Overview
- San Antonio’s 117-102 Christmas Day win in Oklahoma City snapped the Thunder’s 14-0 home start and gave the Spurs a 3-0 edge over the champions in December.
- Victor Wembanyama remains on a minutes limit after a left calf strain and came off the bench for 19 points and 11 rebounds in 26 minutes, as different teammates carried the scoring load night to night.
- De’Aaron Fox led the latest victory with 29 points while Stephon Castle, Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell and others sustained a three-guard-led attack that avoided offensive drop-offs.
- The Spurs’ scheme disrupted Chet Holmgren and shrank OKC’s driving lanes, with Holmgren quiet late and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander held to 22 points on 7-for-19 shooting.
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said, “You don’t lose to a team three times in a row… without them being better than you,” as Wembanyama likened the stretch to a playoff series and declined to reveal tactical details.