De’Aaron Fox led the way with 29 points as the San Antonio Spurs secured a 117-102 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, marking their third consecutive win against the reigning NBA champions in the last two weeks.
The Spurs previously triumphed over the Thunder in an NBA Cup semifinal clash on December 13 and in a match held in San Antonio just days before. The two teams are set to face off once more on January 13 in Oklahoma City.
Contributing to the Spurs’ success were Victor Wembanyama, who posted 19 points and 11 rebounds, and Stephon Castle, who recorded 19 points and seven assists. San Antonio displayed sharp shooting, hitting 53.6% from the field, while also limiting the Thunder to a 38.9% shooting percentage.
The victory extended San Antonio’s winning streak to eight games, while also handing the Thunder their second loss at home this season. Despite the defeat, the Thunder remain atop the Western Conference standings, with the Spurs close behind in second place.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 22 points, but struggled with his shooting, making just 7 of 19 field goal attempts. Notably, Gilgeous-Alexander extended his streak of scoring at least 20 points in games to 102.
Further contributions for the Thunder came from Isaiah Hartenstein, who notched 13 points and 12 rebounds, and Chet Holmgren, who added 10 points and 12 rebounds.
The Thunder commenced the season in strong form with a 24-1 record, tied for the best start through 25 games in the league. However, they have experienced a downturn since, going 2-4, including the three losses to the Spurs.
San Antonio faced an early deficit as the Thunder made their first seven field goals, jumping to an 18-12 lead. Nonetheless, Fox spearheaded the Spurs’ comeback effort with 21 first-half points, guiding San Antonio to a 69-60 lead at halftime.
The Spurs continued to build on their advantage in the third quarter, eventually stretching their lead to 85-68. A decisive dunk by Dylan Harper in the third quarter extended the lead further to 91-74, with the Spurs closing out the period ahead at 95-79 and maintaining control until the final buzzer.