As soon as once more returning dwelling for a too-brief one-game dwelling stand, the Spurs had been going through an Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder squad that will be out for a vengeance after the Spurs ended their historic begin within the Semifinals of the NBA Cup in Las Vegas. For the primary three quarters, it was a good sport with many lead modifications and neither crew in a position to create a lot separation, however the Spurs blew the doorways off within the fourth quarter and used a full crew effort to get their second win of the season in opposition to the defending champions and seventh straight general for the primary time since 2019, securing a agency maintain on the second seed within the West within the course of.
Just like their first assembly, the Thunder cooked early with out Victor Wembanyama within the lineup, getting out to a fast 9-2 lead, however this time the Spurs didn’t watch for him to reply, as a substitute shortly composing themselves and attacking the paint for an 11-2 run to take the lead. Harrison Barnes, who had helped with the run by attacking Chet Holmgren down low, hit a 3 to get them up 16-13 in signal for him. The groups traded the lead just a few occasions, however the Spurs’ 22 factors within the paint performed a giant position in them being up 29-27 after 12 minutes.
Keldon Johnson, who was cooking from the second he got here in, scored 9 of 11 for the Spurs throughout the top of the primary and starting of the second quarter, they usually bought the lead as much as 41-33 earlier than the Thunder went on a 12-2 run to retake the lead. The Spurs regrouped from there because the groups traded buckets and the lead, however neither crew might get a lot going offensively. The Thunder leaned closely on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 16 factors and the midrange, and whereas the Spurs shot effectively general, they had been held by again by 5-17 from three and 5-10 from the free throw line, which performed a serious position in them being down 58-60 at halftime,
Devin Vassell and Barnes lastly hit a few threes to set off an 8-0 Spurs run early within the third to regain the lead, however like at all times, the Thunder responded. An 8-0 run of their very own swung the lead again to 4 of their favor, and as was the case all sport, issues simply continued to return and fourth with neither crew in a position to create a lot separation, till Johnson once more sparked the Spurs off the bench to shut the third quarter. They went on a 13-6 run, with KJ getting 8 of these factors, to match their largest lead of 8 factors earlier than a Lu Dort three at buzzer made it 87-82 Spurs.
SGA scored the primary two buckets for the Thunder to open the fourth quarter, however Stephon Fort matched him, and general the Spurs had been the extra energetic crew at this level. A Wemby three gave the Spurs their first double-digit lead at 98-96, they usually had all of the momentum, finally getting the result in 105-90 with 6 minutes remaining. No matter response the Thunder had, the Spurs at all times had a solution. Threes from Johnson and Vassell had OKC emptying their bench, and general the Spurs outscored the Thunder 43-28 for the trilling 130-110 win over the defending champions.
This go from Wemby to seek out Keldon below the basket was primarily the straw the broke the camel’s again, and the celebration makes all of it the higher.
Up subsequent: Thursday at Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder
Sure, once more. Whereas this mini-series was deliberate, the additional match-up in Vegas was not. Can the Spurs pull out a Christmas miracle and beat what’s going to doubtless be a crew out for blood on their very own courtroom? The percentages say no, however with this crew, something can occur.
