The Oklahoma City Thunder may be the reigning NBA champions, but Kendrick Perkins isn’t sugarcoating what’s on the line when they face the San Antonio Spurs on Christmas Day. According to the former Thunder big man, this isn’t just another regular-season game - it’s a psychological checkpoint, a momentum swing waiting to happen, and a statement opportunity all rolled into one.
Perkins made his case on ESPN’s Get Up, and he didn’t hold back. “It is a must-win for Oklahoma City,” he said. “We haven’t seen a team make them this uncomfortable in over a year and a half - and then talk about it, throw it in their face.”
That discomfort is real. The Spurs have already beaten the Thunder twice this season, and not in fluky fashion.
They edged OKC 111-109 in the NBA Cup semifinals back on Dec. 13 in Las Vegas, then followed it up with a commanding 130-110 win just days ago in San Antonio. That’s not just a pair of wins - that’s a pattern.
And it’s one that’s starting to get under the Thunder’s skin.
Perkins pointed to San Antonio’s size on the perimeter as a key factor. “Big guards, big wings - they’ve got the tools to bother OKC,” he said.
“You want to kill that confidence, and if you’re SGA, you want to have that chip on your shoulder.”@KendrickPerkins says today’s #NBAXmas matchup is a MUST-WIN for the Thunder 👀 pic.twitter.com/nyP68Skmca
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) December 25, 2025
And he’s right. The Spurs’ length has disrupted the Thunder’s offensive rhythm, and their confidence is growing with each win.
They’ve vaulted to No. 2 in the Western Conference, and they’re playing like a team that believes it can beat anyone - including the champs - in a seven-game series.
That’s where the mental side of this matchup comes into play. The Thunder don’t just need a win - they need to reestablish control.
“You want to kill that confidence,” Perkins said of the Spurs. “And if you’re SGA, you want to take it personal.
You want to play with a chip on your shoulder.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has plenty of reason to show up with an edge. This Christmas Day game puts him in rare company: He’ll become the first reigning NBA MVP and Finals MVP to play on Christmas since LeBron James did it in 2013 with the Miami Heat. That’s a spotlight moment, and SGA has the stage to remind everyone why he’s the face of the franchise - and one of the league’s elite.
Tipoff is set for 2:30 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN, giving Oklahoma City a prime-time platform to respond. But beyond the national audience and holiday fanfare, this game is about something deeper: recalibrating the Thunder’s mindset heading into the second half of the season.
Perkins framed it perfectly - this is about confidence. Not just stealing it from the Spurs, but reclaiming it for themselves.
A third straight loss to San Antonio could plant seeds of doubt that linger into the spring. But a strong response?
That could reset the tone and remind the West that the road to the Finals still runs through Oklahoma City.
It’s not about panic - it’s about pride. The Thunder don’t need to be perfect in December, but they do need to show they’re still the team that lifted the trophy last June. And there’s no better time to do that than on Christmas Day, with the whole basketball world watching.