Could First OKC-San Antonio Contest Dictate Five-Game Season Series?

If Victor Wembanyama's flexing after getting fouled told you one thing, it's that the Spurs believe they're ready to hang with the big boys.

If you saw how Wembanyama got to the point he was flexing, it also told you that Cason Wallace simply fouled him without giving Wembanyama the chance of an and-one.

Point is, flexing while you're just sticking your big toe in the massive front door that is creating a championship-winning team isn't something you necessarily want to do when there's a guard dog waiting for you on the other side. That guard dog being the Oklahoma City Thunder.

A win against the then-23-win and one-loss Oklahoma City team in the semifinal of the NBA Cup is of course something you brag about and you are proud of as a team, it's not an easy feat with how the Thunder has competed this season. But humility comes a long way, especially when knowing Wembanyama has yet to see a playoff game—let alone a championship ring.

Still, coming back from injury and on a minutes restriction, Wembanayma had every right to talk his talk as he helped uplift a Spurs team who needed every bit of his 22 points, nine rebounds and two blocks. And that was in just 21 minutes on the night.

He had himself a game. Especially when seeing Oklahoma City was just about entirely healthy. Keeping Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to under 30 points, limiting the Thunder to 24% shooting from three and scoring 111 points is something that doesn't happen often against this Oklahoma City juggernaut of a team.

But if anyone is equipped to do it, it's the Spurs. They're a great matchup. Length defensively, capable offensive yet also defensive-inclined guards, and then a unicorn like Wembanayama, they're a team who could give Oklahoma City a run for its money.

Luckily we'll get a large sample size of that this season. Five games, one already down in San Antonio's favor.

Next will come two days before Christmas in San Antonio. The next will be on Christmas day in Bricktown, followed by another contest in the Paycom in January and capped off in early February on the Spurs' home floor.

The Spurs are wanting to answer—they already have once, but they're definitely going to get their opportunity later this month and beyond.

As for Wembanyama specifically, he's going to have to talk the talk and walk the walk at least two more times this season if he wants to have the advantage over the Thunder. But as we've seen so far, Oklahoma City doesn't really bark, they just bite.