After splitting a tough back-to-back set that pitted them against the Celtics and Timberwolves, the schedule doesn’t get easier for the Spurs. They’ll travel to Oklahoma City to face the league-best Thunder for the fourth time this season, looking to continue their undefeated streak against the defending champions.
The entire NBA world will be watching, as the Spurs have been the Thunder’s kryptonite this season, beating them in all three matchups they played. It’s also a battle featuring the top
two teams in the West and another opportunity for the Silver and Black to prove that they are not just a young team that seems ahead of schedule, but a serious contender. The absence of Devin Vassell looms large for San Antonio, but Victor Wembanyama is healthy and starting again, so the expectations will be high.
There aren’t a lot of easy games for the Spurs before the All-Star break, and they’ve had to travel a lot and play back-to-backs. Still, no one will feel sorry for them, and every win and loss matters in the West’s battle for playoff seeding. They’ve shown in the past that they have the recipe to beat the best team in the league. They’ll need to do it again to keep pace with OKC and hold off the rest of the contenders in the conference from catching up to them.
San Antonio Spurs (27-12) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (33-7)
January 13, 2026 | 7 p.m. CT
Watch: FanDuel Sports | WOAI (1200 AM)
Spurs injuries: Devin Vassell (left adductor strain)
Thunder injuries: Thomas Sorber (ACL surgery recovery), Nikola Topic (surgical recovery), Isaiah Hartenstein (right soleus strain)
What to watch for:
The Thunder’s thirst for revenge
As mentioned, the Thunder have lost only seven games this season, and three of them have been to the Spurs. They were once considered a safe bet to win 70+ games and universally picked to win the championship. While they are still the favorites, those three losses to San Antonio have shown that they are not the unstoppable juggernaut many were convinced they were. And for that, they might be extra motivated to avenge those losses.
Beyond the Spurs’ wins, a rivalry is building between the league’s top young teams. Victor Wembanyama has been battling Chet Holmgren in international play since they were teenagers and seems to relish the opportunity to beat him. Holmgren might want to return the favor after largely subpar performances in previous encounters. On top of the history between the two franchises, which extends past the recent years, the Thunder are No. 1 in the West and would like to create even more separation with the second-place Spurs.
Don’t be surprised if OKC comes out firing. It will be on San Antonio to match their intensity and not let them control how the game is played.
The guards’ slump
In the previous matchups with the Thunder, the Spurs’ guard trio of De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper took turns attacking the paint with surprisingly positive results. Fox and Castle shot well over 50 percent against the top defense in the league, and the rookie had a 10-assist game. The three wins were the product of fantastic team effort and smart game plans, but the guards played a huge part in the past success against OKC.
Unfortunately, the dynamic trio has not been playing its best lately. In the past five games, Fox and Castle have been shooting under 40 percent and have not been able to connect on outside looks. Harper is shooting under 20 percent and has struggled to finish at the rim. They are all in a slump at the same time, just as the Spurs need them to excel against an opponent that thrives when they can put the clamps on opponents’ perimeter creators.
Hopefully, the motivation of playing the best team in the West will inspire them, and the hyper-aggressive Thunder defense won’t cause turnovers and instead unlock their driving ability, because San Antonio will need the slump to end to have a chance.
The three-point battle
The Spurs rank 21st in the league in three-point shooting percentage at 34.6 percent while taking around 37 threes a game. They have had their ups and downs, but in general, they are mediocre at best from beyond the arc. The Thunder are not a great outside shooting team either, taking about the same amount as San Antonio while shooting 35.5 percent, but they are the better of the two. In the aggregate on the three matchups, however, the Silver and Black shot 37.4 percent while OKC shot a meager 28.8 percent.
Having the edge on three-point shooting is always important, but especially so considering how the Spurs want to defend when Wembanyama is on the floor. They normally switch on the perimeter while Wemby roams and closes out to whoever is parked in the corner. Alex Caruso simply couldn’t make him pay in one of the matchups in which the Thunder tried to counter the strategy by going small, connecting on just two of his 12 attempts.
The Thunder will likely try to hurt Wemby by having his assignment shoot a lot. If someone from their side gets hot, San Antonio will need to be able to match that firepower.
You can follow along with the game here on the Game Thread, as well as on our X profile (@poundingtherock).
