The Oklahoma City Thunder finally got the monkey off their back, and they did it in loud, decisive fashion. After three straight losses earlier this season, the defending champions blew out the San Antonio Spurs 119-98 on Tuesday night, avoiding what would have been a brutal regular season sweep. It took four tries, but OKC can finally say they solved the Spurs problem. Or at least quieted it for now. And because this is the NBA, and because this is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the win did not come without a little spice.
As reported by The Sports Rush, For much of December, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder looked untouchable. Outside of random off nights and fluky performances, they were steamrolling opponents and reinforcing the idea that they were on a championship-or-bust trajectory. Then came Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs, who shocked the league by beating Oklahoma City three times in one month. Suddenly, the Thunder looked human. Worse, they looked uncomfortable.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Speaks On The San Antonio Spurs
“They got the better of us the last three times we played them [and] that doesn’t happen to this group,” he said. “I can’t remember the last time it happened.”
That honesty matters. This Thunder team is built on confidence, swagger, and the belief that they can out-talent and out-execute anyone on any given night. Losing three straight to the same team cracked that image, even if just a little. San Antonio exposed flaws. They showed the rest of the league that OKC could be slowed down, rattled, and beaten with the right mix of size, patience, and star power. But according to Shai, that discomfort was exactly the point. “But yeah, uncomfortable feelings and adversity are where you find growth that defines who you are,” he continued. “And we showed that tonight.”
The Thunder certainly did. From tip-off, this game felt different. OKC played sharper, more connected, and far more in control than in their previous matchups with the Spurs. The 21-point margin told the story, but so did the body language. This was not a team pressing or panicking. This was a team making a statement. “Tonight wasn’t our Super Bowl. It wasn’t anything but another game in an 82-game season. We gotta [keep] finding ways to be better,” he said.
It was a subtle dig, but a dig nonetheless. By framing the matchup as just another stop along the way, Shai made it clear that he does not view the Spurs as Oklahoma City’s primary measuring stick. This was not about revenge or proving something to San Antonio. This was about internal growth, championship habits, and staying locked in on the bigger picture.
Oklahoma City Thunder MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Throws Shade
Was he being nonchalant on purpose? Probably. Losing four straight games to one team in the regular season would have been a nightmare scenario for a title contender. It would have cemented the Spurs as a mental and tactical kryptonite. No contender wants that narrative hanging over them, especially one as young and ambitious as OKC.
Now, the conversation pauses. The Thunder have shown they can beat the Spurs. The regular season series ends without the dreaded sweep, and Oklahoma City can move forward without that weight on their shoulders. But make no mistake, this story is not finished.
If these teams meet again in the postseason, everything changes. Playoff basketball does not care about regular season blowouts or carefully worded quotes. If the Thunder stumble against San Antonio when it truly matters, Gilgeous-Alexander’s “This wasn’t our Super Bowl” line will be replayed endlessly. For now though, Shai gets the last word. The Thunder got their win, their confidence back, and a reminder that adversity does not define them. How they respond to it does.
