Spurs vs Thunder: Championship Spirit? | NBA Analysis

Identified as a new threat

If the idea of ​​a new “classic” is slowly making its way across the Atlantic, with the American media going so far as to describe the Spurs as Oklahoma’s “kryptonite”, another question is also emerging: what if, finally, San Antonio was able to ascend the throne in June? It must be said that the Texans were the first this season to bring down the champion in his lair. And given the number of times the tenants of the Paycom Center returned to the locker rooms headlong in front of their supporters in 2025 (7 defeats), the performance performed by Mitch Johnson’s men can be seen as a real feat, and a real promise.

But what makes San Antonio succeed where others have failed, even though Victor Wembanyama is still limited in terms of playing time (19 points and 11 rebounds in 26 minutes on December 25)? The flexibility of this team, precisely, in addition to its defensive aggressiveness and its ability to adapt. And the fact that each player finds their place in this well-oiled collective, without trying to take themselves for another. With or without Wemby. “One of the things that defines us is that we will always seek to exploit the weaknesses of other teamsexplained the French giant at a press conference. We have great players, but it doesn’t matter if we score 25 points or more, and I include myself in that. What matters is to press where it hurts in defense. We can use anyone on the field. We will never let one player gain the upper hand over the collective. That’s what allows us to beat great teams like that.”

Unable to adapt, the Thunder once again paid the price for this collective winning formula at Christmas. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, although clumsy (7/19 shooting), played his usual part with 22 points scored in 36 minutes. But the reigning MVP, helped in vain by Chet Holmgren’s double-double and weighed down by an Alex Caruso more generous than Santa Claus (2/12 at 3-pts), admitted defeat, recognizing the superiority of the Spurs over OKC at the moment: “You don’t lose three times in a row to the same team in such a short period of time without them being better than us. We have to improve. We have to look in the mirror – and that concerns everyone – if we want to achieve our ultimate goal.” The ultimate goal? Becoming the first franchise to defend its title from one year to the next, the last to do so being Golden State in 2018.

In recent weeks, three other contenders naturally emerged behind Oklahoma City: Detroit (best record in the East), Denver (third in the West) as well as the Knicks (second in the East). Well placed in the Western Conference with a record of 23 wins for 7 losses, San Antonio and its carefree youth have given themselves the right to join this restricted circle. Although they were initially vying for a play-in place, the Spurs must now “start thinking about what they look like in a knockout match in April, May and even June”as the media advises them The Athletic. The mention of the month of June is not insignificant. It is even very important. With this series of invincibility against the Thunder, the prospect of a good run for Spurs in the play-offs has gained weight. And this, even if their inexperience in a playoff series may appear to be a hindrance to their ambitions, with a last appearance in the first round in 2018-19 and a last title dating back to 2014.

Have they already sent a message to the rest of the NBA by beating the champion on his home turf? Questioned at a press conference, Victor Wembanyama remained evasive: “Maybe, maybe not… We’re focused on the rest of the season, we’re not even halfway through yet… I don’t think it’s smart to look that far into the future.” His teammate De’Aaron Fox, faced with the same question, was also measured but more verbose: “There are 50 games left. If you want to be a team that fights for the title, of course you have to be good throughout the season. A lot of champions don’t rank seventh, sixth or fifth. Usually those top four positions are the contenders, and we have to keep building day by day. We don’t think about what will happen at the end of the year, but we look at what our team has to face to win the next game.” While waiting to know if the Spurs can really pose a frightening threat, Wemby and his friends will meet the Thunder on January 14 and February 5. They will have two new opportunities to establish their legitimacy and prove that something serious is happening in San Antonio.