The Oklahoma City Thunder absolutely came out swinging on opening night for the 2026-27 NBA season, snagging a 116-104 victory over the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center. This wasn’t just any win, it was sweet revenge after the Spurs took Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals on the road last season. And if Tuesday’s game is any indication, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is already making a serious push for his third straight MVP.
SGA Shines Bright, Wemby Struggles
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was undeniably the best player on the floor, doing his usual thing with those incredible midrange jumpers and silky smooth moves. He dropped a commanding 32 points, adding 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. On the flip side, Victor Wembanyama had a rough go of it against OKC’s stifling defense, struggling big-time with his shot, going a shocking 1-of-13 from the field. Oof. While Wemby still managed 12 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 6 blocks, that shooting percentage is definitely a talking point. Jared McCain was huge off the bench for the Thunder, draining six threes for 20 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal. He really helped OKC overcome solid performances from Spurs’ Stephon Castle (24 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist), Dylan Harper (18 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists), and De’Aaron Fox (14 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal). Chet Holmgren added 14 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 4 blocks, showing up big on defense.
Tension Boils Over in High-Stakes Opener
You could feel the tension from the jump, especially given how these two heavyweights ended last season. Things got heated in the second quarter when De’Aaron Fox threw Chet Holmgren to the ground. That blew up into a flagrant foul for Fox, a technical for Wembanyama, and technicals for *all three* Thunder Williams guys, Jaylin, Jalen, and Kenrich. Wild! But even with that amusement, Spurs fans didn’t have much else to cheer about in the first half. Oklahoma City rocketed out to a commanding 21-point lead by halftime. McCain and Alex Caruso were sinking threes off the bench, the defense was just suffocating Wembanyama, and SGA was absolutely taking over for extended stretches. SGA is a nightmare when he drives the lane, but he was also mixing in multiple triples and finding Holmgren when defenders collapsed. With Wembanyama missing every single one of his field-goal attempts in the first half, the Thunder were in full control. To their credit, San Antonio battled back in the third, cutting the deficit to single digits with Fox and Castle stepping up. Wemby didn’t get his first field goal until his 13th attempt, but he still impacted the game with his shot-swatting and free throws. Every time the Spurs made a run, though, Gilgeous-Alexander had an answer. OKC was still up 13 heading into the fourth, with rookie Aday Mara even blocking Wembanyama and then finishing a dunk on the other end. The fourth quarter was more of the same, with the Spurs making a run when SGA was resting, only for him to immediately push the lead back to double digits when he returned. It wasn’t just SGA, though. McCain drilled another critical three, Holmgren blocked a shot at the rim, and Caruso was hounding Spurs perimeter players on defense down the stretch. With those role players stepping up and SGA torching Spurs defenders, OKC was in total control.
This early statement victory shows exactly what the Thunder are capable of. If this is the form they’re bringing to the court right now, the rest of the league needs to take notice. We saw this rivalry ignite in the Western Conference Finals, and this opening night showdown just poured gasoline on it. Don’t be surprised if we see these two teams clashing on that stage again, maybe even deeper into the season. It’s going to be a wild ride watching them!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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