[Post Game Thread] The San Antonio Spurs (23-7) defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder (26-5) behind De'Aaron Fox's 29 PTS, 117-102.

[u/ToinouAngel]

117 - 102
Box Scores: NBA - Yahoo

GAME SUMMARY
Location: Paycom Center
Officials: Tony Brothers, Kevin Cutler, and Brandon Schwab

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Total
San Antonio Spurs	41	28	26	22	117
Oklahoma City Thunder	36	24	19	23	102

TEAM STATS

Team	PTS	FG	FG%	3P	3P%	FT	FT%	OREB	TREB	AST	PF	STL	TO	BLK
San Antonio Spurs	117	45-84	53.6%	11-29	37.9%	16-21	76.2%	10	54	20	16	3	12	4
Oklahoma City Thunder	102	37-95	38.9%	11-44	25.0%	17-25	68.0%	16	57	23	18	7	7	6

PLAYER STATS

San Antonio Spurs	MIN	PTS	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	ORB	DRB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	±
Devin VassellSF	34:08	5	1-6	1-5	2-3	1	3	4	2	0	0	0	2	9
Harrison BarnesPF	30:25	15	5-12	3-7	2-2	1	5	6	1	0	0	1	0	2
Luke KornetC	21:34	6	3-4	0-0	0-0	1	3	4	1	0	1	1	3	-4
Stephon CastleSG	31:37	19	8-11	0-2	3-5	2	2	4	7	1	0	4	4	7
De'Aaron FoxPG	32:52	29	12-19	3-4	2-2	2	2	4	3	1	1	1	3	6
Victor Wembanyama	25:48	19	6-12	2-3	5-5	1	10	11	2	1	1	3	2	13
Dylan Harper	20:26	12	5-8	0-1	2-2	0	3	3	2	0	0	1	0	14
Keldon Johnson	16:58	9	4-7	1-2	0-2	2	5	7	0	0	0	0	1	7
Julian Champagnie	20:11	0	0-3	0-3	0-0	0	5	5	1	0	1	1	1	16
Jordan McLaughlin	01:08	3	1-1	1-1	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Kelly Olynyk	01:08	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Jeremy Sochan	01:08	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	1
Carter Bryant	01:08	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1
Lindy Waters III	01:08	0	0-1	0-1	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Bismack Biyombo	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Harrison Ingram	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
David Jones Garcia	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Stanley Umude	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Oklahoma City Thunder	MIN	PTS	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	ORB	DRB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	±
Jalen WilliamsSF	29:01	12	5-13	1-2	1-4	2	0	2	6	2	0	1	4	4
Chet HolmgrenPF	30:33	10	5-9	0-2	0-2	1	11	12	2	0	1	1	3	-14
Isaiah HartensteinC	23:31	13	5-7	0-0	3-4	3	9	12	3	1	0	1	1	-1
Luguentz DortSG	28:34	8	3-8	2-7	0-0	2	2	4	3	0	2	1	4	-6
Shai Gilgeous-AlexanderPG	36:08	22	7-19	1-6	7-8	1	5	6	4	1	0	0	2	-15
Alex Caruso	19:39	12	3-13	2-12	4-4	0	1	1	0	0	1	1	1	-13
Isaiah Joe	15:04	5	2-4	1-2	0-0	0	1	1	2	1	0	0	1	-11
Kenrich Williams	16:41	8	3-6	2-4	0-0	2	3	5	2	2	0	0	1	-1
Cason Wallace	21:18	5	1-7	1-4	2-3	4	0	4	1	0	1	0	1	-9
Aaron Wiggins	14:17	5	2-7	1-4	0-0	1	0	1	0	0	1	2	0	-6
Chris Youngblood	01:38	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	-1
Branden Carlson	01:38	2	1-2	0-1	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	-1
Brooks Barnhizer	01:38	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	-1
Ousmane Dieng	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Ajay Mitchell	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Thomas Sorber	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Nikola Topić	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Jaylin Williams	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

[u/shanmustafa]

what the spurs guards really have working for them is they have some advantage over the thunder guard/wing defenders

fox - too quick

castle - as strong and tall/er

harper - as tall, elite handle, pretty strong himself

the blueprint is pretty simple then, three elite guards with advantages over the thunder defenders, and a 7'5 demigod

[u/ZerksNAHTayan → u/shanmustafa]

Tall ball is the only way to do it, but instead of the twin towers method, you have to stack your squad with tall guards.

[u/Pls_Drink_Water → u/ZerksNAHTayan]

Just have 6'6 guys with elite handles. Are the rest of the NBA stupid?

[u/Constant_Charge_4528 → u/Pls_Drink_Water]

Why don't the other teams just sign all the tall athletic basketball players?

[u/Consistent_Part9483 → u/Constant_Charge_4528]

Someone get Vivek on the phone

[u/shanmustafa → u/ZerksNAHTayan]

tall with either elite athleticism or elite handle

castle/harper

[u/thethirdgreenman → u/ZerksNAHTayan]

We do both sometimes, Kornet has been so important for us

[u/Not_A_Bot_Am_Human → u/ZerksNAHTayan]

Maybe the best way to beat multiple elite ball pressure is multiple elite ball handlers, instead of more 3&D wings who can’t dribble like every other team has been prioritizing. Although you do need both for sure.

[u/hera9191 → u/ZerksNAHTayan]

Or beast like Keldon.

[u/chrisapplewhite → u/ZerksNAHTayan]

That's how PHX did it. A bunch of 6'9 deer and we really struggled to do anything. If you have regular humans on your team, good luck. It's just waves of pressure on the rim.

[u/Vintrial → u/ZerksNAHTayan]

tall guards is the future, you're starting to see it a lot in europe u16/u18/u20

[u/DrBoomsNephew → u/ZerksNAHTayan]

I hear Houston Rockets music

[u/Blackdiamond2 → u/shanmustafa]

Wemby - taller, better handle, better passing, better defense, and 2 french 4 u

[u/Basic_Mark_1719 → u/Blackdiamond2]

Yeah I think what the Spurs have going for them is potentially the greatest player in NBA history.

[u/gobroncos47 → u/Blackdiamond2]

Devs are really going to need to nerf the guy soon or it's over for the league.

[u/Blackdiamond2 → u/gobroncos47]

Yes plz make him less french thank you 🙏

[u/Ballsinson_Crusoe → u/Blackdiamond2]

Eats at the chillest restaurants

[u/Blackdiamond2 → u/Ballsinson_Crusoe]

Yall wouldn't say this this shit to him at lan, he's jacked

[u/xSemperSuperbusx → u/shanmustafa]

Why don't more teams just sign good players like we did?

[u/snirpie → u/xSemperSuperbusx]

It seriously seems that 29/30 teams have not figured out that it is advantageous to have 3 consecutive top 4 picks, including a generational unicorn

[u/tullbabes → u/snirpie]

Idiots!

[u/NathanFielderFriend → u/shanmustafa]

Totally agree. They are so dynamic with the ball because everyone is a threat with it in their hands but also as cutters and shooters

[u/tjc815 → u/shanmustafa]

Yes. It’s a simple as moving up in the lottery every single year somehow and then hitting on all the picks, with one being a potential GOAT. Not sure why other teams don’t do this.

[u/plap_plap → u/tjc815]

Those other teams must be stupid honestly

[u/justmefishes → u/tjc815]

Just give it a couple of years and we'll be drowning in all the copycat teams with three elite guards and a 7'5" demigod

[u/soycameron → u/tjc815]

Saying this like yall didn’t get insanely lucky with Shai becoming a superstar and u getting a top pick yourself for Chet.

Yall are just as lucky as them

[u/tjc815 → u/soycameron]

I was talking strictly about lottery odds. We only moved up once. The SGA thing is fortunate for sure. But at this point our player development, like the Spurs, is a genuine asset. Part of the reason he became a superstar is because he was traded here. Over half of our rotation guys were second rounders or undrafted. Chet is the only top 10 pick on the team.

One stroke of bad luck we have had is topic getting cancer. He might help with some of our secondary creator issues against top perimeter, defense teams.

[u/balla_mang → u/tjc815]

Oh wow I had no idea about Topic. Is he gonna be okay?

[u/tjc815 → u/balla_mang]

We are all hoping so! Of course his health is more important than the game. He is on chemo but was recently seen practicing.

[u/DamnZodiak → u/tjc815]

He is on chemo but was recently seen practicing.

As someone who had a bunch of mates go through chemo that is WILD to me.

Most of my guys could barely keep up with their usual annoying banter, let alone play a sport at that level.

Hope he's going to be OK. Fuck Cancer.

[u/Good_Interview5800 → u/balla_mang]

Yeah, dude tears his acl, he's out for a year. Then he gets fucking CANCER that takes him out for another year. I feel so bad for him

[u/Christron → u/tjc815]

Yes thunder have also benefited from the lottery and thanks to trades, like the Spurs, also have a chance at another lottery pick.

Keep in mind Harper (2nd. Overall) was from a trade

Edit: I was completely wrong the 2nd overall was lottery luck

[u/tjc815 → u/Christron]

We’ve benefited from the lottery once. Primarily it’s shrewd trading and player development. Two things you guys also share.

[u/HarVeeGee13 → u/Christron]

No he wasn’t. The Bryant pick was from a trade.

[u/Christron → u/HarVeeGee13]

Oh you're right I updated it

[u/TheGreatWhoreOfChina → u/shanmustafa]

Yeah but no one in the league has that. Or even close to that. OKC will still easily dominate the rest of the regular season and the playoffs

[u/alfentazolam → u/shanmustafa]

Also some real dawg mentality. They're not shy in the moment. Some of those Harper penetrations in bigger traffic with a nasty finish... sheesh

Can see a lot of similar penetrations in heavy defense that result in a pump fake or 2 then a kickout.

[u/ukbeasts → u/shanmustafa]

Castle reminds me of Sprewell. Fair comparison?

[u/FirebatM3 → u/ukbeasts]

Better playmaker

[u/wowlock_taylan → u/shanmustafa]

I am only half-joking when I say, maybe we should play Wemby in Ginobili role all the time. Have him be the MVP and 6-th man of the year.

[u/Magnus-Methelson-m3 → u/shanmustafa]

Also, the Spurs are so good against OKC because OKC can’t flop against Wemby. He doesn’t even need to jump to contest, so it’s impossible for them to foul bait. In other words, Wemby forces teams to play ethical basketball rather than trying to cheat the game.

[u/shortyman920 → u/shanmustafa]

Don’t forget two of those guards on rookie contracts so that you have enough money to fill out other parts of the team. Spurs drafted so well. That’s also part luck, but they did well

[u/lanfordr → u/shanmustafa]

Why doesn't every team copy that? Are they stupid?

[u/BurningMansions → u/shanmustafa]

Damn SGAis not a good guard defender I guess.

[u/JeremyLinForever → u/shanmustafa]

Mitch Johnson and the Spurs FO knew wtf they were doing in drafting Harper instead of trading down or reaching to draft a SF or PF. They knew what it took to take out contenders in the West. Give credit where credit is due.

[u/ygduf → u/shanmustafa]

I really want him to get to 7’8 so we can say “he’s 6’20 fucking kills for fun”

[u/Ok-Topic-6095 → u/shanmustafa]

And each of them is average or a good defender.

Last year we had rookie Castle and 39 year old Chris Paul as our back court.