The budding rivalry between the OKC Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs is no longer a secret. Fans eagerly await the Western Conference Finals rematch on October 20th, when the Thunder travel into enemy territory in hopes of avenging last year's playoff disappointment.
Apparently, fans aren't the only ones zeroing in on the rivalry. Spurs' wing Devin Vassell is also jumping headfirst into the craze.
Vassell was on tape discussing the beginning of the season and had some choice words for the Spurs' hottest rivalry.
"Two teams not liking each other at all, and I think we have a couple of those right now. Pretty self-explanatory. I don't think I need to say any names, but you'll see, and I think it starts on October 20th," Vassell said in the Spurs-produced clip.
His sentiments were followed by a collective chuckle from everybody in the room, as all who took part in the production knew what he was alluding to.
Spurs have repeatedly shown their distain for Thunder
The sharpshooter clearly has the OKC Thunder on his mind leading up to the season. This comes after a hard-fought battle in the postseason last year, which, for Vassell, culminated when he got into a shoving match after a hard foul by Ajay Mitchell on a breakaway layup opportunity.
His feelings may also be shared by others on his team. From Victor Wembanyama's infamous "ethical basketball" comment made during the regular season to the added emotion that the team seemed to bring to the floor whenever they faced the Thunder, it was apparent that the Spurs view this series differently from the rest.
Unfortunately, that grudge may be one-sided.
Spurs and Thunder clearly aren't on the same wavelength in rivalry talk
The Thunder seem intent on staying in their own lane. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said as much when he talked about the regular-season series between the squads not being his side's Super Bowl.
OKC has always adopted the age-old mantra of getting better every day, staying laser-focused on the goal of winning the championship. Never has the idea of beating the Spurs taken precedence.
While the Spurs continue to let the Thunder live in their head rent-free, the Thunder tackle larger issues, such as developing their new talent and prepping their rotations for the postseason. Almost a foregone conclusion that Mark Daigneualt's squad will be in contention for another title, everybody in the locker room knows what truly matters when a new season begins.
SGA and company may just have a better grasp on their long-term goals than Devin Vassell and the Spurs, and it may be the deciding factor when the two sides face off. While San Antonio plays with fire, emotion, and animosity towards their opponent, the Thunder demonstrate their cool, calm demeanor while staying emotionally consistent, no matter what challenges come their way.
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