The Oklahoma City Thunder’s impressive 16-game winning streak came to a halt Saturday night in a 111-109 loss to the San Antonio Spurs - a reminder that even the hottest teams in the league aren’t immune to off nights and tough matchups.
Despite holding a narrow 49-46 lead at halftime, the Thunder couldn’t hold off a Spurs squad that came at them in waves. San Antonio had four players notch 20 or more points, and their balanced attack proved to be the difference in a tightly contested game. The Spurs poured in 65 second-half points, knocked down 13 threes, and dominated the paint with 40 points inside - a three-level offensive performance that kept OKC on its heels throughout the final two quarters.
“When you play close games, you’re not going to win them all,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said postgame. “I thought we put ourselves in a tough position there, playing from behind down the stretch.”
And he’s right - this wasn’t a blowout, but a game that came down to execution in the final minutes. Oklahoma City had its chances, but the defensive stops they’ve relied on during their win streak just weren’t there this time. The Spurs’ ability to stretch the floor and attack the rim kept OKC from ever finding a rhythm defensively.
Offensively, the Thunder showed flashes but lacked the consistent sharpness that’s defined their recent run. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 29 points on an efficient 12-of-23 shooting night, adding five assists and four boards. But he also turned the ball over five times - a testament to the Spurs’ aggressive defensive scheme, which forced OKC into some uncomfortable spots.
“There was a lot of controllable stuff we can learn from that game that wasn’t where we’d like it to be,” Daigneault said, hinting at the kind of film session that fuels growth for a young, talented squad.
One of the biggest red flags? The Thunder’s perimeter shooting.
They went just 9-of-37 from deep - a cold 24% clip that made it tough to keep pace with a Spurs team that was hitting from all over the floor. When the threes aren’t falling and the stops aren’t coming, it’s tough to close out games, especially on the road.
“It wasn’t our sharpest night,” Daigneault admitted. “Certainly, our attacks weren’t as sharp as they’ve normally been.”
Still, this loss doesn’t erase the momentum the Thunder have built. A 16-game winning streak in the NBA is no small feat, and this group has shown it can hang with - and beat - anyone in the league.
But Saturday night served as a reminder: in a league this deep, you have to bring it every night. The Thunder didn’t quite hit their usual standard, and the Spurs made them pay.
Now the question becomes how Oklahoma City responds. If recent history is any indication, they’ll take the lessons, make the adjustments, and come back sharper. This team’s growth curve has been steep - and one tough loss isn’t slowing it down.