While the OKC Thunder have maintained top-dog status since the start of the year, they have begun to show cracks in their armor, and NBA personalities have been taking note.
The latest to call out the defending champs is Hall-of-Famer Shaquille O'Neal, who, in a recent segment on ESPN, dropped a single, terrifying line.
"San Antonio will beat OKC in the Western Conference Finals," he said.
The prophetic statement comes after the club recently endured back-to-back losses to the Spurs and Houston Rockets late last week.
Early-season momentum has completely evaporated for Thunder
Had Shaq made the prediction a few months ago, people around the league would've considered him to be crazy. Now, nearly halfway through February, the statement hardly seems far-fetched.
The Thunder are just 12-8 since the start of the New Year, good for eighth in the league in terms of win percentage during that span. The Spurs, in particular, have taken advantage of this lukewarm stretch, as they have crept within 4.0 games of OKC in the standings.
Notable injuries to three of the Thunder's four top scorers have left them searching for answers in the backcourt.
Sam Presti went out and acquired shooting guard Jared McCain at the deadline, and the Thunder just got All-Star Jalen Williams back for these last three games before the All-Star break, but it doesn't change the fact that the blue and orange have played just five games in which their entire starting five has been healthy.
Even more concerning, the Thunder are 1-4 in those five games, with three of those losses coming against none other than San Antonio.
It is not uncommon to see championship teams deal with injuries the following year. Playing for two more months than the rest of the league can take a toll on players' bodies.
If OKC wants a chance at another title, though, they might need more than just a healthy roster.
Spurs are beating the Thunder at their own game
The Spurs are one of two teams that currently boast a better defensive rating than the Thunder since the start of January. They have done so by crashing the glass, limiting points off turnovers, and relying on their superstar center, Victor Wembanyama, to fend off opponents at the rim.
Since the calendar page flipped to January, they have led the league in several defensive categories while still posing a legitimate threat on offense.
Between the likes of Wemby, De'Aaron Fox, and Stephon Castle, the Spurs have developed their own Big Three to rival the Thunder's. On top of their core scorers, they possess one of the deepest benches in the NBA.
Keldon Johnson, Dylan Harper, and Julian Champagnie are all capable of producing 20-point performances off the bench on any given night.
Time will tell whether Shaq's prediction comes true, but as of now, his San Antonio Spurs are looking like a legitimate title threat and have made it abundantly clear that they have OKC in their sights.