the Thunder, and strategic shifts can change series outcomes | Bill Simmons

Spurs' youthful roster defies odds, performing at championship level despite rare young team finals appearances.

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Add us on Google by Editorial Team May. 31, 2026

Key takeaways

• The Spurs’ youthful roster is already performing at a championship level.
• Young teams reaching the NBA finals is a rare occurrence.
• Injuries to key players can significantly hinder a team’s offensive capabilities.
• Chet Holmgren’s lack of offensive aggression contributed to his team’s loss.
• Defensive strategy shifts, like not double-teaming Shea, can alter the course of a series.
• Oklahoma City’s three-point shooting was insufficient to secure a win.
• Balancing size and shooting is crucial when facing dynamic players like Wembanyama.
• Chet Holmgren is expected to be a versatile big man who complements traditional centers.
• The Thunder should adopt a narrative of vengeance to motivate future success.
• Despite missing key players, the Thunder demonstrated competitiveness against top teams.
• Strategic player combinations are essential for optimizing team performance.
• A strong three-point shooting performance is critical for winning close games.
• The Spurs’ joy and performance reflect their current success in the league.
• Oklahoma City’s performance metrics highlight areas for improvement.
• The Thunder’s recent playoff performance indicates they are close to the league’s best.

Guest intro

Zach Lowe is a senior NBA writer and analyst at The Ringer, where he covers league news, strategy, and major playoff storylines. He previously spent years as ESPN’s lead NBA reporter and podcaster, becoming one of the most respected voices in basketball analysis.

The Spurs’ unexpected rise to the top

• The Spurs are seen as a championship team despite their youth.

• The Spurs are already a championship team despite their youth, and their joy and performance indicate they are at the pinnacle of success.

  — Zach Lowe

• Their young core’s success is reminiscent of historical NBA teams.

• This just basically only happens once a decade.

  — Zach Lowe

• The team’s joy and emotional display are indicative of their success.

• They’re so young the joy they have and wendy’s crying and all this it’s like they’re already here at the pinnacle.

  — Zach Lowe

• The Spurs’ current status reflects their potential for future success.
• The rarity of young teams reaching the finals underscores their achievement.
• Historical comparisons include the 77 Blazers and 86 Rockets.
• The team’s dynamics are influenced by their youthful energy.
• The Spurs’ rise is seen as a significant moment in recent NBA history.

Impact of player injuries on team dynamics

• Injuries to key players can drastically affect team performance.

• I mean Joe Williams and AJ Mitchell are hurt that that’s part of it.

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  — Zach Lowe

• The absence of these players left the team short on offensive creators.

• You take those guys away and it’s like oh my god we’re real short on creators.

  — Zach Lowe

• The team’s offensive capabilities were hindered by these injuries.
• Understanding player roles is crucial in analyzing team dynamics.
• Injuries highlight the importance of depth in a team’s roster.
• The impact of injuries is evident in the team’s overall performance.
• The team’s strategy had to adapt to the absence of key players.
• Player injuries can shift the balance of a game or series.
• The need for creative players becomes apparent when key players are missing.
• The team’s performance without these players shows their resilience.

Chet Holmgren’s role and performance

• Chet Holmgren’s performance was a critical factor in the team’s loss.

• Ultimately chet’s why they lost… he was the number two defensive player in the you know of the year and he didn’t wanna shoot.

  — Zach Lowe

• His reluctance to shoot impacted the team’s offensive strategy.
• Holmgren is expected to be a floor-spacing, off-the-dribble attacking big man.

• Chet is a floor spacing off the dribble attacking big man who can play with a traditional center.

  — Zach Lowe

• His role is crucial for complementing a traditional center.
• Holmgren’s performance highlights the importance of offensive contributions.
• Understanding his role helps in analyzing the team’s strategy.
• His defensive prowess was not enough to secure a win.
• The team’s reliance on Holmgren underscores his importance.
• His performance in critical moments is crucial for team success.
• Holmgren’s role is pivotal in the team’s overall strategy.

Strategic shifts and their impact on series outcomes

• The series changed when they stopped double-teaming Shea.

• I thought not trapping SGA changed the whole series made his life difficult made the Thunder’s offense life difficult.

  — Zach Lowe

• This defensive strategy shift influenced the series outcome.
• Understanding defensive strategies is crucial for analyzing game dynamics.
• The decision not to trap Shea made the Thunder’s offense more challenging.
• Strategic shifts can alter the course of a series.
• The impact of defensive strategies is evident in player performance.
• The Thunder’s offensive struggles were linked to this strategic change.
• Analyzing these shifts helps in understanding game outcomes.
• The series outcome was influenced by tactical decisions.
• Defensive strategies play a critical role in determining series results.
• The decision to change defensive tactics highlights the importance of adaptability.

Oklahoma City’s performance and areas for improvement

• Oklahoma City needed a strong three-point shooting performance to win.

• They needed a really strong three point shooting performance from the role players.

  — Zach Lowe

• Their three-point shooting percentage was insufficient.

• I think that’s like 34%… they were like 29% before the end of the game.

  — Zach Lowe

• Understanding the importance of three-point shooting is crucial for game analysis.
• The team’s performance metrics highlight areas for improvement.
• Three-point shooting is critical for winning close games.
• The team’s reliance on shooting underscores its importance.
• Analyzing performance metrics helps in identifying weaknesses.
• The team’s shooting performance was a key factor in their loss.
• Improving shooting percentages is crucial for future success.
• The team’s performance reflects the need for better shooting strategies.

Balancing size and shooting against dynamic players

• The team needs to balance size and shooting on the floor.

• We cannot play another big man with Hartenstein because there’s just not enough shooting and dynamism on the floor.

  — Zach Lowe

• Playing against dynamic players like Wembanyama requires strategic adjustments.

• We do wanna have as much size as possible because Wembley is just so dynamic at the rim.

  — Zach Lowe

• Understanding team composition is crucial for optimizing performance.
• Balancing size and shooting is essential for team success.
• The dynamics of player combinations impact game outcomes.
• Strategic adjustments are necessary when facing specific opponents.
• The team’s strategy must adapt to the strengths of opponents.
• Analyzing team composition helps in understanding strategic decisions.
• The importance of size and shooting is evident in game dynamics.
• The team’s strategy reflects the need for adaptability.

The Thunder’s potential and future strategies

• The Thunder need to adopt a vengeance narrative.

• I want a vengeance narrative to come… it’s still our time with this core.

  — Zach Lowe

• Despite missing key players, the Thunder were competitive.

• Minus two of our most important players we took a team to game seven.

  — Zach Lowe

• The team’s recent performance indicates they are close to the league’s best.
• Understanding the Thunder’s potential is crucial for future analysis.
• The team’s narrative can motivate future success.
• Analyzing their performance helps in understanding their competitive standing.
• The Thunder’s core has the potential for future success.
• The team’s resilience is evident in their recent performance.
• Strategic narratives can influence team dynamics and motivation.
• The Thunder’s potential reflects their competitive capabilities.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.