What we learned from the Spurs victory over the Thunder

A rivalry was born.

If January’s physical battle between Wembanyama and OKC’s Chet Holmgren in a fleeting Thunder blowout win indicated that a rivalry was brewing, Thursday stamped its arrival. Only it’s become deeper than the two lanky big men; both teams were desperate Thursday night. Whether Victor Wembanyama’s routine eruption, Devin Vassell’s fourth quarter or Tre Jones’ continued hot hand from beyond the arc, the Spurs wore confidence on their chest and motivation in their movement en route to a 132-118 statement victory over Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma City is aware of what San Antonio can become down the road. After all, it wasn’t long ago the Thunder were a struggling lottery team with high hopes for the future. While the Spurs don’t have the draft capital of its emerging rival, they boast the crown jewel of accelerated rebuilds with Wembanyama in the fray. With the intensity OKC opened the game with, it sure felt like they were trying to find early solutions to contain the Frenchman before he peaks in the coming years. After getting him to pick up two quick fouls, it was worth wondering if they had solved the 7-foot-4-sized issue for at least a quarter. Rather than sit him, Wemby stayed on the floor despite rolling an ankle. That’s how bad San Antonio wanted Thursday’s victory. They had to survive a two-point first quarter from the franchise player to get it.

OKC wanted to make Wembaynama work. Particularly on the offensive end, helping strong when he’d begin his dribble, forcing a kick out to a teammate on the perimeter. On another night, that strategy would’ve doomed the Spurs, who struggled from three-point range throughout the season. Not Thursday. Though the Thunder netted 6-of-8 looks, the Spurs weren’t far behind, connecting on 4-of-9. On another night, San Antonio would’ve cooled off, slowed down and left room for OKC to win the battle of attrition. Not Thursday. The Spurs finished 19-of-39 from range, while the Thunder went 9-of-31. Basketball is beautiful when shots are falling.

Wembanyama received another opportunity to make a memorable impression down the stretch. Enduring a losing season is mentally and physically straining, but the growth potential is worth it amid a rebuild. Remember the frustrations after the season opener when he began to heat up but didn’t receive enough touches down the stretch to close out Dallas? Things have changed drastically since then. Playing the entirety of the fourth quarter, Wemby logged eight points, three assists, three rebounds, and two blocks while slamming the door on the Rookie of the Year conversation by stifling a Chet Holmgren jump shot from the top of the key moments after sending the Frost Bank Center into a frenzy by a netting three-pointer.

You can’t fake desire. There’s a different energy when a team plays desperate for a victory against a particular foe rather than to snap a losing skid. The Spurs showed how dangerous they can be down the road when they have something to play for, making Thursday’s result the season’s signature win thus far.

Takeaways

• Life is easier when you’re knocking down three-pointers. Just ask Tre Jones. He specializes in setting up his teammates, but he becomes more of a threat when he’s knocking down open three-pointers. Due to being an undersized guard, high IQ and defensive effort aren’t enough to secure his future in San Antonio. But his recent uptick in efficiency could keep him around for years to come if he is able to sustain it. Jones went 3-of-5 against OKC. He went 1-of-1 against Minnesota, 3-of-4 against Utah and 2-of-2 against the Lakers.
• If there’s off-season advice I could extend to Jeremy Sochan, I’d suggest keeping an aggressive mindset when attacking the rim. There are times when he goes up and punishes the rim and others when he sees a defender and then attempts a crafty layup to avoid a blocked shot. Don’t sell yourself short when you get near the rim, Jeremy. Go up with aggression, and you may end up with a highlight, free throws, or, at minimum, respect from defenders.
• When surrounded by shooters, the Wembaynama-Vassell two-man game is daunting for defenders. It is truly a pick-your-poison ordeal. Vassell nailed a pull-up mid-range jumper in the fourth quarter when the Thunder keyed in on Wembanyama. On the following possession, OKC tried to deny Vassell from getting the same look by having Holmgren help off Wemby. Vassell attacked deep enough to set up a wide-open look, and then Wemby nailed the triple.
• I’d be remiss not to mention Zach Collins and his impact. He has a body type that Oklahoma City’s roster doesn’t possess and his physicality made a stark difference as he scored 13 points with five rebounds and five assists. Don’t count him out just yet, especially if OKC does indeed become a playoff rival down the road.