Spurs’ Defense Smothers Thunder 130-110, Setting Up Christmas Showdown
spurs-defense-smothers-thunder-130-110-setting-up-christmas-showdown
The San Antonio Spurs overpowered the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder 130-110 on Tuesday night at Frost Bank Center, claiming their second victory over Oklahoma City in 10 days and extending the league’s longest active winning streak to seven games.
San Antonio scored 20 points off 15 Thunder turnovers and never trailed after the first quarter, handing Oklahoma City its first 20-point deficit of the season. The loss also marked the Thunder’s second-largest regular-season defeat in the past two years, surpassed only by a 27-point setback against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 6 last season.
Balanced Spurs Attack
Keldon Johnson led a balanced Spurs offense with 25 points, while rookie guard Stephon Castle added 24 and veteran forward Harrison Barnes finished with 20. Rookie Dylan Harper contributed a career-high five steals.
Center Victor Wembanyama, coming off the bench for the fifth straight game, scored 12 points. His run of 101 consecutive games with at least one blocked shot ended.
Thunder Struggle to Reach the Line
Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander posted a game-high 33 points, his fourth straight 30-plus outing, but attempted only five free throws. Oklahoma City totaled seven free-throw attempts to San Antonio’s 24.
“They really played the game on their terms on both ends of the floor,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Against a good team, you can’t play like that for long periods—next thing you know, you look up and there’s a big lead.”
Rivalry in the Making
Wembanyama hesitated to label the matchup a rivalry but acknowledged rising intensity as the clubs prepare for Thursday’s Christmas Day meeting at Paycom Center—one of three remaining games between the teams this season.
“It feels like saying it’s a rivalry would be a weird thing because it’s something that builds naturally,” Wembanyama said. “They’re going to be locked in on Christmas more than any time before. It’s a resourceful team, but we’re going to be there too.”
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson welcomed the challenge of facing the West-leading Thunder again. “To be able to compete and fight against the best—you’d better be ready to go,” he said.
San Antonio also outscored Oklahoma City 60-48 in the paint and 19-5 in fast-break points. Kelly Olynyk’s free throw with 1:23 remaining pushed the lead to 21, officially giving the Thunder their first 20-plus deficit of the campaign.
The teams meet again Thursday afternoon in Oklahoma City, where the Spurs will try to extend their hottest stretch since the 2018-19 season.
Source: ESPN
