Thunder-Spurs Rivalry: Why a Christmas Showdown is Perfect

That was until Oklahoma City ended up drafting Chet Holmgren in 2022. The Spurs later brought in Victor Wembanyama in 2023, kicking off the rivalry to bigger heights. Since then, every OKC-San Antonio showdown featuring the two big men has been fun to watch. Sure, the Spurs are yet to catch up to the Thunder’s competitive level, but this season may have the makings of it.

The Chet vs. Wemby Saga Continues

Let’s be honest, these two big men are the face of this rivalry. Sure, there’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and De’Aaron Fox, but Chet and Wemby take center stage for this one. We all know how their careers will be intertwined forever and will always be compared after every season. Now more than ever, there are high expectations with the two centers in action this year.

Both big men ended up missing huge chunks of the previous season. Holmgren logged 32 games in the regular season, while Wembanyama finished with 46. The Thunder center later played all games in the 2025 NBA Playoffs en route to a title, while the Spurs big man became a first-time All-Star. Both had spectacular seasons of their own, but they’ve only had one big year of facing each other at full health.

Provided that they are healthy by the time this game comes, the hopes of seeing Chet vs Wemby on Christmas Day is a treat for basketball fans. The debates still continue online, and you can see that there’s still a stalemate in discussions at this point. This showdown on December 25th will be a hard game to miss.

Young Roster vs. Young Roster

Now it’s no secret that experience is a factor in winning championships. OKC, having limited numbers in that regard, went on to cement their place in NBA history. Still, the Spurs are one of the teams that also has a young core—and a potential of building a talented squad overall. With Wemby as the focal point, we can expect them to contend in the West for years to come and be a problem for Oklahoma City.

The thing is, both the Thunder and Spurs are structured well with dynamic players. San Antonio is lagging behind by a few notches, but they are close, so this showdown would highlight the potential of both teams. Oklahoma City is daring history, while San Antonio seeks to revive its old glory days.

The Perfect Christmas Showdown?

There are a lot of games on the Christmas slate for this year, but perhaps the revival of the Thunder-Spurs rivalry takes center stage. It’s a long road for the Chet vs Wemby talks to hype down, and it is expected that it will take another level with this game in the midst.

Now more than ever, the Christmas games for Oklahoma City have become an even better thing to watch. Thanks to the bigger stakes at hand, it has the makings of the perfect gift for NBA fans. This is a treat for all, and no one should miss out on it.