Thunder dealt harsh Spurs reality

It was the second time the Spurs defeated the Thunder this month, something many could not have foreseen coming the way it has. Moreover, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander played well, scoring 33 points on 14 of 22 shooting, and it was not enough.

Despite Gilgeous-Alexander doing everything he could, the Thunder were no match for the Spurs. Jalen Williams added 17 points on 8 of 18 shooting. Likewise, Luguentz Dort finished with 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting. But the Thunder got very little from everyone else. Notably, Isaiah Hartenstein had 8 points on 4-of-7 shooting. Meanwhile, Chet Holmgren had just seven points on 3 of 10 shooting.

The Thunder defense was not good, allowing the Spurs to shoot 57.1% from the floor, including 44.4% from beyond the arc. Also, they sent the Spurs to the charity stripe for 24 free throws, giving them too many chances for extra points. The Thunder also had 13 turnovers, which did not help them keep it close.

When the season began, many assumed that it would be the Wembanyama show. But this iteration of the Spurs has shown an incredible balance, allowing them to start 22-7. Wembanyama still leads the team with 23.7 points per game. But De’Aaron Fox has been solid, with 21.6 points per game. Castle is averaging 18.6 points per game, while Devin Vassell is averaging 15.8 points per game.

While the rest of the league has struggled mightily against the Thunder, it seems the Spurs have the formula for beating them. In the 1111-109 win on December 13, they beat them with stiffling defense. In this game, they shot the ball incredibly well. In both games, the Spurs had production from someone other than Wembanyama. The Thunder will not have long to try to get revenge as they meet the Spurs on Christmas Day at the Paycom Center.