Thunder Will Visit the San Antonio Spurs on Oct. 20 at 9:30 P.m. EDT on NBC, Kicking Off the NBA Season With a Marquee Western Conference

The two teams met in a seven-game Western Conference Finals series last season, and this opener gives fans an early look at two of the conference's biggest contenders. The night's biggest attraction is expected to be the rivalry between Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren. The two 7-footers have developed an entertaining rivalry, with Wembanyama getting the better of Holmgren in Game 7 of last season's conference finals.

They'll now get another chance to face off as a new season begins. Oklahoma City will also lean on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams to lead a talented rotation, though there will be new faces to watch. Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe are gone, leaving players like Nikola Topic, Thomas Sorber, Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz with opportunities to become important parts of the team.

That raises an interesting question heading into opening night: Can the Thunder remain the deepest team in the NBA? San Antonio has reasons to believe it can challenge that depth. The Spurs feature De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, giving them an incredibly talented group of guards.

Tobias Harris also joins a talented group of wings, giving San Antonio another strong piece as it looks to build on last season's run. With both teams expected to be among the NBA's top contenders, this game should feel like much more than a typical season opener.