Thunder vs. Spurs is the NBA’s first true post-Splash Bros dynasty war

The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs spent a decade evolving in the shadow of the dynasty Warriors. Now their historic Western Conference Finals collision feels like the future of the NBA.

There are playoff series that feel important because of stakes, and then there are playoff series that feel important because they reveal where basketball is headed next.

Thunder-Spurs belongs in the second category.

Not because Oklahoma City won 64 games or because San Antonio has a seven-foot-four basketball apocalypse roaming the paint. Not because Sha…