Magic Johnson Warns NBA About Thunder and Spurs Dominance

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25 May 2026 at 19:26

Magic Johnson Has Some Bad News for the Rest of the Western Conference — Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images

The Western Conference may have a new long-term power structure, and according to Magic Johnson, the rest of the NBA might want to get used to it. Following an instant-classic Game 1 between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals, the Lakers icon delivered a blunt assessment on social media about where the conference is headed next.

“I hate to break the news to the rest of the Western Conference, but they may not have a chance to win the Western Conference Finals for the next 5-7 years,” Johnson wrote on X on May 19. “The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are just that good! They are talented, deep, athletic and both teams are well coached.”

I hate to break the news to the rest of the Western Conference, but they may not have a chance to win the Western Conference Finals for the next 5-7 years. The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are just that good! They are talented, deep, athletic and both teams are…
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) May 19, 2026

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According to Lakers Daily, the statement came after San Antonio edged Oklahoma City in double overtime. Both teams posted 60 wins during the regular season and entered the playoffs looking to build for sustained success rather than a one-year run.

The Thunder already proved they can finish the job after capturing the 2025 NBA championship behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams, all of whom remain locked into long-term deals.

San Antonio, meanwhile, appears to be accelerating even faster than expected. Victor Wembanyama dominated Game 1 with 41 points and 24 rebounds, while second-year guard Stephon Castle and rookie Dylan Harper also delivered major performances. The Spurs were still missing All-Star guard De'Aaron Fox, making the win even more impressive.

That reality creates a massive challenge for the Los Angeles Lakers, who are trying to reshape their future around Luka Dončić. Even without Dončić for the entire postseason, Los Angeles still managed to upset the Houston Rockets in the first round before getting swept by Oklahoma City in the conference semifinals.

Dončić never appeared in a single playoff game after suffering a Grade 2 left hamstring strain on April 2, an injury that also sidelined him for the final 15 games of the regular season.

The absence of the Lakers’ biggest star became one of the defining stories of the postseason. Dončić later admitted he was frustrated about missing “the best time of the year to play basketball,” but said he was never medically cleared for contact work.

Even so, Los Angeles still finished as the No. 4 seed in the West and remained competitive throughout the playoffs, giving the franchise at least some optimism heading into the offseason.