NBA Game Preview: Oklahoma City Thunder (26-3) vs. San Antonio Spurs (21-7)

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The Oklahoma City Thunder, owners of the league’s best record, travel to Texas for a Western Conference showdown against the surging San Antonio Spurs. This matchup pits two young, athletic teams against each other, with OKC looking to extend their dominance and the Spurs aiming to build on their recent upset victory over the Thunder in the NBA Cup semifinals. Expect a high-intensity game featuring star power and defensive prowess on both sides. Below is a detailed breakdown.

Venue Location

Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX. This 18,581-capacity arena has been the Spurs’ home since 2022 (formerly AT&T Center) and is known for its passionate fanbase, which could provide a significant home-court advantage in this pre-Christmas tilt.

Tipoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET (7:30 p.m. CT local time). The game will be broadcast nationally on ABC, with regional options on FanDuel Sports Network Southwest (FDSSW) for Spurs viewers and FanDuel Sports Network Oklahoma (FDSOK) for Thunder fans. Streaming is available via NBA League Pass.

Injury Report

Injuries could play a pivotal role, with both teams managing key absences and questionables. The Thunder are particularly thin in the frontcourt, while the Spurs’ star big man is day-to-day.

Latest updates as of the afternoon before tip-off:

TeamPlayerPositionStatusInjury Details
Oklahoma City ThunderChet HolmgrenCOutRight hip fracture (out since November; expected return mid-February)
Oklahoma City ThunderIsaiah HartensteinCOutLeft hand fracture (out since October; targeting January return)
Oklahoma City ThunderAlex CarusoGQuestionableLeft hip strain
Oklahoma City ThunderJaylin WilliamsF/CQuestionableRight ankle sprain
Oklahoma City ThunderAjay MitchellGQuestionableUndisclosed
San Antonio SpursVictor WembanyamaCQuestionableLeft calf (injury management; recently returned from similar issue)

OKC’s frontcourt depth is severely tested without Holmgren and Hartenstein, forcing reliance on smaller lineups or backups like Jaylin Williams (if available). Wembanyama’s status is crucial for San Antonio; if he sits, their rim protection and spacing suffer.

Player Matchups

This game showcases elite talent, with perimeter battles and frontcourt clashes highlighting the action. If Wembanyama plays, his duel with OKC’s depleted bigs could be decisive.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) vs. Chris Paul/Stephon Castle (SAS): SGA, averaging 31 PPG and leading the MVP race, faces a savvy Spurs backcourt. Paul’s veteran defense and Castle’s athleticism could disrupt his rhythm, but SGA’s scoring efficiency (over 50% FG) gives OKC the edge.

Victor Wembanyama (SAS) vs. Jaylin Williams/Luguentz Dort (OKC): If Wemby suits up (averaging 24 PPG, 10 RPG, 4 BPG), he’ll exploit OKC’s undersized frontcourt without Holmgren. Williams or Dort may guard him, but Wembanyama’s length and shooting could lead to a monster stat line.

Jalen Williams (OKC) vs. De’Aaron Fox (SAS): Williams (22 PPG) brings versatility, but Fox’s speed (recently acquired by Spurs, averaging 20+ PPG) could create mismatches in transition.

Bench Battle: Cason Wallace/Isaiah Joe (OKC) vs. Keldon Johnson/Julian Champagnie (SAS): OKC’s depth shines with shooters like Joe, while Spurs’ reserves provide energy. Watch for Wallace’s defense against Johnson’s scoring.

Overall, OKC’s guard play could overwhelm if Caruso plays, but Spurs’ size advantages loom large.

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Recent Team Forms

OKC remains elite despite a rare loss, while the Spurs are on a hot streak with key wins.

Oklahoma City Thunder (Last 10 Games): 9-1 record, averaging 118.2 PPG while holding opponents to 102.4. They won 16 straight before falling to the Spurs on Dec. 13 (111-109), then rebounded with a 119-103 win over Memphis on Dec. 22. Road form is stellar (8-2), with a +15.8 margin in wins.

DateOpponentResultScore
Dec 22vs. MEMW119-103
Dec 19@ MINW(Details not specified; win)
Dec 13vs. SAS (NBA Cup)L109-111
9-1 overallAvg. +15.8 margin

San Antonio Spurs (Last 10 Games): 8-2 record, averaging 115.6 PPG and allowing 108.2. They’ve won 6 of their last 7, including a 126-98 blowout at Atlanta on Dec. 19 and 124-113 at Washington on Dec. 21. Home form is dominant (7-3), with recent upset over OKC highlighting their potential.

DateOpponentResultScore
Dec 21@ WASW124-113
Dec 19@ ATLW126-98
Dec 13@ OKC (NBA Cup)W111-109
8-2 overallAvg. +7.4 margin

Series History

The all-time series favors the Spurs 103-89 in 192 regular-season meetings. Playoff history is Spurs 19-15 over 34 games. Recently, games are tight and competitive; San Antonio snapped OKC’s 16-game win streak with a 111-109 NBA Cup semifinal win on Dec. 13. Over the last 10 head-to-heads, OKC holds a 7-3 edge, but Spurs are 2-0 this season (including Cup). Average total points: 228. Last 5 in San Antonio: Spurs 3-2, with unders hitting frequently.

Betting Trends

OKC is 18-10-1 ATS overall, 9-4 ATS on the road, and 20-6 ATS as favorites. Spurs are 16-12 ATS, 8-7 ATS at home, and 7-3 ATS as underdogs. Over has hit in 6 of OKC’s last 10 (60%) and 9 of Spurs’ last 16 road games (56.2%), but only 5 of 12 Spurs home games (41.7%). Head-to-head overs: 4-6 in last 10. OKC is 8-2 ATS in last 10 road games; Spurs 4-1 ATS in last 5 overall and 7-3 ATS vs. winning teams.

Game Odds

Oklahoma City Thunder                – 5.5

San Antonio Spurs                           233.5

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Monday, December 22, 2025