The Oklahoma City Thunder finally broke the curse against the San Antonio Spurs by recording an impressive 119-98 win on Tuesday night. After managing to contain Victor Wembanyama, the Thunder snapped a three-game losing streak against the Spurs.
During the post-game press conference, Thunder stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams discussed OKC’s defensive game plan for limiting Wembanyama’s production. Gilgeous-Alexander began by stating:
“It’s the same thing as any other player. Every basketball player has aspects that they’re comfortable with. The better ones are better at getting to those things due to the game plan, the defensive schemes, and stuff like that.”
“Defensively, it’s your job to take them out of their comfort zone as much as you can throughout the game. Obviously, you’re not going to be perfect, especially against some players. But I think we did a good job tonight of just making everything tougher.”
“That’s the recipe for every good player,” Gilgeous-Alexander continued. “If you let them be comfortable and get to their strengths, they’ll probably hurt you more than not.”
The Thunder restricted the Spurs’ center to only 17 points and seven rebounds, a key factor in the victory. Given that Jalen Williams often found himself matched up with the Spurs’ big man, he gave a detailed account of OKC’s strategies while acknowledging the reality of facing Wembanyama.
“It’s not a shot at his game, it’s just like the reality of somebody that’s tall: he’s going to get tall buckets,” Williams commented. “Going into the game knowing that and then not having miscoverages because he’s going to get those and then he’s going to get easy ones, too, where you mess up a read or mess up a switch, or you don’t rotate. You don’t want him to get those because that’s when he has really big nights.”
“Everything else is just like competing and trying to make it as tough on him as possible. He’s a good player. Like I said, he’s going to score, he’s going to make tough shots. It’s just how many times can I make him have to make a tough shot or make a tough move, make multiple moves to score.”
Williams’ physical approach toward guarding players who are bigger than him has been largely beneficial. However, he acknowledged that when it comes to someone like Victor Wembanyama, several factors beyond individual effort contribute to success.
OKC’s Defense Overcame Victor Wembanyama And The Spurs
Although Victor Wembanyama wasn’t the Spurs’ leading scorer even in previous results, it was evident that his impact was felt in the game. On that note, finding a workable solution set the foundation for OKC’s win on Tuesday night.
Thunder HC Mark Daigneault acknowledged this approach during his post-game media availability and highlighted:
“I thought the biggest difference between those two games was a defensive thing. I thought our disposition defensively tonight was completely different. I thought they had to earn what they got. They had to work harder for the points. Their possessions started in less advantageous rhythm situations. Our pressure got into the game way more early, and that impacts your offensive starting points.”
The Thunder certainly seemed much more assured on both sides of the ball this time around. Aside from holding the Spurs to below 100 points, OKC also managed to outscore them in every quarter, asserting its dominance.
With a 3-1 season series record, the Spurs still seem to have the advantage. However, having secured a foothold with this win, the Thunder will appear more threatening.
With the stage set for the final matchup of the 2025-26 season between the two teams, the Thunder will take on the Spurs on Feb. 4 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio.
