OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) 鈥� Just a few weeks ago, the defending champion Thunder were making it appear that the rest of the NBA would be playing for second place.
Oklahoma City won 24 of its first 25 games, with the Thunder often blowing out opponents and resting starters in the fourth quarter.
Three losses to the San Antonio Spurs later, a legitimate threat to Oklahoma City’s crown has emerged. San Antonio , handing Oklahoma City its first home loss of the season.
San Antonio’s first win, a , would have been easy to write off. But the past two victories over the Thunder 鈥�- and by 15 on Thursday 鈥� have been decisive. Still, Spurs center Victor Wembanyama was reserved when asked if San Antonio’s success against Oklahoma City has sent a message to the league.
鈥淢aybe it does, maybe it doesn鈥檛,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut we鈥檙e focused on the rest of the season. It鈥檚 very long. We鈥檙e not even halfway through, so I鈥檓 not really sure it鈥檚, I don鈥檛 know the word — I鈥檓 not really sure it鈥檚 smart to think so far into the future.鈥�
Both sides said the number of games in a short span 鈥� three in fewer than two weeks 鈥� resembled a playoff series. The results showed the Thunder they’ve got work ahead.
鈥淲e have to get better as a group,” Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning league MVP, said. “You don鈥檛 lose to a team three times in a row in a short span without them being better than you. So we have to be better. You have to look in the mirror. And that鈥檚 everybody from top to bottom if we want to reach our ultimate goal.鈥�
The Thunder have had no answers for Wembanyama. The young 7-foot-3 Frenchman has averaged 17.7 points and 8.3 rebounds in just over 23 minutes per game against the Thunder. He’s been a reserve in all three matchups because he鈥檚 working his way back from a calf injury that cost him 12 games.
He has given the Thunder fits defensively with his height, reach and ability to rotate quickly. Thunder guard Jalen Williams said Wembanyama had the Thunder 鈥� typically an extremely disciplined team 鈥� out of sorts.
鈥淛ust having Victor out there just defensively covers up for a lot of their mistakes, which is why our offensive progression is much more important because it can really affect a game if you kind of let them do what they scheme to do,” Williams said.
It鈥檚 been quite a jump for Spurs coach Mitch Johnson. The 39-year-old is in his first full season in place of Gregg Popovich, who stepped down to take the role of team president.
The Thunder have seen this before 鈥� a young team with a young coach maturing rapidly with the right approach. Williams said the Spurs remind him of the Thunder team from two years ago that earned the No. 1 seed in the West and reached the conference semifinals after having a losing record the previous year.
Williams said the Spurs have the hunger the 2023-24 Thunder had, and they already have learned how to channel it.
鈥淭hey want the games just as bad as we do,” he said. “It鈥檚 just about who can nurture that into something progressive. And we just didn鈥檛 do a good job of it, and they did.鈥�
Another aspect of the Spurs that mirrors that Thunder team from two years ago is the focus on team ball. De’Aaron Fox is averaging 21.9 points and 6.3 assists. Stephon Castle, last year’s Rookie of the Year, is averaging 18.6 points and 7.0 assists on 51.5% shooting. They are among eight Spurs players averaging double figures.
鈥淲inning is also a symptom of everything that happens behind closed doors,鈥� Wembanyama said. 鈥淎nd all of us are happy to come into work. We know we鈥檙e going to have fun. We know that we鈥檙e going to go out there and produce competitive basketball.鈥�
For all the hype, Oklahoma City’s main purpose is intact. The Thunder hope they can apply what they have learned when they play the Spurs on January 13 in Oklahoma City and perhaps again down the road.
鈥淚t鈥檚 easy to learn through the losses,鈥� Gilgeous-Alexander said. 鈥淵ou feel it right away. You hate the feeling. It鈥檚 motivating. It鈥檚 easy. I expect this team to get better. We should be a way better team come the end of the season than we are today. That鈥檚 our goal.鈥�
___
AP NBA:
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
