SI:AM | The Spurs Own the Defending Champs

San Antonio has now won all three of its games this season against the Thunder.

Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs have dominated the Thunder of late. / Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. I spent part of my Christmas at the movies seeing Marty Supreme. I won’t spoil it, but you’ll never guess which basketball Hall of Famer has a non-insignificant speaking role. 

In today’s SI:AM: 
🤠 Spurs’ statement win
🐺 Kelce’s last game in KC?
🏈 Why defense will be the key to this postseason

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The Spurs are ready to contend

The Spurs left a big lump of coal in the Thunder’s stocking this Christmas.

San Antonio defeated the defending champions in Oklahoma City on Christmas Day, 117–102, just two days after a 130–110 win at home. It was a powerful statement by a Spurs team seeking to assert itself as a contender in the Western Conference, and a wakeup call for the Thunder, who have now lost four of their last six games after starting the season 24–1. It’s the first time since the 2023–24 season that they’ve lost at least four games in a six-game span, and three of those losses have come against San Antonio.

“We have to get better as a group,” reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said after the game. “You don’t lose to a team three times in a row in a short span without them being better than you. We have to get better. Look in the mirror, and that’s everybody from top to bottom, if we want to reach our ultimate goal.”

The Thunder were clearly the best in the West last season, winning 16 more games than any other team in the conference. After winning 24 of its first 25 games this season, Oklahoma City looked like it had widened the gap. But the Spurs, having won 15 of their last 18, are on a hot streak of their own that has vaulted them into second place in the West. More significantly, beating the defending champion Thunder three times in two weeks has shown that the Spurs are more than a plucky upstart—they’re a real contender. 

“This is like a playoff series,” Victor Wembanyama said, referring to facing the Thunder three times in 12 days. “We learned a lot on the tactical side [but] I don’t want to say too much about it. Keep something for us.”

The scariest part about the Spurs’ recent success is that it’s come while Wembanyama hasn’t been at full strength. He missed 12 games in November and early December with a calf injury and has been on a minutes restriction since he made his return on Dec. 13. Wemby has come off the bench in his last seven games and has gone from averaging 34.6 minutes per game before the injury to 21.7 since. He played just shy of 26 minutes in Thursday’s game, his most since returning this month. 

Wembanyama has been brilliant in limited action, though. He’s averaged 18.0 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game since his return (excluding the NBA Cup final against the Knicks, which does not count toward official statistics). He had 19 points and 11 rebounds in Thursday’s game for his third double-double in his last four games. 

But the biggest reason for the Spurs’ success this season is that Wembanyama hasn’t been forced to carry the team on his own. San Antonio went 9–3 during Wembanyama’s absence, including road wins over the Nuggets and Lakers. This is a deep, well-rounded team that also happens to have a 7'4" cheat code. De’Aaron Fox has been everything the Spurs hoped he would be when they traded for him last season, averaging 21.9 points per game, second on the team behind Wembanyama. He led the way in Thursday’s win with 29 points. Youngsters Stephon Castle (last season’s Rookie of the Year) and Dylan Harper (the second pick in this year’s draft) have been excellent, too. Castle had 24 points in Tuesday’s game to pick up the slack when Fox had a poor shooting night, and Harper had 10 assists off the bench with no turnovers. The Spurs also have veteran leadership from players like Devin Vassell (six NBA seasons), Keldon Johnson (seven) and Harrison Barnes (14). 

The Thunder still own the best record in the NBA, but the past two weeks have shown that the Spurs may be well ahead of schedule with their rebuild. As Wembanyama approaches full strength, the rest of the league has a lot to worry about. 

The best of Sports Illustrated

Was Christmas Night against the Broncos Travis Kelce’s final home game with the Chiefs? / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

• Chris Mannix has more on the NBA’s Christmas Day slate, including the Spurs’ big win, the Knicks’ thrilling comeback and Draymond Green’s future with the Warriors. 
• Was the Chiefs’ loss to the Broncos last night Travis Kelce’s final game at Arrowhead Stadium? Before the game, Matt Verderame wrote about the possibility that the legendary tight end might call it a career after the season. 
• Tyler Shough has been better than expected for the Saints this season. Albert Breer gets into what that means for New Orleans’s future and more in his most recent mailbag. 
• Gilberto Manzano explains why dominant defenses could decide this year’s NFL playoffs. 
• The Ravens are likely to be without Lamar Jackson in a must-win game against the Packers. 
• Verderame also dives into the NFL playoff picture after the Lions were officially eliminated from playoff contention following a shocking loss to the Vikings.
• The A’s signed outfielder Tyler Soderstrom to a contract extension that includes the largest salary guarantee in franchise history. 

The top five…

OG Anunoby helped put the finishing touches on the Knicks’ win over the Cavaliers with a clutch dunk. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

… things I saw yesterday: 
5. Jordan Addison’s 65-yard touchdown run on a jet sweep. That one play accounted for 40% of the Vikings’ offensive yardage in their win over the Lions. 
4. A physical run by Deebo Samuel Sr. where he plowed into a defender and knocked his helmet off. 
3. Anthony Edwards’s turnaround three with 1.1 seconds left to force overtime against the Nuggets. Edwards was ejected in OT after picking up a second technical foul and Denver went on to win, 142–138. (The two teams combined for an absurd 50 points in the five-minute overtime period.)
2. A diving interception on a deflected pass by Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton. 
1. The riveting final 30 seconds of the Knicks’ win over the Cavaliers as New York completed a 17-point fourth-quarter comeback, its largest of the season.