The San Antonio Spurs might have figured out how to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder, at least during the regular season. They have gone 3-0 against the Thunder in the 2025-26 campaign so far, defeating them 117-102 on Christmas Day, which raises more than a few eyebrows. De’Aaron Fox has proven to be the All-Star the Spurs wanted when they first acquired him, posting 29 points and three assists on 12-19 shooting from the field.
Victor Wembanyama was also solid, posting 19 points and 11 rebounds while coming off the bench for 26 minutes of play. The Thunder simply could not match their efficiency, along with the fact that Stephon Castle (19 points, 7 assists) and Harrison Barnes (15 points) added sharpshooting and effective two-way play. The Thunder could not find a way to counter besides the relatively inefficient Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (22 points on 7-19 shooting).
With this win, marking their third in a row against the reigning NBA champions, the Spurs improve to 23-7 while the Thunder drop to 26-5, which could be the end of their bid to break the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors’ record. With the Spurs players heading home to celebrate their holiday, let’s provide a player rating for each.
De’Aaron Fox: A+
Game Stats: 29 PTS, 4 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TOV, 12-19 FG, 3-4 3PT, 2-2 FT, 33 MIN
De’Aaron Fox had another strong game offensively, scoring 29 points on 12-19 shooting and proving to be the difference-maker on Christmas. He only played 33 minutes and did all his damage against a talented Thunder team that knows how to throw ball-handlers off-balance. Fox was desperate to make sure the Spurs enjoy their holiday more than the Thunder, and he gets an A+ as a result. If Fox keeps up this level of play, an All-Star nod isn’t out of the question because he is carrying the Spurs more often than not.
Victor Wembanyama: A
Game Stats: 19 PTS, 11 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 3 TOV, 6-12 FG, 2-3 3PT, 5-5 FT, 26 MIN
Wemby came off the bench yet again, but it didn’t affect his production. In 26 minutes, he was dominant. Scored inside, hit threes, and even made his impact felt on defense. He easily outplayed both Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein and was perfect from the stripe as well. In a matchup where Fox was getting whatever he wanted, Wemby had to remain efficient and do his best on both ends to earn an easy A. That’s exactly what the superstar Frenchman did.
Stephon Castle: A
Game Stats: 19 PTS, 4 REB, 7 AST, 1 STL, 4 TOV, 8-11 FG, 0-2 3PT, 3-5 FT, 32 MIN
Castle is a budding star, and he keeps proving it. He had an impressive 19 points to go along with seven rebounds and was extremely efficient from the field despite missing all his threes. The impact defensively and with his effort cannot be understated, and like most of his performances this season, it is A-grade worthy. As the third wheel on offense tonight when it came to scoring, Castle did a tremendous job, especially since he led the team in assists.
Harrison Barnes: B
Game Stats: 15 PTS, 6 REB, 1 AST, 1 TOV, 5-12 FG, 3-7 3PT, 2-2 FT, 30 MIN
Barnes had a veteran’s performance against the Thunder. He made his threes, played excellent D, and was at the core of team basketball. Scoring 15 points as a role player is always extremely helpful, and that’s what Barnes provided in 30 minutes of action. Even if he shot under 50% from the field, playing how he played is enough for an easy B grade.
Keldon Johnson: B
Game Stats: 9 PTS, 7 REB, 4-7 FG, 1-2 3PT, 0-2 FT, 17 MIN
Keldon contributed a ton in such a small amount of time. In 17 minutes, he caused havoc around the rim and found a way to generate enough points to make a difference. Had he played more, he probably would have had a stronger stat sheet performance. Regardless, a B grade is warranted for the swingman.
Dylan Harper: B
Game Stats: 12 PTS, 3 REB, 2 AST, 1 TOV, 5-8 FG, 2-2 FT, 20 MIN
Dylan Harper was very effective in 20 minutes of play, putting a ton of pressure on the Thunder’s defense. His stats don’t jump off the page, but his impact was clear to see. Harper tends to have an immediate presence whenever he hits the floor, and he did it again on Christmas Day with solid all-around play. He didn’t steal the show, but he wasn’t poor at all.
Devin Vassell: B-
Game Stats: 5 PTS, 4 REB, 2 AST, 1-6 FG, 1-5 3PT, 2-3 FT, 34 MIN
Vassell didn’t need to score tonight. He had to move the ball, play defense, and play smart. He did all three. Without recording a turnover and playing excellent team basketball and perimeter defense, Vassell did his job even if his stats look underwhelming. The Spurs needed this exact performance from Vassell today, but the fact that he still only went 1-6 from the field hurts his grade a bit.
Luke Kornet: B-
Game Stats: 6 PTS, 4 REB, 1 AST, 1 BLK, 1 TOV, 3-4 FG, 22 MIN
Kornet gave San Antonio solid minutes in the middle. He was trusted to play 22 minutes and was active on both ends while shooting an impressive 75% from the court. Not his best performance, but a strong one for a role player who won’t get a ton of looks.
Julian Champagnie: C
Game Stats: 0 PTS, 5 REB, 1 AST, 1 TOV, 1 BLK, 0-3 FG, 20 MIN
Champagnie didn’t score, but he found ways to contribute. He crashed the boards in 20 minutes, got a block, and played with his usual energy on both ends of the court.
Jordan McLaughlin: N/A
Game Stats: 3 PTS, 1-1 FG, 1-1 3PT, 1 MIN
McLaughlin hit a three-pointer, so at least he earns the “best” N/A grade from the other players, who also only played a minute.
Jeremy Sochan: N/A
Game Stats: 0 PTS, 1 REB, 1 AST, 1 MIN
Sochan’s appearance was brief and didn’t allow us to give him a grade. He only had a minute of action, grabbed a rebound, and had a quick assist, so an N/A is fair.
Carter Bryant: N/A
Game Stats: 1 AST, 1 MIN
Carter Bryant had a quick assist in his minute of play, but he doesn’t get a grade because of a lack of playing time.
Kelly Olynyk: N/A
Game Stats: 1 MIN
Olynyk played a minute in garbage time without filling up a stat. An N/A grade for the veteran.
Lindy Waters III: N/A
Game Stats: 0-1 FG, 0-1 3-PT FG, 1 MIN
Waters III only played a minute, got a three-pointer up, but didn’t make it. A standard N/A as a result.
