Facing another strong, energetic team and a rabid crowd on the road, Oklahoma City dropped its second straight game against the Spurs and its third loss in the last five games. The Thunder were almost at full strength, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was brilliant again and the team shot a respectable 12 of 30 from long range. But San Antonio pulled away late, winning the turnover battle and converting both transition and half-court opportunities into 43 points in the fourth quarter.
San Antonio led by just two points at halftime and by nine in the fourth quarter, but the final period turned into a runaway as the Spurs handed OKC a rare, decisive loss. The Spurs made six of nine three-pointers in the final frame, prompting Mark Daigneault to wave the white flag and leave the starters down 16 with just over three minutes remaining.
Final: Spurs (22-7) final. Thunder (26‑4), 110‑130
- The Thunder started off hot, but looked sluggish compared to the Spurs on the travel night of a back-to-back. San Antonio forced 4 turnovers and set the tone in the first quarter.
- This was not a nice loss. But this will be a fun rivalry.
- What makes San Antonio formidable isn’t just Victor Wembanyama. Like the rising Thunder teams of the past, the Spurs profile themselves as a group of young, fierce athletes who will soon be knocking on the doors of the champions.
- Devin Vassell, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper are a dream trio of young building blocks. Role players like Keldon Johnson (5-9 on threes) veterans play with confidence and aggression that OKC rarely sees. Whether Castle was pouring in threes (24 points, 4-6 3PA) or Harrison Barnes (20 points on 6-9 FGA) attacking Chet Holmgren one-on-one, the Spurs took the fight to OKC throughout their rotation.
- Chet struggled all night: only 7 points and 3 rebounds.
- SGA was brilliant throughout, lifting OKC against the imposing Spurs defense when things looked awkward. 33 points and 8 assists while going 14-22 from the floor.
- My petition for one permanent change against Wemby Spurs: make sure Shai is always on the ground when Wembanyama darkens the paint.
- The crowd booed Shai for “flopping” on a maggot and one in a game where OKC attempted just seven free throws, compared to San Antonio’s 24. The mastermind of the free throw conspiracy continues to rot.
- And then there’s Lu Dort. Dort had a great shooting night (5-8 3PA), but also played the poster boy for silly flops and mistakes. He hilariously fell to Wembanyama after a missed three, then dangerously kicked his legs at Barnes after a made three that was waved away.
- In another Dort-focused replay, OKC lost a challenge after a Dort foul on De’Aaron Fox. Fox absorbed light contact low during an otherwise clean strip, a violation under the letter of the law. That’s the kind of call that people consider illegal if it’s in Shai’s favor, but it’s actually a reminder: Guarding NBA playmakers within the rules of the game is very difficult.
- Daigneault has been strangely cold in challenges this season.
- Also strange: Fox missed all four of his free throws in the first half.
- Michael Cage was upset after Wembanyama fouled SGA’s lead group, complaining that Wemby had “no chance” to block the shot as he swung close to Shai’s head. I’m sorry, but ‘not a chance’ is not a thing when we take Wembanywama’s reach into account.
- Isaiah Hartenstein looked physically better after resting the night before. In a game with so little interior space, IHart was especially valuable working as a passer and relief valve in every nook and cranny.
- Aaron Wiggins hitting a three into Wemby’s eye brought a tear to mine.
- Jalen Williams continues to make the shots he wants; they just aren’t falling yet. And he keeps shaking that wrist.
- It’s just unfair that Spurs always have one of the following athletes on the floor: Wembanyama and Luke Kornet.
- Kornet and Wemby shared the paint for a short time in the second quarter. Despite San Antonio running a 15-foot front, Shai got his cleanest look in the track all season.
One key takeaway: plan to lose
The Thunder started the season on a historic tear, but this prolonged competition has brought them back down to earth. But they have not been exposed as a fraudulent title-defending team. Three of OKC’s four losses came on the second night of the back-to-backs, and this was the first one they had little chance to steal late.
Are the Thunder the best team ever? That dream quickly faded. Are they the best team in the league, chasing a title repeat? Absolutely, but it’s time to compare them to their contemporaries rather than ghosts of the past. And it won’t be easy. The Pistons are now just two games out of the No. 1 spot. Winning another championship will take OKC’s best until the playoffs, when the schedule is always tough.
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