I’ve become fully convinced: Give the San Antonio Spurs the keys to Santa Claus’ workshop. Put Stephon Castle in control of present construction. Let De’Aaron Fox throw packages into rooftops, from whatever range he’d like. Vassell can decorate the Christmas cookies. Barnes has the brigade of helpers taken care of. And, of course, the sleigh's sleigh must without delay be altered for a more statuesque, leaner pilot so that the looming Wembanyama can operate it with ease.
The sensational Spurs have toppled the OKC three times in a fortnight, and in the process have breathed new life into this basketball campaign. I now have increased confidence in the Spurs’ ability to provide excitement to the audience than any holiday legends of old.
A Dire Start
It was concerning for a while there. The Oklahoma City might have captured the NBA championship in June, but started this season in increasingly threatening form. They notched 24 wins in their initial 25 contests (the sole defeat was a anomalous 20-point rally). In the bulk of those games, Jalen Williams, their star supporting player, was on the bench recovering from wrist surgery. Gilgeous-Alexander, their premier player, rarely had to play in fourth quarters. The Thunder routed the Kings by 31. The Los Angeles Lakers, who some expected to be a possible challenger, lost by 29; their offensive genius Luka Doncic appeared as if he was playing against ten men. The Phoenix Suns’ spirited opening got them a narrow defeat, by just four points. When they faced off again 12 days later, the Thunder triumphed by 49. This game was a decisive statement and ushered in the cold season 10 days ahead of schedule. Oklahoma City looked capable of dominating anything in its path, even the Warriors' legendary regular season record of 73-9.
The Nature of Their Game
The Thunder do not employ a especially attractive brand of basketball. They skillfully leverage the officials' problem over which infractions to call (a steady whistle disrupts the flow of the game, an inconsistent one lets players escape punishment for blatant violations), often resulting in Gilgeous-Alexander taking free throws after whistles that would be best ignored, while personified nuisance Caruso seems to have total license to do anything he likes on the defensive end. Some claim to admire, Gilgeous-Alexander twisting his body to elicit small bumps from defenders; I can only presume those same people also like being kicked hard in a sensitive area. That’s not to mention imposing figure Dort launching off his feet and into opponents after numerous questionably minimal touches. This tactics allows detractors to cling to the notion that in a world with ideal officiating, the Thunder would be a middling team. Real basketball heads know it’s far more annoying than essential to the Thunder’s success, but the general annoyance is sufficient to incline some fans who might otherwise be indifferent into supporting Oklahoma City’s downfall.
Dominance can be impressively clinical to watch, but a all-time dominant performance tends to generate reduced amazement the more times it happens again. How many times does anyone really want to watch one team beat another by 35? Sooner or later you remember that the uncertainty is the point. The Thunder were sapping the season of intrigue, accumulating leads on other teams in the table as well as on the court.
Enter the Spurs
Through 21 minutes of the first Spurs-Thunder game this season, San Antonio found themselves behind by 16 and looked likely to go the identical path as every other team. Instead, they have wrought hell upon the Thunder ever since.
Against the Spurs, the Thunder look beatable. Each member of their key players deserves immense credit for that, but this is Victor Wembanyama’s team, and the Thunder know it. “There’s this man on their team that’s seven-foot-five and occupies a lot of area on the court,” Jalen Williams said, with some frustration, when asked what made the Spurs such a hard team to beat. The Thunder’s lanky center, 7ft 1in Holmgren, is the biggest player on the floor in most games, free to grab rebounds and swat down opposing shots. Next to Wembanyama, he’s short, crude, and even hesitant. Wembanyama’s disregard for Holmgren is apparent in how he reacts each time Chet misses a free throw, as though he’s scored a major victory; the way he fouls him with a bit of added intensity; the way he told reporters he doesn’t consider Holmgren a rival. (There is indeed no question over which player is more talented.) At this rate Holmgren must expect Wemby to jump out from the cabinet, trash-talking, when he stretches for a snack.
Holiday Domination
Wembanyama and the Spurs made their most conclusive statement yet on Christmas, thumping the Thunder by 15 on their home court. San Antonio absorbed the expected early surge well yet again, recovering to score 41 points on the league’s stingiest defense in the first quarter. De'Aaron Fox seamlessly found the miniscule holes in that defense to the total of 29 points. The Spurs even restricted Gilgeous-Alexander to a career-low 22. He tried to compensate by firing passes to wide-open teammates behind the arc, but they disappointed by bricking almost every single attempt.
A Thunder supporter would say that enough of those three-pointers will go in in the future to produce a win or a more competitive loss, but I found the failed attempts revealing of a flaw. Off the strength of his fluid stepback jumper, SGA is the most reliable scoring force in the league. He is tough to guard and impossible to stop. But even he can’t bear an offense entirely on his own. The Spurs put him under enough pressure that he had to pass more than usual, and his role players struggled under the greater burden. Caruso and Dort are good for the periodic three-pointer, but relying on them to make the three-ball is the least desirable situation the Thunder want to be.
A League Transformed
The Spurs’ surge couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. Not only have they forcefully cemented themselves as title contenders – but they’ve enabled fans to see the Thunder in {higher definition|sharper focus|
