Western Conference Finals start May 17 — Thunder to host Spurs in Game 1

The NBA's official playoff schedule lists the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals, with Game 1 set for Monday, May 18, at 8:30 p.m. Eastern in Oklahoma City. NBA.com updated its 2026 playoff page on May 16 with the full West finals slate, showing Games 1 and 2 in Oklahoma City before the series shifts to San Antonio for Games 3 and 4. DraftKings posted opening playoff futures on May 16 with Oklahoma City at -165 to win the NBA title and San Antonio at +320. The sportsbook page also listed New York at +550, Detroit at +3000 and Cleveland at +5000 as the conference finals field took shape. Sunday's calendar still includes one unresolved East semifinal. (nba.com) NBA.com lists Cleveland at Detroit for Game 7 on May 17 at 8 p.m. Eastern, with the winner advancing to face the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. ### When does the Thunder-Spurs series actually start? Monday, May 18, is the date on the NBA's official schedule for Western Conference Finals Game 1, not Sunday, May 17. (sportsbook.draftkings.com) NBA.com lists San Antonio at Oklahoma City on May 18 at 8:30 p.m. Eastern on NBC and Peacock. Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday, May 20, at 8:30 p.m. (nba.com) Eastern, also in Oklahoma City. The series then moves to San Antonio for Game 3 on Friday, May 22, and Game 4 on Sunday, May 24, according to the league schedule. ### Why does Oklahoma City have home court? Oklahoma City is listed as the No. 1 seed in the West on the NBA playoff bracket, while San Antonio is listed as the No. 2 seed. (nba.com) The official series page identifies the matchup as "OKC (1) vs. SAS (2)," which gives the Thunder home court in Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 if needed. The Thunder reached the conference finals by sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers 4-0 in the second round. (nba.com) NBA.com shows Oklahoma City winning Game 4 by a 115-110 score to complete that series. San Antonio advanced in six games against Minnesota. The league schedule shows the Spurs beating the Timberwolves 139-109 in Game 6 to win that semifinal series 4-2. (nba.com) ### What do the betting markets show at the start of the round? DraftKings' May 16 playoff odds page showed Oklahoma City as the shortest-priced team left to win the championship at -165. (nba.com) San Antonio was next among the West finalists at +320. The same DraftKings page did not, in the lines available, show a separate West finals series price, but its title and related item referred to "opening odds for Spurs vs. (nba.com) Thunder" on May 16. That indicates the market had posted the matchup by Saturday morning. ### What is still unsettled in the East? (sportsbook.draftkings.com) Cleveland and Detroit are scheduled for Game 7 on Sunday, May 17, at 8 p.m. Eastern. NBA.com lists that game on Prime Video, with the series tied 3-3. New York is already through after a 4-0 series win over Philadelphia. The NBA playoff schedule page lists the Eastern Conference Finals as New York against the Detroit-Cleveland winner, with dates still marked TBD. (sportsbook.draftkings.com) ### What are the next dates to watch? May 18 is the next confirmed date in the Western Conference Finals, with San Antonio at Oklahoma City for Game 1 at 8:30 p.m. (nba.com) Eastern. NBA.com lists Game 2 for May 20, Game 3 for May 22 and Game 4 for May 24, all with national broadcasts on NBC and Peacock. June 3 is the scheduled start of the 2026 NBA Finals. (nba.com) The league's playoff calendar lists Game 1 of the Finals on ABC at 8:30 p.m. Eastern.